Mayor Bloomberg Proclaims April 20th as Jewish American Heritage Day

“The United States would not be the country we know without the achievements of Jewish Americans.”President Obama

President George W. Bush proclaimed in 2006 that May would be Jewish American Heritage Month. This proclamation was the result of efforts by Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida and Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania who initiated the congressional resolutions to make JAHM a reality. Every May this month-long celebration aims to raise national consciousness about the myriad contributions Jewish Americans have made to our countrys heritage.

Jewish American Heritage Month May 2010 was the most comprehensive and widely celebrated to date through a variety of events and programs nationwide.

This year marked the most comprehensive celebration to date and the launch took place at Congregation Shearith Israel, the first Jewish congregation established in North America in 1654. Artifacts from the original building are housed in the Synagogue and showcases the rich heritage of this historic congregation. The prestigious panel of speakers at the press launch included the following: RabbiHayyim J. Angel – Congregation Shearith Israel – The Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue; Abby Schwartz, the first ever JAHM national Coordinator;Rabbi Shalom Morris, Congregation Shearith Israel Educational Director;Kimberly Gilmore, Ph.D., Historian and Director ofCorporate Outreach – A&E Television Networks-BIO Channel and A&E Networks;Sid Lapidus, Board Chairman, American Jewish Historical Society, a member of the JAHM Coalition;and Alain Bankier, President of TMCI, Owners of The ManischewitzCompany;and Mayor BloombergProclamation Reading.

Tolearn more about the JAHM pleaese visit JAHM at www.jahm.us which serves as an interactive clearinghouse for programs and activities across the country. Visitors to the website have the opportunity to enter events in their own communities, learn about national programming, download educational materials and garner ideas for local celebrations.

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