The JAHM Advisory Committee is pleased to announce its second year in partnership with BIO Channel of A&E Television Networks. In honor of Jewish American Heritage Month 2011, BIO Classroom, which airs on BIO Channel and features an interactive website online, will devote its five May programs to Jewish individuals who have had a major impact on American history and culture:

May 3 — Ben & Jerry

With flavor names like Phish Food, Ben & Jerry's homemade ice cream has built a reputation over the years as a fun-loving company with a unique and creative approach to business. When Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield met in gym class in 1963, they realized that they shared two important qualities: a hatred for running and a love for food. So in 1977, the childhood friends decided to go into business together. Armed with a $5 ice-cream making degree from Penn State and $8000, they opened Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream in a renovated gas station in downtown Burlington. As children of the sixties, they vowed their company would not exploit the community, its employees or the environment. Ben and Jerry wanted their company to be profitable and socially responsible. Three decades later, Ben and Jerry stand as some of the premiere names in the food industry, and they did it their way.




May 10 — Jon Stewart

Millions of viewers tune in to The Daily Show nightly to get the news delivered by Jon Stewart, with his tongue firmly planted in cheek. Born Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz, the veteran funny man from New Jersey sharpened his wit in the ultra-competitive New York City club scene of the early 90's. After getting turned down for the hosting job at The Late Show, Stewart took over The Daily Show in January of 1999 and hasn't looked back. His relaxed, everyman delivery make him extremely likable, even as he skewers the media, the government, and all else that he and his Daily Show pranksters deem hypocritical.




May 17 — Henry Winkler

Actor Henry Winkler achieved a level of fame that made him a pop-culture superstar as "Fonzie" on the hit television series Happy Days. Winkler was born into a Jewish family in 1945, six years after his parents had emigrated to the U.S. from Germany. In a career that has spanned six decades, Winkler has appeared in a wide variety of film and television roles. Winkler has also made his mark behind the scenes, directing and producing numerous projects through his own production company. Winkler is a Hollywood renaissance man who has given back to his community through education initiatives and charitable activities.




May 24 — Adam Sandler

One of the most ubiquitous names in Hollywood, Adam Sandler is one of the nation's biggest stars of comedy. Born in Brooklyn and raised in New Hampshire, Sandler developed his winning sense of humor over time, transitioning from stand up comedy to mainstream film roles. Graduating from stand-up comedy to Saturday Night Live all the way to Hollywood leading man, Sandler has connected with audiences worldwide through his keen sense of humor. Sandler has contributed generously to multiple charities including the Boys and Girls Club.




May 31 — Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein once said about himself, "I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious." It was Einstein's lifetime of passionate curiosity that profoundly changed the way people understand the physical world. Born into a Jewish family in Germany in 1879, Einstein pursued an education and started a vibrant scientific career. When Hitler came to power in 1933, he moved to the United States and in 1940 he became a U.S. citizen From the Theory of Relativity to his famous mass/energy equation, E=mc2, Einstein published over hundreds of both scientific and non-scientific works.

Einstein also played a critical role in establishing the Manhattan Project, which went on to develop the atomic bomb. Although he later campaigned against the use of nuclear weapons, Einstein recommended that the U.S. explore the development of the atomic bomb out of fear that the Nazi regime would develop the capability first. Greatly outspoken, Einstein described himself as a militant pacifist, claiming he would always fight for peace and humanitarian causes. Between his masterful scientific work and his role as a peace activist, Einstein is remembered as an icon of the 20th century.

BIO Classroom is a commercial-free programming block that airs each Tuesday morning at 7 am / 6 am central on BIO Channel. BIO Classroom features teachers' guides, special initiatives for educators, and links to organizations for teachers and students.

Visit BIO Classroom at www.biography.com/classroom and click on JAHM 2011 Events for details on these and other programs in celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month.