May is Jewish American Heritage Month
The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of Jewish Americans who helped form the fabric of American history, culture and society.
The poster set American Witnesses highlights the experiences of men and women in the US military who saw firsthand evidence of Nazi atrocities in April 1945. It explores their reactions to what they saw and heard using their oral, written, and visual testimony. This exhibit also includes the testimonies of Holocaust survivors liberated by US military personnel.
Image credit: A poster from American Witnesses, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
The National Archives and Records Administration is proud to observe Jewish American Heritage Month and to recognize Jewish contributions to American culture, history, military, science, government, and more. (National Archives)
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Image credit: The "First Passover Seder Dinner" given by Jewish Welfare Board to men of Jewish Faith in the American Expeditionary Forces in order that they may observe the Passover Holidays. Paris, France. April, 1919.
National Archives Identifier: 531147
American Archive of Public Broadcasting's Jewish American Heritage Collection
The American Archive of Public Broadcasting (AAPB) is a collaboration between the Library of Congress and GBH. The AAPB's Jewish American Heritage Collection provides nearly 400 public television and radio programs from 1945 to 2017 that are available online and focus on social, cultural and religious aspects of Jewish life in America.
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Image Credit: Image courtesy of the American Archive of Public Broadcasting.
The National Register of Historic Places showcases historic properties listed in the National Register and National Park units that commemorate the events and people that help illustrate Jewish Americans' contributions to American history. The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the nation's historic places worthy of preservation. It is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America's historic and archeological resources. (National Park Service)
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Image credit: Historic American Buildings Survey. Beth Sholom Synagogue, Old York & Foxcroft Roads, Elkins Pk, Montgomery County, PA. 1933. (Library of Congress).
In 1944, 982 Jewish refugees arrived from parts of Southern and Eastern Europe to Fort Ontario in Oswego, NY. These were the only refugees the United States took in during World War II. They lived in the Fort Ontario Emergency Refugee Shelter for a year before President Harry Truman granted them resident status at the end of the war.
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Image Credit:Refugees Registering at the Fort Ontario Refugee Camp, August 1944.
Photo by Hikaru Iwasaki, photographer, US Dept. of the Interior. Public domain, courtesy National Archives and Records Administration.
Event Highlights 2023
Tuesday, May 10
When Rabbis Bless Congress: The Great American Story of Jewish Prayers on Capitol Hill
Howard Mortman's When Rabbis Bless Congress is an unprecedented examination of 160 years of Jewish prayers delivered in the literal and figurative center of American democracy. With exhaustive research written in approachable prose, it tells the story of more than 400 rabbis giving over 600 prayers since the Civil War days. The book is an important addition to our understanding of Congress and Jewish contribution to America. Joining Mortman in conversation will be Brian Lamb, founder and former CEO of C-SPAN.
Live at the Library!—Writers, Radicals, and Rugelach: Yiddish Culture
This illustrated lecture journeys into the world and flavors of East European Jewish culture, as it was recreated in America. Starting in late-nineteenth century Europe, we accompany thousands of Yiddish speakers on their dramatic trip across the sea to the United States.
The Live at the Library series invites visitors to enjoy the Library and its collections in new formats. It regularly features special conversations, music, performances, films and workshops that showcase the broad range of holdings at the national library.
(Library of Congress)
Documentary Film & Discussion
Film Screening: "Jews of the Wild West"
This is the story of how Jewish Americans helped to shape the West. The documentary incorporates interviews, historic photographs, and archival materials from LC’s collections. The documentarian will be available on zoom to answer questions after the hour and twenty-minute screening.
(Library of Congress)
Jewish Soldiers in the Civil War: The Union Army
What was it like to be Jewish in Lincoln’s armies? The Union army was as diverse as the embattled nation it sought to preserve, comprising a unique mixture of ethnicities, religions, and identities. Adam D. Mendelsohn draws for the first time upon the vast database of verified listings of Jewish soldiers serving in the Civil War as well as letters, diaries, and newspapers to examine the collective experience of Jewish soldiers.