Jewish American Heritage Month

Jewish Heritage North Carolina, in partnership with the North Carolina State Capitol, planned a series of events and requested government proclamations to educate about and celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month in May! The initiatives included:

Images courtesy of the State Archives of North Carolina; Diego Torres, Jewish for Good; Kevin Kahn, MD, Jewish for Good

Down Home: Jewish Life in North Carolina

This traveling exhibit was on display and open to the public at the State Capitol from April 1 – May 31. Over ten panels and several display cases, the exhibit shares a four-century timeline of Jews in the state. It covers topics such as family, being southern, community, commerce and immigration. Raleigh Magazine featured the exhibit in the “Things to Do” section of its May issue.

Image courtesy of Linda Fox, North Carolina State Historic Sites

Exhibit Opening Reception

The event sold out by over a week in advance! Attendees got a private viewing of the exhibit and heard opening remarks from Eric M. Meyers, the Bernice & Morton Lerner Distinguished Emeritus Professor of Jewish Studies at Duke University. Dr. Leonard Rogoff, research historian and exhibit curator, gave the keynote address.

Virtual Curator’s Talk

Bringing together almost 300 people from across the country, Dr. Leonard Rogoff brought history to attendees’ homes with an intimate and informative presentation. Opening remarks were provided by the Honorable Mark A. Davis, the first Jew to serve on North Carolina’s Supreme Court. Watch the video recording here.

Government Proclamations

Roy Cooper, Governor of North Carolina, and Mary-Ann Baldwin, Mayor of Raleigh, both issued proclamations in recognition of Jewish American Heritage Month.

If you would like to bring the Down Home: Jewish Life in North Carolina traveling exhibit to your community, please contact info@jewishnc.org.