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Calendar of Observances
January 01, 2020
Updated: April 23, 2026
Why Do We Celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month?
April 03, 2025
Introduction
Beginning in 2006 with a Congressional resolution and Presidential proclamation, Jewish American Heritage Month takes place each May and is a commemoration of Jewish contributions to American culture and the celebration of the diverse Jewish community in the U.S.
For educators and students, Jewish American Heritage Month presents a time to celebrate and explore the Jewish experience in the United States. Jewish people are more than their darkest moments—they are more than the Holocaust and antisemitism and the Spanish Inquisition—and Jewish American Heritage Month is the opportunity to celebrate the joy, history, culture and achievements of the Jewish people.
The resources below have been compiled from ADL as well as other leading educational providers to support educators, students and families with celebrating and learning about Jewish culture, contribution and diversity in American society to commemorate Jewish American Heritage Month in May and support learning throughout the year.
Building Foundation: Professional Learning for Educators
Resources to help educators prepare to teach about Jewish American Heritage Month or Jewish identity.
- ADL: Educator Guide—Jewish American Heritage Lesson Plans. View common questions and answers that may come up for you while teaching lessons about Jewish American Heritage Month.
- ADL: 9 Ideas for Teaching Jewish American Heritage Month. Instructional ideas to highlight the significant events, people, culture and stories of Jewish Americans.
- ADL: Supporting Jewish Students Video—Explore strategies to help Jewish students feel safe, supported, and seen in your classroom—while engaging in meaningful discussions about Jewish history, culture, identity and the impact of antisemitism.
- Advocates for Inclusive Middle Eastern Education (AIMEE): Advocates for Inclusive Middle Eastern Education Curriculum. Resources designed to bring indigenous Middle Eastern and North African voices into classrooms to reflect the region’s diversity.
- JIMENA: A Sephardi & Mizrahi Education Toolkit. A collection of resources, recommendations and strategies for classroom educators to learn about Sephardi and Mizrahi heritage.
- Keshet: LGBTQ+ Jewish Heroes. Explore information that celebrates LGBTQ+ Jews who have transformed the world through their words and lives.
- Hey Alma: Why Jewish American Heritage Month Matters. In this article, the author explores the value of Jewish American Heritage Month, the lack of education surrounding Jewish history and rising rates of antisemitism.
- Unpacked: 12 Jewish podcasts to listen to right now. Explore a range of podcasts that explore different aspects of Jewish identity and culture.
Sparking Curiosity: Tools for Student Engagement
Resources designed for students to learn about Jewish American Heritage Month and Jewish identity.
- ADL: Picture and Chapter Books to Celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month. This resource offers a sampling of books that can help young people explore and learn about Jewish people, identity and culture.
- PJ Library: Beyond the Books. Explore books and stories that celebrate Jewish American identity.
- JIMENA: Sephardi & Mizrahi Children’s Books. Explore books and stories about Sephardic and Mizrahi identity, heritage and culture.
- Association of Jewish Libraries: Sydney Taylor Book Awards. Explore award winning and recognized books for children that authentically portray the Jewish experience.
- Keshet: LGBTQ+ Book List for Children and Families. A comprehensive (but not exhaustive!) guide of LGBTQ+, Jewish books and resources for younger and older children and their families.
- The Jewish Grandparents Network: Coloring and Activity Pages. Coloring pages that celebrate different aspects of the Jewish religion and culture.
- ADL: What is Jewish American Heritage Month? Teach your students about Jewish American Heritage Month and its purpose and explore ideas for commemorating the month in your school and community.
- ADL: Notable Jewish Americans. Teach your students more about important, notable, famous and accomplished Jewish Americans, challenge their assumptions and potential stereotypes about the Jewish community and dive deeper into a notable Jewish American person of their choosing.
- JIMENA: Sephardic and Mizrahi Lesson Plans to advance the White House’s National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism. A curated collection of lesson plans and educational units on antisemitism and Sephardi and Mizrahi Jewish people.
- Unpacked: Jewish American Life. Use this video to explore Jewish life in the United States, beginning in 1654 to today.
- Unpacked: Proud to be Jewish. Use this video to learn about the rich history that Jewish people have with remarkable inventions that have transformed the world.
- Facing History & Ourselves: Jewish Identity. Explore lessons and strategies to introduce students to the richness and complexity of Jewish identity as well as the tensions between identity preservation and assimilation.
- ADL: Picture and Chapter Books to Celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month. This resource offers a sampling of books that can help young people explore and learn about Jewish people, identity and culture.
- Association of Jewish Libraries: Sydney Taylor Book Awards. Explore award winning and recognized books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience.
- JIMENA Sephardi & Mizrahi Children’s Books. Explore books and stories about Sephardic and Mizrahi identity, heritage and culture.
- Keshet: LGBTQ+ Book List for Children and Families. A comprehensive (but not exhaustive!) guide of LGBTQ+, Jewish books and resources for younger and older children and their families.
- Center for Jewish-Inclusive Learning: Resource Library. Explore resources, lesson plans and units on topics like Jewish history, Jewish identity and Jewish Heritage for all age groups.
Widening the Circle: Family Engagement
Resources to be shared with parents, caregivers and community members to continue the conversation about Jewish American Heritage Month and Jewish identity outside of the classroom.
- ADL Table Talk: Why Do We Celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month? Engage your family is a conversation about what Jewish American Heritage Month is, its origins and how to celebrate and commemorate the month.
- The Jewish Grandparents Network: Coloring and Activity Pages. Coloring pages that celebrate different aspects of the Jewish religion and culture.
- The Jewish Grandparents Network: Family Stories Discovery Kit. An interactive guide designed to bring grandparents and grandchildren together through the art of storytelling, using dramatic play, creativity, and imagination.
- Common Sense Media: TV Shows that Illustrate and Celebrate the Jewish Experience. This resource compiles TV shows that explore authentic Jewish characters and experiences, along with stories about Jewish families, holidays, and traditions that are both fun to watch and teach viewers something new.
- Share booklists that are being used in classrooms like:
- ADL: Picture and Chapter Books to Celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month
- Association of Jewish Libraries: Sydney Taylor Book Awards
- JIMENA: Sephardi & Mizrahi Children’s Books
- Keshet: LGBTQ+ Book List for Children and Families
- PJ Library: Beyond the Books
*Quotes included above are from student participants in ADL educational programs.