The Jewish people first arrived on American soil in 1654 in New Amsterdam, seeking better opportunities and a place where they could freely practice their faith without fear of persecution. Over time, they made the U.S. their home, shaping our communities and country by serving in government and the military, winning Nobel prizes, leading universities and companies, making advances in medicine, creating art, and serving on the Supreme Court.

Efforts to establish a Jewish American Heritage Month began in 1980 when Congress passed a bill authorizing a special week in either April or May for Jewish heritage celebrations. In 2006, the entire month of May was officially dedicated to recognizing and honoring Jewish contributions and achievements. The month of May was chosen due to the highly successful celebration of the 350th Anniversary of American Jewish History. This recognition symbolizes the enduring legacy and invaluable contributions of the Jewish community to the United States.

This month, we invite you to celebrate the rich contributions of Jewish Americans over the past 370 years. Take some time to learn about their history, culture, achievements by watching documentaries such as The Jewish Americans and Jews of the Wild West: Jewish Pioneers, or reading about Jewish American history with books such as American Judaism by Jonathan D. Sarna and Religion and State in the American Jewish Experience by Jonathan D. Sarna and David G. Dalin.

CC is awarding funding to at least ten social justice student projects that utilize humanities methods through its Humanities for Our Times: From Epistemologies and Methodologies to Liberatory Creative Practice and Social Justice grant, generously funded by the Mellon Foundation.

The Mellon Foundation announced in January 2022 their award of over $16.1 million to 12 liberal arts colleges as part of its Humanities for All Times initiative. As one of the 12 institutions selected, CC received $1,024,000 for its Humanities for Our Times: From Epistemologies and Methodologies to Liberatory Creative Practices and Social Justice grant, which supports professional and course development and CC’s ongoing work towards becoming an antiracist institution.

Since graduating from college, Dr. Cayce Hughes, CC Assistant Professor of Sociology, has had an interest in food access and food justice. These interests led him to a graduate program in public health, but he found the focus and methods in addressing the topics unfulfilling.

“The approaches that people were taking in public health at that time, around poverty and food and food security, were a lot about band-aids on the problem and telling poor people what to do and how to eat better. And I was just really not interested in that approach,” says Hughes.

He wanted to get more to the root of these problems by asking different questions. And by talking to the people most affected by food insecurity, who are the real experts on their experience.

Come see Rent on the FAC main stage from May 2-June 2.

Based loosely on Puccini’s La Boheme, Jonathan Larson’s Rent follows a year in the life of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York’s Lower East Side, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. How these young bohemians negotiate their dreams, loves, and conflicts provides the narrative thread to this groundbreaking musical. Winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical and Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Book & Music by Jonathan Larson, lyrics by Jonathan Larson and Billy Aronson.

CC students can purchase rush tickets the day of the performance for $15 or get a FREE rush ticket 1 hour before the performance! CC staff and faculty can purchase rush tickets the day of the performance for $30. Tickets subject to availability; must purchase in person at the FAC front desk and present a CC Gold Card.

***CC faculty and staff can enjoy buy one, get one free drinks in Deco Lounge every Friday from 4:30-5:30 p.m.! Just show your Gold Card to the bartender. Generously sponsored by Bon Appetit.