City of Naples declares May as Jewish American Heritage Month By Alan Scher Zagier

From left:  Lois Bolin and Sandra Lee Buxton, Jewish Historical Society of Southwest Florida; Naples Mayor Teresa Heitmann; Nammie Ichilov, president and CEO, Jewish Federation of Greater Naples; Yvonne Holtzman and Joel Pittelman, Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC); Alan Scher Zagier, JCRC director.

Across the country, communities of all shapes and sizes —both urban and rural, liberal and conservative, and led by elected officials from both major political parties —have long recognized May as Jewish American Heritage Month, in honor of more than 350 years of vibrant Jewish life in our nation.

On Thursday, May 6, the City of Naples joined that cohort with a local resolution recognizing this designation, which was first enacted by Congress and then-President George W. Bush two decades ago.

The resolution recognizes that “Jewish citizens of the City of Naples have long been an integral part of our community, contributing significantly to the growth and development of the city in fields ranging from healthcare, business and law to agriculture, education, and civic and political leadership.”

It further states that “Neapolitans are encouraged to celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month through education, reflection, and the promotion of cultural understanding, in recognition of the profound and lasting contributions of Jewish Americans to our city, county, state and the nation.”

Our sincere thanks to the Naples City Council for the public support. As Nammie Ichilov, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples stated at the council meeting, “This proclamation recognizing Jewish American Heritage Month is more than symbolic. It is a statement of values.”

“In a world where anti-Semitism is at its highest level in modern history, your action today sends a clear and powerful message that in the city of Naples, every resident is seen, every community is protected, and no one stands alone. Because of leaders like you – leaders who care deeply about the safety, security and dignity of all our residents, the Jewish community here doesn’t feel simply tolerated. We feel recognized, we feel supported, and we feel genuinely safe.”

Our sincere thanks to Mayor Teresa Heitmann and the Naples City Council for the public support.

Alan Scher Zagier is director of the Jewish Community Relations Council, the public voice of the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples.