To recognize these observances, each week in May we will spotlight the contributions and accomplishments of our team members, as well as Jewish American, Asian American and Pacific Islander American healthcare heroes.
Elisa Mangosing-Lemmon
Food is an important part of Filipino culture. In my home, we celebrate with food. I take pride in preparing traditional Filipino foods my parents served me when I was growing up such as lumpia, pancit, adobo. It is never as good as how my mother or father would make it, but it’s made with the same love and heart.
Jennifer Frank
There are several ways to observe and/or celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month. For those with young children, a craft project or baking traditional Challah (braided bread) or other family recipes can be fun, creating special memories while learning about Judaism. Some adults may choose to make a trip to the Holocaust Museum in Richmond, watch a Jewish movie, read about their family history, or even listen to a podcast about Judaism or current affairs in Israel. My family and I choose to carry out tzedakah (which connotes giving charitable contributions) by donating to our local synagogue to help families in need. This is in essence a mitzvah – which is any of the 613 commandments that Jews are obligated to observe and more generally refers to any good deed – and the 'mitzvah of tzedakah' is one of the most important.
Jeremy Vidal
Food is my language, so I like to make my own cuisine and share it with friends when I have free time. With the recent rise in hate crimes against Asians this year, I think it is also very important to spread awareness and advocate to stop these hate crimes in our communities.
Shaina Moore
While I am appreciative of having an entire month dedicated to Jewish Americans, I find myself celebrating being Jewish throughout the entire year. As a Jewish American, I love being able to celebrate so many different Jewish holidays throughout the year – some of our holidays are very joyous, some are sorrowful, and others are of remembrance. I was born and raised in Norfolk and as a kid, being Jewish, attending synagogue (most Saturdays), going to Hebrew School, going to Sunday School, and celebrating holidays was just part of what we did. In Norfolk, the Jewish community is much larger than it is on the Peninsula; however, as a kid, being Jewish was still the ‘minority’ religion in most of my public-school classes. The beauty in this is that my friends and their families always wanted to understand and learn more about the “Jewish things” we did and the holidays we celebrated. One of the many reasons I love being Jewish is the sense of community, togetherness, and family. I would say most of our holidays involve food but more importantly Jewish holidays and milestones involve being together with family and close friends. In good times and bad times, the Jewish community comes together as a family, large or small, to support one another. My husband and I are raising our two boys to grow up with the same sense of family, togetherness, and Jewish traditions as I remember having as a kid.
Asian Pacific American Healthcare Heroes
We honor the heritage and culture of Asian Pacific Americans, and we pay tribute to the contributions that Asian Pacific Americans have made in the history of our nation. Learn about Asian Pacific American Health Care heroes who have been making a difference in the world of medicine.
Asian Pacific American Healthcare Heroes
Jewish American Healthcare Heroes
We honor the heritage and culture of Jewish Americans, and we pay tribute to the contributions that Jewish Americans have made in the history of our nation. Learn about Jewish American Health Care heroes who have been making a difference in the world of medicine.
Jewish American Healthcare Heroes