Callista L. Gingrich | Celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month
Posted By admin on June 25, 2022
By Ambassador Callista L. Gingrich
Every May, the United States celebrates Jewish American Heritage Month to honor the contributions of Jewish Americans to our countrys history and culture.
For nearly four centuries, since the arrival of the first Jewish settlers in 1654 in modern-day New York City, the Jewish people have been an impactful and influential part of the fabric of America.
Like so many of Americas earliest settlers, Jewish migrants first came to the New World in search of religious freedom. Yet today, Jewish Americans are tragically targeted for their faith.
According to a 2021 survey by the American Jewish Committee, 90 percent of Jewish Americans believe antisemitism is a problem in the United States, and 82 percent report that antisemitism has increased.
Despite facing persecution, discrimination, and loss, Jewish people throughout history have overcome adversity and used their skills and talents for the good of society.
As President Donald Trump said in his 2020 Proclamation on Jewish American Heritage Month, From the arts and sciences, to business and public service, nearly every facet of our society has benefitted from the talent, inspiration, vision, expertise, ingenuity, and sacrifice of Jewish Americans.
Consider Rebecca Gratz, a Jewish American woman who, according to the Jewish Womens Archive, worked to create an environment in which women could be fully Jewish and fully American. In 1801, Gratz helped establish the first nonsectarian womens charity in Philadelphia that was run by women and served women and their children. She later went on to help establish the Philadelphia Orphan Society, the Female Hebrew Benevolent Society (which served impoverished Jews), the Hebrew Sunday School, and the first Jewish orphanage in the United States. Rebecca Gratzs determination and leadership brought both help and hope to thousands of women and children.
Another remarkable woman, Gertrude B. Elion, was born to Eastern European Jewish parents in New York City in 1918. After losing her beloved grandfather to cancer when she was 15 years old, Elion was highly motivated to do something that might eventually lead to a cure for this terrible disease.
Overcoming the prejudices of the time against women in science, as well as economic and employment hardships during the Great Depression, Elions brilliance and courage led her to make some of historys most groundbreaking medical discoveries. Throughout her career as a chemist, Elion developed the first chemotherapy for childhood leukemia, the immunosuppressant used in organ transplants, the first effective anti-viral medication, and treatments for numerous diseases including lupus, hepatitis, arthritis, and gout.
In 1988, she became the fifth woman to win the Nobel Prize in Medicine. Even though she never received a Ph.D., Elions discoveries saved and improved countless lives. Moreover, her curiosity, generosity, and passion for alleviating suffering inspired future generations of young women to pursue careers in science.
One of the worlds most renowned film directors, Steven Spielberg, was born into an Orthodox Jewish family and, as a child, was bullied for being Jewish. Spielberg recalled, I didnt think of it as hate but thought of it as a shame.
Spielberg, however, said he was always proud to be Jewish and he later directed one of the most influential movies about the horrors of the Holocaust. Based on real events, Schindlers List (1993) told the powerful story of Oskar Schindler who saved more than 1,000 Jews from concentration camps during World War II. The film won 7 Academy Awards, including the award for Best Picture, and Spielberg won the Oscar for directing.
In 1994, Spielberg founded the USC Shoah Foundation, which, through interviews, has recorded and archived the testimonies of survivors and witnesses of the Holocaust. In the last three decades, the Institute has expanded significantly to include other events of genocide, ethnic violence, and mass killing. Today, the Institute has recorded and indexed 115,000 hours of testimony and conducted nearly 55,000 audio-visual testimonies across 65 countries in 43 languages.
The story of the Jewish people is one of courage, determination, and resilience. It is a legacy that is carried forward today by millions of Jewish Americans. During Jewish American Heritage Month, let us celebrate the many contributions of the Jewish people to our nations history and culture.
Continued here:
Callista L. Gingrich | Celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month
- What Is Jewish American Heritage Month? A Proud Jew Explains - May 26th, 2023
- AJC Houston has busy week of advocacy - Jewish Herald-Voice - May 22nd, 2023
- Jewish American Heritage Month: Faith is the heart of the home - Yahoo News - May 20th, 2023
- Jewish American Heritage Month: Faith is the heart of the home - KERO 23 ABC News Bakersfield - May 20th, 2023
- Scott, Colleagues Stand With Israel, Passes Resolution Recognizing ... - Senator Tim Scott - May 20th, 2023
- AJCF marks 80 years since the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising - Spectrum News NY1 - May 20th, 2023
- Biden previews national antisemitism strategy at Jewish American ... - May 17th, 2023
- Biden calls antisemitism stain on the soul of America at Jewish American heritage event - The Hill - May 17th, 2023
- President Biden Announces Key Appointments to Boards and ... - The White House - May 17th, 2023
- Biden speaks out against antisemitic bile during Jewish American ... - May 17th, 2023
- Biden to mark Jewish American Heritage Month with Broadway stars, speak ... - May 17th, 2023
- Lawmakers introduce first-ever bipartisan and bicameral resolution ... - May 11th, 2023
- Jewish American Heritage Month 2023 - May 5th, 2023
- White House to host Jewish American Heritage Month reception amid ... - May 3rd, 2023
- GOP governors commemorate Jewish American Heritage Month - April 30th, 2023
- Lawmakers gather to celebrate Jewish community and Israel, combat ... - April 29th, 2023
- What is Jewish American Heritage Month? | AJC - April 25th, 2023
- Always a safe haven, Staten Islands Sandy Ground is believed to have been a stop on the Underground Railro - SILive.com - April 25th, 2023
