May is Jewish American Heritage Month!

Following a concerted effort by Jewish leaders to establish a national month of commemoration, Jewish American Heritage Month was inaugurated in 2006 by a Congressional Resolution and a Presidential Proclamation by George W. Bush which read: “During Jewish American Heritage Month, we celebrate the rich history of the Jewish people in America and honor the great contributions they have made to our country.” Why May? The month was chosen following an inspirational celebration in May, 2004, of the 350th anniversary of the arrival of the first Jews to New Amsterdam in 1654.  Click here to learn more from the Library of Congress’s Jewish American Heritage Month website; and click here to find unique ways to celebrate Jewish heritage.  Finally, click on the book jackets below to be taken to some of the fabulous reads in our catalog.  L’Chaim!

In May 2023, hundreds of organizations around the U.S. will join together to help Americans of all backgrounds discover, explore, and celebrate the vibrant and varied American Jewish experience from the dawn of our nation to the present day. Stay tuned for regular updates to the list of sponsors, partners, activities, and resources.

From: jewishamericanheritage.org/

Join us for two museum tours that explore Jewish cultural history.

To register, visit: bit.ly/3GLM0VV

To register, visit: bit.ly/3MQ0LdX

For some recommended reads for adults, visit:

bit.ly/3VjWYI7

For some recommended reads for teens, visit: 

bit.ly/3LfCFqL

For some recommended reads for children, visit: 

bit.ly/3oTkAHD

In honor of Jewish Heritage Month, this exhibit will highlight the history of Jews in Scarsdale and Westchester, and will be on display for the month of May. Today, Scarsdale has a significant Jewish population. Did you know that at one point it has been estimated that half the population of our Village was Jewish? Prior to the 20th century, however, there is very little evidence of any Jews in Scarsdale. Learn more about the history of Jews in Westchester since colonial times, and how Scarsdale became a welcoming place for Jews in the 20th century.

Visit the Local History room at the Library.

To view the images visit: bit.ly/3Bt2rmQ 

Take part in celebrating Jewish American heritage this month with these audiobooks, comics, eBooks, music, and videos on hoopla Digital that feature Jewish stories and music. View more here: bit.ly/3oYkiiE

Enjoy cinema from around the globe on through kanopy. Download the app, create an account and enjoy up to 20 credits per month. For a list of Jewish films, visit bit.ly/3oX4tIW