[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 131, 115th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 9596 of April 28, 2017

Jewish American Heritage Month, 2017

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

During Jewish American Heritage Month, we celebrate our Nation's strong
American Jewish heritage, rooted in the ancient faith and traditions of
the Jewish people. The small band of Dutch Jews who first immigrated in
1654, seeking refuge and religious liberty, brought with them their
families, their religion, and their cherished customs, which they have
passed on from generation to generation. The moral and ethical code of
the Jewish people is inspired by their spiritual vocation of ``tikkun
olam''--the charge to repair the world. Through that vocation, the
Jewish people have left an indelible mark on American culture. Today, it
is manifested in the towering success Jewish people have achieved in
America through a unique synthesis of respect for heritage and love of
country.
Escaping religious persecution and ethnic violence and seeking political
freedom and economic opportunity, American Jews, over centuries, have
held firm in the belief that the United States was ``Di Goldene
Medina''--the Golden Country. Those who moved here built houses and
gardens, raised families, and launched businesses. They have pursued
education to advance their mission to make the world a better place. In
every aspect of the country's cultural, spiritual, economic, and civic
life, American Jews have stood at the forefront of the struggles for
human freedom, equality, and dignity, helping to shine a light of hope
to people around the globe.
The achievements of American Jews are felt throughout American society
and culture, in every field and in every profession. American Jews have
built institutions of higher learning, hospitals, and manifold cultural
and philanthropic organizations. American Jews have even brought us our
greatest superheroes--Captain America, Superman, and

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Batman. American Jews have composed some of our defining national hymns
like God Bless America, timeless musicals like The Sound of Music, and
even famous Christmas songs. From Admiral Hyman G. Rickover to Albert
Einstein, Richard Rodgers to Irving Berlin, Jerry Siegel to Bill Finger,
Mel Brooks to Don Rickles, and Levi Strauss to Elie Wiesel, American
Jews have transformed all aspects of American life and continue to
enrich the American spirit.
This month, I celebrate with my family--including my daughter, Ivanka,
my son-in-law, Jared, my grandchildren, and our extended family--the
deep spiritual connection that binds, and will always bind, the Jewish
people to the United States and its founding principles. We recognize
the faith and optimism exemplified by American Jews is what truly makes
America ``The Golden Country,'' and we express our Nation's gratitude
for this great, strong, prosperous, and loving people.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 2017 as Jewish
American Heritage Month. I call upon all Americans to celebrate the
heritage and contributions of American Jews and to observe this month
with appropriate programs, activities, and ceremonies.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-eighth day
of April, in the year two thousand seventeen, and of the Independence of
the United States of America the two hundred and forty-first.
DONALD J. TRUMP