Members of the New York Congressional Delegation addressed more than 250 local and national Jewish and other faith, ethnic and civic leaders at the Jewish Community Relations Council-New York’s (JCRC-NY) 2020 Congressional Breakfast sponsored by Free Synagogue of Flushing.
Addressing the crowd were Senator Charles Schumer and U.S. Representatives Yvette D. Clarke, Eliot L. Engel, Adriano Espaillat, Hakeem Jeffries, Carolyn Maloney, Gregory W. Meeks, Grace Meng, Jerrold Nadler, Max Rose, Tom Suozzi, and Nydia Velazquez. Representative Sean Patrick Maloney also attended.
JCRC-NY presented Representative Nita Lowey with a Lifetime Service recognition in honor of her three decades of service on behalf of New York. Karen Kasner, JCRC-NY Board Member, read a letter of appreciation to Lowey from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“With so much uncertainty in the world and shocking acts of anti-Semitism happening in New York City, it was heartening to hear the New York Congressional delegation reaffirm their commitment to fighting for Israel and protecting the dignity of the Jewish people in America,” said Michael S. Miller, JCRC-NY Executive Vice President and CEO. “JCRC-NY appreciates the partnership from the members of Congress and their commitment to fighting for all New Yorkers.”
Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke, who represents New York’s 9th Congressional District, noted in her remarks that hate crime prevention initiatives should include education in schools of the sacrifices made by Jewish people being at the forefront in the Civil Rights Movement.
Congresswoman Clarke stressed the importance of teaching the youth the great contribution and bond between the African American and the Jewish American communities, who were at the forefront of the Civil Rights struggle, including the aftermath of the murder of James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner.
Ambassador Dani Dayan, Consul General of Israel in New York, welcomed the crowd, along with Jonathan Greenspun, Co-Chair of JCRC-NY Commission on Public Policy; Cheryl Fishbein, JCRC-NY President; Eric S. Goldstein, CEO, UJA-Federation of NY; and Edward Schauder, President, Free Synagogue of Flushing and JCRC-NY Board Member. Michael S. Miller, JCRC-NY Executive Vice President and CEO, thanked the members of Congress for attending the annual breakfast.
The members of Congress were introduced by a JCRC-NY Officer or Board Member who asked questions of each related to the Representative’s work in Congress.
In order of their appearance, Ed Schauder introduced Representative Grace Meng; Gideon Taylor introduced Representative Eliot Engel; Josh Moskowitz introduced Representative Hakeem Jeffries; Jonathan Greenspun introduced Representatives Tom Suozzi and Nydia Velázquez; Jonathan Adlesberg, introduced Representative Jerry Nadler; Janice Weinman Shorenstein introduced Representative Carolyn Maloney; Marc Wolf introduced Representative Max Rose; Cheryl Fishbein introduced Senator Charles Schumer; Simon “Shimi” Pelman introduced Representative Gregory W. Meeks; Jennifer Falk introduced Representative Yvette D. Clarke; and Charles Temel introduced Representative Adriano Espaillat.
The Jewish Community Relations Council of New York (JCRC-NY) serves as the central coordinating body and resource organization for the Jewish Community in the metropolitan New York area and as an advocate for a strong and secure State of Israel. An active force in New York civic and communal life, JCRC-NY protects, secures and enhances the New York Jewish community and builds working relationships within the Jewish community, with other ethnic and faith communities, and with public officials and government agencies.
