Living the Legacy

Living the Legacy (LTL) uses primary sources and personal narrative to explore the roles of American Jews in the Civil Rights and Labor Movements. Through art projects, text studies, role-playing opportunities, and more, these lesson plans encourage learners to grapple with questions about identity, society, and social justice through a distinctly Jewish lens. For use with students in grade 8 and up.

Living the Legacy Civil Rights Lessons

Explore identity and activism through 16 lesson plans highlighting the stories of Jewish involvement in the Civil Rights Movement. Investigate the motivations and experiences of American Jewish activists, experiment with models for civil disobedience and community organizing, and unpack the complex relationship between Jews, African Americans, and social justice activism.

Living the Legacy Labor Lessons

These eight lesson plans weave stories of immigration and collective action together with traditional Jewish texts to create a rich investigation of Jewish involvement in the American Labor Movement. Identify the connections between human needs, work, and community, examine real-life examples of how to create social change, and look closely at contemporary labor issues through a Jewish lens.

Traditional Jewish Texts

In collaboration with Rabbi Jill Jacobs, the Jewish Women's Archive has developed traditional Jewish text studies to complement the primary sources and activities found in the Living the Legacy lesson plans. Browse by text to find related lesson plans and resources.

Biographies of Jewish Labor Leaders

These biographies introduce unsung Jewish heroes and leaders of the Labor Movement.

Selected Bibliography

Explore an extensive list of resources used to create Living the Legacy and recommended for further exploration on the topics covered in the lesson plans.

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How to cite this page

Jewish Women's Archive. "Living the Legacy." (Viewed on September 11, 2025) <https://qa.jwa.org/teach/livingthelegacy>.