May is Jewish American Heritage Month in the United States. We've put together a list of activities and destinations to help your family learn and celebrate throughout the month.
Talk to Someone:
Everyone has a story. Sit down with a relative, neighbor, or friend over a meal or coffee. Encourage your child or children to ask questions about this person's life and experience as a Jewish person. Here are some starter questions.
Read a Story:
Choose a book from your local library about a Jewish hero. The Jewish American Heritage Month website has a list of notable Jewish figures in American history by state. Go to the library and look up books about some of these figures or read a story from one of our PJ Library selections.
Go For a Walk:
These outdoor parks are great places to get some fresh air and a history lesson.
The Jewish Friendship Trail, Boston
The Jewish Friendship Trail is a walking tour to sites of Jewish experience in Boston's West and North Ends. Learn about Jewish life in Boston from the 1870s through the 1920s.
Keller Fountain Park, Portland, Oregon
This beautiful park and open space in downtown Portland is named for civic leader Ira C. Keller (1899-1978). Keller was the first chairman of the Portland Development Commission and is credited with making urban renewal in Portland possible.
The Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial is an educational park inspired by Anne Frank's faith in humanity.
Jewish Historical Society of Michigan offers walking tours of notable Jewish historical sites and neighborhoods.
Take a Trip to the Museum:
There are many amazing musuems about the Jewish experience in the United States. Most of them also offer family-friendly and children's programming. Here's a list of a few around the country to get you started:
The Contemporary Jewish Museum, San Francisco
The National Museum of American Jewish History, Philadelphia
The Alaska Jewish Museum, Anchorage
The Jewish Museum of Florida, Miami Beach
The Tenement Museum, New York City
Or a Children's Museum:
Families with younger children, or young at heart adults, can check out the following museums built entirely around hands-on and sensory learning experiences and exhibits.
The Jewish Children’s Museum
Located in Brooklyn, New York, The Jewish Children's Museum uses technology and hands-on exhibits to introduce children to Jewish values and history.
Zimmer Children’s Museum, Los Angeles
Appropriate for kids ages infant to 8 years old. Hands-on exhibits, interactive learning, and some specifically Jewish programming.
Alvin & Evelyn Gross My Jewish Discovery Place Children's Museum
The Alvin & Evelyn Gross Children's Museum in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is a hands-on, interactive museum of Jewish culture, history and values.
Plan a Family Vacation:
Want to go big? Take the whole crew to family-camp.
How will you be spending Jewish American Heritage Month? Share your ideas and suggestions with us on Twitter or Facebook.
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May 10, 2016