Each year in May, the United States celebrates Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM), recognizing the contributions American Jews made and continue to make to our nation. Originally an effort by the Jewish Museum of Florida and South Florida Jewish community leaders, JAHM was established in 2006 by President George W. Bush and continues to be recognized by Presidential Proclamation.
To recognize and celebrate this month, CEHHS curated a list of resources centering Jewish voices and stories. These resources are available through the UT Library and online.
- The Bintel Brief: Letters from Jewish Life on New York’s Lower East Side | Video
- The Jewish Americans: A Series | Multimedia
- Margot by Jillian Cantor | Physical Book
- Taking Root: Narratives of Jewish Women in Latin America | E-Book
- 2022 Presidential Proclamation | Webpage
- American Judaism | E-Book
- LUNAR: The Jewish-Asian Film Project | Video Project
- The CANVAS Compendium | Multimedia
- Tool Kit for Confronting Antisemitism | Multimedia
National Museum of American Jewish History
The National Museum of American Jewish History (NMAJH) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania leads this celebration with a month-long series of events. The museum presents educational programs and experiences centering the Jewish experience in the United States.
National Museum of American Jewish History
Jewish American Heritage Month Website
This website combines resources from the Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Services, and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum to celebrate Jewish Americans. The site highlights exhibits and collections, audio and video recordings, images, and a “For Teachers” section.
Jewish American Heritage Month
Curated Resource List
To recognize and celebrate this month, CEHHS created a curated list of resources centering the voices, history, and experiences of the Jewish American community. These resources are available through the UT Library and various websites.
- My Name Is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok
- Portnoy’s Complaint by Philip Roth
- The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon
- The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman
- The Plot Against America by Philip Roth
- The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
- American Judaism
- Antisemitism on the Campus: Past & Present
- From Haven to Home: 350 Years of Jewish Life in America
- GI Jews: How World War II Changed a Generation | Physical Book & E-Book
- The Color of Jews: Racial Politics and Radical Diasporism | Physical Book & E-Book
- The Provincials: A Personal history of Jews in the South
Originally curated May 2021 by Miranda N. Rutan, Doctoral Student, CEHHS DEI, UT Knoxville | Updated May 2023 by Miranda N. Rutan, Doctoral Student, CEHHS DEI, UT Knoxville