JCRC-NY Applauds NYC Public Schools for Groundbreaking Jewish American History Resource

NEW YORK, NY (05/14/2025) (readMedia)-- The Jewish Community Relations Council of New York (JCRC-NY) was thrilled to join New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos for her announcement yesterday of a new Jewish American history and identity instructional resource for city classrooms. JCRC-NY joined the Chancellor for the announcement at NYCPS' annual Jewish American Heritage Month celebration at Tweed Courthouse. JCRC-NY CEO Mark Treyger has been working closely with the DOE to develop meaningful resources for city educators to better educate students about the broader Jewish experience.

Hidden Voices: Jewish Americans in United States History, Volume 1, will showcase prominent Jewish figures who helped shape the country and city. They range from early settlers in New York like Asser Levy, to jeans innovator Levi Strauss, and suffragist and abolitionist Ernestine Louise Rose who helped shape the early women's rights movement.

The resource will be woven into existing social studies and civics curricula and available to all NYCPS classrooms for the 2025-26 school year. Five districts will pilot the resource beginning this fall to offer feedback and support effective classroom integration.

"Education, specifically at the K-12 level, is our greatest tool against hate. With antisemitism on the rise across our city, it's critical that we take every measure to provide our young people with the kind of comprehensive Jewish identity education that will stop antisemitism from taking root. This new 'Hidden Voices' resource finally brings the full Jewish American experience into our city's classrooms, showcasing Jews' deep connection and positive contributions to the United States and New York. As the first major school district in the nation to dedicate resources specifically to developing and implementing this kind of educational resource on the Jewish American experience and Jewish identity beyond the Holocaust, New York City is leading by example. I thank Chancellor Aviles-Ramos and the NYCPS team for making this major JCRC-NY priority a reality, creating both mirrors for Jewish students to see themselves and windows for all students to gain vital understanding," said Mark Treyger, CEO of JCRC-NY.

JCRC-NY has been leading the charge in advocating for comprehensive Jewish identity curricula for K-12 schools. JCRC-NY hosted a panel with education experts at the Center for Jewish History, Combating Antisemitism on Campus through K-12 Jewish Identity Education, and JCRC-NY CEO Mark Treyger, who is a former educator himself, penned an op-ed for the NY Daily News on how Jewish identity education is the most powerful tool against antisemitism.

JCRC-NY is grateful for the partnership of the New York Education Coalition, comprised of leaders from UJA-Federation of NY, the Center for Jewish Inclusive Learning at the Jewish Education Project, ADL, AJC, and the Institute for Curriculum Services, which has been essential in amplifying Jewish identity and concerns in New York's educational system.

"UJA-Federation of New York applauds NYCPS for uplifting the stories and achievements of Jewish Americans in its Hidden Voices resource," said Eric Goldstein, CEO of the UJA-Federation of NY. "Jewish Americans have helped shape the cultural and social fabric of this nation and city, yet so many students know so little about our rich history. We're encouraged to see Jewish Americans' contributions recognized as part of the city's broader effort to celebrate its diverse heritage."

###

JCRC-NY, a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York, serves as the primary community relations agency for the Jewish community in the metropolitan New York area. As an active force in New York civic and communal life, JCRC-NY operates as a central coordinating and resource body with a mission to build relationships to advance the values, interests, and security of the Jewish community and to create a more interconnected New York for all.