April 29, 2026
This column appeared in the Florida Jewish Journal.
In 2026, as the United States marks its 250th anniversary, Jewish American Heritage Month offers a timely reminder that Jewish history is deeply woven into the American story.
Jewish Americans have helped shape this country since the colonial era, contributing to its growth, freedom, prosperity and strength.
The enduring Jewish commitments to justice, education, communal responsibility and religious freedom have not only sustained Jewish life in America but have also helped strengthen the democratic values at the heart of the American experiment.
Throughout our nation’s history, Jewish Americans have advanced civil rights, social justice, economic opportunity, scientific innovation and artistic expression and have served this country through elected office and in the U.S. military.
In South Florida, Jewish Americans have helped build businesses, schools, synagogues, charitable organizations, cultural institutions, and contributed meaningfully to the broader public good.
Jewish American Heritage Month should be an uncomplicated opportunity for pride and learning, yet many Jewish Americans feel uneasy about expressing their identity openly.
According to American Jewish Committee’s State of Antisemitism in America 2025 Report, 93% of American Jews say antisemitism is a problem in the United States. In the past year, 73% of American Jews reported seeing or hearing antisemitism online or on social media and 55% said they have altered their behavior, including what they wear or post online, out of fear of antisemitism. Ninety-one percent said violent attacks on American Jews in the past 12 months have made them feel less safe as a Jewish person in the United States.
In South Florida, these concerns are not without cause. In recent months, swastikas and racial slurs were spray-painted outside an office in Boca Raton, and antisemitic language was etched into handrails at a local park. These public acts were meant not only to deface property, but to send a message of intimidation. These incidents may not always make national headlines, but they remind us that antisemitism is not just someone else’s problem. It is here, too.
A healthy democracy does not ask any group to downplay its identity to feel secure. If Jewish Americans are wondering whether it is safe to wear a Jewish star, speak openly about their heritage, or participate visibly in public life, then the issue extends beyond the Jewish community. It speaks to the strength — and weaknesses — of our democratic society.
That is why Jewish American Heritage Month must be more than ceremonial. It should also be a call to education, solidarity and action.
Too many Americans know little about Jewish history beyond persecution and tragedy. This month offers schools, public institutions and community leaders an opportunity to teach a fuller story, one that explores the richness and resilience of Jewish American life.
Antisemitism weakens trust, corrodes pluralism and damages the social fabric on which diverse communities depend. In a region as diverse as South Florida, standing against antisemitism must not be a concern only for Jews. It is part of defending the kind of community we all want to live in.
South Florida should embrace that responsibility fully. The best way to honor Jewish American Heritage Month is not only to look back with gratitude, but to ensure that Jewish Americans can live openly, contribute fully and feel secure doing so.
That is not only a Jewish aspiration. It is an American one.
Laurence Milstein is Director of AJC Palm Beach.
