♪ ♪ alco alcohol good afternoon everyone. president biden, first lady, dr. jill biden.

my wife the vice president. and all of our esteemed guests. it is so great to join you for a jewish american heritage month celebration at the white house. we have come together to celebrate our heritage and honor the achievements throughout history. that goes all the way back to our founding jewish american patriots fought to help secure independence. later help save our union during the civil war and have fought so valiantly in all subsequent wars. and throughout the errors there have been outstanding jewish american to have achieved so much in their field. legendary activists, artists, athletes, businesspeople, those those in politics and so many

more. to all those who struggled, persevered, and fought for equality and justice. her fairness so that all of us to be here today. i look around this room and see a lot of friends. i see so many leaders that are continuing this fight for justice and equality. educators, my fellow lawyers, chefs, advocates and leaders in our military. jewish americans achieving at the highest levels of success. and how proud our ancestors would be. to see us all here today after many fled persecution including

violent ancestors to live their dreams in the united states of america. that is what makes america special. that is the promise of america. it is a place where everyone can live freely and proudly as they are. but now it is up to us in our time right now to build on that legacy. because right now we are experiencing a marked rise in anti-semitism. not only in our country but throughout the world. it's an overall epidemic of hate but i know i am doing everything i can to fight back. [applause] [applause] biting lives with the truth for educating others of the holocaust and who we are as jews. building coalitions we cannot do

this alone. allies with different peoples of faith and backgrounds. we all need to be in this fight together so we can all live openly and proudly and without fear. and there's no one who is fighting harder to push back against hatred and bigotry. then president biden vice president harris. [applause] my wife, the vice president encouraged me she did. she encouraged me too lean into this fight and told me dougie this issue found you, now lean into it. right before i left for my trip to holland and germany to

recognize international holocaust remembrance day this man right here president biden pulled me into the oval office. he told me how importantly fight is against anti-semitism is to him. mr. president i will never forget i you shared your personal memories and stories with me about how you visited concentration camp, how important was to go through children and grandchildren. you told me about your father how he felt for the anger he had about what was going on and how the alleys did not bomb the train tracks leading to the concentration camps. i took that with me too europe and i will be forever grateful. i am so grateful we have a president and a vice president who work tireless advocates for our jewish community.

the combat hatred but also as they celebrate our heritage. please join me in welcoming the president of united states, joe biden. thank you, thank you, thank you. thank you. thank you, thank you. thank you. thank you. i am joe biden, i am jill biden's husband. and i looked around this room and i say a lot brought me to the dance. i am serious. thank you all for all you do every day. not just fighting insight feminism being engaged in the company's business.

before i begin i just finished, the press will want to hear this just to keep them quiet. [applause] only kidding. we finish on the good productive meeting with our congressional leadership. we are on a path forward to nick schuyler america does not default on its debt. [applause] there is still work to do. i made it clear to the speaker and others to speak readily over the next several days the staff is going to continue meeting daily to make sure we do not default friend scheduled to travel to martin g7 summit in japan is america's role in the world is vital especially now to work together with other countries to support ukraine and take out all the challenges for international cooperation from

tackling crime global economy. the nature of the presidency is addressing many of the critical manners all at once. i am confident were going to make progress toward avoiding default and the americans responsibility as a leader on the world stage. uncut it might trip short and postponing the australian portion of the trip in order to be back for the final negotiations with congressional leaders. i spoke today with the prime minister of australia. a short time ago and let him know what is going on. there is overwhelming consensus in today's meeting of congressional leaders that defaulting on that that is simply not an option. our economy would fall into recession. it would devastate retirement accounts, increased borrowing costs, and it according to betty's and 8 million americans will lose their job the international reputation we

damage and extreme if we let that happen. because the point of our discussion is not been willing to discuss raising revenues, but policy differences between the policy should not stop congress from default. i made clear again today's meeting default is not an option. erica pays at the depths pays its bills or be plenty of time to debate the policy differences. the country, we've never defaulted on our debt and we never will. but the reasons where we are here this evening thank you doug i'm thinking very much honored to be introduced by the first ever jewish spouse of the vice president. , was in these meetings with me as well. it's great to be representative there you are.

who many call the mother of the jewish american heritage month. are too young, mom. and working for nearly two decades to make it a reality. i also think are special guests michelle short today is both the delicious and kosher. i do not know where the chef is. three are. stand up man. i'm honored is on my council of sports i don't going to be good. finally i want to thank all of you for joining us as we celebrate jewish americans whose values culture and crop have shaped who we are as a nation that is not hyperbole.

over generation the story of resilience, hope, faith in the jewish people the adversity and persecution the promise of a better tomorrow inspired people everywhere around the world. the founding of a band of 23 jews think persecution from abroad the modern-day of new york city. they came seeking religious freedom. helping define one of the bedrock principles of which this nation is built. they are since jewish artists entertainers and poets help me define help us define america's liberty for millions of people came to our shores. advocates who fought for women's rights, voting rights workers rights activist who marched boarded buses to demand civil rights for all. jewish scientists, doctors who led the breakthrough scientific

breakthroughs in science and medicine. across the public service jewish americans will probably serve the nation in uniform. elected office and embassies. fearless american journalist. shed some light on the darkness. my administration weight is also been wrongfully detained and russia. we also know countries and jewish americans are shattered by a long and painful history. ancient anti-semitism. you heard from performers and brought with the show parade i thank them for telling the truth about what happened so we cannot very rates.

