Today starts Jewish-American Heritage Month. Honestly, I always have a distaste for heritage months, but this one feels extra hollow this year.

Look around at college campuses, and the rabid antisemitism on display.

Consider American politicians at both ends of the spectrum who peddle in conspiracies and libel.

Look at the silence among those who claim to support justice and tolerance.

This is not new. Jews have thrived in America not because there is some secret conspiracy, and not because we waited for someone else to help us, but because we, as a people, are the survivors of thousands of years of oppression and hatred, and we’ve learned one thing: how to thrive despite the hate.

Sometimes we find allies who help us, and we love them. But we are, and have always been, our own best allies: parents who invest in their children, neighbors who help one other, communities who bootstrap themselves with a synagogue and a school to help other Jews thrive.

There’s a temptation to celebrate the high profile among a community – we could be like them! But this month, that’s not who I celebrate.

I celebrate the Jews by choice: those who, as adults, were crazy enough to join our people, adopt our customs, despite the risks.

I celebrate the parents, made in the style of Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah, who spend their adult lives making sure their children will be competent adults, proudly Jewish.

I celebrate the professionals, made in the style of Ephraim and Menashe, who quietly go to work each day, do their jobs, and provide a shelter of peace for their families.

I celebrate our rabbis, from those like Hillel to those like Shammai, who balance Law and Love in each hand, enabling us as a people to refine our souls in each generation.

I celebrate our defenders, who place their bodies as shields before the violence of our enemies, their reputations as shields against hate, their tongues as sunlight against ignorance.

I celebrate those engaged in tikkun olam, repairing the world, who feed the hungry around us, defend the rights of others, invest in infrastructure that all benefit from; who do this not because we are “allies” to some group, but simply because it is right to do so.

I celebrate Jews, who remember that they are Jews, and live up to the ideal of being Jews: to truly live in the image of Adonai, and be a light to those around us, not through excellence in achievement, but through excellence in being humans.

A colleague recently said that we should celebrate Jewish thriving: not Jews-who-thrive, but Jewish-communities-that-thrive. So to all of you who make that possible: you are the Jewish-Americans I celebrate this month.

Peeking behind the mask: can you easily give someone advice if you don't recognize them for who they are? https://duhaone.substack.com/p/peeking-behind-the-mask

Also, trying out new social cards, feedback happily taken!