Jewish American Heritage Month - May

May is Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM), which recognizes the more than 350-year history of Jewish contributions to history and culture. It was officially established by President George W. Bush in 2006. 

This guide will provide you with a variety of resources that will allow you to learn more about the different aspects of the lives of Jewish Americans over the centuries. 

Although The COVID-19 pandemic forces us to live in isolation, there are still ways you can celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month during this period.  Scroll down and look at 

SEVEN WAYS TO CELEBRATE JEWISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH IN QUARANTINE

Excerpts from Irene Katz Connelly’s article in Forward, May 2020.

Seven Ways to Celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month in Quarantine.  Click the article title to access the full article.

Maybe you’re bored out of your mind and need another holiday to celebrate. Here are the best ways to celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month from home… (Without a mask…)

• Try a new dish -Try out our recipe for the Persian staple kuku sabzi, take in a cooking class from YIVO, or follow along with the Forward’s Rob Eshman as he prepares quarantine Shabbat dinners for his family — a recent effort includes paella cooked over a wood fire.
• Go to a virtual museum tour- With the number of collections now viewable online, night at the museum is literally every night. Take a video tour with artist commentary at New York’s Jewish Museum or explore early Jewish urban communities at the Tenement Museum.
• Shop synagogues - One of the upsides of quarantine is that you can show up to synagogue without…you know…showing up for synagogue. With so many Jewish institutions streaming services, you can browse synagogues across the country or scout for a local one to join when you can once more leave your house. Streaming platform Jewish LIVE has a comprehensive collection of online offerings to take you from Kabbalat Shabbat to Havdalah. Real pants not required.
• Take an oral history - Given that conversation is the only thing you can share with anyone outside your quarantine bubble, there’s never been a better time to embark on an oral history. If there’s someone in your life whose story needs writing down, set up a time to interview them. Here’s a guide to get you started.
• Learn a Yiddish Word - Beef up your Yiddish language skills with our Yiddish Word of the Day series, which will teach you words and expression in Yiddish.
• Watch some Jewish TV - We are also living in a great moment for prestige TV that’s actually, you know, about Jews. “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” will allow you to imagine a world where you get dressed up every day. Or check out the supremely watchable “The Plot Against America;” an almost-horror story that turns out just fine, as it excavates American Jewish life without fraying quarantine-era nerves.
• Take a virtual trip to Broadway - As Spamalot proclaimed, “You won’t succeed on Broadway if you don’t have any Jews" try out a Broadway streaming or re-watch your favorite movie adaptations.