Jewish American Heritage Month and Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Both Happen in May

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (April 26, 2024) – On May 5, The Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History (The Weitzman) will host a family day of fun in honor of Jewish American Heritage Month and Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, which both take place in May.

In partnership with the Pennsylvania Asian Pacific American Jewish Alliance (PAPAJA) and the American Jewish Committee Philadelphia/Southern Jersey region, this free celebration of both heritages features performances from diverse Asian Pacific community artists, Jewish choir and dancing, crafting, games, printmaking, martial arts, Asian face and hand painting, calligraphy, ancient musical instruments, traditional drum mini-workshops, Asian traditional dress try-on experience, and more.

Participating groups, which are coming from as far as Harrisburg and New Castle County, Delaware, include Perelman Jewish Day School, Central Bucks Chinese American Association, Shaptak Sangeet Niketan, Korean Cultural Foundation, Temple University Center for Chinese Language Instruction, Apsara Angels Dance Inc., Guanghua Chinese Association, Little Mulan Dance Troupe – GWCS, Korean School South New Jersey, Silambam Dance School – PA, Arteast Philly LOVE Dance Troupe, and First Generation Korean Academy.

The Weitzman leads the national Jewish American Heritage Month effort which celebrates the inspiring history of Jewish Americans, serving as an antidote to antisemitism by amplifying the true, joyful, and powerful stories of Jewish life in America. The Weitzman—through JAHM and throughout the year—celebrates the diversity of the American Jewish community, sharing stories of Jewish-Asian Americans like Angela Buchdahl, the first Asian American to be ordained as a cantor or rabbi in North America, and bringing to light the diversity within the Jewish-Asian community through the work of  LUNAR: The Jewish-Asian Film Project.

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is a celebration of the contributions that generations of Asian American and Pacific Islanders in the United States have made to American history, society, and culture.

“The vision for this dynamic program began well before October 7th, however the demonstration of allyship that it represents has taken on an added layer of significance,” said Rebecca Krasner, Director of Education at The Weitzman. “I am grateful to our friends and neighbors in the Asian Pacific American communities for joining together with us, in celebration of our diverse, beautiful, and complex heritages. We walk together in strength, joyful celebration, and yearning for a better tomorrow.”

“At its heart, this celebration is a profound acknowledgment of our intertwined histories and shared futures. Bringing together the Jewish and Asian Pacific American communities allows us not only to honor our distinct heritages but to forge a shared path forward based on mutual respect and understanding. In today’s world, where diversity is often met with division, events like ours are vital reminders that our strength truly lies in our unity. As we at PAPAJA host our second annual Dual Asian-Pacific Jewish American Heritage Month celebration, we gather not just to celebrate, but to reaffirm our commitment to each other—across cultures, communities, and generations,” said Stephanie Sun, Co-founder and Co-chair of the Pennsylvania Asian Pacific American Jewish Alliance (PAPAJA).

“This event allows us to come together in a show of solidarity, have a lot of fun and discover what unifies us,” said Marcia Bronstein, Regional Director of the American Jewish Committee Philadelphia/Southern Jersey region.

The event will take place May 5 from 1-5 p.m at The Weitzman at 5th and Market Streets in Philadelphia’s historic district, just steps from the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall.

Learn more.

Download High-Resolution Photos

High-Resolution Photos from 2023

ABOUT THE WEITZMAN NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN JEWISH HISTORY
Established in 1976, and situated on Philadelphia’s Independence Mall, the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History is the only museum in the nation dedicated exclusively to exploring and interpreting the American Jewish experience. The Weitzman presents educational programs and experiences that preserve, explore, and celebrate the history of Jews in America. It proudly stewards one of the largest collections of Jewish Americana in the nation. Standing as a joyful bulwark against antisemitism, bigotry, and hate, The Weitzman serves to connect Jews more closely to their heritage and to inspire in people of all backgrounds a greater appreciation for the diversity of the American Jewish experience and the freedoms to which Americans aspire. www.theweitzman.org

ABOUT THE PENNSYLVANIA ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN JEWISH ALLIANCE

Established in 2022, the Pennsylvania Asian Pacific American Jewish Alliance is the first and only statewide coalition in the nation seeking to unite the Asian Pacific American (APA/ AAPI) and the American Jewish communities together against rising hate-fueled incidents against both communities. This initiative was launched in partnership with then-Governor Tom Wolf’s Advisory Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs and the American Jewish Committee (AJC). As a pioneering effort to build solidarity between these two communities, PAPAJA aims to create real change based on further cementing the cooperation, by building deep understanding between each other, cultivating knowledge on unique common struggles, and working together on issues of common concern. In 2023, PAPAJA marked a significant milestone by organizing the nation’s first Dual Heritage Month Celebration, an initiative that honors the rich heritages of both communities and fosters a deeper, shared understanding.

###