7 Ways to celebrate and get involved in Jewish American Heritage Month

Why Is Celebrating JAHM Important?

Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) aims to showcase the resilience and compassion of American Jewish communities throughout history, and how diverse communities have come together to support Jews in the face of antisemitism. The month-long celebration will also feature contemporary narratives of communities uniting across differences to offer mutual support and amplify diverse voices within the Jewish community.

To help celebrate and get involved for Jewish American Heritage Month, we have 7 recommendations to get you started:

Visit a Jewish museum or a site of historical Jewish interest

• Visit the Auschwitz Exhibition 
• Visit the Jewish Museum NYC
• Visit the Skirball Cultural Center
• Visit the Jewish Children’s Museum
• Visit the United states Holocaust Memorial Museum
• Visit the The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life
• Visit the National Museum of American Jewish Military History
• Visit the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History 

Enjoy Traditional Jewish food

• Matzo Ball Soup
• Latkes
• Shakshuka 
• Sufganiyah 
• Rugelach
• Kugel
• Jahnun 
• Tsholent

Watch Jewish Themed Films and TV shows 

• Schindler’s List (1993)
• Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
• Life is Beautiful (1997)
• A Small Light (2023) 
• Image of Victory (2021)
• Sallah (1964) 
• The Band’s Visit (2007) 
• Footnote (2011) 
• Zero Motivation (2014) 

Read Influential Jewish Books 

• The Diaries of Franz Kafka by Franz Kafka 
• The 12th Commandment by Daniel Torday
• The World And All That It Holds by Aleksandar Hemon
• Code Name Sapphire by Pam Jenoff 
• Death of A Dancing Queen by Kimberly G. Giarratano
• My  Last Innocent Year by Daisy Alpert Florin
• At the Hour Between Dog and Wolf by Tara Ison
• A Small Sacrifice for an Enormous Happiness by Jai Chakrabarti  
• Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank 

Attend the Israel Film Festival 

• Los Angeles, California November 8, 2023 to November 19, 2023

Support your favorite Jewish organization 

• Jewish Family Service
• American Jewish World Service 
• HIAS – Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society 
• Mazon – A Jewish Response to Hunger
• NA’AMAT USA – Jewish Women’s and Children Organization
• Stand With Us
• Anti Defamation League
• Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles

Listen to a Jewish Podcast 

• Big Shot
• Israel Story
• Streetwise Hebrew
• Unorthodox by Tablet 
• Jewish Road Podcast
• Two Nice Jewish Boys
• The Jewish Lives Podcast
• Can We Talk? The Jewish Women’s Archive Podcast

By actively engaging in the celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month, we can honor the rich history, foster understanding, and promote inclusivity