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 (D-FL) and Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) 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.
The month of May was chosen due to the highly successful celebration of the 350th Anniversary of American Jewish History in May 2004, which was organized by the Commission for Commemorating 350 Years of American Jewish History. This coalition was comprised of The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives, The American Jewish Historical Society, The Library of Congress and the National Archives and Records Administration.
Leading the way in implementation of the annual celebration is the Jewish American Heritage Month Coalition, formed in March 2007 and convened by United Jewish Communities, the Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives and the American Jewish Historical Society.
The Library of Congress will celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month with free lectures and a web presentation. Note that the website hasn’t yet been updated for the 2009 celebration, but expect that to happen at any time now… The event is sponsored by the Hebraic section of the library’s African and Middle Eastern Division.
- On Tuesday, May 5 at noon, Aviva Kempner will discuss her upcoming documentary “Yoo-Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg,” about American radio and television personality Gertrude Berg.
- On Wednesday, May 13 at 6:30 p.m., Gershon Greenberg will give the 10th annual Myron M. Weinstein Memorial lecture “Breaking the Holocaust Silence: A Hidden Chasidic Text of 1947.”
- On Tuesday, May 19 at noon, Laura Cohen Apelbaum and Wendy Turman of the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington will discuss “Jewish Life in Mr. Lincoln’s City,” the historical society’s new exhibition and companion book catalog. The exhibition exploring the Jewish community in Washington and Alexandria during the Civil War will be on display through May 31 at Washington Hebrew Congregation in Washington, D.C., and at Beth El Hebrew Congregation from Sept. 11 to Dec. 31.
Reservations for the above programs are required by calling (202) 707-3779.
