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Remarks at the World Jewish Congress Dinner in New York City April 30, 1995

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Remarks at the World Jewish Congress Dinner in New York City April 30, 1995 Apr. 30 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1995 I have hope for the future because our Ameri- to the experience, it was an overwhelming sym- cans are embracing the responsibility of mem- bol of how we all ought to think and live. ory. In the 2 years since the Holocaust Memo- Over the centuries, memory has been built rial Museum opened, more than 4 million peo- there in Prague in a very deep and profound pleÐmore, many more than were expectedÐ way, in the city that Hitler wanted to turn into have visited that remarkable place. The daily a museum for what he hoped would be an ex- number of visitors is still increasing, and about tinct people. We, too, now must add to those 8 of every 10 Americans who visit are not Jews. stones, stones of remembrance, like this day- Twenty thousand school groups have been there long gathering, stones that add to the memory already, and with the help of the museum, some of the victims and to our knowledge of the bar- 40,000 teachers around our country now teach barism that claimed them. about the Holocaust in their classes. Perhaps Ultimately, I wanted to be here today, after those children one day will be the kind of adults all our country has been through in these last who would stop and ask why and do more if days, because you have taught me that the vigi- someone ever came to take a friend or a neigh- lance of memory is our greatest defense, and bor away. I thank you all for that. If so, we will have been true to the memory of the victims of the Holocaust, and we will have pressed the cause of decency and human NOTE: The President spoke at 2:35 p.m. at Madi- dignity yet one more step forward. This is our son Square Garden. In his remarks, he referred task: making memory real and making memory to Foreign Minister Shimon Peres of Israel; Rabbi a guide for our own actions. Yisrael Meir Lau, chief Rabbi of the Ashkenazic I am reminded of the extraordinary visit I Jews of Israel; Gov. George E. Pataki of New had last year to the Old Jewish Cemetery in York; Sheldon Silver, New York State House Prague, that great forest of stones. As you know, speaker; Mayor Rudolph Giuliani of New York everyone who visits there, or any Jewish ceme- City; and Benjamin Meed, president, American tery, puts a stone on a grave, adding to memory, Gathering of Jewish Holocaust Survivors, and his never subtracting from it. For me, someone new wife, Vladka. Remarks at the World Jewish Congress Dinner in New York City April 30, 1995 Thank you very much. Thank you, Edgar. you will keep me in mind in the future. [Laugh- Foreign Minister Peres, thank you for being ter] here, for your visionary leadership, your wise We gatherÐI wish you wouldn't laugh quite words. To all of the friends of Edgar Bronfman so much at that. [Laughter] We gather tonight who are here from Canada and from around to celebrate the accomplishments of an extraor- the world, I am profoundly honored to be with dinary man. For all of you, your presence here you this evening and to receive this wonderful is testimony to your shared values, your shared Nahum Goldmann Award. goals, and to the countless lives that Edgar I know he was the president of the World Bronfman has touched. In these years of great Jewish Congress, the World Zionist Organiza- change and opportunity and of great anxiety and tion, the Jewish Agency, Conference of Presi- even fear, in years of too much cynicism, the dents of Major Jewish Organizations. Every Jewish community has found in Edgar Bronfman group I can think of associated with Edgar the rarest of combination, a leader armed with Bronfman, except the Seagram's GroupÐ[laugh- passion for his people's cause and endowed with ter]Ðwe would all like to be president of that, the strength to act on that passion. As president thanks to the work he has done. I would remind of the World Jewish Congress and a citizen of you, Edgar, that I'm a relatively young man the world, Edgar Bronfman has given life to without a great deal of job security. I hope 614 VerDate 27-APR-2000 12:22 May 04, 2000 Jkt 010199 PO 00001 Frm 00614 Fmt 1240 Sfmt 1240 C:\95PAP1\95PAP1.082 txed01 PsN: txed01 Administration of William J. Clinton, 1995 / Apr. 30 Emerson's observation that an institution is the our Government and the citizens who work for length and shadow of one man. it, who actually guarantee the freedoms that they In the long years when the Soviet Union im- abuse. In the name of building a better future, prisoned Jews within its borders, many raised they would relive the most destructive chapters their voices in anger, but Edgar journeyed to of evil. So while we cannot compare what they Moscow to win their release. When millions in are saying and doing to what the Jewish people Russia and all across Eastern Europe won their suffered decades ago, we dare not underestimate freedom from tyranny's grip, many rejoiced, but the dangers they pose. They can certainly snuff Edgar took the lead in helping Jewish commu- out innocent lives and sow fear in our hearts. nities reclaim their proud spiritual and physical They are indifferent to the slaughter of children. heritage that many feared had been lost forever. They threaten our freedoms and our way of And as a new era of peace dawns in the Middle life, and we must stop them. East, many celebrate, but Edgar works every Our early patriot Samuel Adams once said, day to reconcile the people of Israel and the ``If we suffer tamely a lawless attack upon our Palestinians and to bring new life to ancient liberty, we encourage it and involve others in lands. Wherever Jews dream of a better life our doom.'' Here in America it is not only our and wherever those dreams are threatened, right, it is our duty to stop the terror, to bring Edgar Bronfman is sure to be found. to justice the guilty, and to stand against the A week ago today, Hillary and I went to Okla- hatred, and to help others in other lands to homa City to mourn with and pay our respects do the same. to the victims and families of the terrible bomb- ing there. Last summer, Edgar undertook a Since the beginning of our administration we similar journey of his own when he flew to have taken broad and swift measures to fight Argentina just hours after hearing of the bomb- terrorism here and abroad. We have brought ing of the Jewish community center in Buenos to trial the alleged bombers of the World Trade Aires. There in the midst of the rubble and Center, who struck at the heart of this city. the ruins, he called on leaders, visited the in- We have actively pursued those who crossed jured, spoke to the children, told them to stand the line into illegal and violent activity. We have firm against those who traffic in fear, to hope taken strong actions against nations who harbor and not hate, but to work every day to turn terrorists or support their bloody trade. We have that hope into reality. In these times, that is worked to prevent acts of terror, sometimes with a lesson every citizen of every continent should remarkable success. And in a world where open learn and take to heart. It echoes loudest in borders and new technologies make our job the ears of those who have known so much harder, we have worked closer and closer with terror and so much sorrow. other nations to unravel the networks of terror As was said earlier today by my friend Ben- and hunt down those who threaten our people. jamin Meed, we mark the time when half a But the tragedy of Oklahoma City and its century ago the most terrible chapter in the aftermath have made it clear that we must take history of the Jewish people was brought to a stronger steps. This week I asked Congress to close. Unfortunately, 50 years later, merchants approve my antiterrorism initiatives: the power of hate still live among us here at home and to hire 1,000 new Federal officials in law en- around the world. Of course, we cannot com- forcement and support to create a new pare their actions or their capabilities to the counterterrorism center under the direction of horrors that were visited upon the Jewish peo- the FBI; to authorize the military to use its ple, but they do practice and they do preach special capabilities in incidents involving chem- violence against those who are of a different ical, biological, and nuclear weapons of terror color, a different background, or who worship in our country. Our proposals would also allow a different God. They do feed on fear and un- us to tag materials used to make bombs so that certainty. They do promote paranoia. In the suspects could be more easily traced. name of freedom of speech, they have aban- Although no one can guarantee freedom from doned the responsibility that democratic free- terror, at least these common sense steps will doms impose on all of us. help to make our people safer. So tonight I In this freest of nations, it must strike all appeal again to Congress to pass these measures of you as ironic that many of these people attack without delay.
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