Recognizing the significance of Jewish American Heritage Month and calling on elected officials and civil society leaders to counter antisemitism.

Recognizing the significance of Jewish American Heritage Month and calling on elected officials and civil society leaders to counter antisemitism.

Whereas “Jewish American Heritage Month” has its origins in 1980, when Congress enacted the Joint Resolution entitled “Joint Resolution to authorize and request the President to issue a proclamation designating April 21 through April 28, 1980, as ‘Jewish Heritage Week’”, approved April 24, 1980 (Public Law 96–237; 94 Stat. 338);

Whereas, on April 24, 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued the proclamation for “Jewish Heritage Week”, and in that proclamation, President Carter spoke about the bountiful contributions made by the Jewish people to the culture and history of the United States;

Whereas Congress has played a central role in recognizing “Jewish American Heritage Month” since the Senate and House of Representatives passed resolutions in 2005 and 2006, respectively, urging the President to proclaim the national observation of a month recognizing the Jewish-American community;

Whereas, since 2006, Presidents Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden have all issued proclamations for “Jewish American Heritage Month”, which celebrates Jewish Americans and encourages all people of the United States to learn more about Jewish heritage and the contributions of Jewish people throughout the history of the United States;

Whereas the people of the United States celebrate the rich history of Jewish people in the United States and the more than 350-year history of Jewish contributions to society in the American Colonies and United States;

Whereas the United States has long served as a haven for Jewish people escaping oppression in search of liberty, justice, and tolerance;

Whereas the Jewish-American community dates back to 1654, when a group of 23 Jewish people, fleeing persecution at the hands of the Portuguese Inquisition, fled Brazil and found refuge in what is now New York City;

Whereas Jewish Americans have established deep roots in communities across the United States and served their neighbors and the United States as loyal and patriotic citizens, always grateful for the safe harbor that the United States has provided for them;

Whereas the Jewish-American community has grown to over 6,000,000 people, representing approximately 2 percent of the population of the United States in 2024;

Whereas Jewish Americans have served in government and the military, won Nobel prizes, led universities and corporations, advanced medicine and philanthropy, created and performed in enduring works of performing and visual art, written great novels, become emblems of justice as members of the Supreme Court, and so much more;

Whereas, since Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, antisemitism in the United States has reached record highs with incidents targeting Jews and those who are perceived as Jewish;

Whereas, according to the American Jewish Committee, 77 percent of American Jews say they feel less safe as a Jewish person in the United States because of the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks;

Whereas, according to the American Jewish Committee, almost 70 percent of Jewish adults report experiencing antisemitism online, including on social media;

Whereas, according to Hillel International, 83 percent of Jewish college students have experienced or witnessed some form of antisemitism since the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks;

Whereas, in 2024, the Anti-Defamation League recorded 9,354 antisemitic incidents in the United States, which equals an average of 25 incidents per day and represents a 344 percent increase in antisemitic incidents over the previous 5 years and an increase of nearly 900 percent over the previous decade;

Whereas the Federal Bureau of Investigation has aggregated 2023 hate crime data showing the highest number of single-bias anti-Jewish hate crime incidents ever recorded;

Whereas one of the most effective ways to combat antisemitism and hate is through increasing education and awareness about the contributions Jewish Americans have made to the United States through the arts, entertainment, science and technology, the military, the government, business, culinary traditions, and other fields; and

Whereas, as the strength of a society can be measured by how that society protects its minority populations and celebrates their contributions, it is altogether fitting for the United States to once again mark the month of May as “Jewish American Heritage Month”: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate—

(1) recognizes the significance of Jewish American Heritage Month as a time to celebrate the contributions of Jewish Americans to the society and culture of the United States;

(2) calls on elected officials, faith leaders, and civil society leaders to condemn and counter all acts of antisemitism;

(3) calls on elected officials and State and local leaders to educate the public on the contributions of the Jewish-American community and uplift Jewish stories and voices; and

(4) takes all possible steps to ensure the safety, security, and dignity of American Jews in all aspects of their lives, including at the workplace, college and university campuses, synagogues, and home.