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Montgomery County proclaims May 2025 Jewish American Heritage Month, leaders stress remembrance and celebration
Summary
The County Council formally proclaimed May 2025 Jewish American Heritage Month and heard remarks about the local Jewish community’s contributions and the need to confront rising antisemitism. A student speaker described schoolwork to broaden classroom Jewish history beyond the Holocaust.
Montgomery County Council President Stewart opened the meeting May 6 by leading a proclamation naming May 2025 Jewish American Heritage Month and calling attention to the community’s history and contributions.
Council members who spoke at the ceremony highlighted recent observances of Holocaust Remembrance and said celebration of heritage should accompany solemn remembrance. A council member noted that Montgomery County contains the largest Jewish population in the state and cited Berman Jewish Databank figures referenced during the proclamation.
Rabbi Igelasia, representing Orkodosh Congregation, said faith communities must work together to combat antisemitism while also celebrating Jewish civic and charitable contributions. He emphasized pluralism and collective action as central to the county’s civic life.
Samuel Picobsy Christiansen, a senior at John F. Kennedy High School and an ambassador for the Jewish Community Relations Council’s student-to-student program, told the council the group works in area schools to teach what it is like to be a Jewish teen in Montgomery County. He urged curriculum that includes Jewish successes and culture so students do not see Jewish history solely through the lens of the Holocaust.
Council President Stewart and other members thanked the Jewish community and invited local leaders and students to continue partnerships with schools and county agencies. The proclamation text included national background on Jewish American Heritage Month and local demographic notes; it officially designated May 2025 as Jewish American Heritage Month in Montgomery County.
The ceremony was followed by a separate proclamation recognizing Public Safety Appreciation Day earlier on the agenda.
