A house RESOLUTION

TO DECLARE THE MONTH OF MAY 2024 AS "JEWISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH" IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND TO CALL UPON ALL CITIZENS TO COMMEMORATE THIS OCCASION BY APPROPRIATELY CELEBRATING THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT THE JEWISH COMMUNITY'S HISTORY, HERITAGE, AND CULTURE HAVE MADE TO THIS NATION AND TO THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

Whereas, Jewish immigrants to America, ever since their first arrival to our shores in the sixteenth century, have played a central role in the creation, growth, freedom, prosperity, and strength of the United States of America; and

Whereas, the biblical and contemporary history of the Jewish people and the enduring values of the Jewish faith were vital sources of inspiration for the founding of the United States, the Civil Rights movement, America's global leadership in the cause of freedom, Americans' commitment to social justice, and many of our nation's most central tenets; and

Whereas, South Carolina boasts the oldest Jewish community in the South, with Jews first settling in the port city of Charleston in the late seventeenth century. Charleston emerged as one of the leading centers of American Jewish life during the eighteenth century, and as late as 1820, the city was home to the largest Jewish community in the United States; and

Whereas, Jewish Americans have made significant contributions to the arts, entertainment, science and technology, government, business, culinary traditions, and other fields in the United States. Jewish Americans have played an important role in shaping American culture; and

Whereas, for forty-three years, every President of the United States has declared a period of time for celebrating the contributions to the United States of the Jewish community's history, heritage, and culture, and since 2006, the month of May has been presidentially declared to be Jewish American Heritage Month, pursuant to a bipartisan resolution of the United States Congress; and

Whereas, incidents of antisemitic violence and rhetoric are still prevalent in the nation and in South Carolina, and educational initiatives are critical in order to combat bigotry; and

Whereas, it is appropriate to acknowledge and promote awareness of the myriad invaluable contributions of Jewish Americans in South Carolina and across the United States and to extend to them the respect and camaraderie every American deserves. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, declare the month of May 2024 as "Jewish American Heritage Month" in South Carolina and call upon all citizens to commemorate this occasion by appropriately celebrating the contributions that the Jewish community's history, heritage, and culture have made to this nation and to the State of South Carolina.

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