The Jackson County, Missouri, Legislature passed a resolution recognizing May as Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM).
The resolution, passed on May 15 at the courthouse in Kansas City, Missouri, was introduced by 6th District Legislator Sean E. Smith and “calls upon [Jackson County] citizens to rededicate ourselves to building a world where diversity is cherished and faith is protected.”
“We point out in this particular resolution that the Jewish community has endured an incredible amount of strife, including recently,” Smith said at the legislative meeting. “Therefore, we wanted to remind people and honor you guys for being part of the community.”
Smith invited Maddie Reiches, a board member of Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City, and Neta Meltzer, director of community and government relations with the Jewish Community Relations Bureau | American Jewish Committee (JCRB|AJC), to speak and receive copies of the resolution.
“One of the biggest antidotes to hate is leaning into the joy of being Jewish — the culture, the traditions, the music, the food, the values and the relentless resilience of our community,” Meltzer said. “...I am so grateful to Jackson County for this acknowledgement, this celebration of the ways our community has impacted the American story. It would be a tragedy if we allowed ourselves to be defined exclusively by those who hate us. There’s so much more to the Jewish community, so much more to our story, and that’s why this recognition is so meaningful.”
“The Jackson County community is encouraged to learn more about the heritage of Jewish Americans and recommit to ridding our world of bigotry and injustice,” the resolution reads. It also highlights how American Jews have “helped to define the principles upon which America was built,” and their culture has been “woven into the fabric of our country, through fights for religious freedom, voting rights, civil rights, and women’s rights.” It calls JAHM “an opportunity for Americans of every faith to appreciate the contributions and achievements of the Jewish people throughout our history, including in the areas of arts, science, the military, business, and industry, and in public and community service.”
Although similar to wording of past resolutions across the country honoring JAHM, this resolution includes a section mentioning the Oct. 7 terrorist attack and how it “brings to the forefront the painful scars of antisemitism and the genocide of the Jewish people.”
“I can’t overstate how challenging the last seven months have been for my community,” Meltzer said. “There hasn’t been a time of such anguish, such pain, such desperation, and also such silencing and erasure and dismissal, in recent memory. The world as we knew it was shattered on Oct. 7, and in the ensuing months, even as we navigate our heartbreak, we have struggled to address an explosion of antisemitic hate globally, nationally and right here in our own community.”
The motion to pass the resolution was passed by all legislators present at the meeting: Smith, Manuel Abarca IV (1st), Jalen Anderson (1st AL), Donna Peyton (2nd AL), Charlie Franklin (3rd), Megan L. Marshall (3rd AL) and Jeanie Lauer (5th). Legislators Vanessa Huskey (2nd) and DaRon McGee (4th) were not present.
“We very much appreciate Jackson County presenting us with this resolution,” said Andi Milens, chief planning officer of Jewish Federation, who was also present at the meeting. “The Jewish community has been part of the fabric of Jackson County since the mid-19th century. This recognition of the Jewish community’s contributions to our community is very meaningful.”
JAHM was established federally by President George W. Bush in 2006, and in the past 18 years, numerous state, county and municipal governments have echoed the declaration. The state of Kansas recognized JAHM for the first time in April of 2023.