We Belong At the Table: Centering Jewish Diversity | The Center for Jewish-Inclusive Learning Portal

Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History

Topic

Jewish Identity

Summary

Having lived across continents for centuries, Jews represent a wide range of cultures, languages, ethnicities, races, and religious practices. Living in the diaspora has led to adapting, blending, and preserving traditions, and finding new ways to express their culture – all of which show the diversity and dynamic nature of Jewish identity.

In this interactive lesson from the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, students will review pictures and short films that demonstrate how different cultures express their Judaism through the foods they eat and the traditions they observe. Whether from Ecuador, Africa, or Russia, each example shows how different cultural traditions are blended with Jewish ones through shared values, hospitality, and foods.

To demonstrate their understanding, students will then act as museum curators to display and share personal artifacts, mementos, and examples of their own lives that reflect the diversity of the communities where they belong. Through this process, students will practice observing details, thinking critically, and reflecting on their own intersecting and evolving identities. The lesson emphasizes the importance of understanding cultural differences and recognizing the shared human experience of building community across time and place.

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