Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) is an annual recognition and celebration of American Jews' achievements and contributions to the United States of America during the month of May. History JAHM traces its origins to federal initiatives that started in 1980, when Congress enacted Public Law 96–237 requesting the President to proclaim April 21–28, 1980 as Jewish Heritage Week. This specific week in April was chosen because it coincides with some noteworthy dates in Jewish history, such as the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, Solidarity Sunday for Soviet Jewry, Israeli Independence Day, and commemoration days for the Victims and Survivors of the Holocaust. Subsequently, President Jimmy Carter issued Proclamation No. 4752, formally establishing the event.

Between 1981 and 1990, Congress passed annual public laws asking each the President in office to proclaim Jewish Heritage Week. Presidents indeed issued the requested proclamations.

In 1998, President Bill Clinton issued Proclamation No. 7087, marking both Jewish Heritage Week and Israel's 50th anniversary. Jewish Heritage Week in 2004 was also the 350th anniversary of Jewish life in North America as Jewish refugees first arrived in North America (to New Amsterdam, now New York City) in 1654. This led to congressional and executive discussion regarding the expansion of Jewish Heritage Week into a month, which happened two years later.

In April 2006, President George W. Bush announced that May 2006 would be considered Jewish American Heritage Month. The announcement followed cooperation with Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), the Jewish Museum of Florida and South Florida Jewish Community for a celebration of Jewish Americans and Jewish American Heritage. Since then, annual proclamations have been made by Presidents Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden.

Purpose

On February 14, 2006, Congress issued House Concurrent Resolution 315 which stated:

"Resolved ... that Congress urges the President to issue each year a proclamation calling on State and local governments and the people of the United States to observe an American Jewish History Month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities."

The concurrent resolution (i.e., a non-binding legislative measure that lacks the force of law, appropriate when a law is not necessary—such as awards or recognitions) was passed unanimously, first in the United States House of Representatives in December 2005 and later in the United States Senate in February 2006.

The Jewish American Heritage Month Coalition states that, "JAHM also enables the exploration of the meaning of religious pluralism, cultural diversity, and participation in American civic culture."

According to Library of Congress hosted website, JewishHeritageMonth.gov, May was chosen as the month of Jewish American Heritage Month because of the successful 350th Anniversary Celebration of Jews in America marking the Jewish arrival in New Amsterdam.

In 2020, the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia successfully pivoted Jewish American Heritage Month to online programming due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It launched a special website with the support of more than 50 organizations nationwide, allowing the commemoration to continue despite COVID-19 restrictions. The initiative also meant to educate diverse public audiences about Jewish culture, and foster conversations about the American Jewish present and future.

Celebration and recognition JAHM has been recognized in Madison Square Garden in New York City and in some Jewish museums. Some institutions, including the Library of Congress, have included shorter periods within the month for special lectures, programs, or displays, such as the Library of Congress "Jewish Heritage Week" lecture series.

A similar month exists in Florida as Florida Jewish History Month but it occurs in January.Sec. 683.195 Fla. Stat (2013). http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0600-0699/0683/0683.html

2010 White House reception On May 10, 2010, the White House issued a press release noting that:

The month serves as an opportunity to highlight and celebrate the range and depth of Jewish American heritage and contributions to American culture, with guests representing the many walks of life that have helped weave the fabric of American history. Invitees include a range of community leaders and prominent Jewish Americans from Olympians and professional athletes to members of Congress, business leaders, scholars, military veterans, and astronauts.

At the May 27, 2010 reception, President Obama welcomed the invited guests, which included "members of the House and Senate, two justices of the Supreme Court, Olympic athletes, entrepreneurs, Rabbinical scholars", and he made special mention of Sandy Koufax, famous in the Jewish community for refusing to play baseball on Yom Kippur. He praised "the diversity of talents and accomplishments" that the Jewish community had brought to the United States since pre-Revolutionary times, saying that, "Even before we were a nation, we were a sanctuary for Jews seeking to live without the specter of violence or exile," from the time "a band of 23 Jewish refugees to a place called New Amsterdam more than 350 years ago."

2011 White House reception

President Obama scheduled a second White House reception in honor of JAHM for May 17, 2011.whitehouse.gov, retrieved May 12, 2011. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) reported that it was "less formal than the inaugural one last year, with brief remarks and a small Marine Corps band playing klezmer music."www.jta.org, retrieved May 17, 2011. The President noted the presence, among others, of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Elie Wiesel, and Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, newly appointed as Chair of the Democratic National Committee.

President Obama noted that Jewish Americans "persevered despite unspeakable discrimination and adversity at times."www.washingtonpost.com, retrieved May 17, 2011. Despite the challenges they faced, the President noted their achievements in "the arts, science, the military, business and industry, and in public and community service." In his remarks, he said:

A Marine Corps band playing klezmer music, and the "Maccabeats," a Yeshiva University a cappella group, provided entertainment.

2015 Presidential synagogue visit

In addition to signing the proclamation marking May 2015 as the annual Jewish American Heritage Month, the White House shared plans for an address by President Obama on May 22, 2015, at Adas Israel Congregation, a large Washington, D.C. synagogue.JTA newsbrief (May 15, 2015) "Obama to Address Washington Area Synagogue to Mark Jewish Heritage Month", retrieved May 19, 2015. The date of the visit coincided with "Solidarity Sabbath," a Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice initiative asking world leaders to show support for the fight against anti-semitism.

JAHM Coalition

Since 2006, JAHM programs have taken place across the country, but in March 2007 the JAHM Coalition was formed and convened by United Jewish Communities (now The Jewish Federations of North America), The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives, the Jewish Women's Archive (JWA), (AJA) and the American Jewish Historical Society (AJHS), to encourage and support future programs. The JAHM Coalition is composed of the directors of major national Jewish historical and cultural organizations including the AJA, AJHS, JWA, the National Museum of American Jewish History, the Council of American Jewish Museums (CAJM), Jewish Museum of Florida, and the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington. In 2009, the Coalition named a national coordinator.

JAHM Today

Jewish American Heritage Month is organized annually by the National Museum of American Jewish History as a nationwide celebration.

As of 2025, the UJA-Federation of New York has provided major new funding for JAHM, the coalition of groups involved has grown to encompass the UJA-Federation of New York, Artists Against Antisemitism, the American Association of School Librarians (AASL), and the Conference of Presidents of many other American Jewish Organizations, among others. The UJA's support has allowed JAHM to focus on educational programming for schools, library grants, and signature events to reach a broader audience.

On January 20, 2025, the Trump administration's Initial Rescissions Of Harmful Executive Orders And Actions eliminated federal recognition of the month. Nonetheless, on May 16, 2025, the proclamation was issued after all.

See also

Jewish Americans List of Jewish members of the United States Congress South Florida Jewish Community White House Hanukkah Party Jewish Heritage Month

References

External links

JAHM - Jewish American Heritage Month Coalition American Jewish Historical Society Jewish Women's Archive resources for JAHM Short article on the archaeology of immigrant California Jews see Chapter 3. The Jewish History Resource Center, Project of the Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Feinstein Center. Comprehensive collection of links to Jewish American history, organizations, and issues. Jews in America from the Jewish Virtual Library Jewish-American Literature

Jewish-American History on the Web Jewish American Hall of Fame The Jewish Impact on America Jewish Success In The American Media Jewish American Heritage Month News White House Video of 2010 President Obama's remarks at JAHM White House reception. Presidential proclamation for 2011 JAHM. Jewish American Heritage Collection in the American Archive of Public Broadcasting.