In late 2023, New York City Education Department officials turned to historian Natalia Mehlman Petrzela to lead a new initiative aimed at incorporating Jewish American history into the city’s school curriculum. This initiative is part of the Hidden Voices project, which focuses on diverse historical figures often omitted from standard educational materials.
Petrzela, a history professor at the New School, expressed her initial surprise at being approached for a curriculum project in Jewish studies, recognizing that her primary focus is American politics and culture. However, she quickly found common ground with the initiative’s goals of amplifying underrepresented narratives within historical discourse.
“The work of amplifying ‘hidden voices’ who may not be central to conventional historical narratives is core to what I do as a teacher and a scholar,” Petrzela noted, emphasizing her commitment to challenging historical omissions.
The New York City Education Department plans to roll out the new materials for students in the next academic year, starting with a pilot program in five districts to collect feedback on the lessons. This comes after earlier efforts in the Hidden Voices initiative that focused on LGBTQ history, Asian American history, the African diaspora, and Americans with disabilities.
In light of increased antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents, particularly following the terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, the city has prioritized materials on Jewish American history alongside those addressing Muslim American experiences. Officials also aim to complete materials focusing on the Latino community by the end of the school year.
Petrzela hopes that the curriculum will not only educate students about significant historical figures but also inspire them to engage with broader questions about American identity and the country’s past. Following the distressing events of October 7, she felt a renewed urgency to contribute positively to discussions surrounding Jewish American identity.
“As a Jew, I have been speaking up when I think it’s appropriate to address the polarization in educational environments,” Petrzela reflects. She believes that education plays a critical role in mitigating tensions related to identity, especially in the current climate.
Petrzela’s engagement with the project aims to combat the dangers posed by ignorance and promote a more informed understanding of Jewish American history. “I think the antisemitism that we have seen flare is due, at least in some part, to ignorance,” she shared, expressing her idealism about the potential of education as part of a larger solution.
With the disturbing rise of antisemitism and incidents affecting Jewish students and educators, Petrzela hopes the Hidden Voices materials can provide a counter-narrative that not only addresses historical traumas like the Holocaust but also showcases the rich tapestry of Jewish American experiences throughout history. She believes this approach will broaden perspectives beyond just incidents of antisemitism.
The development of the curriculum involved a rigorous process, starting with brainstorming lists of individuals to profile and experts to contribute. Petrzela described the significant challenge of selecting figures that would adequately represent the diverse experiences within Jewish American history.
Profiles include well-known figures like Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis and poet Emma Lazarus, alongside lesser-known individuals such as Harry Lender, the entrepreneur behind frozen bagels, and Nancy Lieberman, a basketball trailblazer for women. This diversity reflects the project’s intent to portray the Jewish experience as multifaceted and integral to the broader American narrative.
The process of narrowing down choices was driven by a need to illustrate how Jewish identities have interacted with American culture over time. The curriculum emphasizes that Jewishness can be a core aspect of some figures’ identities while being incidental to others, thereby highlighting the complexity of identity itself.
Petrzela admitted the overwhelming success in unearthing a wide range of contributions by Jewish Americans throughout history, acknowledging that conveying these experiences was more straightforward than anticipated.
She expressed particular excitement about introducing certain profiles to students and teachers, specifically highlighting the historical significance of Levi Strauss, known for revolutionizing denim, and Dr. Ruth Westheimer, a Holocaust survivor who became a cultural icon for discussions on sexuality.
As discussions around teaching Holocaust history evolve with the decreasing number of survivors able to share their firsthand experiences, Petrzela acknowledges the importance of resources like Hidden Voices. While the curriculum does not centralize on the Holocaust, it addresses the tragedy as integral to understanding Jewish identity.
Petrzela hopes educators and students will engage meaningfully with the materials, encouraging them to expand their understanding of identity beyond their own experiences. She advocates for a curriculum that fosters curiosity about others’ histories, underlining the need for inclusivity and a more comprehensive portrayal of America’s multifaceted narrative.
Ultimately, Petrzela hopes this Jewish American Hidden Voices curriculum will inspire a broader commitment to pluralism, reinforcing the value of diverse voices and experiences in creating a healthy community, both in classrooms and beyond.
image source from：https://ctmirror.org/2025/06/17/jewish-american-history-nyc-schools/
