How to Celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month

Learning About Jewish Culture

Find resources to educate yourself about Jewish culture. Try researching Jewish holidays, like Sukkot or Purim. If researching isn't your thing, try visiting a museum or doing an interactive activity online! There are plenty of museums focused on honoring Jewish heritage, like the Weitzman museum in Philadelphia, or the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York City. Jewish museums are abundant nationwide, so find one near you! Online tools, such as interactive games, can provide a fun insight on Judaism, especially for younger people who are learning.

Read up on Jewish history. Although it can be uncomfortable at times, education is necessary when it comes to Jewish history. With the attempted erasure of so many atrocities against Jewish people, it's necessary to be educated on events like the Holocaust (or Shoah) and other events of persecution, like those of which in Tsarist Russia and South Africa. Be very careful with the sources you use. Stay away from social media when learning about Jewish history, because misinformation (and even straight-up denial) is abundant. If you're using resources that haven't been contributed to by a Jewish person, they may not be reliable! Try sticking to Jewish-run, nonprofit organizations for research.

Talk to Jewish people in your life. Even just doing research won't tell you the full story of the American Jewish experience, so ask your Jewish friends about it! There is nothing more reliable than a firsthand account of something, and especially within Jewish history, as spoken word was all that the global Jewish community has had throughout most of history. Don't pry if someone is uncomfortable telling you about their experiences. They may have had traumatic experiences with antisemitism that they aren't ready to talk about.

Learn about antisemitism. Antisemitism is the hatred or prejudice against Jewish people, and runs all too rampant in the United States. Luckily, there are many resources you can use to educate yourself about antisemitism, and many U.S-based organizations focused on informing the public about antisemitism. If you don't know where to start, try the ADL. The ADL is a United States-based organization dedicated to fighting defamation on behalf of the Jewish community.

Celebrating the Jewish Community

Appreciate Jewish creations. Jewish people have contributed a lot to society, and you may not even know it! From the humble bagel to the ballpoint pen, some of the most mundane objects wouldn't have come to be if it weren't for Jewish people. Don't take them for granted! For a fun activity, try going a day without using anything that was created by Jewish people. See how much different your daily routine is!

Consume Jewish forms of media. Whether it be listening to Jewish music, watching Jewish TV shows, Jewish movies, or just reading something inherently Jewish, you can celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month in your own low-key way. If you don't know of any Jewish forms of media, try listening to some Jewish folk songs, or even tuning in to a virtual congregation to see what it's like.

Give back to the Jewish community. Get involved with some social justice work that focuses on combatting antisemitism! You're sure to feel satisfied knowing that you've made an effort to help out a large group of people. Whether it be doing in-person volunteering, giving donations, or spreading awareness about antisemitism, advocating for the global Jewish community is a valuable way to spend your time celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month. Try volunteering at a synagogue or at your local Jewish Community Center. If in-person volunteering isn't for you, you can try online community service opportunities, which are offered through plenty of organizations.