[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 19104]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      HONORING ED AND NANCY FELDMAN AND DRS. GUS AND BECCA GALANTE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 2, 2002

  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, it is my distinct honor to commend four 
of Northwest Indiana's most distinguished citizens, Ed and Nancy 
Feldman and Drs. Gus and Becca Galante. On Sunday, October 6, 2002, 
these couples will be honored for their exemplary and dedicated service 
to Northwest Indiana and to the State of Israel. Their praiseworthy 
efforts will be recognized at the annual Northwest Indiana-Israel 
Dinner of State, as they receive the prestigious Jerusalem Medal. The 
State of Israel Bonds presents the Jerusalem Medal to worthy recipients 
who demonstrate their dedication and outstanding service to Israel and 
their community.
  The State of Israel Bonds is an international organization offering 
securities issued by the government of Israel. Since its inception in 
1951, Israel Bonds has secured $25 billion in investment capital for 
the development of every aspect of Israel's economy, including 
agriculture, commerce and industry. Throughout its history, Israel has 
maintained a perfect record on the payment of principal and interest on 
the securities it has issued.
  Mr. and Mrs. Ed Feldman, are two of the most caring, dedicated, and 
selfless citizens of Indiana's First Congressional District. The 
Feldman's are very active members of Congregation Beth Israel in 
Hammond. Ed teaches Bar and Bat Mitzvah students, serves as chairman of 
the Ritual Committee, acts as Cantor for Shabat and holiday services, 
and is a member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors. He 
is the immediate past president of the Jewish Federation of Northwest 
Indiana and serves on the Endowment Fund Trustees Committee as well as 
the Building Legal Finance Committee. Nancy is also a member of the 
Board of Directors and serves as co-chair of the Chevra Kedisha, is a 
member of the Mitzvah Committee, and coordinates projects for Bar and 
Bat Mitzvah students. Along with Gus Galante, she is co-chair of the 
Federation's annual fund-raising campaign, where she serves on the 
Executive Committee and Board of Directors as vice president.
  Drs. Gus and Becca Galante are the other recipients of the Jerusalem 
Medal. Gus was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and is the descendant of 
Jews who migrated from Lithuania, Russia, Gibraltar and Morocco. He is 
an active member of the Northwest Indiana Federation Board and is the 
current co-chairman of the general campaign. In addition, he 
participates in Chevra Kedisha and is the recipient of the Emanuel 
Marcus Leadership Award for community participation. Becca is descended 
from Jews who migrated from Russia, Poland and Austria and was born in 
Lafayette, Indiana. She serves on the Board of Directors of 
Congregation Beth Israel, on the Sisterhood Board and is a member of 
the Chevra Kedisha. She is a past co-chair of the Federation's general 
campaign, co-founder of the Jewish Future Forum, and recipient of the 
Hurst Family Leadership Award, as well as the Gevurah Award from the 
Jewish Federation.
  The special guest at this gala event will be Ambassador Gvir. 
Ambassador Gvir was born in Shilde near Antwerp, Belgium, and escaped 
the Nazis as a child to Switzerland. He made aliyah in 1958 and has 
served as Israel's Ambassador to the Czech Republic, Switzerland and 
Liechtenstein. He was also the minister at the Permanent Mission of 
Israel to the United Nations.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my other distinguished colleagues to join 
me in commending the Feldman's and Galante's for their lifetime of 
service, success, and dedication to Indiana's First Congressional 
District and the State of Israel.

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