IL SR0246

Declares May 2023 as Jewish American Heritage Month in Illinois to celebrate Jewish American contributions to the state and nation.

Acknowledges Jewish American history spanning over 350 years from colonial times and their role in supporting American independence and religious freedom.

Recognizes contributions of Jewish Americans to education, science, business, philanthropy, politics, civil rights, and the arts, including figures such as Jonas Salk, Albert Einstein, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Notes the historical wave of German Jewish immigration in the mid-1800s and Eastern European Jewish immigration in the late 1800s and early 1900s, fleeing persecution and pogroms.

Emphasizes the importance of recognizing Jewish American history and culture in response to continuing and reemerging anti-Semitism in America.