[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 79 (Thursday, May 21, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E772-E773]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO RACHEL JACOBS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SANDER M. LEVIN

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 21, 2015

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with deep sadness to pay tribute 
to a remarkable person, Rachel Jacobs, who was among those who 
tragically lost their lives in the Amtrak accident in Philadelphia last 
week. Rachel was the eldest daughter of my close friends, Gilda and 
John Jacobs, was the wife of Todd Waldman, and a loving mother to her 
young son, Jacob.
  The accident has been devastating for those who knew and loved Rachel 
Jacobs, and for

[[Page E773]]

the families of the other people who were killed or injured. Those 
families deserve to know exactly how this horrific accident happened 
and to have confidence that it will never be repeated. They also 
deserve to know that those who bear responsibility for this tragedy are 
also held accountable. I will insist on answers, solutions, and 
accountability, and I trust that my colleagues will join me.
  At her funeral service in Michigan on Monday, I and others had a 
chance to hear firsthand just how deeply Rachel had touched the lives 
of so many. There were common themes among those who spoke at the 
service and in several of the stories written about her in the media 
since the accident. She was a dedicated friend, always going out of her 
way to be there for those she was close to. At the service we heard 
about how during Hurricane Sandy, when Rachel was 40 weeks pregnant and 
coping without electrical power, she went to the hospital to support a 
friend who was giving birth. Rachel took great joy in her family, as a 
wife and partner to Todd and as a mother to Jacob. She was a leader and 
a team builder who inspired her colleagues at ApprenNet, the education 
technology startup where she served as CEO. And she was incredibly 
smart, passionate and committed to social justice. As one of her 
friends told the Detroit Jewish News, ``. . . she lit so many sparks. 
She was a visionary and a mobilizer. I'm amazed at how much she managed 
to fit into her 39 years.''
  Rachel was known not only for her vision, but as the speakers at the 
service stressed, for her willingness to do the hard work necessary to 
bring her ideas to life. Detroit Nation might be the most vivid example 
of this. Rachel and friends in New York who had grown up in the Detroit 
area talked about creating a way for Detroit area natives who now live 
elsewhere to stay connected to their hometown and to participate in its 
revitalization. Rachel took this idea, sparked by a discussion among 
friends at a Passover Seder, and founded Detroit Nation--a nonprofit 
organization which now has more than 7,000 members in Metro Detroit and 
throughout the country. Detroit Nation creates connections between 
former Detroiters with expertise in a variety of areas and 
entrepreneurs and nonprofit organizations in Detroit who can benefit 
from that expertise, while also promoting the energy and innovation 
taking place in Detroit to people in cities throughout the country.
  Mr. Speaker, Rachel Jacobs' mother, Gilda, perfectly described 
Rachel's most vital trait when she told the Detroit Jewish News that 
her daughter ``. . . connected with the world.'' This ability--to 
connect with the world and to create connections between other people 
to work together for a common good--has made a difference in the lives 
of many. May we all be inspired by Rachel, and I encourage my 
colleagues to join me in extending the deepest condolences to Rachel's 
husband, Todd Waldman and their son Jacob; to her parents, Gilda and 
John Jacobs; to her sister Jessica Steinhardt; and to all of Rachel's 
family, friends, and colleagues.

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