6-8 YEAR OLDS
Communities

Understanding Jewish American communities across the country. Question: “What do you think life is like in a Jewish American community?”

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Instructions

Show a map of the United States and mark key Jewish American cities like New York, Los Angeles, or Miami. Ask the children to draw or cut out pictures of Jewish symbols, landmarks, and famous Jewish Americans and place them on the map.


Materials

Paper, cardboard, or clay

Markers

Stickers/embellishments

Glue

    • Touro Synagogue (Newport, RI) – The oldest synagogue in the U.S. (built in 1763), a symbol of religious freedom.

    • Congregation Shearith Israel (New York, NY) – The first Jewish congregation in America, founded in 1654 by Sephardic Jews.

    • Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim (Charleston, SC) – One of the oldest synagogues in the U.S. (built in 1749), central to Reform Judaism.

    • Lloyd Street Synagogue (Baltimore, MD) – Built in 1845, it is the third-oldest standing synagogue in the U.S.

    • Temple Beth Shalom (Santa Fe, NM) – The oldest synagogue in the Southwest, reflecting Jewish history in frontier America.

    • United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (Washington, D.C.) – The national museum dedicated to Holocaust education.

    • National Museum of American Jewish History (Philadelphia, PA) – Chronicles Jewish American history from colonial times to today.

    • Museum of Jewish Heritage (New York, NY) – Focuses on Jewish life before, during, and after the Holocaust.

    • The Jewish Museum (New York, NY) – Houses an extensive collection of Jewish art and culture.

    • Holocaust Museum Houston (Houston, TX) – Educates visitors on the Holocaust and human rights.

    • Lower East Side (New York, NY) – Once home to a massive Jewish immigrant population, now featuring the Tenement Museum.

    • Fairmount, Philadelphia, PA – Home to the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History.

    • Boyle Heights (Los Angeles, CA) – A historically Jewish neighborhood with synagogues and cultural institutions.

    • Squirrel Hill (Pittsburgh, PA) – A vibrant Jewish neighborhood known for its synagogues, kosher delis, and strong community.

    • Skokie, IL – A suburb of Chicago with a significant Jewish population and the Illinois Holocaust Museum.

    • The Six Million Jewish Martyrs Statue (Philadelphia, PA) – One of the first Holocaust memorials in the U.S. (1964).

    • Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust (Los Angeles, CA) – One of the oldest Holocaust museums in the U.S.

    • Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach (Miami, FL) – A striking sculpture and memorial dedicated to Holocaust victims.

    • New England Holocaust Memorial (Boston, MA) – A powerful glass tower installation with Holocaust victim names.

    • Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center (Skokie, IL) – A major center for Holocaust remembrance and education.

  • Add a short summary or a list of helpful resources here.