President Donald Trump issued a proclamation Monday designating May 2026 as Jewish American Heritage Month and called on Americans of all backgrounds to observe Shabbos from sundown May 15 to nightfall May 16 – Shabbos Parshas Bamidbar – in honor of the nation’s 250th anniversary.
The proclamation ties Jewish American contributions to American independence and frames Shabbos observance as part of the broader “Rededicate 250” national jubilee.
“Jewish Americans are encouraged to observe a national Sabbath,” Trump wrote in the proclamation. “From sundown on May 15 to nightfall on May 16, friends, families, and communities of all backgrounds may come together in gratitude for our great Nation.”
Trump cited President George Washington’s 1790 letter to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island, in which Washington pledged that the United States “gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance.” Trump invoked the historical language to frame his administration’s approach to combating antisemitism.
“Under my leadership, we are aggressively fighting the violence against Jewish Americans that increased under my predecessor, prosecuting hateful criminals to the fullest extent of the law, and working to end the scourge of anti-Semitism throughout our institutions, especially on college campuses,” Trump stated.
The proclamation highlighted Haym Salomon, an early American financier and Revolutionary War supporter, as emblematic of Jewish American contributions to the nation’s founding. Trump described Salomon as “instrumental in the success of our Continental Congress and Founding Fathers” and noted that he continued his work for independence even after being imprisoned by the British.
Trump framed religious freedom as central to American identity. “As President, I will never stop fighting to protect our birthright of religious freedom — a sacred right that continues to guide our Nation, drawing us closer to the Almighty each and every day,” he wrote.
The proclamation calls on Americans to “celebrate the heritage and contributions of Jewish Americans” throughout May and to “observe this month with appropriate programs, activities, and ceremonies.”
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