[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 184 (Thursday, December 17, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1818]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO EZRA SCHWARTZ

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 17, 2015

  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, it is with the heaviest of hearts that I 
rise today to take a moment to remember Ezra Schwartz who, at only 
eighteen, was taken from us all too soon when he was killed just before 
the Thanksgiving holiday while volunteering in the West Bank. Ezra's 
grandparents, Mark and Heni Schwartz, have long been involved in New 
Haven's Jewish community and I am heartbroken for their loss.
  Ezra was an extraordinary young man who had his whole life still 
ahead of him. Memories shared from those from every walk of his life 
shared a common theme--Ezra's kind heart, generous nature, and passion 
for making a difference. His vivacious character was contagious. He was 
dedicated to his family and his community, always striving to enrich 
the lives of others.
  Ezra was an accomplished young man who loved teaching others. His 
father, Ari, recently recounted the many ways in which he helped his 
younger siblings as well as his time at New Hampshire's Camp Yavneh 
last summer, where he won an award for leading campers in the annual 
sing-off. Ezra's choice to join a yeshiva program, combining service 
with learning, did not surprise anyone who knew him.
  Spending a ``gap year'' between high school and college studying at 
an Israeli yeshiva, Ezra was building a deeper connection to his ethnic 
and religious roots as well as volunteering his time to make a 
difference in the lives of others. His was a mission of compassion and 
humanitarianism and he was killed simply because he was Jewish.
  Though we may never fully understand why Ezra was taken so soon, his 
family and friends can take comfort in the full life that he led while 
he was here. It is an honor and privilege for me to stand today to pay 
tribute to Ezra Schwartz and his extraordinary young life. I extend my 
deepest sympathies to his parents, Ari and Ruth; his siblings, Mollie, 
Hillel, Elon, and Avi; his grandparents, Mark and Heni; as well as his 
many family and friends at this most difficult time. Well known for his 
generosity and kind spirit, Ezra will be deeply missed by all of those 
fortunate enough to have known him and will serve as an inspiration to 
others to make a difference in this world.

                          ____________________