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; 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 ...
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