TO: Mayor and Commissioners
FROM: Alexis Givings, City Clerk
THROUGH: Terrence R. Moore, ICMA-CM
DATE: May 6, 2025
Title
JEWISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH PROCLAMATION
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Recommended Action:
Recommendation
Motion to proclaim the month of May as Jewish American Heritage Month.
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Background:
In 1654, a small ship carrying 23 Jewish refugees sailed into the port of present-day New York City, fleeing oppression and discrimination. They secured the right to remain and became the first Jewish communal presence to settle on American soil. Throughout our country’s history, Jewish Americans have proudly served our Nation in uniform, in elected office, and on our Nation’s highest courts. They have made enormous contributions to America’s cultural, scientific, artistic, and intellectual life, and they have marched, petitioned, and boarded buses to demand civil and political rights for all from women’s rights to voting rights to workers’ rights; and
The Jewish American story, and the story of our Nation as a whole, is fueled by faith, resilience, and hope. It is a story defined by a firm belief in possibilities, the resolve to make real the promise of America for all Americans, and a commitment to perfecting our Union, heeding the timeless words of Rabbi Tarfon, the first-century scholar who taught “It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it."
Three-hundred and sixty-eight years after those 23 brave Jewish refugees arrived in America, Jewish Americans continue to help our country thrive and prosper. This month, we honor the timeless traditions, heritage, and contributions of Jewish Americans that drive our progress as a Nation each and every day.