Recognizing the significance of Jewish American Heritage Month as a time to celebrate the contributions of Jewish Americans to the society and culture of the United States.

H. Res. 382 In the House of Representatives, U. S., May 31, 2023. Whereas the Senate and House of Representatives have rec- ognized many heritage months that celebrate the various communities that form the mosaic of the United States; Whereas through recognizing and celebrating heritage months, we learn about one another, honor the richness of the diversity of the United States, and strengthen the fabric of society in the United States; Whereas Jewish American Heritage Month has its origins in 1980, when Congress enacted a Joint Resolution entitled ‘‘Joint Resolution to authorize and request the President to issue a proclamation designating April 21 through April 28, 1980, as ‘Jewish Heritage Week’ ’’, approved April 24, 1980 (Public Law 96–237; 94 Stat. 338); Whereas on April 24, 1980, President Carter issued the proc- lamation for Jewish Heritage Week, and in that procla- mation, President Carter spoke about the bountiful con- tributions made by the Jewish people to the culture and history of the United States; Whereas Congress has played a central role in recognizing Jewish American Heritage Month since the Senate and the House of Representatives passed resolutions in 2006 and 2005, respectively, urging the President to proclaim 2 •HRES 382 EH the national observation of a month recognizing the Jew- ish American community; Whereas since 2006, Presidents Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden have all issued proclamations for Jewish American Heritage Month, which celebrates Jewish Americans and encourages all people of the United States to learn more about Jewish heritage and the contributions of Jewish people throughout the history of the United States; Whereas we recognize the significance of Jewish American Heritage Month as a time to celebrate the contributions of Jewish Americans to the society and culture of the United States; Whereas people of the United States celebrate the rich his- tory of Jewish people in the United States and the more than 350-year history of Jewish contributions to society in the United States; Whereas the United States has long served as a haven for Jewish people escaping from oppression in search of lib- erty, justice, and tolerance; Whereas the Jewish American community dates back to 1654, when a group of 23 Jewish people, fleeing persecu- tion at the hands of the Portuguese Inquisition, fled Brazil and found refuge in what is now New York City; Whereas Jewish Americans have established deep roots in communities across the United States, and served their neighbors and the United States as loyal and patriotic citizens, always grateful for the safe harbor that the United States has provided for them; Whereas the Jewish American community has since grown to over 6,000,000 people, representing approximately 2 per- cent of the population of the United States in 2023; 3 •HRES 382 EH Whereas Jewish Americans have served in government and the military, won Nobel prizes, led universities and cor- porations, advanced medicine and philanthropy, created and performed in enduring works of performing and vis- ual art, written great novels, become emblems of justice as members of the Supreme Court of the United States, and so much more; Whereas Jewish Americans have been subjected to a recent surge in antisemitism as the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) 2022 Audit of Antisemitic Incidents tracked 3,697 antisemitic incidents in the United States, rep- resenting a 36-percent increase from 2021 and the larg- est number on record since the Anti-Defamation League began tracking antisemitic incidents in 1979; Whereas the rise in antisemitism is being felt by ordinary people in the United States, as a report by the American Jewish Committee revealed that— (1) 89 percent of Jewish respondents believe anti- semitism is a problem in the United States; and (2) 4 in 10 Jewish Americans reported changing their behavior in at least 1 way out of fear of anti- semitism; Whereas over the course of the past decade, Holocaust distor- tion and denial has grown in intensity; Whereas a 2020 survey of all 50 States on Holocaust knowl- edge among Millennials and Generation Z, conducted by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Ger- many, found a clear lack of awareness of key historical facts, including— (1) 63 percent of respondents did not know that 6,000,000 Jews were murdered during the Holocaust; and 4 •HRES 382 EH (2) 36 percent of respondents thought that ‘‘two million or fewer Jews’’ were killed; Whereas the Federal Bureau of Investigation has aggregated 2021 hate crime data showing that Jewish people remain the single most targeted religious minority in the United States; Whereas the most effective ways to counter the increase in antisemitic actions are through education, awareness, and the uplifting of Jewish voices, while highlighting the con- tributions that Jewish Americans have made to the United States; and Whereas as the strength of a society can be measured by how that society protects its minority populations and cele- brates their contributions, it is altogether fitting for the United States to once again mark the month of May as Jewish American Heritage Month: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives— (1) calls on elected officials, faith leaders, and civil society leaders to condemn and combat any and all acts of antisemitism; (2) takes all possible steps to ensure the safety and security of Jewish American communities; and 5 •HRES 382 EH (3) calls on the Executive Branch and civic leaders to identify and educate the public on the contributions of the Jewish American community. Attest: Clerk.