Jewish Culture Month in the workplace

Marking Jewish Culture Month in the workplace is a practical and visible way of recognising that Jewish culture is integral to Jewish life.  After all, we spend a significant part of our adult lives at work.

For Jewish staff, this kind of recognition carries weight. At a time when antisemitism has reached record levels, celebration in public spaces sends a clear message: Jewish identity is valued here. Culture is not something to be hidden. Visibility becomes a form of reassurance and belonging.  

For colleagues who are not Jewish, Jewish Culture Month offers something equally important: an opportunity to learn, to engage and to connect. Jewish Culture Month is an invitation to employers across Britain to participate with confidence in sharing Jewish pride far and wide.  

How can my workplace get involved?  

1. One of the simplest and most effective ways to mark Jewish Culture Month is through your internal communications. A short post on the company intranet, an email from a member of the executive team, or a feature in your staff newsletter can set the tone for the month and signal that this celebration is owned at the highest level.  
2. If your organisation has a Jewish Staff Network, consider inviting its senior sponsor to author the piece. When a senior figure chooses to mark Jewish Culture Month, it demonstrates that he organisation is proud to recognise Jewish culture. It also provides reassurance to Jewish colleagues that their identity is seen and valued.  
3. Share practical resources that deepen understanding and support inclusion. One simple step is to make sure your HR team and line managers are familiar with the latest edition of the Employer’s Guide to Judaism (third edition) – Board of Deputies of British Jews. This guide offers clear, workplace-focused information on Jewish observance, holidays and practice, as well as guidance on preventing antisemitic discrimination.  
4. Bring the Jewish Living Experience Exhibition into your workplace or staff events. This interactive, travelling exhibition offers an immersive insight into Judaism as a lived culture and way of life, with illustrated panels, authentic artefacts and stories that encourage curiosity and connection.  

Start a Jewish Culture Month Reading Group  

Jewish Culture Month is an ideal moment to bring people together around a shared text. A reading group, whether in the workplace, a school, a synagogue or a local community space, creates room for thoughtful conversation and genuine connection.  

You might choose a novel that explores questions of identity and belonging, a memoir that traces family history across generations, or a work of non-fiction that illuminates Jewish thought and culture. What matters is not literary expertise, but curiosity. Jewish writing has long thrived on discussion, interpretation and debate; a reading group continues that tradition in a contemporary setting.  

Keep it simple. Select one title, circulate it in advance, and set aside time for an open conversation. Invite participants to reflect on what surprised them, what resonated, and what challenged them. If possible, ask Jewish participants whether they would like to share personal reflections, while ensuring no one feels under pressure to speak on behalf of a community.  

Jewish Culture Month Reading List  

Jews are sometimes called the people of the book. To mark Jewish Culture Month, the staff team at the Board of Deputies have compiled a selection of fiction and non-fiction that reflects the breadth and depth of Jewish written expression.  

Whether you are discovering Jewish writing for the first time or returning to a favourite author, books can  offer insight into the richness of Jewish experience in Britain and beyond.