Speech Celebrating 350
Years of Jewish Life in America
(September 14, 2005)
Thank you all very much. (Applause.)
Thanks for the warm welcome. Thanks for the invitation
to be here. My only regret is Laura is not with me --
I left her behind to do some diplomacy in New York City.
(Laughter.)
Bob, I want to thank you for your kind introduction.
I'm honored to accept this medal commemorating three
and a half centuries of Jewish
life in America. I consider it a high honor to have
been invited to celebrate with you.
Back in 1790, the Jewish congregation of Newport, Rhode Island,
wrote to congratulate George
Washington on his election as the country's first
President. Some say he was the first George W. (Laughter.)
In his reply, President Washington thanked the congregation
and pledged to defend vigorously the principle of religious
liberty for all. (Applause.) Here's what he said. He
said, the United States "gives bigotry no sanction;
to persecution, no assistance." And he expressed
his hope that the "stock of Abraham"
would thrive in America.
In the centuries that followed, the stock of Abraham
has thrived here like nowhere else. We're better and
stronger -- (applause) -- and we're a better and stronger
and freer nation because so many Jews from countries
all over the world have chosen to become American citizens.
(Applause.)
I want to thank Rabbi Gary Zola, who is the Chairman
of the Commission for Commemorating 350 Years of American
Jewish History. I want to thank Ken Bialkin, who is
the Chairman of the Board of the American Jewish Historical
Society. I want to thank members of Congress who are
here. I want to thank members of the Diplomatic Corps,
especially the Ambassador from Israel, Danny Ayalon.
(Applause.)
I want to thank two members of my Cabinet who've joined
us -- Secretary Alphonso Jackson, of the Department
of Housing and Urban Affairs, and his wife Marcia --
(applause) -- and Josh Bolten, who is the Director of
the Office of Management and Budget. (Applause.)
I appreciate the Archivist of the United States who
has joined us today, Allen Weinstein; Dr. Jim Billington,
who is the Librarian of Congress. I can't help but notice
and welcome Ed Koch, the former mayor of New York City.
(Applause.) I want to thank my friend, Fred Zeidman,
from Houston, Texas, who's the Chairman of the U.S.
Holocaust Memorial Council. (Applause.) I want to
pay my respects to Lynn Schusterman, who's the President
of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation.
(Applause.) And Sid Lapidus, who's the President of
the American Jewish Historical Society. (Applause.)
This may sound a little odd for a Methodist from Texas saying this, but I just came from shool. (Applause.)
I was just given the grand tour of the great American
landmark, the 6th and I Historic Synagogue. I want to
thank Shelton Zuckerman and Abe Pollin for taking it
upon themselves to restore this important historical
-- (applause.) If you haven't been there, you ought
to go. It is a -- there's a wonderfully warm feeling.
I saw the devotion that has gone into restoring this
jewel, which was built nearly a century ago -- a jewel
that houses three Torah scrolls rescued from the Holocaust.
We're proud to have this great synagogue in the heart
of our Nation's Capital, and we're glad a new generation
is revitalizing this house of God.
(Applause.)
The story of the Jewish people in America is a story
of America, itself. The pilgrims considered this nation
a new Israel, a refuge from persecution in Europe. Early
Americans named many of their cities after places in
Hebrew Scripture: Bethel and New Canaan, Shiloh and
Salem. And when the first Jews arrived here, the children
of Israel saw America as the land of promise, a golden
land where they could practice their faith in freedom
and live in liberty. (Applause.)
When the first Jewish settlers came to our shores
350 years ago, they were not immediately welcomed. Yet,
from the onset, the Jews who arrived here demonstrated
a deep commitment to their new land. An immigrant named Asser Levy volunteered to serve in the New Amsterdam Citizens Guard,
which, unfortunately, had a policy of refusing to admit
Jews. That didn't bother Levy. He was determined, like
many others who have followed him, to break down the
barriers of discrimination. Within two years, he took
his rightful spot alongside his fellow citizens in the
Guard. He was the first of many Jewish Americans who
have proudly worn the uniform of the United States.
And one of the greatest Jewish soldiers America has
ever known is Tibor
Rubin. After surviving the Holocaust and the Nazi death camp, this young man came to America. He enlisted
in the United States Army and fought in the Korean War.
