[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 7516]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     JEWISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize and celebrate 
the month of May as Jewish American Heritage Month. Since the founding 
of our Nation, Jewish Americans have indelibly shaped American society. 
As a proud Jewish American, I am honored to have the opportunity to 
acknowledge the outstanding contributions of our vibrant community in 
the past, present, and future.
  In the 109th Congress, Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz and 
then-Senator Arlen Spector authored a concurrent resolution calling for 
a proclamation each year to observe American Jewish History Month. On 
April 20, 2006, President George W. Bush proclaimed that May 2006 would 
be Jewish American Heritage Month.
  Jewish Americans have fought tirelessly to realize the American Dream 
and to enrich our society. Jewish Americans have been instrumental in 
eliminating disease such as the polio epidemic, and they have split the 
atom. These achievements and others too numerous to count are watershed 
moments in history, and they make up only a small fraction of the 
various accomplishments Jewish Americans have made.
  Such achievements, however, do not come without concomitant 
struggles. Jewish Americans have been dedicated to promoting tolerance 
and understanding because Jewish people have been challenged and 
persecuted throughout history whenever they have professed their faith. 
Jewish Americans participated in the abolitionist movement in the 19th 
century and joined the ranks of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating 
Committee during the civil rights movement in the 1960s. There is no 
question that the Jewish tradition of diversity and inclusion has 
helped to make the United States the force for equal rights, democracy, 
and opportunity that it is today. Though we face challenges to that 
ideal every day, we must not forget that this country was and remains a 
beacon for those suffering under the weight of oppression around the 
world.
  We cannot understate the role that Israel plays in Jewish American 
society and in the lives of Jewish people around the world. Our 
homeland is the focal point of our religion and our culture. Further, 
our two nations are built on a common set of core democratic principles 
and representative government, but we have more than political 
philosophies in common; we share a strong belief in the promotion of 
equality, freedom, and tolerance. The United States will always stand 
by Israel, and we will always support the safety of the Israeli people. 
As a U.S. Senator, I have been proud to take part in efforts to 
strengthen the relationship between our two nations. Without our 
homeland, Jewish Americans may never have been able to make the myriad 
contributions they have made to our Nation. These Jewish Americans' 
accomplishments embody the positive values that form the foundation of 
our shared culture and history. Our diversity makes the United States 
of America strong, and Jewish Americans have played an integral role in 
shaping and nurturing that diversity.

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