May is Jewish American Heritage Month. This month has been federally designated since 2006, but there have been proclamations celebrating Jewish American Heritage Weeks in April or May since 1980. In the letter first recognizing Jewish American Heritage Month, President George W. Bush stated, “As a nation of immigrants, the United States is better and stronger because Jewish people from all over the world have chosen to become American citizens. Since arriving in 1654, Jewish Americans have achieved great success, strengthened our country, and helped shape our way of life.”
Jewish American Heritage Month is championed today by the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History. During the month, they encourage Jewish Americans to share their stories, the public to engage with Jewish culture, and everyone to fight against antisemitism. To help everyone celebrate, the museum has created the “Who are American Jews?” webpage, which includes resources such as the stories of notable Jewish Americans and reports on the lived experiences of Jews of Color. They also recommend a variety of resources for combating antisemitism, including Facing History’s Antisemitism Resource Collection.
In celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month, the Michigan School of Psychology is highlighting the stories of Jewish Americans in or from Michigan.
Richard H. Bernstein served as a justice on the Michigan Supreme Court from 2015 until 2023. Upon his election, Bernstein, who lost his eyesight in his infancy, became the first blind justice in US history. Much of Bernstein’s career, both as a lawyer and a justice, focused on civil rights, specifically the rights of individuals with disabilities.
Golda Krolik was the first woman to serve on Detroit’s Inter-Racial Committee. In this role, she played a critical role in reducing racial discrimination in the nursing profession, which earned her the NAACP’s Freedom Medal. During WWII, Krolik helped German Jews to flee and resettle in the United States. Krolik also help to found the first women’s division of the Jewish Welfare Federation of Detroit and was the first women to work on and become editor of the University of Michigan’s student newspaper.
Patricia Polacco, who was born in Lansing, overcame her dyslexia to become a prolific children’s book author and illustrator. Among her over 100 works are stories such as The Keeping Quilt, which highlights the cultural significance of a quilt, and Thank You, Mr. Falker, inspired by Polacco’s own childhood, which tells the story of a young girl and the teacher who recognizes her dyslexia.
Rabbi Leo Franklin was the 11th Rabbi at the Temple Beth El in Detroit. Rabbi Franklin spent much of his life working to improve interfaith relations in the city, helping organize that nation’s first Interdenominations Thanksgiving Services and the Michigan Roundtable for Just Communities. Rabbi Franklin also served on the boards of numerous organizations throughout the city, helping to shape Detroit into a cultural center.
Lois Kahn was a lifelong healthcare advocate who helped found Hospice of Michigan and was known to fill in as a nurse at local hospitals and retirement homes when they were shorthanded. She was also a teacher who worked to establish a speech program in the Saginaw Catholic school system and was an advocate for religious faith exemptions in the workplace.