- 7 Ways to Celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month - April 16th, 2023
- Jewish American Heritage Month | Managing American Spaces - April 16th, 2023
- Which side are you on: Jewish American or American Jew? - Heritage ... - April 4th, 2023
- Governor Kelly Proclaims May Jewish American Heritage Month - April 2nd, 2023
- Celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month - eatright.org - March 5th, 2023
- Jewish American Heritage Month - Wikipedia - February 27th, 2023
- Jewish American Heritage Month | Equity and Inclusion - February 17th, 2023
- Osceola County will hold group wedding ceremonies this Valentine's Day, and there's still time to register - Orlando Weekly - February 7th, 2023
- A Proclamation on Jewish American Heritage Month, 2022 - January 27th, 2023
- What Is Jewish American Heritage Month? Celebrating Contributions and ... - January 27th, 2023
- Jewish American Heritage Month - National Park Service - January 27th, 2023
- Meet the Orthodox mom of seven who local Republicans want to replace George Santos - Forward - January 27th, 2023
- Florida Gov. DeSantis appoints anti-trans, anti-abortion author to Sarasota's New College board of trustees - Creative Loafing Tampa - January 27th, 2023
- Republican Jewish group calls on incoming GOP lawmaker George Santos to ... - December 25th, 2022
- Demographics of the Supreme Court of the United States - December 21st, 2022
- Native American Heritage Month: Continued Support for the Indigenous ... - November 24th, 2022
- Filipino American History Month - Wikipedia - November 24th, 2022
- Rosh Hashanah - Wikipedia - November 24th, 2022
- Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month - Wikipedia - November 6th, 2022
- The Best New Nonfiction Books Out in October 2022 - Book Riot - October 10th, 2022
- American Names - Behind the Name - October 10th, 2022
- Things to Do in DC This Weekend: Festivals, Exhibits, Tours - Washingtonian - October 10th, 2022
- Colorado has more than just Telluride Film Fest. Heres when you can see films in Denver, Vail, Breckenridge and beyond. - The Denver Post - September 19th, 2022
- A Tiny New Mexico Jewish Community Is Trying to Buy Back its Historic Synagogue Building - Jewish Exponent - September 9th, 2022
- What's going on in Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin in fall 2022 - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - September 9th, 2022
- This South Carolina College Town Is Top 10 In The Nation - kiss951.com - September 8th, 2022
- Wexner Heritage Program The Wexner Foundation - August 22nd, 2022
- Jewish Americans in 2020 | Pew Research Center - August 22nd, 2022
- Jewish practices and customs in the U.S. | Pew Research Center - August 22nd, 2022
- What You Should Know About NJ's School Supply Tax Holiday This Week - catcountry1073.com - August 22nd, 2022
- How small New England cities are standing up to white supremacists - Maine Public - August 20th, 2022
- Honoring the Turkish-Jewish Maftirim heritage - August 16th, 2022
- Voices of European Jewry: Krakow, Poland | The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle - thejewishchronicle.net - August 16th, 2022
- POLITICO Playbook: This week, it really is the economy, stupid- POLITICO - POLITICO - July 25th, 2022
- Ukraine's Centuries-Long History As Viewed Through its Currency | At the Smithsonian - Smithsonian Magazine - July 23rd, 2022
- How the American right became aligned with Hungary and its authoritarian leader - WYPR - July 14th, 2022
- The Republican Problem with the Holocaust - LA Progressive - July 14th, 2022
- Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month - July 10th, 2022
- 111 New Books to Read for Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month - July 10th, 2022
- Where to See Art in Philly This Summer - Philadelphia magazine - July 6th, 2022
- DNI Haines Welcomes 15 New Americans at Town of Vienna Naturalization Ceremony - Office of the Director of National Intelligence - July 6th, 2022
- Date Will Live in Infamy': Tri-State Leaders, Public React to SCOTUS Abortion Ruling - NBC New York - June 26th, 2022
- The Halakhic Argument for Reproductive Justice - Harvard Political Review - June 19th, 2022
- JEWISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH - The Weitzman - June 4th, 2022
- A Proclamation on Jewish American Heritage Month, 2021 - June 4th, 2022
- Jewish American Heritage Month May 2023 - National Today - June 4th, 2022
- Jewish groups hope focus on Ukraine and antisemitism will draw ... - June 4th, 2022
- City and state governments across US bolster police in wake of Uvalde massacre - WSWS - June 4th, 2022
- Fighting rabbinic ban, Jewish activists push Temple Mt. prayer closer to mainstream - The Times of Israel - June 4th, 2022
- Emory Libraries Blog | Celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month - June 2nd, 2022
- My fellow Jewish Americans, Happy Rodney Dangerfield Month | Opinion ... - June 2nd, 2022
- 8 Asian American and Pacific Islander Creatives on the Relevance of Heritage | Architectural Digest - Architectural Digest - June 2nd, 2022
- Citizens bring transportation concerns to Henrico supervisors - The Henrico Citizen - Henrico Citizen - June 2nd, 2022
- Bill to ban Palestinian flag at state-funded institutions clears initial reading - The Times of Israel - June 2nd, 2022
- The Toni Times | May 2022 - Toni Atkins - May 2nd, 2022
- Tiburon town council passes antisemitism resolution J. - The Jewish News of Northern California - April 30th, 2022
- ADL: NJ had the 2nd most antisemitic incidents in US in 2021 - News 12 Long Island - April 29th, 2022
- Why These Israeli Farmers Became Heroes After Killing Their Crops - Jewish Exponent - April 23rd, 2022
- How Can We Protect Cultural Heritage in Ukraine? Five Key Steps for the Int'l Community - Just Security - April 23rd, 2022
- An April reflection: We must fight to preserve religious liberty - Shelbynews - April 16th, 2022
- Chair and teacup from Texas synagogue hostage crisis to be displayed in exhibit - Religion News Service - April 9th, 2022
- A thriller from Mexico and a debut detective novel: The Jewish books you need to know this month - Forward - April 9th, 2022
Comments