WHEREAS, first officially recognized in 2006, Jewish American Heritage Month celebrates the enduring legacy of Jewish Americans and honors the profound contributions that Jewish Americans have made to our Nation; and

WHEREAS, the month of May is significant for the celebration because it includes several important Jewish holidays, including Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), Yom HaZikaron (Israeli Memorial Day), Yom HaAtzmaut (Israeli Independence Day), Shavuot (“Feast of Weeks”) and Lag B’Omer. These holidays provide an opportunity to reflect on the past and present of the Jewish-American community; and

WHEREAS, for over 370 years, Jewish American contributions and achievements in various fields, including government, business, science, technology, medicine, the arts, politics, sports, and military service have positively contributed to every aspect of our society and have helped forge the character of our country; and

WHEREAS, we honor the bravery and tenacity of Salt Lake City’s first Jewish settlers, Julius Gerson Brooks and Isabella (Fanny) Bruck whose millinery establishment became the first Jewish business in the area; and

WHEREAS, Salt Lake City now reflects a robust Jewish-American community of some 6,000 residents; and

WHEREAS, as antisemitic incidents continue to rise across the U.S., we are grateful for a continual building of rapport and dialogue between our city and local Jewish community organizations like the I.J. & Jeanné Wagner Jewish Community Center, Congregation Kol Ami, Chabad Lubavitch of Utah, and the United Jewish Federation of Utah, among others; and

WHEREAS, Salt Lake City reaffirms our commitment to protecting the rights of all people to worship, practice their faith freely, and live in peace.Top of FormBottom of Form

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Erin Mendenhall, Mayor of Salt Lake City, proclaim May 2023 as:

Jewish American Heritage Month in Salt Lake City

To view the electronically signed copy of the proclamation, click here.