May marks Jewish American Heritage Month

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif.—May marks Jewish American Heritage Month, honoring over 350 years of Jewish contributions to American history.

From science and medicine to the men and women who built Hollywood, Jewish Americans have helped shape the nation's story for generations.

Officially recognized in 2006 under President George W. Bush, the history dates back centuries, starting with Jews arriving in North America in 1654, to Jewish immigrants fleeing Nazi occupation and finding their way to California.

Imperial County's Assistant Public Defender Daniel Rosenberg says it's important for American Jews to know their history, religion, and culture.

He praised Cynthia and Wayne Harvie, a Brawley couple who have kept Imperial County's only synagogue alive for decades.

"There are people that are still alive today. People like the Harvie's who maintain Judaism here in the community in Imperial County without any compensation," Rosenberg said.

"They're just doing it because it's their way of giving back to the community and that's so important," he added.

The synagogue's visitor book dated back to 1943.

Rosenberg does not shy away from wearing his heritage proudly, donning a kippah and tzitzit every day, even while in the courtroom.

Rosenberg said that because of the way he looks, he is constantly being asked questions that are clearly based on misinformation.

"The reason why it's specifically so important nowadays is because of how much misinformation unfortunately is found online. You go online and you see the hate and you see the vitriol and you see the venomous libels—things are found there. And the only way to combat that is through knowledge," he said.

Rosenberg credits his mother, his grandmother Goldie Rosenberg, and his wife, Devorah, as inspiration in his life.

He pointed out other Jewish Americans like Jonas Salk, who helped develop the polio vaccine, choosing not to patent it in an effort to keep the vaccine affordable and accessible.

"I have a laundry list of people who are very important to me," Rosenberg explained.

Judith Klein Pritchard's family escaped Austria and Poland during the Holocaust. She still holds on to a letter her father wrote when he was 14 to the U.S. government, begging for a visa for his family.

She said the family was alerted by a former friend of theirs turned Nazi soldier , that a train was to pick them up the next day and take them to a concentration camp. They escaped and ended up in Italy, where a group of nuns hid them until they were able to make their way to America.

"It's very important that people remember. It's unfortunate that people have forgotten. We are a small section of the worldwide population, and yet even to this day, we have been earmarked for, I honestly believe, destruction," Pritchard said.

Both sides of Pritchard's family were affected by the Holocaust.

This month is also a reminder of education, cultural understanding, and sharing stories of all cultures across Imperial County.