Celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month
Created through a partnership with Center for Judaic Studies, University of Denver Hillel, the USG Secretary of Religious Life, Heritage Months & Community + Values
May is Jewish American Heritage Month* – On April 20, 2006, President George W. Bush proclaimed that May would be Jewish American Heritage Month. The announcement was the crowning achievement in an effort by the Jewish Museum of Florida and South Florida Jewish community leaders that resulted in resolutions introduced by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida and Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania urging the president to proclaim a month that would recognize the more than 350-year history of Jewish contributions to American culture. The resolutions passed unanimously, first in the House of Representatives in December 2005 and later in the Senate in February 2006.
We invite you to learn more about the Jewish American members of our DU community -- hear their stories, learn about their favorite traditions, and find out more about their favorite recipes!
Jessica Friedman, DU Student
"Personally, I was raised Orthodox, but as I am from Europe and not in the U.S., Orthodox is actually the only sect of the Jewish religion that is known there so it doesn't necessarily have the same meanings as I think it does in the United States. I have a more relaxed version of my Judaism, I go to Synagogue on the holidays and some Shabbats. I mostly do Shabbat with my family."
Learn more about American Jews by religious affiliation and the different movements & sects
Julia Meadow, DU Senior
"My Jewish identity to me has always been a little bit hard to put into words and explain clearly. I consider myself an Atheist Jew. When I pray or read Torah, I do it for the for the community and the cultural aspect. Community is everything to me in Judaism -- the culture and participating in a group with other people means so much to me."
Learn more about community in Judaism
Alanna Jones, DU Student
"My Jewish identity gives me a way to connect with others. I grew up in a place where there were very few Jewish kids, and I really was able to use my Jewish identity and be proud of my Jewish identity. I was able to educate others a little bit more about Judaism. "
Learn about what a synagogue is
Moshe Kornfeld, Special Community Member, Center for Judaic Studies, DU
"In a sense it's almost everything -- I grew up in a modern Orthodox home. Throughout my life, I would collect all of these experiences, and as I was trying to figure out my place in the Jewish world I turned to academic Jewish studies and to anthropology as a way to understand these various expressions and modes of Jewish life."
Learn more about Moshe Kornfeld and his work in the DU Center for Judaic Studies
Additional Resources:
DU Center for Judaic Studies | Advancing the Study of Jewish History and Culture
The Center for Judaic Studies serves the needs of both the Denver Jewish community and the scholars working to preserve centuries of knowledge. Through academic programming at the undergraduate, master's and doctoral levels, we strive to promote cultural understanding through interdisciplinary studies in Hebrew language and Jewish philosophy, history, literature and film. Outside the classroom, we engage students and faculty with the broader Jewish community through programming and social action on campus and beyond.
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Rocky Mountain Jewish Historical Society and Beck Archives
Housed at the Center for Judaic Studies and University Libraries, the Rocky Mountain Jewish Historical Society and Beck Archives work in tandem to publicize and preserve the history of the vibrant Jewish experience in the Rocky Mountain region, with an emphasis on Colorado. We offer robust resources and programs for researchers, historians, scholars, educators, archivists and any community members who are interested in studying, teaching and preserving Jewish history in the Rocky Mountain region.
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University of Denver Hillel
Denver University Hillel is a proud part of Hillel of Colorado – which also includes the Colorado State Hillel – serving students with traditional programming such as Shabbat dinners, holiday celebrations, social justice initiatives, and religious and social programs; leadership programs to train the Jewish leaders of tomorrow, and Israel programs.
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Holocaust Awareness Institute
Bringing the knowledge and experience of Holocaust survivors and scholars to DU's Judaic Studies programs, the Holocaust Awareness Institute works to preserve and share a detailed history of one of the world's most vicious atrocities. Established in 1983, the Holocaust Awareness Institute is a campus and community resource for coursework, educational resources, guest lectures and other community partnerships. The institute is a leading agent in the region for promoting education about the Shoah, or Holocaust, and offers multicultural explorations of the Holocaust's continuing significance in today's world.
Alanna Jones, DU Student
Moshe Kornfeld, Special Community Member, Center for Judaic Studies, DU
"My favorite is Shabbat, the Jewish Sabbath!"
Learn more about how Shabbat can keep one grounded
Julia Meadow, DU Senior
"On point with the culture and community together, we would be at camp and push all of our tables together so everyone would fit. And we would sing songs or chants, we would sing as loud as we can!"
Learn more about celebrating with music
Jessica Friedman, DU Student
"Some of my favorite rituals are singing and dancing together! I have some of the best memories of this."
Learn more about the Horah dance
Artist highlight:
"Many Candles, 2" by Paula Burger
From DU's Center for Judaic Studies' "Color of My Life" collection of paintings by local Holocaust Survivor and beloved educator Paula Burger, of blessed memory
"The ritual of Sabbath challah has always been a favorite of mine--even if it's store-bought challah, and especially on the few occasions when I've actually baked it from scratch!
Here is a recipe I recently used and the clearest braiding instructions I've ever seen-- including for a spectacular 6-braid challah which I am happy to say I successfully pulled off a few weeks ago!"
Sarah Pessin
Interfaith Chair
Center for Judaic Studies and
Department of Philosophy
University of Denver
In this Cookarama cookbook, presented by the Alliance Sisterhood, learn traditional Jewish recipes. Find recipes for challah bread, bagels, kugel, and more!
In the Shalom on the Range cookbook, learn about Jewish traditions and recipes from Colorado kitchens! Learn how to make kreplach, chicken soup, babka, and beyond.
As one of the first Jewish cookbooks in the U.S., written in 1888, this resource is packed full of traditions, recipes, history, and more! The Fair Cook Book features classic Jewish foods and offers an opportunity to dig into this historical resource.
In this newsletter of the Rocky Mountain Jewish Historical Society from 1995, the authors dig into the history of The Fair Cook Book. They tell the story of one of the oldest Jewish cookbooks in the U.S. and the first known Jewish fundraising cookbook in the country.
*Learn More about the National Jewish American Heritage Month
Learn More about the federal collaborative project of the Library of Congress and the National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum