April 20, 2006 Thursday

Miami Herald

BY BETH REINHARD

In a history-making moment, President Bush is expected next week to proclaim May of every year as Jewish American Heritage Month.

The proclamation will be the culmination of months of work by U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Weston, who pushed resolutions through the House and Senate that urged Bush to take action. That's no small feat for a first-term Democrat.

Now it's up to school districts, museums and community groups to make the symbolic designation meaningful. Wasserman Schultz wants these institutions to raise awareness about Jewish contributions to American life, as they have done with Black History Month and Women's History Month.

''We've all observed a precipitous rise in bigotry and anti-Semitism across the country and globally,'' said Wasserman Schultz, the first Jewish congresswoman from Florida. ``If through educational and cultural programming we can foster understanding and tolerance, that would be a significant accomplishment.''

Wasserman Schultz represents parts of Broward and Miami-Dade counties, which make up part of the third largest Jewish population in the country.

The month of May will replace the little-known Jewish American Heritage week in April that has been annually proclaimed by presidents -- including Bush -- since 1980. May was chosen because it does not include any major Jewish holidays.

''There will be no religious emphasis,'' Wasserman Schultz said. ``It will be purely cultural and educational, so we didn't want it tied to any particular Jewish holiday.''

The U.S. House of Representatives put a stop to laws commemorating a certain period of time in 1995, responding to the deluge of members seeking a symbolic way to connect with certain constituents or special interest groups.

But lawmakers still ask the president frequently to issue proclamations, and he has honored Irish Americans, the Wright Brothers and family caregivers.

Bush courted Jewish voters, who traditionally lean Democratic, during his two presidential campaigns.

He began an annual Hanukkah celebration at the White House. Before last year's event, the White House brought in a team of three rabbis to oversee the cleaning of the kitchen and preparation of kosher food.

''The president recognizes the importance of celebrating Jewish American contributions to the nation,'' said White House spokesman Blair Jones.

Wasserman Schultz will officially announce Jewish American Heritage Month at a ceremony at 11 a.m. Monday at the Jewish Museum of Florida on Miami Beach. The museum's founding executive director, Marcia Zerivitz, worked closely with Wasserman Schultz.

''We don't want to forget the larger story of immigration and that everyone has come from somewhere else,'' Zerivitz said. ``American Jews have contributed so much, and we thought we should have a month to commemorate that.''