Proclamation of the
City of Foster City, California
Recognizing May 2026 as
Jewish American Heritage Month
WHEREAS, Jewish Americans have been an important part of the American story and have greatly contributed to all areas of American life and culture since our nation's earliest days; and WHEREAS, on April 20, 2006, the Federal Government proclaimed May as Jewish American Heritage Month, stating, "As a nation of immigrants, the United States is better and stronger because Jewish people from all over the world have chosen to become American citizens," and, since then, proclamations in support of Jewish American Heritage Month have been made by Presidents of the United States annually; and WHEREAS, generations of Jews have fled to the United States in search of a better life for themselves and their families, and these immigrants made invaluable contributions in support of equality and civil rights through their leadership and achievements; and
WHEREAS, Jewish Americans connect to their Jewish identity in a variety of ways, such as culturally. ethnically, religiously and by following Jewish ethics and values; and WHEREAS, Jewish Americans are racially, ethnically, socially, politically, and economically diverse, with approximately 12-15 percent of Jews in the United States being individuals of color, and in the Bay Area around 25 percent of Bay Area Jewish households include a person of color, and this increases to nearly 40 percent of households if the head of the household is younger than 35; and WHEREAS, in recent years, Jewish Americans have increasingly experienced antisemitism, including but not limited to physical attacks, vandalism, verbal and physical harassment, and hateful comments posted on social media, and Foster City shares an obligation to stand with the Jewish American community against hatred and bigotry; and
iscussing, or addressing the impacts of being Jewish in all aspects of American society, including discourse an policy; and
WHEREAS, we recognize Jewish American commitment to civic engagement and how Foster City has been enriched by local Jewish institutions and synagogues such as Peninsula Sinai Congregation, Ronald C.
Wornick Jewish Day School, and the Peninsula Jewish Community Center.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, ART KIESEL, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF FOSTER CITY, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COUNCIL, do hereby recognize May 2026 as Jewish American Heritage Month and encourage everyone to celebrate the rich and diverse heritage of the Jewish American community, including those who live, work, and play in Foster City
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand
and have caused the official seal of the City of Foster City to be affixed this 4th day of May, two thousand and twenty-six A.D.
ART KIESEL, MAYOR