Jewish American Heritage Month: Welcome

This month, we celebrate the enduring heritage of Jewish Americans, whose values, culture, and contributions have shaped our character as a Nation. For generations, the story of the Jewish people — one of resilience, faith, and hope in the face of adversity, prejudice and persecution — has been woven into the fabric of our Nation’s story. It has driven us forward in our ongoing march for justice, equality, and freedom as we recommit to upholding the principles of our Nation’s founding and realizing the promise of America for all Americans.

Throughout our history, generations of Jewish immigrants fleeing persecution have sought the promise of freedom and opportunity to start life anew in America. California is home to the second largest Jewish population in the U.S., with thriving communities in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and other parts of the state. This month, we recognize the enduring faith, perseverance, and resilience of the Jewish people and lift up the many ways that Jewish Americans enrich our culture, politics, civil society, and countless other areas.

May is Jewish American Heritage Month – On April 20, 2006, President George W. Bush proclaimed that May would be Jewish American Heritage Month. The announcement was the crowning achievement in an effort by the Jewish Museum of Florida and South Florida Jewish community leaders that resulted in resolutions introduced by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida and Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania urging the president to proclaim a month that would recognize the more than 350-year history of Jewish contributions to American culture. The resolutions passed unanimously, first in the House of Representatives in December 2005 and later in the Senate in February 2006.

NARA is proud to observe Jewish American Heritage Month and to recognize Jewish contributions to American culture, history, military, science, government, and more.

May is Jewish American Heritage Month, established by President George W. Bush in 2006. Learn more about the history of the month… then get to work celebrating it! Here are just a few ideas, applicable in May and all year long.