Governor-elect Shapiro to be sworn in on historic Jewish Bible from Philadelphia

Philadelphia native and Army veteran Herman Hershman donated the Bible to The Weitzman in 2010.

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Thursday, January 12, 2023
Governor-elect Shapiro to be sworn in on historic Jewish Bible
Philadelphia native and Army veteran Herman Hershman donated the Bible to The Weitzman in 2010.

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- Governor-elect Josh Shapiro will be sworn in as Pennsylvania's 48th governor with his hand resting on a Bible carried by a U.S. Army soldier during World War II.

On Tuesday, Shapiro will take the oath of office in Harrisburg.

He has chosen to use a Jewish Bible from Philadelphia's Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History during his inauguration ceremony.

Philadelphia native and Army veteran Herman Hershman donated it to The Weitzman in 2010.

"As Governor, he'll be one of the most influential Jewish leaders in the United States - and his is the type of 'Only in America' story that we tell at our museum. We're honored to lend Herman Hershman's Bible, a treasured part of our collection, for this historic moment," said Dr. Misha Galperin, The Weitzman's President and CEO.

The Bible was published for Jewish service members by the Army in 1942.