Jewish American Heritage Month

Celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month with Pikes Peak Library District! Explore the resources on this page recognizing the culture, experiences, and contributions of the Jewish American community.

Resources

• Hoopla     
  Explore Jewish stories and experiences in eBooks, music, movies, and more. 
• American Jewish Desk Reference     
  Learn more about Jewish heritage with this reference book from the American Jewish Historical Society. 
• Kanopy     
  Discover films and documentaries celebrating Jewish Americans on Kanopy. 

Regional History and Genealogy Resources (18+) 

• Archival Collections:
  • Colorado Springs Jewish History Project Records, 1920-2013 (Archival Collection MSS 0419) The Colorado Springs Jewish History Project records consist of oral history interviews, photographs, and a documentary film.
  • Mohl Family Papers, 1905 - 1997 (Archival Collection MSS 0415) and Mohl Family Photographs (Digital Photograph Collection)
    Leo and Hertha Mohl were long-time residents of Colorado Springs, small business owners, dairy farmers, and world travelers. They were also some of the first European war refugees to live in Colorado Springs.  
    
    Hertha Mohl was born in Vienna, Austria, and worked as a dressmaker until, after almost getting caught passing out anti-Nazi literature, she smuggled herself into England. While living in London, Hertha served in the British Air Raid Precaution Service. Also born in Vienna, Leo Mohl served as secretary of the trade union movement. Leo was taken to concentration camps in Dachau and Buchenwald for his political activities. In 1939, he was released and immigrated to England, where he met Hertha.
    
    The Mohls immigrated to the United States in 1940, eventually making their way to Colorado Springs. They raised dairy cows on farmland that is now owned by the Air Force Academy, operated a bookstore called The Book Home, and owned a reweaving shop called Master Weavers of America.
     
• Various Photographs (from PPLD’s Digital Photograph Collection) Photographs of the Colorado Springs Jewish Community. 
   
• Books from Regional History and Genealogy (Books from Regional History and Genealogy)
  • Exploring Jewish Colorado by Phil Goodstein
  • A Colorado Jewish family album, 1859-1992 by Rocky Mountain Jewish Historical Society
  • A history of Jewish life in Colorado Springs (DVD – also available for checkout)
  • Getting started in Jewish genealogy by Gary Mokotoff
  • L'chaim: a guide to Jewish genealogical research by Zoe Henry
  • Dr. Charles David Spivak: a Jewish immigrant and the American tuberculosis movement by Jeanne E. Abrams
  • Jewish women pioneering the frontier trail: a history in the American West by Jeanne E. Abrams
  • A guide to the Jewish Rockies, Colorado, Montana, Wyoming by Amy Shapiro

Websites

• Jewish American Heritage Month – Library of Congress
• Jewish American Heritage Month – National Archives
• Jewish American Heritage Month – National Parks Service (National Register of Historic Places)
• Jewish Americans - PBS.  
  Watch clips and outtakes from the 3-part PBS documentary series The Jewish Americans. This collection includes resources for further investigation, lesson plans for high school educators, and opportunities to share your own story. Recommended for high school and older. 
• Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History  
  Go on a virtual tour of many of the fascinating exhibits now available online.