Recognizing the Significance of Jewish American Heritage Month and Calling on Elected Officials and Civil Society Leaders to Counter Antisemitism
Floor Speech
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Ms. ROSEN. Madam President, I want to begin by thanking my colleague from Florida for his bipartisanship and his partnership, including to pass this bipartisan resolution to recognize Jewish American Heritage Month by unanimous consent.
I also want to take a moment to speak about the horrific murders that took place last night. Like so many other Jews in America and around the world, I woke up this morning heartbroken by the news of yet another unspeakable act of anti-Semitic violence that occurred late last night, this time--this time--in our Nation's Capital, less than 1 mile from where I am standing this very moment. This shooting occurred outside of the Capital Jewish Museum, where the American Jewish Committee was holding a large event. And the shooter went there specifically to target and kill Jews and people whom he perceived to be Jewish.
This is anti-Semitism--plain and simple. There is no justification in the world for carrying out or condoning this violent and vile hate crime. It is pure anti-Semitic violence.
My heart is shattered for the two Israeli Embassy workers who were killed, Yaron and Sarah--taken from us far, far too soon. Both were committed to public service, social action, peace, the betterment of the world. They were a young couple in love.
I have read reports that Yaron was planning to propose to Sarah next week in Israel.
They were cruelly taken from us far too soon at the beginning of their lives. May their memory be a blessing, and may their killer be brought to swift justice.
It is a tragedy that these innocent lives were cut short by hate, and it continues to be a tragedy that these incidents continue to occur in the United States and all over the world.
Over the last few years alone, we have seen anti-Semitic hate and extremist violence. It has done nothing but increase across this country. All over America, Jewish people, we have been threatened, beaten, verbally accosted. We have been killed just because of our faith, just because of whom they are--because of whom we are.
We have seen horrendous anti-Semitic incidents and attacks on Jewish communities, at schools and on college campuses, and Jewish-owned places of business, and on synagogues and places of worship.
And incidents of anti-Semitism in the United States and globally have risen dramatically since Hamas's brutal terrorist attack on October 7. All of it--all of it--is wrong and has no place in our country, no place in our society, no place in the world.
Those who commit these egregious acts, they want to send a message. They want to terrorize Jews. They want to scare Jews. They want to intimidate us. And it is vital that we all stand up together and send a clear and forceful message, and the message is this: We will not be afraid.
We will not be afraid.
We cannot be silent. There is desperate need to confront dangerous and growing anti-Semitism in our country and around the world to show that bigoted efforts to intimidate us will not work. We cannot be afraid. We cannot be silent.
That is why I am here on the Senate floor today. By passing this resolution and recognizing Jewish American Heritage Month, we are not just celebrating the numerous accomplishments and contributions that Jews have made to our country, we are sending the message back, a message that Jewish people have a place in America; that this is our home as well; that our lives, that they have value and they have meaning, just like anyone else; and that our country stands with it.
So I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for allowing this resolution to pass, and I want to thank Senator Scott of Florida for his partnership in the effort to counter anti-Semitism and hate everywhere.
Res. 246 submitted earlier today.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Ms. ROSEN. Thank you, Madam President. Again, thank you to all my colleagues for passing this important resolution unanimously today.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source