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In honor of Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) this past May, the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) organized a national contest inviting Americans of all backgrounds to explore and celebrate the rich tapestry of Jewish life and contributions in the United States.
The contest offered a unique opportunity to rediscover the pivotal role Jewish Americans have played in shaping the nation’s story — through acts of courage, innovation, leadership, and partnership with other communities.
Categories included:
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Personal Tribute — Honoring a Jewish American figure who made a difference.
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Unity in Action — Highlighting cross-community partnerships and solidarity.
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Creative Expression — Celebrating Jewish heritage through original art.
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Plan for Change — Proposing an impactful strategy to educate and confront antisemitism today.
The winners, each receiving a financial grant to further develop their projects in collaboration with CAM, are:
Wendy Levitt — American Jewish Advocacy Coalition for Students
AJACS unites Jewish communities at the public school district level with a single voice that empowers students, parents, and residents of a district to protect against antisemitism, preserve the ability of Jews to live peacefully with their neighbors, and promote Jewish identity.
Milana Salzman — Roadmap for Corporate Employer Recognition of a Jewish American Employee Resource Network
This roadmap lays out how to make formal written proposals to corporate management to recognize Jewish Employee Resource Networks, which are needed to educate colleagues about the Jewish people and culture, gain non-Jewish allies, allow Jewish colleagues to network with each other, help make the world a better place through empathy and understanding, and, where available, leverage company HR resources related to diversity and inclusion to fund and promote Jewish cultural and educational events.
Elizabeth Sutton — Advocating Against Antisemitism Through the Arts
Elizabeth Sutton, a self-taught Jewish artist, designer, and entrepreneur, uses her art for Jewish advocacy, focusing on community support, healing trauma through art therapy, and hosting fundraisers for Israel.
The initiative will see the establishment of a new platform for inspiring artistic content geared toward uplifting the Jewish community.
Mary Kohav — Light The Path: A Jewish American Heritage Journey to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic & Paralympic Games
“Light the Path” is a multi-year cultural and civic initiative celebrating the legacy and ongoing contributions of Jewish Americans and their allies in the lead-up to and during the LA 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Through public events, artistic campaigns, immersive heritage tours, and transit-based activations, the initiative connects local and global audiences to the resilience, athleticism, and civic leadership of Jewish communities — within one of the world’s most dynamic and diverse Jewish populations.
Judi Leib — Challah and Soul
The mission of Challah and Soul is to reinvigorate and strengthen the historic ties between Black and Jewish communities through the powerful tools of food, storytelling, and education. Challah and Soul is committed to building bridges across racial, cultural, and faith lines — creating space for unity, healing, and shared celebration.
A recent signature Challah and Soul event was the first-annual Soulful Seder, featuring a meal fusing traditional Black and Jewish cuisines.
Contest runners-up, who also will receive CAM support, include:
Elinor Gefen-Rotstein, Orianne Aviv, Sid Klein, Tiauna Lodewyk, David Ryu, Lisa Link, Zach Schwartz, Karmel Melamed, Joan Herz Kamens, James Loomis, Alex Travin, Larry Lefkowitz, and Steven Ludsin.
The winners will be honored
