Jewish American Heritage Month

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Worshippers on the Jewish New Year, 1907, in New York City
Worshippers on the Jewish New Year, 1907, in New York City

Held each May, Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) was established in 2006 to recognize more than 370 years of Jewish contributions to American culture in fields ranging from sports and arts and entertainment to medicine, business, science, government, and military service.

Do you have favorite resources that are not listed below? Please share them in the comments or email us at programminglibrarian@ala.org.

Last updated: April 15, 2024

General Information

The Library of Congress Jewish American Heritage Month website has a wealth of resources for celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month, including stories about notable Jewish Americans including “From Haven to Home: 350 Years of Jewish Life in America” and “Jewish Veterans of WWII." The website also features a teacher curriculum and other online resources.

Additionally, this Toolkit from the Weitzman National Museum of Jewish American History has resources and quick share links to help promote and educate library patrons on Jewish American Heritage Month.

Sample Library Programs

Book Displays

Create a library book display during Jewish American Heritage Month to share the significant stories of Jewish people who have contributed to the history of America. Book displays can include information about the history of the month and coincide with programming and events related to the recommended titles. Supplement book displays with boards displaying prominent Jewish Americans who have shaped our world and posters.

The American Jewish Committee has created a list of suggested books for library displays, including titles for children, middle schoolers, teens and adults:

Teaching Resources

Other Resources

You can find general information about Jewish culture as well as related links, bibliographies, music and DVD lists, and more at the following sites: