Jewish American Heritage Month 2024: A Time for Joy and Resilience

As part of the rich tapestry of diversity at T-Mobile, we’re proud to mark May as Jewish American Heritage Month. JAHM was established by President George W Bush in 2006 to honor the contributions and achievements of Jewish Americans.

At a moment when Jewish Americans are particularly vulnerable amidst a dramatic rise in global antisemitism following Hamas’s October 7 attacks against Israel—the worst massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust—now is an important time to elevate and celebrate the contributions of Jews to our society. Jewish American Heritage Month reminds all Americans that Jews are now, and have always been, part of the fabric of American society.

Judaism is both a religion and a cultural identity that goes back 3,500 years. Jews are diverse in geography, race, customs, and levels of religious observance. The authors of this article have recent family roots in Israel, South Africa, Eastern Europe, Turkey, and the former Soviet Union. But despite these differences, we are united by a common history, traditions, and pride in our contributions to society.

Jews make up just 2.4% of the US population and 0.2% of the world’s population. But we’re also 22% of all Nobel Laureates and 100% of the Beastie Boys. Yes, we take great pride in pointing out the public figures we claim as our own – Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Larry David, Scarlett Johansson, Albert Einstein, and everyone named in those Adam Sandler Hanukkah songs.

Jews make up just 2.4% of the US population and 0.2% of the world’s population. But we’re also 22% of all Nobel Laureates and 100% of the Beastie Boys.

Many American Jews regard the cultural aspects of Judaism as important as the religious ones. According to a 2020 Pew Research study, most Jewish adults say that remembering the Holocaust, leading a moral and ethical life, working for justice and equality in society, and being intellectually curious are “essential” to what it means to them to be Jewish.

The Jewish concept of “Tikkun Olam” – repairing the world – means that we care for not only our own moral, spiritual, and material welfare, but also for the welfare of society at large. That spirit permeates Jewish Americans’ civic involvement, including our proud history of contributions to the civil rights movement . Tzedakah, or charity, is also a central tenet of Judaism.

This year has galvanized the Jewish community and renewed our desire for connection – both religious and cultural. Here at T-Mobile, we’ve organized a Teams space for Jewish employees and allies. It’s a place where we can connect with each other and advocate for visibility and inclusion. Everyone is welcome. Come join us and kibbitz (a wonderful Yiddish word for chitchat).

We also value dialogue with other communities – identifying areas of common purpose and having constructive discussions that help us understand each other’s perspectives. We’d love to break bread with you, especially now that we just got through Passover!

So, a happy Jewish American Heritage Month to others in “The Magenta Minyan” (a minyan is like a Jewish quorum) and L’Chaim (“To Life” - a common toast) to our colleagues in the AAPI community – it’s your month, too! Let’s celebrate our cultures as part of the “Be You” value we all embrace on Team Magenta.

Also contributing to this article: Erica Feldman , Matthew Goodwin , Craig Medin , Vlad Sinayuk , and Ayelet Winer