Jewish American Heritage Month

 

In May, BUSD celebrates Jewish American Heritage Month, lifting up and honoring the contributions of Jewish Americans in our school community, our extended communities, and our country.

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May is a rich month of heritage celebrations which includes BUSD’s third year celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month. Since 2006, May has been proclaimed as Jewish American Heritage Month so that we can center and honor the many lived and historical experiences of Jewish Americans. As is true of any community, there is no single way of being Jewish. In Berkeley Unified School District, we have a beautiful spectrum of the Jewish community represented by our students, staff, and families.

The Bay Area has an especially proud history of Jewish activism and spirituality embodying the Jewish concept of Tikkun Olam– healing the world to make it a better place for all. It is in this spirit of Tikkun Olam, that we offer these resources to our community. And it is in this spirit that we honor all the ways that people are connected to Judaism here in BUSD: through birth, adoption, marriage/partnership, conversion, through secular and religious ties–we celebrate the diversity of the Jewish community. 

Among the resources shared, you will find first person stories and biographies of creatives representing some of the many ways that people connect to Judaism and Jewish heritage. Some members of the Jewish community are recognizable by the clothes (kippa/yarmulke, talit, tichel), or symbols they wear (star of David), and others you will only know by asking and listening to their stories. Through these resources we also strive to center Jewish community members who are too often marginalized. 

In May of 2024, our school board passed a resolution recognizing May as Jewish America Heritage Month and denouncing all anti-Jewish and antisemitic prejudice, bigotry, hate, bias, discrimination, and violence in our district, city, and beyond. We denounce the rise in antisemitic rhetoric against Jewish people and are committed to teaching about the history of antisemitism and the Holocaust. We also recognize that the Jewish American community is so much more than the stories of the discrimination against them and this month is an opportunity to shine a light on contemporary Jewish creatives and the resilience of the Jewish people.

In unity and שָׁלוֹם (Shalom),

Enikia Ford Morthel
Superintendent

Events

On May 4, 2025 from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm: BUSD invites all families to the Jewish Arts Bookfest at the Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life located at 2121 Allston Way. The event will bring together authors and artists for panel discussions, workshops, readings, teen programs, and performances that showcase the Jewish experience through art, culture, and storytelling.

Reading Lists

These reading lists, organized by grade level, represent recently published books that celebrate Jewish-American heritage, affirm identity, and promote cultural awareness. Sharing these books is one part of our effort to develop a diverse consciousness with and for our youth and ensure they know they are not alone, and that they can speak out to help stop the spread of bigotry

Click on each book to access the associated list.

 

Educator Resources

This TK-8 Teaching Guide was compiled by BUSD’s Equity, Achievement, and Belonging Department and BUSD Jewish community members.

“We denounce the rise in antisemitic rhetoric against Jewish people and are committed to teaching about the history of antisemitism and the Holocaust.” – Superintendent Ford Morthel

Here are some examples about how these topics are taught in Berkeley Unified Schools

Elementary School

• • Many teachers incorporate read alouds that affirm Jewish American identities and that uplift Jewish holidays; many teachers also invite Jewish family members to share about family traditions with their classes each year

4th grade Historical Fiction Book Clubs Unit is taught in late spring and the book is Number the Stars– through this book, teachers teach about the Holocaust

Middle School

6th grade– included in a history unit about world religions, that includes learning about Judaism and Jewish beliefs and traditions.

High School

WWII and the Holocaust is taught in 10th grade World History

Ethnic Studies also naturally invites students to be their whole selves in the classroom and for all aspects of their identities to be valued and supported, so there are many opportunities for Jewish students to share about their culture(s), traditions, and ancestral connections to Judaism throughout their time in BUSD.

 

Family Guides

English Family Guide

Spanish Family Guide

Lifting Up BUSD Staff Jewish American Voices – May 2025

In celebration of our Jewish American community, BUSD has introduced “Lifting Up Jewish American Voices,” a campaign to share our Jewish American staff narratives with our students and community by creating posters featuring their stories and experiences. Later this month, these posters will be displayed around the district, on the BUSD website, in social media, and in district publications. Sharing these narratives with our students will allow them to deepen connections with Jewish American staff in BUSD.