May marks Jewish American Heritage Month, and the Library of Congress has a lineup of free events coming up to celebrate Jewish heritage.
Located in Southeast Washington, the Library of Congress is the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution and the world’s largest library, featuring tours, talks and concerts. Staff of the library organize programming every May for JAHM.
“The Library of Congress is celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month as part of its broader commitment to recognizing and honoring the diverse cultural heritages that shape the United States, and to acknowledge the history, contributions and cultural heritage of Jewish Americans as integral part of the broader American story,” Yoram Bitton, chief of the Library of Congress’ African and Middle Eastern Division, wrote in a statement to Washington Jewish Week.
“Through these programs, the library highlights the diversity and richness of Jewish life in the U.S. across time — ranging from early civic participation and nation-building to the preservation and interpretation of sacred texts, and to contemporary artistic and musical expression.”
The library hosted historian and author Laura Arnold Leibman for a May 6 program titled, “1776: Jews and the American Revolution.” Leibman teaches American Jewish studies at Princeton University and has written extensively about early Jewish immigration to the Americas.
“Her work in early American Jewish history, particularly her focus on identity and archival recovery, supports the program’s emphasis on uncovering lesser-known narratives within the American Jewish experience,” Bitton said.
Leibman explored the role of Jews in the founding era of the U.S., showing their active participation in early American civic life.
Leibman’s talk aligned with the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the U.S., “contributing to a broader understanding of the history of Jews in America,” according to Bitton.
On May 13, the library is scheduled to host author and manuscript artist Debra Band, who will present “Letters in Light: An American Illuminates the Bible.” Her illuminated manuscripts combine Hebrew and English texts with watercolor, gold leaf and calligraphy.
Band’s session will delve into the continuing relevance of biblical text through modern artistic interpretation.
“Band, as an artist deeply engaged with Jewish texts and visual traditions, offers a meaningful way to connect audiences with Jewish heritage through material culture and artistic interpretation,” Bitton said. “Her work aligns closely with the library’s strengths in rare books and visual collections.”
The library recently acquired several of Band’s original works, including “The Song of Songs: The Honeybee in the Garden” (2005), “I Will Wake the Dawn: Illuminated Psalms” (2007), “Arise! Arise! Deborah, Ruth and Hannah” (2012), “Kabbalat Shabbat: The Grand Unification” (2016) and “Qohelet: Searching for a Life Worth Living” (2023).
“Together, the programs illustrate both the historical roots and the living cultural traditions of Jewish life in America,” Bitton said.
Finally, the library will host Sephardic Jewish musician Lily Henley for “An Evening of Jewish Music,” also on May 13.
Selected by the American Folklife Center, Henley will showcase diasporic traditions, specifically through Yiddish and Balkan-influenced performance, Bitton said. The singer-songwriter and fiddler created an album of Sephardic Jewish ballads set to new melodies.
Henley’s works highlight the Ladino language, a tongue that combines old Spanish with Hebrew, Arabic and Turkish elements, and is spoken by fewer than 100,000 people in the world today.
“Overall, the selection [of programs] reflects an intentional balance across discipline — scholarship, visual art and music — allowing the programs to engage diverse audiences while presenting Jewish culture as multifaceted and evolving,” Bitton said.
He added that all three featured guests are experienced public presenters.
“Attendees should come away with a deeper understanding of the richness and diversity of Jewish American history and culture, and how it is woven into the broader American story,” Bitton said.
All year round, the library also features primary sources — photographs, biographies, autobiographies and personal narratives — that highlight Jewish American history.
The library is home to comprehensive Hebrew and Judaica collections, especially notable in the areas of the Bible and rabbinics, according to the website.
Jewish American composers of Western concert music make up a significant portion of the Library of Congress Music Division’s collection, as well as Jewish immigrants and international composers of the Jewish Diaspora from the European Renaissance to the present day. Visitors can see their manuscripts and special collections in the Performing Arts Reading Room.
Also, the library illustrates the experiences of Jewish veterans of World War II in its Veterans History Project Collection, under “Diverse Experiences in Service.”