He was severely wounded and was later captured by the
enemy. For two-and-a-half years, he survived in a POW
camp. He risked his life for his fellow soldiers nearly
every night by smuggling extra food for those who were
ill -- it was a skill he had learned in the Nazi camps
-- and because of his daring, as many as 40 American
lives were saved.
This evening, I'm happy to announce that next week,
I will bestow upon this great patriot our nation's highest
award for bravery, the Medal of Honor. (Applause.)
Jewish Americans have made countless contributions
to our land. The prophet, Jeremiah,
once called out to this -- to his nation,"...seek
the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile,
and pray to the Lord on its behalf." For 350 years,
American Jews have heeded these words, and you've prayed
and worked for peace and freedom in America. Freedom
to worship is why Jews came to America three-and-a-half
centuries ago; it's why the Jews settled in Israel over
five decades ago.
Our two nations have a lot in common, when you think
about it. We were both founded by immigrants escaping religious persecution in other lands. We both
have built vibrant democracies. Both our countries are
founded on certain basic beliefs, that there is an Almighty
God who watches over the affairs of men and values every
life. These ties have made us natural allies, and these
ties will never be broken. (Applause.)
Earlier today, I met in New York with Prime Minister Sharon and the Ambassador. I admire Prime Minister Sharon.
He's a man of courage; he's a man of peace. (Applause.)
Once again, I expressed this nation's commitment to
defending the security and well-being of Israel. (Applause.)
I also assured him that I will not waver when it comes
to spreading freedom around the world. I understand
-- (applause) -- I understand this, that freedom is
not America's gift to the world; freedom is an Almighty
God's gift to each man and woman and child in this world.
(Applause.)
Religious freedom is a foundation of fundamental human
and civil rights. And when the United States promotes
religious freedom, it is promoting the spread of democracy.
And when we promote the spread of democracy, we are
promoting the cause of peace. (Applause.)
Religious freedom is more than the freedom to practice
one's faith. It is also the obligation to respect the
faith of others. (Applause.) So to stand for religious
freedom, we must expose and confront the ancient hatred
of anti-Semitism,
wherever it is found. (Applause.) When we find anti-Semitism
at home, we will confront it. When we find anti-Semitism
abroad, we will condemn it. (Applause.) And we condemn
the desecration of synagogues in Gaza that followed Israel's withdrawal. (Applause.)
Under America's system of religious freedom, church
and state are separate. (Applause.) Still, we have learned
that faith is not solely a private matter. Men and women
throughout our history have acted on the words of Scripture
and they have made America a better, more hopeful place.
When Rabbi Abraham Heschel marched with Martin
Luther King, we saw modern-day prophets calling
on America to honor its promises. We must allow people
of faith to act on their convictions without facing
discrimination.
And that's why my administration has started a faith-based
and community initiative, to call on the armies of compassion
to help heal broken hearts. A few years ago in New York,
the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty was discouraged
from even applying for federal funds because it had
the word "Jewish" in its name. We must end
this kind of discrimination if we want America to be
a hopeful place. (Applause.)
At this moment, volunteers from all walks of life,
across our great land, are helping the good folks of Alabama and Mississippi and Louisiana recover from one of the worst natural disasters in our
nation's history. The outpouring of compassion is phenomenal.
American Jewish organizations have already raised over
$10 million, plus the $50,000 tonight, for the victims
of Hurricane
Katrina. (Applause.)
About half of the 10,000 Jewish Americans who call
New Orleans home found refuge in Houston. Rabbi Barry
Gelman. of the United Orthodox Synagogues of Houston,
immediately helped organize a task force to aid the
evacuees. Five major Israeli universities with study
abroad programs are opening their doors to college students
whose schools have been shut down by the storm.
These are the good works of good people relying on
the wisdom of the Good Book, a book that tells us how
God rescued life from the flood waters. And like Noah and his family, we have faith that as the waters recede,
we will see life begin again.
I want to thank you for your patriotism. I want to
thank you for compassion. I want to thank you for your
love for the United States of America. All of America
is grateful to the Jewish people for the treasures you
have given us over the past 350 years. May God bless
you, and may God continue to bless our country. (Applause.)
Sources: The White House |