Celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month – eatright.org
Posted By admin on March 5, 2023
Each May since 2006, Americans have celebrated Jewish American Heritage Month in recognition of the more than 350-year history of Jewish contributions. President George W. Bush proclaimed May to be Jewish American Heritage Month after unanimously passing in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The American Jewish community has helped shape American culture with influences in politics, entertainment, arts, philanthropy, education, food, commerce and more. As of 2020, an estimated 7.6 million Jews live in the United States, which is 2.4% of the population; according to the American Jewish Population Project, just under half live in three states: New York, California and Florida.
While Judaism is a religion, 1.2 million Jewish adults identify as having no religion, according to the AJPPs report. Non-religious Jews identify with the culture including the food, language, holiday observances and traditions, plus the shared history of the Jewish people. In traditional Jewish law, anyone whose biological mother was a Jew or anyone who has gone through a formal conversion to Judaism is considered a Jew.
During May and throughout the year, celebrate Jewish Americans by learning more about the holidays, culture and food traditions of Jewish people.
The Jewish calendar follows a lunar calendar, where months are based on the number of days it takes the moon to go through all its phases new moon to full and back to new. A lunar month is approximately 29.5 days. The Gregorian calendar, which is followed across much of the world, is a solar calendar based on the number of days it takes the Earth to orbit completely around the sun. To stay in sync with the seasons, the Jewish calendar adds a leap month every couple of years. Additionally, holidays start at sundown on the night before it appears on most American calendars.
Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, typically falls in September and is very important to Jews. Ten days later is the very solemn day, Yom Kippur. This is the day of atonement, when religious Jews fast and repent from sundown to sundown. Often Jews break their fast with a meal shared with friends and family shortly after the sun sets.
Another important holiday in the Jewish calendar is Sukkot, the week-long festival of booths that commemorates the Biblical period of wandering in the desert. Jews celebrate by building a temporary shelter called a sukkah and sharing meals with friends and family inside of it.
Passover, which occurs in the spring, is next in the calendar. This celebration lasts for a week and commemorates the Jews Exodus from Egypt. The Passover meal is called a seder, which means order. During seder, various foods are eaten in sequence, or order, as described in a book called the Haggadah, which tells the story of the Exodus and serves as a script to the seder.
Chanukah (also spelled Hanukkah), an eight-day holiday celebrated in the winter around the same time as Christmas, is also known as the Festival of Lights in honor of the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem.
In everyday slang, kosher means allowed. If something is kosher, its OK. The word kosher comes from the Hebrew word kasher, which means fit. A food thats fit to be eaten by a Jew, as described in the Hebrew Bible, is kosher. Such a food must be prepared and eaten in specific ways. For example, the animals from which the food comes must have been raised and slaughtered humanely, and meat and dairy cannot be eaten together. Todays understanding of the latter rule is that eating both the animal and its mothers milk is insulting to the animal.
Jews that closely observe kosher guidelines have separate dishes and cooking utensils for meat and dairy products. Other rules may be followed for reasons related to cleanliness. For example, a Jew who follows kosher eating laws would not eat shrimp or other shellfish because they are bottom-crawlers and are believed to be unclean. Similarly, pork is not allowed because it was once deemed unclean.
Like the foods of other cultures, traditional Jewish foods may vary by geographical region. Traditional Jewish foods in Germany, France and Eastern Europe might include bagels, lox, dill pickles and chicken soup. In the Middle East, Spain, Portugal or Africa, a different set of traditional foods may be served, including stuffed eggplant and other vegetables, pickled vegetables, lamb, nuts, falafel, chickpeas, olives and stuffed grape leaves.
As with many cultures, some Jewish foods might seem similar to other foods. For example, blintzes are filled pancakes similar to crepes. Kreplach are small dumplings, similar to a pierogi or wonton, and a knish is similar to a hand-pie or larger dumpling, not unlike an empanada.
Learn more about Jewish culture with these resources:
Note: This list is not all-inclusive. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has not participated in the development of the sites listed and does not exert any editorial or other control over the sites or content.
