HJ 543 — Jewish American Heritage Month; designating as May 2023 and each succeeding year thereafter.

SESSION INTRODUCEDENROLLED 23102635D I HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO.

543 OfferedE January 11, 2023 N Designating May, in 2023 and in each succeeding year, as Jewish American Heritage Month in TN Virginia.

–––––––––– R Patrons––Filler-Corn,Agreed Bennett-Parker,to Glass,by Gooditis,the Helmer,House Hudson,of Jenkins,Delegates, Lopez,February Maldonado,3, Murphy,2023 Price,O Reid,Agreed Scott,to D.L.,by Shin,the Simonds,Senate, Tata,February VanValkenburg14, 2023 L early European settlements in Virginia, and Watts;is woven through every part of American history through to L the present day;

Senators:and E WHEREAS, Virginia is home to one of the oldest synagogues in the United States, Beth Ahabah in Richmond, founded in 1789 as Kahal Kadosh Beth Shalome, and Virginia's Jewish community is among D theWHEREAS, Jews played an integral role in supporting American independence and the religious freedom guaranteed in the establishment of the new nation;

Ebbin and Cosgrove D –––––––––– Referred to Committee on Rules U –––––––––– C WHEREAS, Jewish American history spans more than 350 years, dating back to the colonial era and the present day;

andements in Virginia, and is woven through every part of American history thrEugh to WHEREAS, Virginia is home to one of the oldest synagogues in the United States, Beth Ahabah in Richmond, founded in 1789 as Kahal Kadosh Beth Shalome, and Virginia's Jewish community is among the fastest-growing Jewish communities in the nation;

and WHEREAS, Jews played an integral role in supporting American independence and the religious freedom guaranteed in the establishment of the new nation;

this wave of immigration H led to the expansion of Jewish communities across the nation and the founding of B'nai B'rith, the 5 American Jewish Committee, and the National Council of Jewish Women;

and 43 WHEREAS, in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Jewish immigration to the United States increased in responseR to rising anti-Semitism in Europe, and particularly in response the pogroms in the Russian Empire;

and WHEREAS, restrictive immigration policies beginning in the 1920s stemmed the flow of new place,immigrants leading to the United States'States; tragic refusal to accept refugees from Nazi Germany and leaving many of them unable to escape the Holocaust;

andmany WHEREAS, Jewish Americans andopposed Jewishthese immigrantspolicies, tobut Americathey haveremained contributedin tomany every aspect of Americanthem cultureunable andto history,escape including education, science, business, philanthropy, politics, civil 33 rights, and the arts;Holocaust;

amongandsal themto areaccept keyrefugees figuresfrom inNazi AmericanGermany and worldleaving WHEREAS, Jewish Americans and Jewish immigrants to America have contributed to every aspect of American culture and history, including Jonaseducation, Salk,science, 34business, Albertphilanthropy, Einstein,politics, andcivil Ruthrights, Baderand Ginsberg;the arts;

among them are key figures in American and 35world WHEREAS,history, including Jonas Salk, AlbWHEREAS, in light of continuing and reemerging anti-Semitism in America, expressed openly and 36 violently, it is crucial that the history, heritage, and culture of Jewish Americans be fully known, undWHEREAS,understood, Jewish American Heritage Month is an opportunity to celebrate the vibrancy and importancevalued; of Virginia's Jewish American citizens, whose accomplishments and contributions strengthen and enrich culture, governance, the economy, education, and all aspects of community life in the Commonwealth;

and WHEREAS, during Jewish American Heritage Month,Month Virginiansis arean encouragedopportunity to commemorate and celebrate the essentialvibrancy contributions, sacrifices, and accomplishmentsimportance thatof Virginia's Jewish AmericansAmerican havecitizens, madewhose accomplishments and continuecontributions tostrengthen make in the Commonwealth;

now,ande, therefore,governance, bethe iteconomy, RESOLVEDeducation, byand theall Houseaspects of Delegates,community life in the SenateWHEREAS, concurring,during ThatJewish theAmerican GeneralHeritage AssemblyMonth, designateVirginians MayRESOLVEDare FURTHER,encouraged Thatto thecommemorate Clerkand ofcelebrate the Houseessential ofcontributions, Delegatessacrifices, postand theaccomplishments designationthat ofJewish thisnd,Americans behave itmade monthand oncontinue theto Generalmake Assembly'sin website.the Commonwealth;

now, therefore, be it May, in 2023 and in each succeeding year, as Jewish American Heritage Month in Virginia;

and, be it RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates post the designation of this month on the General Assembly's website.