My inbox recently broadcast a remarkable juxtaposition: “Jewish American Heritage Month is coming!” some messages told me. Others focused on something else: “And the New York Mets aren’t having Jewish Heritage Night this year.”

With those two headlines came the commentaries that inevitably unfold: questions, accusations, assumptions about the decisions being made. And calls to action, declarations of intent, and thoughts about the role of affinity celebrations in the American cultural zeitgeist.

I have no insider knowledge of the intentions behind the lack of Jewish Heritage Night at Citi Field. And I have no desire to catastrophize in a time that definitely doesn’t need any more crisis. But as a lifelong Jewish educator, I instead want to take the opportunity to pose the question: What role should designated heritage days/months play when it comes to Jewish identity and pride?

Jewish American Heritage Month was first designated in 2006, but it has grown in attention and intensity in recent years. Just this week, Noa Tishby was successful in lobbying Los Angeles’ public schools to honor the month. This ascendance reflects the dual missions that have marked the American Jewish story: acceptance and exceptionalism.

Acceptance is the first, most baseline desire for any minority population seeking the safety of a new........

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