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Nearly 50 mayors from across the United States are convening in Savannah, Georgia, this week for a forum celebrating the start of Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) as the nation marks its 250th anniversary.
Organized by the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) and hosted by Savannah Mayor Van Johnson, the event will bring together municipal leaders to one of America’s oldest Jewish communities for an immersive day of programming centered on Jewish American history, culture, and municipal leadership.
The event comes as antisemitism in the United States has reached record levels, with 1,955 incidents documented by CAM in 2025 alone.
“Jewish Americans have played an integral role in shaping this country for more than three centuries,” said CAM Chief Government Affairs Officer Lisa Katz, who leads CAM’s work with North American mayors. “This gathering gives mayors the opportunity to deepen their understanding of that legacy in a historic setting and leave with the tools and drive to honor and safeguard Jewish life in their own cities.”
Savannah is the ideal backdrop for the gathering. Home to Congregation Mickve Israel, founded in 1733, the city has a Jewish history that runs as deep as the nation’s itself. The program will feature keynote addresses, expert presentations, and interactive panel discussions, as well as a tour of Jewish Savannah.
Speakers will include Susannah Heschel, Eli M. Black Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies and Chair of the Jewish Studies Program at Dartmouth College and daughter of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, who marched alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement, and Abigail Pogrebin, Emmy-nominated journalist and author of Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish.
Other sessions will explore the full diversity of Jewish American identity and equip mayors with practical tools to recognize and celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month in their communities. CAM actively promotes municipal-level JAHM recognitions nationwide, and last year more than 200 U.S. cities issued official JAHM proclamations.
The forum will conclude the signing of the Mayoral JAHM Commitment, in which participating mayors will pledge to elevate Jewish heritage in their cities.
“Mayors are the level of government closest to the people, and their leadership in the fight against antisemitism makes a real and lasting difference,” said Katz. “We are proud to stand alongside these dedicated leaders as we celebrate 250 years of Jewish life in America.”
The Savannah celebration marks the launch of CAM’s 2026 JAHM activities and is part of the organization’s broader mission to equip municipal leaders with the knowledge, networks, and tools to combat antisemitism and support Jewish communities across North America.
