In 2006, President George W Bush designated May as Jewish American Heritage Month, providing Jewish communities in America with a platform to look back on our history here, celebrating accomplishments in fields such as science, medicine, politics, arts and entertainment. Events and activities take place throughout the country celebrating Jewish culture and heritage.

Rockland County, New York has the largest Jewish population by proportion of any county in America, at about 31%. Early Jewish settlements in Rockland date back to the 1870s with German Jewish immigrants and Eastern European immigrants settling in Haverstraw, Nyack and Spring Valley.

Congregation Sons of Israel in Nyack was established in 1891 and Sons of Jacob in Haverstraw was dedicated in 1899. Around the turn of the 20th century, Jews earned a living as shopkeepers, peddlers and saloon keepers. In the early 1920s, it was a Jewish family that opened Rockland’s first oil distribution business. This was followed by Jewish clothing makers and contractors as well as a Kosher butcher, deli and Jewish bakery.

During the 1930s and 1940s, the Jewish population in Rockland expanded with many families who had summered here permanently relocating to the county. With the construction of the Tappan Zee Bridge in 1955, the numbers increased to five figures.

Also in the 1950s, the Community Synagogue under the leadership of Rabbi Dr. Moshe Tendler, established the Jewish community of Monsey. Around the same time Rabbi W. Twersky founded the village of New Square.

A few years ago, Congregation Sons of Jacob closed its doors after nearly a century and a half of serving the Jewish community in Haverstraw. Although it's no longer an active synagogue, its history remains an important part of the Jewish landscape of Rockland County.

Today, with over 100,000 Jewish residents, Rockland County has embraced the importance of recognizing its Jewish Heritage. From the work we do here at Federation to beneficiaries such as the JCC, Rockland Jewish Family Service and the Holocaust Museum & Center for Tolerance and Education, Rockland is preserving its Jewish history. The county is also a center of learning, with schools and yeshivas educating thousands of students, and boasts a landmark for informal education at the world-renowned Camp Ramah - Nyack, now in its 64th year. Our vibrant community looks towards a prosperous Jewish future.