Read this article:
Celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month - eatright.org
- The Return of the Cousins - Tablet Magazine - September 22nd, 2023
- She voted against creating a day to end Jew hatred. Now shes introducing a bill to combat antisemitism. - Forward - September 16th, 2023
- Adding Jewish Books to Your Diverse Reading - Book Riot - September 16th, 2023
- Hispanic Heritage Month in Philly: Events and Fests for 2023 - Philadelphia Sunday Sun - September 16th, 2023
- Kim's Tour in Russia Highlights Risk of Increasing Military Ties - The New York Times - September 16th, 2023
- How To Help People Affected By The Earthquake In Morocco - DCist - September 12th, 2023
- Whats happening in the Mid-Hudson Valley: Sept. 12, 2023 - The Daily Freeman - September 12th, 2023
- Justices said to get boosted security ahead of highly anticipated High Court hearing - The Times of Israel - September 12th, 2023
- Glenview, Northbrook and North Shore events: Sept. 14-20 - Daily Herald - September 12th, 2023
- Meet the viral TikToker highlighting what it's like to be Black and ... - The Jewish Chronicle - September 10th, 2023
- Lets play offense, not just defense, in combatting antisemitism - The Times of Israel - September 10th, 2023
- Where To Get Challah And Other Noshes For The High Holidays - DCist - September 10th, 2023
- 18 Things To Do Around D.C. This Weekend - DCist - September 10th, 2023
- Championing Inclusivity in Library Collection Policies: Book ... - Book Riot - September 10th, 2023
- Whats happening in the Mid-Hudson Valley: Sept. 10, 2023 - The Daily Freeman - September 10th, 2023
- Things to do in the Chattanooga area this week include Marine ... - Chattanooga Times Free Press - September 10th, 2023
- The Holocaust and Iran's nuclear program - opinion - The Jerusalem Post - September 3rd, 2023
- Fact-checking the RI CD1 candidates' hyped-up campaign claims - The Providence Journal - August 30th, 2023
- Polish Government Defends Its Funding of Film That Downplays ... - Haaretz - August 30th, 2023
- Hey Folks! Catch a vibe at the 2023 NC Folk Festival - Yes! Weekly - August 30th, 2023
- NYC to allow broadcasts of Muslim calls to prayer once per week ... - AMNY - August 30th, 2023
- Strengthening the Statue of Liberty - richmondmagazine.com - Richmond magazine - August 30th, 2023
- Understanding the importance of YIVO and how it's saving 1000 ... - St. Louis Jewish Light - August 10th, 2023
- Robbie Robertson dies at 80; legendary songwriter and guitarist with The Band helped reshape American music - The Mercury News - August 10th, 2023
- Meet the Israeli-American Mattel CEO who made Barbie a movie star - The Times of Israel - August 10th, 2023
- Jewish American Heritage Month 2023 - For Teachers - July 22nd, 2023
- American Jewish Committee Teaming Up with US Government ... - Algemeiner - July 12th, 2023
- UN Working Toward Antisemitism Action Plan - Jewish World - Haaretz - July 12th, 2023
- The real story behind 'Oppenheimer' - Unpacked - Jewish Unpacked - July 12th, 2023
- High Court rules that prosecutors cannot take part in anti-overhaul protests - The Times of Israel - July 12th, 2023
- She found meaning where she least expected it her childhood faith - NPR - July 5th, 2023
- Israel-Based Ancestry Service Finds Your Relatives in the Holy Land - Daily Signal - July 5th, 2023
- Joy and fear as Guatemalans celebrate their heritage in the face of ... - WLRN - July 5th, 2023
- Stephen Kessler | Whiteness isnt what it used to be - Santa Cruz Sentinel - July 5th, 2023
- I Was Pregnant and Moving Across the World. Judaism Helped Me Find My Home. Kveller - Kveller.com - June 29th, 2023
- In Jerusalem, Netanyahu hosts the governor of Iowa - Yid Info - June 29th, 2023
- The Hindu Nationalists Using the Pro-Israel Playbook - Jewish Currents - June 29th, 2023
- Opinion | What Churches Offer That 'Nones' Still Long For - The New York Times - June 29th, 2023
- 'Vile': With Georgia synagogue protests, antisemitism rears its head in the open - ABC News - June 27th, 2023
- 'Shame!': 10 memorable moments from six months of divided ... - Roll Call - June 27th, 2023
- LGBTQ Groups Look to Boost Fundraising as They Fight Rights ... - The Chronicle of Philanthropy - June 27th, 2023
- Jewish American heritage month celebrated with stories and history - La Voz Weekly - June 25th, 2023
- The monumental toppling of Zeb Vance - Mountain Xpress - June 25th, 2023
- Cork Jewish community plans to rebuild with help of Massachusetts ... - Jewish News - June 23rd, 2023
- United States senators urge Israel's entry into the visa waiver ... - Jewish News - June 23rd, 2023
- Santos' bond guarantors revealed to be father, aunt - Spectrum News NY1 - June 23rd, 2023
- Join Us in Celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month | AJC - June 17th, 2023
- The Importance of Jewish American Heritage Month - June 17th, 2023
- Letters to the editor | The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle - thejewishchronicle.net - June 10th, 2023
- The Jews' lesson for the West | 7 - Arutz Sheva - June 10th, 2023
- Fun Facts about Jewish American Heritage Month | GenealogyBank - May 30th, 2023
- Jewish American Heritage Month: Recognizing the strife and ... - DU Clarion - May 30th, 2023
- 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
- 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
Comments