III 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 203 

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. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 9, 2023 

Ms. ROSEN (for herself, Mr. SCOTT of South Carolina, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. 

SCOTT of Florida, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. CASSIDY, and Mr. BLUMENTHAL) 

submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 

on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

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. 

Whereas the Senate and the House of Representatives have 

recognized 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; 


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•SRES 203 IS 

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 

proclamation for Jewish Heritage Week, and in that 

proclamation, President Carter spoke about the bountiful 

contributions 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 

the national observation of a month recognizing the Jewish 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 people of the United States celebrate the rich history 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 liberty, justice, and tolerance; 


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•SRES 203 IS 

Whereas the Jewish American community dates back to 

1654, when a group of 23 Jewish people, fleeing persecution 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 percent of the population of the United States in 2023; 

Whereas Jewish Americans have served in government and 

the military, won Nobel prizes, led universities and corporations, advanced medicine and philanthropy, created 

and performed in enduring works of performing and visual 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 

2022 Audit of Antisemitic Incidents tracked 3,697 

antisemitic incidents in the United States, representing a 

36 percent increase from 2021 and the largest 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 antisemitism is a problem in the United States; and 


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•SRES 203 IS 

(2) 4 in 10 Jewish Americans reported changing 

their behavior in at least 1 way out of fear of antisemitism; 

Whereas, over the course of the past decade, Holocaust distortion and denial have grown in intensity; 

Whereas a 2020 survey of all 50 States on Holocaust knowledge among Millennials and Generation Z, conducted by 

the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, 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 

(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 use of antisemitic language, conspiracy theories, 

and hatred has increased on multiple social media platforms, including— 

(1) tropes about Jewish control; and 

(2) messages praising Adolf Hitler and demonizing 

all Jewish people; 

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 contributions that Jewish Americans have made to the 

United States; and 


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•SRES 203 IS 

Whereas, as the strength of a society can be measured by 

how that society protects its minority populations and 

celebrates 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 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) recognizes the significance of Jewish Amer3 ican Heritage Month as a time to celebrate the con4 tributions of Jewish Americans to the society and 

5 culture of the United States; 

6 (2) recognizes that Jewish American culture 

7 and heritage strengthen and enrich the diversity of 

8 the United States; and 

9 (3) calls on elected officials, faith leaders, and 

10 civil society leaders to condemn and combat any and 

11 all acts of antisemitism. 

Æ 


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