[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 117 (Thursday, August 2, 2012)]
[House]
[Page H5697]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           RECOGNIZING CHABAD

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 5, 2011, the gentleman from California (Mr. Sherman) is 
recognized for the remainder of the hour as the designee of the 
minority leader.
  Mr. SHERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the unique and 
essential work being done by Chabad. Chabad is known by many for its 
annual telethon. Where else on the TV dial can one go to see dancing 
rabbis once a year? Chabad is better known for meeting the spiritual 
needs of millions, for meeting the economic and counseling needs of 
thousands who are faced with destitution or faced with the scourge of 
substance abuse.
  I would like to extend my regards to Rabbi Cunin and the entire Cunin 
family for their tireless efforts on behalf of Chabad and Yiddishkeit 
everywhere.
  For decades, I've had a chance to work with Rabbi Mordy Einbinder and 
Rabbi Joshua Gordon, and all of the rabbis of Chabad in the San 
Fernando Valley, an organization that has grown from one storefront to 
now 25 centers of vibrant communities dedicated to worship and to study 
across the San Fernando Valley.
  Chabad does hugely important work for the local community. They have 
taken a commercial-grade kitchen and turned it into a one-stop social 
service center to feed and care for thousands. And Chabad's drug 
prevention and treatment program, PRIDE, reaches thousands of at-risk 
youth in the San Fernando Valley and across the Los Angeles area.
  For the last decade, I've worked with Chabad to achieve something 
very important to the Jewish people, the return from Russia of the 
Rebbe's papers. The Schneerson Library and Archives are of such 
important sacredness to Chabad and to many others, and yet they are 
still held in Moscow by the Russian regime.
  This Congress passed Jackson-Vanik. There's discussion of us changing 
that important law to allow for Russian goods to be sold in the United 
States more freely, but Jackson-Vanik's purpose was to force Russia to 
let our people go. That process will not, in my mind, be complete until 
Russia lets the Rebbe's papers go as well.
  So I look forward to Russia releasing those spiritually important 
documents. And I look forward to working with all the Chabad rabbis on 
issues from Moscow to the San Fernando Valley.

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