Statement by President Obama marking Jewish American
Heritage Month
(May 1, 2012)
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
Three hundred and fifty-eight years ago, a band of
23 Jewish refugees fled Recife, Brazil, beset by bigotry and oppression.
For them, receding shores marked the end of another chapter of persecution
for a people that had been tested from the moment they came together
and professed their faith. Yet, they also marked a new beginning. When
those men, women, and children landed in New Amsterdam -- what later
became New York City -- they found not only safe haven, but early threads
of a tradition of freedom and opportunity that would forever bind their
story to the American story.
Those 23 believers led the way for millions to follow.
During the next three centuries, Jews around the world set out to build
new lives in America -- a land where prosperity was possible, where
parents could give their children more than they had, where families
would no longer fear the specter of violence or exile, but live their
faith openly and honestly. Even here, Jewish Americans bore the pains
of hardship and hostility; yet, through every obstacle, generations
carried with them the deep conviction that a better future was within
their reach. In adversity and in success, they turned to one another,
renewing the tradition of community, moral purpose, and shared struggle
so integral to their identity.
Their history of unbroken perseverance and their belief
in tomorrow's promise offers a lesson not only to Jewish Americans,
but to all Americans. From Aaron Copland to Albert Einstein, Gertrude
Stein to Justice Louis Brandeis, generations of Jewish Americans have
brought to bear some of our country's greatest achievements and forever
enriched our national life. As a product of heritage and faith, they
have helped open our eyes to injustice, to people in need, and to the
simple idea that we might recognize ourselves in the struggles of our
fellow men and women. These principles led Jewish advocates to fight
for women's equality and workers' rights, and to preach against racism
from the bimah; they inspired many to lead congregants on marches to
stop segregation, help forge unbreakable bonds with the State of Israel,
and uphold the ideal of "tikkun olam" -- our obligation to
repair the world. Jewish Americans have served heroically in battle
and inspired us to pursue peace, and today, they stand as leaders in
communities across our Nation.
More than 300 years after those refugees first set
foot in New Amsterdam, we celebrate the enduring legacy of Jewish Americans
-- of the millions who crossed the Atlantic to seek out a better life,
of their children and grandchildren, and of all whose belief and dedication
inspires them to achieve what their forebears could only imagine. Our
country is stronger for their contributions, and this month, we commemorate
the myriad ways they have enriched the American experience.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, 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 2012 as Jewish
American Heritage Month. I call upon all Americans to visit www.JewishHeritageMonth.gov
to learn more about the heritage and contributions of Jewish Americans
and to observe this month with appropriate programs, activities, and
ceremonies.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
first day of May, in the year two thousand twelve, and of the Independence
of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.
Sources: The
White House |