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AJC, MAX create section of curated content for Jewish American Heritage Month

“The Jewish community has contributed immeasurably to the film and television industry,” Richard Hirschhaut, of AJC Los Angeles, told JNS.

Leonard Bernstein Working on a Musical Score cropped
American Jewish composer Leonard Bernstein seated at piano, making annotations to a musical score, 1955. Credit: Al Ravenna, World Telegram Staff Photographer via Wikimedia Commons.

The American Jewish Committee’s Los Angeles chapter partnered with MAX, HBO’s streaming service, to create the first-ever menu bar dedicated to Jewish American Heritage Month, which began on May 1.

“Filled with storytellers, the Jewish community has contributed immeasurably to the film and television industry, with stories of joy, pain, challenge, family, love, and much more,” Richard Hirschhaut, director of AJC Los Angeles, told JNS. “We are excited to join with MAX in this unprecedented initiative and proud to have helped bring it to life for all Americans to enjoy.”

“Our community has faced tremendous challenges throughout history and experienced immense trauma in the 18 months since the October 7 Hamas terror attack,” he added. “And yet, with unending resilience, we celebrate the remarkable contributions the Jewish community has made to American society.”

The menu bar highlights Jewish stories and storytellers, and the selection of curated content will rotate throughout the month, AJC said. It will include films and TV shows featuring and about Jewish icons, storytellers and actors, such as filmmaker Mel Brooks; composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein; and comedian Alex Edelman.

AJC encouraged all streaming platforms to celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month “with similar initiatives.”

Izzy Salant is a Los Angeles-based journalist and social media/digital marketing manager at JNS.
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