Greenburgh Public Library Blog

May Is Jewish American Heritage Month

Jewish American Heritage Month, observed each May, is dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the achievements and contributions of Jewish Americans throughout U.S. history. From shaping the arts and sciences to influencing politics, business, and civil rights, Jewish Americans have played a vital role in the development and identity of the nation. The observance was officially established in 2006 through a proclamation by President George W. Bush, following bipartisan support in Congress. Read these fiction and nonfiction titles and watch these films to celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month. 

Fiction

Rachel, a 24-year-old obsessed with calorie restriction, embarks on a transformative journey after a therapist recommends a communication detox from her mother. She meets Miriam, an Orthodox Jewish woman who captivates her, leading Rachel through a path of hunger, desire, and self-discovery.

 

 

 

After Carl Fletcher is kidnapped in 1980, his family moves on with their lives, thinking they’ve overcome the trauma. Decades later, the family’s unresolved issues surface, and they must face the hidden impacts of their wealth on their lives.

 

 

 

 

Long before Oliver Twist stumbled onto the scene, Jacob Fagin was scratching out a life for himself in the dark alleys of nineteenth-century London. As he mentors an ambitious protégé, his loyalty to his criminal family is tested when a robbery goes wrong.

 

 

 

 

Rabbi Sholem Shachne Katzenellenbogen’s life unravels as his children, caught between religious and secular life, leave home to pursue their own paths. Set in 1930s Poland, this Yiddish novel explores family, faith, and the impending threat of the Holocaust.

 

 

 

 

In a small shtetl, Uriel the angel and Little Ash the demon search for a missing emigrant. Along the way, they encounter troubled humans and face obstacles such as corrupt officials, medical exams at Ellis Island, and mob bosses.

 

 

 

 

 

Nonfiction

Dara Horn challenges the fascination with Jewish death and the lack of respect for Jewish life today. Her essays confront the glorification of Jewish suffering and the rise of antisemitism, calling for a more vital understanding of Jewish identity and history.

 

 

 

 

Blanche Moses uncovers her family’s hidden past, discovering that her ancestors were Christian slaves in Barbados before transforming into wealthy Jewish immigrants. This story of racial and religious transformation sheds new light on the Jewish diaspora.

 

 

 

 

Dani Shapiro’s memoir traces her discovery that her father is not her biological father, unraveling her family’s hidden history. The book explores the secrets we keep in the name of love and identity and the emotional impact of genetic revelations.

 

 

 

 

Barbra Streisand’s memoir chronicles her legendary career, from her Brooklyn roots to achieving EGOT status. She reflects on her struggles, successes, and personal life, offering a candid and captivating account of her journey in entertainment.

 

 

 

 

Michael W. Twitty explores the intersection of African and Jewish diaspora cuisines, blending food, identity, and culture. This book delves into the history of African-Jewish culinary traditions and includes 48-50 recipes, celebrating the cultural dialogue through food.

 

 

 

 

 

Films (Available on Hoopla or Kanopy)

Gitl (Carol Kane in her Academy Award nominated role) and her son arrive on the lower East side of New York in 1896 to join her husband Jake (Steven Keats), as they struggle to assimilate while remaining true to their old country ways.

Writer-director-actor Woody Allen is in prime form in this celebrated comedy and Best Picture Oscar®-winner in which he portrays a neurotic, highly insecure and indecisive comedy writer who falls head over heels in love with a naive small- town "girl" (Diane Keaton) who wants to be a singer.

In the tradition of "Diner," "Tin Men," and "Avalon," Oscar-winning director Barry Levinson continues with this story of 1950s Baltimore -- a period of great change with issues of race, religion and class distinction causing turmoil between two generations of a Jewish family. Starring Adrien Brody, Joe Mantegna, Bebe Neuwirth, and Orlando Jones.

Based on the critically-acclaimed novel by Jonathan Safran Foer, "Everything is Illuminated" tells the story of a young man's quest to find the woman who saved his grandfather in a small Ukrainian town that was wiped off the map by the Nazi invasion. What starts out as a journey to piece together one family's story under absurd circumstances turns into a meaningful journey with a powerful series of revelations -- the importance of remembrance, the perilous nature of secrets, the legacy of the Holocaust, and the meaning of friendship.

A near college graduate, Danielle, rushes to meet her neurotic parents at a shiva. Danielle's day takes an unexpected turn when she discovers her ex-girlfriend, her sugar daddy, his wife, and their crying baby are also in attendance. As the day unfolds, Danielle struggles to keep up different versions of herself, fend off pressures from her family and confront her insecurities without losing it.