Jewish American Heritage Month Book List
We all have an obligation as human beings in an unequal world to recognize and value lives unlike our own. Reading diverse books widens our perspective of the world, hopefully encourages us to progress in our everyday lives with greater empathy and esteem for the expansive array of existence we participate in.
May is a convergence of three important, month-long observances: Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month; Jewish American Heritage Month; and Mental Health Awareness Month. This is one of three book lists of recommended reads for these observances.
There aren’t enough days, much less months, in a year to celebrate and acknowledge the many important communities, cultures, and topics in our diverse world. Because of that, a series that is dedicated to only one or two booklists per month will often have to disregard several important topics. And although change is slow in the publishing world when it comes to diversity, we can see a lot of hope in the books that are published with diverse stories in mind.
If you have additional books you’d recommend to add to the lists, please email us.
Recommended Books By / About Jewish Americans
Rebecca Schwartz's Jewish American Heritage Month Selections
In May 2022, Porchlight's Owner, President & CEO Rebecca Schwartz shared a reading list for Jewish American heritage month.
Increasingly, individual months are designated for the celebration of a particular group, cause, or behavior. I don’t love the implications of this trend. We should be active allies and celebrants of LGBT pride every month, not just in June! Breast cancer awareness should be the dialogue all year long, not just in November! When it comes to literature, calling attention to underappreciated authors or genres is essential – but we should, for example, read poetry all the days of the year, not just in April! My general skepticism established, I have recently discovered that April is also designated Jewish American heritage month (and, poetically, Arab American Heritage Month). And so, as I am happy to take any opportunity to talk about books that I think are important or enjoyable, I heartily recommend the following. While these titles all have to do with Jewish history or being Jewish (or wanting to be), they are a mixture of nonfiction and novels and vary considerably in tone – from deadly serious to delightful. Most were published some time ago. There are hundreds of other worthy choices that could be included in such a list; this is simply one disparate collection that came together as I surveyed my bookshelves at home. –RS
The Jewish Book Council's Monthly Picks
Each month, the Jewish Book Council recommends one fiction and one nonfiction book for book clubs. Purchase any of these books in bulk at a discount through Porchlight Book Company.
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