Jewish American Heritage Month 2025
With May being designated as Jewish American Heritage Month, it is an honor to take a moment to pause and celebrate the many Jewish communities, cultures, achievements and creativity represented within all of UCSF. Jewish identity involves ancestries reaching back through the ages, across the many continents, and cultural experiences shaped by different languages, music, food, rituals and traditions. What it means to be Jewish, to be a Jew, is varied and nuanced and remarkably diverse.
Jewish American Heritage Month Zoom Backgrounds
Celebrate JAHM and show your support for Jewish Americans by downloading a Zoom background.
Additional information on the Multicultural Resource Center webpage.
EVENTS
UCSF welcomes all participants to our events. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event because of a disability, please contact the point person named in the events calendar as soon as possible.
Guest Speakers: UCSF endeavors to create greater understanding and supports the exchange of diverse ideas. Views and opinions of guest speakers on campus are their own and may not reflect the perspective of the University.
(Pre) Lag B’Omer @ Spark Social
Tuesday, May 13, 2025 | 5:00pm - 8:00pm
Spark Social, Mission Bay
Come join for a (pre) Lag B’Omer event at Spark Social in Mission Bay. There will be a bonfire, kosher s’mores and dinner provided. Lag B’Omer is the 33rd day of the Omer period between Passover and Shavuot. It’s a time of semi-mourning – perhaps because plague killed thousands of Rabbi Akiva’s students in 1st – 2nd century CE and the plague stopped on the 33rd day of the Omer.
Game Night: Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander & Jewish Heritage Month
Wednesday, May 21st, 4:30pm - 6:00pm
Topaz Room, Wayne & Gladys Valley Center for Vision, Mission Bay Campus
Join us for a game night to celebrate Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander and Jewish Heritage Month, featuring over 11 activity stations from both cultures and light appetizers.
UCSF welcomes all participants to our events. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event because of a disability, please contact [email protected] as soon as possible.
Shabbat Lunch
Friday, May 30th, 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Topaz Room, Wayne & Gladys Valley Center for Vision, Mission Bay Campus
Join us for a Shabbat Lunch in celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month, honoring the Jewish day of rest and reflection from Friday evening to Saturday night.
UCSF welcomes all participants to our events. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event because of a disability, please contact [email protected] as soon as possible.
Please register by May 19. Sponsored by the Multicultural Resource Center
October 8 Film Screening
Tuesday, May 27, 2025 | 6:00pm
Join the Jewish Coalition at UCSF for a screening of October 8, a powerful film that explores the intersection of Jewish identity, resilience, and community in the face of adversity. The screening takes place on May 27 at 6:00 pm and will be followed by a panel discussion, offering an opportunity to reflect on the themes of the film and connect with fellow community members. Registration in advance is required.
Pre-Shabbat Lunch
Friday, May 30, 2025 | 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Topaz Room, Wayne & Gladys Valley Center for Vision, Mission Bay Campus
Join us for a Pre-Shabbat Lunch in celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month, honoring the Jewish day of rest and reflection from Friday evening to Saturday night.
CULTURE AND TRADITIONS
Jewish Culture and Traditions
Jewish Trailblazers from the Bay Area
Essential Yiddish Words or Sayings
Balaboosta
Balaboosta is a term of endearment which literally means “perfect homemaker.” Einat Admony, who wrote the Cookbook “Balaboosta,” has given the term her own definition. To her, Balaboosta means “someone who loves to bring family together by cooking and caring for them,” she says.
Bubbe and Zeide
This is a must-know Yiddish duo. Bubbe and Zeide mean Grandmother and Grandfather. They are used to-date as affectionate terms.
Chutzpah
When a person has Chutzpah, they have extreme self-confidence, boldness, gall or audacity. “It took real Chutzpah for her to go straight to the CEO to ask for a job.”
Klutz
A Klutz is a very clumsy person — someone who is consistently falling or dropping things.
Kvetch
Kvetch is the Yiddish term for “to complain” or “to whine.” A mother might say to her children “stop kvetching!”
Mentch
Traditionally in Yiddish, a Mensch was a good person. Nowadays, Mensch has adopted the meaning of someone who is especially good, a “stand up guy,” or a person with high moral integrity.
Meshuggeneh
Meshuggeneh directly translates to crazy. If someone or something is meshuggeneh they are crazy, ridiculous or insane. “He thinks he can speak to his own mother like that? He is Meshuggeneh!” A related word is mishegas which means craziness.
Nosh
Nosh means to snack or nibble. Although it is used in colloquial English, the word comes from the Yiddish “nashn.” It can also be used to describe a light meal or any kind of food. For example, “let’s have a nosh before we leave the house.”
Oy Vey
Oy vey is an expression of dismay or woe. It’s often abbreviated to just “oy” or elongated to “oy vey iz mir.” A similar phrase is “oy gevalt,” which has a similar meaning, but directly translates to “oh, violence!” and can be used as a cry for help.
Plotz
The verb plotz means to burst, shatter, crack or explode. In English, it’s commonly used to describe a person who is figuratively bursting with intensity or emotion. For example, “I just finished a marathon, I could just plotz (collapse)” You could also be plotzing from laughter or to share big news.
Schlep
To Schlep is to drag or lug something around, often with difficulty. For example, “Oy, we moved to the wrong part of town. It’s such a schlep to get to synagogue.”
Schtick
A Schtick is an entertainer’s bit, routine, or gimmick. Generally, it’s a style of performance associated with a specific person, but it can also be a person’s signature behaviour, unique talent or interest. “I know I talk too loud, it’s my schtick.”
Shande
A Shande in Yiddish is a scandal, embarrassment, or something extremely shameful. A gossip column could be shanda-ridden. “Did you hear what he did? What a Shande.”
Shmatte
A Schmatte is a rag or an old or worn-out garment. Your mom might say to you, “you’re going out of the house wearing that Schmatte?”
Shmooze
To schmooze is to chat or make small talk — to shoot the breeze. At certain functions, schmoozing might be done in order to network or impress someone.
Tachlis
When someone is speaking Tachlis they are being to the point. “Don’t sugarcoat it, tachlis, tell me what happened.”
Yenta
Yenta or Yente refers to a woman who is a gossip or busybody. Originally, this was a name parents gave to their daughters meaning, as it was thought to be derived from the Italian word for gentle, but later developed a different meaning. For example, the matchmaker in “Fiddler on the Roof” was named Yente, and she was definitely known for meddling.
JEWISH RESOURCES
Bay Area Resources
- Be’chol Lashon
- Bernard Osher Marin Jewish Community Center
- Chabad Jewish Center of Oakland
- Chabad of Contra Costa
- Chabad of Fremont Jewish Community Center
- Jewish Community Center of the East Bay
- Jewish Community Center of San Francisco (JCCSF)
- Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund
- Jewish Community Relations Council
- Jewish Family & Community Services
- Jewish Family & Children's Services
- Judah L. Magnes Museum
- Koret Foundation
- Peninsula Temple Sholom
- Sinai Memorial Chapel
National Resources
- American Jewish Committee
- American Sephardi Federation
- Anti-Defamation League
- Central Conference of American Rabbis
- Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations
- HIAS - Jewish organization for refugees
- Hillel International
- JCC Association of North America
- Jewish Federations of North America
- Jewish National Fund
- National Council of Jewish Women
- Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies