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Skriven 2005-09-14 23:32:40 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (050914o) for Wed, 2005 Sep 14
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President's Remarks at National Dinner Celebrating Jewish Life in America
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
September 14, 2005

President's Remarks at National Dinner Celebrating Jewish Life in America
National Building Museum
Washington, D.C.



6:55 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: 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.)

END 7:08 P.M. EDT
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