President Trump calls for Jewish communities to mark national Shabbat
US leader makes proclamation as part of 2026 Jewish American Heritage Month
In an historic first, US President Donald Trump has called on the country’s Jewish communities to dedicate next Shabbat to America’s 250th anniversary.
The move is part of May 2026 being declared Jewish American Heritage Month, recognising the role Jewish Americans have played in the two and half centuries of “glorious” American independence.
In one of the grandiose self-styled proclamations that have become the trademark of his presidency, on 4 May Trump exhorted the Jewish community to come together in “rest, reflection and gratitude” from sunset on May 15 to nightfall on May 16 to “celebrate their unwavering commitment to the values that make our country great — faith, family, and freedom.”
Quoting a 1790 letter from President George Washington to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island exhorting “the Children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other Inhabitants; while everyone shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree, and there shall be none to make him afraid”, Trump added: “Since the earliest days of our Republic, Jewish Americans have helped build the cause of liberty and sustain the greatness of our Nation”.
Trump goes on to claim that “under my leadership, we are aggressively fighting the violence against Jewish Americans that increased under my predecessor, prosecuting hateful criminals to the fullest extent of the law, and working to end the scourge of anti-Semitism throughout our institutions, especially on college campuses. As President, I will never stop fighting to protect our birthright of religious freedom — a sacred right that continues to guide our Nation, drawing us closer to the Almighty each and every day.”
The proclamation, in full here, calls on the country to spend the month honouring the role of Jewish Americans “in shaping the story of our Nation, and we remember that religious devotion, learning, and service to others are enduring pillars of a thriving culture. Through every trial and triumph, the contributions of Jewish Americans have shaped our past, have strengthened our communities, and will continue to inspire American greatness for generations to come.”
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