Title
Proclamation Declaring May 2018 as Jewish American History Month. (City Manager 2110)
Body
Proclamation
Whereas, 2018 is the 38th annual national celebration of achievements and contributions by Jewish Americans; and
Whereas, in 1654, a group of Jewish refugees from Brazil and Ashkenazi Jews settled in the colony New Amsterdam (now New York); and
Whereas, today, the United States has one of the largest Jewish communities in the world, after Israel <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel>; and
Whereas, President Carter issued the first Jewish American Heritage Week proclamation in April 1980, proclaiming that American Jews have made their heritage of struggle for freedom, knowledge, and human dignity part of the inheritance of all Americans; and
Whereas, on April 24, 1998, President Clinton’s proclamation celebrated the many gifts that American Jews bring to our national life, while also joining with Jews around the world in celebrating the 50th anniversary of the founding of the modern state of Israel; and
Whereas, in 2006, Congress resolved that the United States observe an American Jewish History Month and President Bush issued the first Presidential Proclamation designating May 2006 as Jewish American Heritage Month; and
Whereas, in 2014, President Obama proclaimed, “Following in the footsteps of Jewish civil rights leaders, we must come together across all faiths, reject ignorance and intolerance, and root out hatred wherever it exists. In celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month, we also renew our unbreakable bond with the nation of Israel. It is a bond that transcends politics, a partnership built on mutual interests and shared ideals”; and
Whereas, in 2016, Governor Brown signed AB 2844, which has commonly been referred to as anti-BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) against Israel legislation, and provides, “California is a leader in protecting civil rights and preventing discrimination. … Both freedom of speech and religion are cornerstones of law and public policy in the United States, and the Legislature strongly supports and affirms these important freedoms.…It is the intent of the Legislature to ensure that taxpayer funds are not used to do business with or otherwise support any state or private entity that engages in discriminatory actions against individuals under the pretext of exercising First Amendment rights. This includes, but is not limited to, discriminatory actions taken against individuals of the Jewish faith under the pretext of a constitutionally protected boycott or protest of the State of Israel”; and
Whereas, this year our country celebrates with Israel as they observe their 70th year of Independence; and
Whereas, sadly, harassment, threats, and vandalism cases targeting Jews in the United States surged to near-record levels in 2017, the second-highest number since the Anti-Defamation League began tracking them nearly four decades ago. Here in Alameda, we experienced recent anti-Semitic incidents at our local schools, and vandalism of Temple Israel. Our community united together during these events in support of your Jewish neighbors; and
Whereas, this 2017-2018 academic year, the Anti-Defamation League designated 40 Bay Area schools, including Otis Elementary, Alameda Science & Technology Institute, and Alameda High School as “No Place for Hate <https://www.adl.org/who-we-are/our-organization/signature-programs/no-place-for-hate>,” offering students, teachers, administrators and families a structure for various activities and projects to promote unity and reduce bullying and cyberbullying <http://www.adl.org/education-outreach/bullying-cyberbullying/>, name-calling and other expressions of bias <http://www.adl.org/education-outreach/anti-bias-education/>; and
Whereas, in celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month, our City created and displayed a banner honoring eight Jewish Americans: Eliezer “Elie” Wiesel, Alexandra “Aly” Rose Raisman, Albert Einstein, Bella Savitzky Abzug, Levi Strauss, Rashida Leah Jones, Steven Allan Spielberg, and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Now, therefore be it resolved, that I, Trish Herrera Spencer, Mayor of the City of Alameda, on behalf of the Alameda City Council, do hereby proclaim May 2018 as
Jewish American Heritage Month
in the City of Alameda, and encourage Alamedans to learn more about the history and rich contributions of Jewish Americans.
Trish Herrera Spencer, Mayor