Obamas Honor Jewish Heritage Month

David Streeter — May 28, 2010 – 10:01 am | Barack Obama Comments (1) Add a comment

On Thursday afternoon, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama hosted the first-ever White House ceremony commemorating Jewish Heritage Month. The event honored American Jews who have made great contributions to American society. Among those in attendance were members of NJDC’s leadership, Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax, celebrated children’s author Judy Blume, and a wide range of Jewish political leaders and activists from around the country.

 

 

During the event, Obama said:

 

“The diversity of talents and accomplishments represented in this room underscores the vast contributions that Jewish Americans have made to this country.  Of course, it’s impossible to separate the achievements of Jewish Americans from the struggles of Jewish people around the world.  Even before we were a nation, we were a sanctuary for Jews seeking to live without the specter of violence or exile.  That’s what drew a band of 23 Jewish refugees to a place called New Amsterdam more than 350 years ago.  That’s what brought Jewish immigrants fleeing pogroms on a long journey to America in the last turn of the century.  And that’s what led Holocaust survivors and Jews trapped behind the Iron Curtain to travel to these shores to rebuild their lives.

 

“As Jews sought freedom and opportunity in America, these waves of immigrants and generations that followed have helped to make America what it is—richer, stronger, more prosperous—from the discoveries of Jonas Salk to the pioneering work of Albert Einstein; from the music of Irving Berlin to the poetry of Emma Lazarus.  And then there are the countless names that we don’t know—the teachers, the small business owners, the doctors and nurses, the people who seek only to live honestly and faithfully and to give their children more than they had.  Jewish Americans have always been a critical part of the American story.”

And:

“… our responsibility [for tikkun olam] doesn’t end at the water’s edge.  That’s why my administration is renewing American leadership around the world –- strengthening old alliances and forging new ones, defending universal values while ensuring that we uphold our values here at home.  In fact, it’s our common values that leads us to stand with allies and friends, including the state of Israel. …

“That is why even as we never waver in pursuing peace between Israelis, Palestinians, and Arabs, our bond with Israel is unbreakable. It is the bond of two peoples that share a commitment to a common set of ideals:  opportunity, democracy and freedom. 

“Those ideals are what have drawn generations to these shores.  Those ideals are what have allowed Jewish immigrants to seek a better life in America -– while enriching the life of our country.  And those ideals are what you and all Jewish Americans continue to help us uphold each and every day.”

Video of Obama’s remarks can be viewed here.

From Left to Right: Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax, Obama’s Senior Advisor David Axelrod, and NJDC Chairman Marc R. Stanley

 

 

 

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