Earlier this month, I had the honor of participating in a street renaming for my late friend Larry Harlow, one of the most influential salsa pioneers, known under his nickname el judio maravilloso. It was fitting that the street renaming was done during Jewish American Heritage Month as it is a time when we recognize and reflect on the vibrant contributions of Jewish individuals to American culture.
Jewish identity in America is not monolithic—it is kaleidoscopic. We trace our roots to North Africa and the Middle East, to Latin America and the Caribbean, to Central Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. We are Ashkenazi and Sephardi, Mizrahi and Bene Israel. We are the descendants of Holocaust survivors, refugees from Iran and Ethiopia, Soviet dissidents, and Cuban exiles. We are Black, brown, Asian, white—and sometimes, all of the above.
As we close out Jewish American Heritage Month, I’ve been reflecting on how my family’s stories were integral to shaping my understanding of my Jewish identity. As an immigrant living in New York, I’ve learned to integrate this history into a new American Jewish story.
Stories are essential to our shared Jewish history and identity, and that’s why I’m proud to share with you Be’chol Lashon’s latest storytelling initiative, Hyphen: Jewish Stories in Our Own Words, elevating the voices too often left out of the American Jewish narrative.
The graphic novel anthology, created in partnership with FairSquare Graphics, features 12 real-life stories of diverse Jews from around the world. Each story, like mine, is told in their own words and uniquely illustrated by acclaimed international artists.
Jewish American Heritage Month is not just about memory, but it is about imagination. About envisioning a future in which every Jewish American—regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, background, or denomination—feels seen, celebrated, and empowered.
Pre-order Hyphen today!
Order the comic at a discounted price until June 20. Bulk order options are available. 
