[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 6] [Senate] [Pages 7835-7836] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]JEWISH HERITAGE MONTH Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. President, throughout the month of May, we celebrate Jewish Heritage Month, a time to reflect upon and celebrate those who have helped shape Jewish culture and the shared American experience. Since arriving on the shores of New Amsterdam in 1654, the men and women of the Jewish faith have worked to promote opportunity, justice, and equality for all. In communities across the United States, public service, social action, and charity are rooted in both the religious and cultural components of Judaism. Every day, members of Ohio's Jewish community make contributions that better the lives of their families, friends, and cities. While so many of these men and women deserve our praise and gratitude, I would like to highlight a few leaders within the Ohio Jewish community both past and present. Dr. Albert Sabin, a pioneer in the field of medicine, called Cincinnati, OH home. While a professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Dr. Sabin developed and perfected the oral polio vaccine. In 1960, after extensive preliminary trials, Dr. Sabin's oral polio vaccine was first used in Europe. Between the years of 1962 and 1964, nearly 100 million people-- children and adults--benefited from this vaccine in the United States. Dr. Sabin's contributions to the field of medical research saved countless lives from the ravages of polio and in the process, shaped modern vaccine study. It is no exaggeration to say that his efforts bettered and saved the lives of millions worldwide. The success of Dr. Sabin clearly reflects Jewish values a commitment to social justice and a desire to work towards bettering society. Such values are also extremely evident in the work of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel. Born in Poland in 1907 and deported by the Nazi's in 1938, he was rescued and brought to the United States by Cincinnati's Hebrew Union College. Both an activist and religious leader, Rabbi Heschel played a powerful role in forging the bonds of faith, social action, and civil rights. In 1965, Rabbi Heschel marched arm-in-arm with Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., in Selma in support of the civil rights movement. Following this experience, he spoke the iconic words: ``I felt my feet were praying.'' Just 3 years later, on March 25, 1968--10 days before that fateful day in Memphis, TN--Rabbi Heschel introduced Dr. King to the 68th Annual Convention of the Rabbinical Assembly. Rabbi Heschel closed his introduction by saying, ``The situation of the poor in America is our plight, our sickness. To be deaf to their cry is to condemn ourselves.'' Dr. King began his opening statement by saying, ``I have heard `We Shall Overcome' probably more than I have heard any other song over the last few years. It is something of the theme song for our struggle. But tonight was the first time that I ever heard it in Hebrew, what a beautiful experience for me.'' Rabbi Heschel's legacy is carried on by his daughter, Dr. Susannah Heschel, a professor of Jewish studies at Dartmouth College. I was proud to join Dr. Heschel at a series of events we conducted in Ohio to celebrate her father's legacy and to discuss the future of social action and civil rights. Another resident of Ohio who had a tremendous impact on Jewish heritage is Samuel Melton. Born in Austria-Hungary in 1900, Melton was just 4 years old when he and his mother joined his father in Toledo, OH. As a student at the Ohio State University, Mr. Melton first became interested in reforming how Judaism was studied. While his career path led him away from Judaism and into the production of stainless steel fittings, his passion for Jewish education remained. After Mr. Melton's retirement from Capitol Manufacturing and Supply of Columbus in 1959, he devoted his time and financial resources to modernizing and reforming Jewish education. He established the Melton Fellowship to encourage talented men and women to pursue work in Jewish education and financed the Samuel M. Melton Center for Jewish Studies at the Ohio State University, the first center for Jewish Studies at an American public university. Additionally, Mr. Melton's impact on Jewish heritage spans the globe through his entrepreneurial and philanthropic involvement in Israel. Some have said that Mr. Melton spent the first half of his life earning his fortune and the second half giving it away. I commend Mr. Melton for this generosity. His passion for Judaism has impacted thousands of young Jewish men and women in Ohio and across the world. Finally, I would like to highlight Alfred Tibor, a current Columbus resident, who was born in Hungary in 1920. Mr. Tibor has used his experiences as a Holocaust survivor to create sculptures that not only commemorate but also inspire humanity. In his youth, Mr. Tibor was a talented gymnast and acrobat, but his Jewish heritage kept him from competing in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. In 1940, he was forced by the Germans to perform slave labor before being sent to a prisoner of war camp in Siberia. After the war, Alfred and his brother returned to Hungary to find that they were the only members of their family to escape the war. Fearing further anti-Semitic activities, he fled Hungary, arriving in the United States and settling in Columbus. For more than half a century, Alfred Tibor has used his talents to inspire and educate. According to Mr. Tibor, ``Art for art's sake is not enough.'' His sculptures are seen across the world as tributes to those lost and as reminders of hope and faith in times of tragedy and unspeakable horror. During Jewish Heritage Month, let's honor Dr. Sabin, Rabbi Heschel, Mr. [[Page 7836]] Melton, and Mr. Tibor, as well as all the men and women within the Ohio Jewish community who are seeking to better their neighborhoods while working to advance social justice. Thank you for your service to the Nation. ____________________