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Jewish American Heritage Month (jahm) Program Explores
The Delectable History of The Jewish Deli May is Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM), a national commemoration of the contributions that American Jews have made to the fabric of our nation’s history, culture and society. Initiated by the Jewish Museum of Florida, with the effort led by Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Rascal House Diner, August 31, 1996. Photo credit: Albert Barg and Jeff Weisberg Schultz, and enacted by the 109th Congress, When Harry Met Sally to “The Larry David Sandwich” President George Bush signed a resolution in 2006 episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. that each May would be Jewish American Heritage Ted Merwin, Ph.D. has given more than 100 public Month. America has been both a haven and a home lectures on Jewish culture in the last several years. He to Jews. Many arrived as immigrants seeking escape is the author of In Their Own Image: New York Jews from persecution, and in finding freedom, tolerance and in Jazz Age Popular Culture (Rutgers University Press, opportunities here, have given back in all areas to enrich 2006), as well as Pastrami on Rye: An Overstuffed History our national culture. Each May, the President of the U.S. of the Jewish Delicatessen (forthcoming from NYU issues a Proclamation for JAHM. Press). He is currently writing a book about non-Jewish The 2014 JAHM kickoff program, “The Delectable involvement in Jewish religion and culture in the U.S. History of the Jewish Deli,” complements the Museum’s In addition to numerous scholarly articles on American current exhibition, Growers, Grocers & Gefilte Fish: Jewish culture, Ted has published journalistic articles in A Gastronomic Look at Florida Jews & Food. In New many publications including the New York Times (Arts and York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Miami Beach, the Leisure), Washington Post, International Herald Tribune, delicatessen was the lifeblood and the linchpin of the Haaretz, Forward, Moment and Hadassah. Jewish community. The “soul food” and atmosphere it dished up became a quintessential part of American Co-sponsored by the JMOF-FIU, Jewish Community culture for Jews and non-Jews alike. But as Jews moved Relations Council of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation into the suburban middle class, the deli lost its bite, and Jewish Federation of Broward County, Community giving way to other ethnic restaurants and cuisines. Can Relations Committee. the deli be resurrected? Ted Merwin, Ph.D., an associate Sunday, May 4, 2:00 p.m. professor of religion and Judaic Jewish American Heritage Month Kick-off studies at Dickinson College, will The Delectable History of the Jewish Deli show how the deli, which originated Free and open to the public in Germany and Eastern Europe, RSVP: 786-972-3175 developed in this country into a or info@jewishmuseum.com neighborhood institution on par with For more information on JAHM the synagogue. He will also discuss and the national 2014 observance: how the deli became an icon of both television shows www.jahm.us and films about the Jewish experience, ranging from TILES | Newsletter of the Jewish Museum of Florida – FIU | March 2014
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