Jewish American Heritage Month at NYPL
The New York Public Library celebrates Jewish American Heritage Month throughout May with events and programs, recommended reading, research collection highlights, and a wide array of resources for all ages.
Food for Thought Book Club: ‘How to Share an Egg’
Thurs, May 15 | 6:30 PM | Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library (SNFL)
SNFL’s Food for Thought Book Club reads and discusses books about food, culture, history, and more. This month, join the club for How to Share an Egg: A True Story of Hunger, Love, and Plenty. Written by Bonny Reichert, a chef, award-winning journalist, and daughter of a Holocaust survivor, this moving culinary memoir explores the relationship between food, family sustenance, heritage, and survival.
Jewish Genealogy Research Workshops
May 22 | Online
Join staff from NYPL’s Dorot Jewish Division and the Milstein Division of United States History, Local History, and Genealogy to learn about how to conduct Jewish genealogical research with the Library’s collections.
- 1 PM | Introduction to Jewish Genealogy
- 3 PM | Next Steps in Jewish Genealogy
- Genealogical Research at NYPL
Image: Jewish grandmother, Ellis Island, 1926. Lewis Wickes Hine. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs.
Young Adult Best Books Club: ‘The Judgment of Yoyo Gold’
Thurs, May 29 | 3:30 PM | Soundview Library
The YA Best Books Club is a space for teens to connect over standout reads from NYPL’s Best Books list. Each session features a lively group discussion about themes, characters, and more. This month, we’re reading The Judgment of Yoyo Gold by Isaac Blum—a novel about identity, justice, and what it means to speak up.
LIVE from NYPL | Senator Chuck Schumer: 'Antisemitism in America'
Thurs, May 29 | 7 PM | Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Chuck Schumer’s new book, Antisemitism in America: A Warning, illuminates the prejudices, both hidden and overt, that have led to the chronic persecution of Jewish people. Drawing from the Senate Minority Leader’s own life, the book places antisemitism in a larger historical context, providing a deeper understanding of the causes behind bigoted rhetoric and violence in the United States.
Interrupted Legacies: Tracing the Lost Histories of Jewish Artists
Fri, May 30 | 2 PM | Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Art historian and provenance researcher Ariela Braunschweig will discuss her ongoing work uncovering the lives and legacies of Jewish artists persecuted under the Nazi regime. Drawing on materials from NYPL's archives, Braunschweig will share recent discoveries and reflect on how the United States became a refuge for many displaced artists. Presented by NYPL's Vartan Gregorian Center for Research in the Humanities.
Free Events for All Ages
Come to the Library throughout May for a range of events and programs celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month. From storytimes and research workshops to book discussions and more, the Library has something for everyone.
A Reading List for Jewish American Heritage Month
Explore a sample of works spanning many genres, including historical fiction, nonfiction, memoir, and more. These books highlight the experiences and perspectives of and about Jewish people and reflect a rich diversity in themes, settings, and narrative styles.
Jewish Stories for Kids & Teens
Whether grounded in history or filled with magic, these picture books, middle-grade novels, and young adult reads offer meaningful ways to explore Jewish heritage—from holidays and food to folklore, migration, and coming-of-age moments.
More Recommended Reading & Resources
Explore our blog to find resources highlighting Jewish American heritage and experiences—plus, find more recommended reads for all ages.
For Educators | New York City’s Rent Strikers: Jewish Activism & Housing Reform in the Progressive Era
Explore a new curriculum guide from NYPL’s Center for Educators & Schools! This guide is designed for teachers working with middle and high school students and helps students analyze primary sources and explore the relationship between activism and reform in New York City’s tenement houses during the early 20th century.
Plan Your Visit! The Dorot Jewish Division
The New York Public Library’s Dorot Jewish Division is the oldest public collection of Jewish research materials in the United States. The collection contains a chronicle of the religious and secular history of the Jewish people in over 250,000 books, microforms, manuscripts, newspapers, periodicals, and ephemera from all over the world.
Online Exhibition: 125 Years of the Dorot Jewish Division
Explore a special online exhibition including more than 100 items from the collections of the Dorot Jewish Division. Originally created to celebrate the division’s 125th anniversary, holdings online include rare manuscripts, treasures of early book printing, documents that bear witness to the tragedies of the 20th century and the resilience of Jewish communities, and items that offer insight into Jewish life in New York and the United States.
Research Guides: Jewish Studies
Dive into Jewish American history and culture with guides to conducting research at The New York Public Library. Explore historical Jewish newspapers, Jewish cookbooks, resources on LGBTQ Jewish life, genealogy resources, and more.
Explore the Library’s Treasures
The Polonsky Exhibition of The New York Public Library’s Treasures showcases some of the most extraordinary items from the 56 million in our collections. Free to experience at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building and online, the exhibition includes Tatana Kellner’s Fifty years of silence, as well as sacred texts such as a Purim megillah scroll, a Passover haggadah produced by Holocaust survivors, a 14th-century mahzor prayer book, and a 19th-century illustrated version of the Book of Exodus.
Plus, explore the exhibit in Hebrew and many more languages with the digital guide on the Bloomberg Connects app, available via automated translation.
Made at NYPL: Inspiring Research Projects Using NYPL's Collections
Get inspired by the writers, historians, and scholars who are using NYPL’s collections to explore a wide range of fascinating topics related to Jewish heritage. Their research spans yizkor books—memorial books by Holocaust survivors—race and power dynamics within the Jewish community, rabbinical dynasties, and more. Plus, learn about other projects that began at NYPL and discover resources to spark your own research journey.
From the Digital Collections
Discover prints, photographs, illuminated manuscripts, and more from the Library's digital collections related to Jewish culture and heritage.
Celebrating Passover with Library Collections
View special materials from the Dorot Jewish Division and other research collections related to Passover. From centuries-old Haggadah books and manuscripts to 21st-century artistic interpretations, these items reflect a diversity of Passover experiences and traditions.
Watch Now: LIVE from NYPL
The Library’s premier cultural series brings together prominent writers, artists, and thinkers for free events, conversations, and performances.
Watch Now: Jewish Studies Conversations
Hear conversations between scholars and NYPL curators and specialists on topics ranging from Forverts newspaper to Yiddish cooking, Lower East Side synagogues, and more.
- Exploring 125 Years of the Forverts, New York City's Legendary Yiddish Newspaper
- What’s Cooking in the Yiddish Kitchen: Recipes for Immigrant Women
- Photographing the Rise and Fall of the Lower East Side's Synagogues
- Looking for Lewis Moses Gomez and His Family, Jewish Merchants of 18th-Century New York
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Free Exhibitions
The Library offers free major exhibitions and special displays at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, Library for the Performing Arts, and Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, plus community showcases at many branch locations throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island. See what’s on view!
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Where possible, we will provide assistance in a range of world languages.
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The New York Public Library depends on the support of donors like you to fund our educational resources, job help, community outreach, and more for all New Yorkers. Friends of the Library are vital as we expand access to our resources including bilingual storytimes, ESOL classes, and e-books in world languages. Make a membership gift now and enjoy benefits all year long.
