Celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month
"The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of Jewish Americans who helped form the fabric of American history, culture and society." - from the official page for Jewish American Heritage Month
Santa Clara County Library District honors and recognizes the contributions of Jewish Americans throughout May, on the 20th year since President George W. Bush proclaimed this heritage month on April 20, 2006. Events and special collections are sponsored by a number of government and public entities, including The Smithsonian Institute, Library of Congress, National Gallery of Art, National Archives, United States Holocaust Museum, National Park Service, and National Endowment for the Humanities.
Jewish people (both religious and secular) have been an integral piece of the United States, contributing to every facet of our culture from arts & humanities to science & technology, law, education, athletics, and more. Through periods of both hardships and prosperity, there has never been a time without the noticeable presence of this community in our nation. Especially in these difficult times both nationally and globally, it is important to recognize those who do good things. In Judaism there's a term Tikkun Olam which roughly translates to "healing the world," and is a key concept within Jewish culture. Whether it's small things like helping a neighbor in need, or something much more grand, the goal is "to do something with the world that will not only fix any damage, but also improve upon it."
Some notable Jewish-Americans who have left their mark on history:
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Supreme Court Justice
Albert Einstein (born in Germany, U.S. Citizen), Physicist
Leonard Bernstein, Conductor/Composer
Steven Spielberg, Movie Director
Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Entrepreneurs (Google)
Judith Resnik, Astronaut (Challenger victim)
The Los Altos Library has a special children's program to honor Jewish Heritage Month, on Thursday May 14 at 4pm: My Grandmother's Magic Recipes Book; we have also created a list of children's books, as well as an adult/teen book list on the subject. Please join us as we remember those who are gone, and honor those still with us. Learn, share, and come together in solidarity to "heal the world" one person or act at a time.