manners are the truth in public. my dad first taught me about the horrors in our family dinner table. our dinner table is a way to get together to have conversations. my dad talked about how outraged she was why we do not bomb the railroad tracks in the countries why we didn't let the ship in it can go on and on. talked about the need to make sure every generation understood that since then i've taken my children every child that they turn 14 put them on a plane the first trip they've ever taken abroad and fly directly unknowing could pretend they did not know beautiful homes with

the beautiful groups and windows. the idea they did not know what was going on there is bizarre, just bizarre. i wanted to bear witness of the perils of indifference. two holocaust survivors, the unshakable commitment to israel's security and its right to exist as an independent jewish state. a commitment i reaffirmed today is ruckus for launch from the terrace in gaza. terrified families they had the children and bunkers. my support so and israel to defend itself and i am proud i am proud of our support and workaholics are today as well israel's iron dome thousands of

rockets and sound save countless lives. act ex sadly security for the jewish people is an issue abroad. i decided to run into thousand 17 when jill and i were decided we going to run we just lost our son, we were not going to get back in resident professor at the university. we turn our television to our member that night. you saw this people walking out of the field in charlottesville carrying torches. nazi insignias and literally singing the same sort all through germany in the early 30s. a young woman, i got to talk to her mom. if bystander was killed. she was killed by that mob. what did we hear? when asked, we heard the very

fine people on both sides that was the response we got. when asked about what the person thought. i disengage with the work of our time. hate never goes away. you defeat hate. you wipe it out you can't. it hides under the rock until somebody breeds oxygen under those rocks and it comes roaring back out. the past several years of the get too much oxygen. the reports have shown there at a record high this is hard to believe a record high in our history the record high in united states of america. violent attacks on synagogues and jewish businesses. armed guards jewish students harassed swastikas on persian

cemeteries in schools. in tight semitism and anti-semitic flyers and driveways and banners on bridges. conspiracy theories rampant online. it is unconscionable. it's almost unbelievable. it is despicable. these are threats other minority communities as well but more importantly it's a on the soul of america. we have to be clear silence is complicity. and not remain silent will not remain silent nor will any of you under my presidency were going to kill you too can stem and combat anti-semitism at every turn prevents wayside the bipartisan culminating hate crimes act. help enforce law enforcement better hate crimes. including first level envoy to

monitor and pipe semitism. is deborah here? with these gentlemen his leading voice on this issue as well. first of its kind white house summit combating hate and violence through the department of justice attorney general may prosecute hate crimes a top priority the attorney general's going to stick with that as long as he is there. we also help secure the largest increase in federal funding ever for the physical security of nonprofits including synagogues jewish community centers. no one should have to fear religious school or a school or walking down a street with symbols of your face. but that is not all.

we will soon be releasing first ever national strategy to counter anti-semitism. this strategy reflects input from over thousands jewish communities. all the nominations. also includes members of congress, businesses, civil societies and local officials and so many more. many of you are in this room known to thank you on bald in stand up, come on. you are being too humble. it matters. most ambitious comprehensive effort to combat anti-semitism in america. to counter anti-semitism. call to action is for congress

state and local governments eight leaders to counter anti-semitism. consists of four key pillars. first, must increase awareness of anti-semitism and jewish-american heritage. second improved safety security for jewish communities. thirdly, reverse the normalization of anti-semitism and anti-semitic now and loudly. we have to continue to build coalitions across committees to fight the hate. as we work together to implement this report we are sending a clear and forceful message. in america evil will not win. hate will not prevail. the venom and violence of anti-semitism will not be the story of our time. let me close with this. the only country in the road founded on an idea. an idea not on geography but on

ethnicity we are all created equal in the image of god. and deserve to be treated equally i've screamed never fully lived up to that idea but we've never, never walked away as a work of our democracy the literal sense is not your duty to finish the work but neither are you at liberty of any one of us not on some of us that all of us. thus the american story and has been written in part jewish-american to turn their pain a purpose bring us closer to realize the promise for all americans. that's the message we hosted the first jewish holiday ever in the

white house. it was our message with hanukkah we let the first permanent white house menorah which is the first jewish artifact in the entire white house collection. that is our message today jewish heritage month celebrating and connecting, feeling the pride and heritage of community. remembering we are the united states of america. there is nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing behind capacity we do it together and i believe that from the bottom of my heart. the reason i am so optimistic this new generation of young people the least prejudiced most engaged generation in american history, we are counting on them. you've got to help them. we got to help them get this right finally. god bless you all and may god bless america. thank you.

ask please remain in your seat as the principal's departure. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ of ♪ ♪ ♪

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