October 7, 2004 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1831 equal—including black men. In 1799, he was these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me. I MILITARY PERSONNEL FINANCIAL elected to the New York Society for Pro- lift my lamp beside the golden door.’’ How SERVICES PROTECTION ACT moting the Manumission of Slaves. During appropriate is it that her poem is affixed to his tenure on the standing committee be- the great symbol of American freedom, the SPEECH OF tween 1806 and 1809, about 50 slaves were Statue of Liberty. freed. Through his efforts, many other slaves Alice Menken, (for many years president of HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY achieved freedom. He exerted himself to our Sisterhood) did remarkable work to help OF NEW YORK fight injustice, to expand the American immigrants, to assist young women who ran IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ideals of freed and equality regardless of race into trouble with the law, to promote reform or religion. of the American prison system. She wrote: Tuesday, October 5, 2004 Another of our members, Maud Nathan, be- ‘‘We must seek a balanced philosophy of life. lieved that all men were created equal but so Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in sup- We must live to make the world worth living port of H.R. 5011, a bill to correct abusive were all women created equal. She was a in, with new ideals, less suffering, and more fiery, internationally renowned suffragette, practices in the sale of financial products to joy.’’ who worked tirelessly to advance a vision of our military. America that indeed recognized the equality Americans see ourselves as one nation, in- This bill was strongly supported by myself of all its citizens—men and women. As presi- divisible, under God, with liberty and justice for all. Yet, liberty and justice are not auto- and all my colleagues on the Financial Serv- dent of the consumer league of New York ices Committee because it provides a nec- from 1897–1917, Maud Nathan was a pioneer in matically attained. They have required—and still require—wisdom, vigilance, and active essary correction to a real problem. social activism, working for the improve- Over the past several years, we have seen ment of working conditions of employees in participation. American legal tradition has New York’s department stores. Equality and been enriched by the insights and the work the growth of unprincipled sales practices human dignity were the rights of all Ameri- of many American Jews. pushing marginal financial products, blatantly cans, rich and poor, men and women. In one of his essays, Justice Benjamin Na- unsuitable for military personnel. The Declaration of Independence pro- than Cardozo—a devoted member of Shearith These contractual plans impose staggering claimed that human beings have unalienable Israel—referred to a Talmudic passage which fees and draconian early termination penalties. rights; among them are life, liberty and the has been incorporated into our prayer book. They are so undesirable that they are not It asks that the Almighty let His mercy pre- pursuit of happiness. These words express sold in the civilian market, where the force of the hope and optimism of America. They are vail over strict justice. Justice Cardozo re- a repudiation of the tyranny and oppression minded us that the American system relies normal competition has driven them out. that prevailed—and still prevail—in so many not only on justice—but on mercy. Mercy en- All the more shame that certain brokers lands. America is a land of opportunity, tails not merely an understanding of laws, used privileged on-base access to military per- where people can live in freedom. The pur- but an understanding of the human predica- sonnel to force this product on servicemen suit of happiness really signifies the pursuit ment, of human nature, of the circumstances facing combat. of self-fulfillment, of a meaningful way of prevailing in human society. Another of our Our nation’s military personnel deserve the life. America’s challenge was—and still is— members, Federal Judge William Herlands, best possible financial advice about all the op- to create a harmonious society that allows echoed this sentiment when he stated the tions available to them, with complete and ac- Justice without Mercy—is just ice! us to fulfill our potentials. curate information, clearly presented. President George Washington declared a Our late rabbis Henry Pereira Mendes, day of national Thanksgiving for November David de Sola Pool and Louis C. Gerstein, At the very least, they shouldn’t be sub- 26, 1789. Shearith Israel held a service, at were singularly devoted to social welfare, to jected to unscrupulous sales practices or of- which Hazan Gershom Mendes Seizas called religious education, to the land of Israel. fered financial products that no civilian would on this congregation ‘‘to unite, with cheer- They distinguished themselves for their de- choose and that are not suitable for any inves- fulness and uprightness . to promote that votion to Zionism, and played their parts in tor. We should have banned these products which has a tendency to the public good.’’ the remarkable unfolding of the State of and practices years ago; it is high time to do Hazzan Seixas believed that Jews, in being Israel. They, along with so many American so now. faithful to Jewish tradition, would be con- Jews, have keenly understood how much structive and active participants in Amer- unites Israel and the United States—two f ican society. beacons of democracy and idealism in a very CONGRATULATIONS TO PARTNERS Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness troubled world. were not reserved only for those born in OF THE AMERICAS ON THEIR 40 These individuals—along with so many America; they are the rights of all human YEAR ANNIVERSARY other American Jews—were exponents of the beings everywhere. This notion underlies the American ideals and the American dream. idealism of the American dream, calling for During the past 350 years, the American Jew- HON. SAM FARR a sense of responsibility for all suffering peo- ish community has accomplished much and OF CALIFORNIA ple, whether at home or abroad. American contributed valiantly to all aspects of Amer- Jews have been particularly sensitive and re- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ican life. We have been free to practice our sponsive to this ideal. faith and teach our Torah. We have worked Wednesday, October 6, 2004 On March 8th, 1847, Hazan Jacques Judah with Americans of others faiths and tradi- Lyons addressed a gathering at Shearith Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, in 1963 President tions to mold a better, stronger, more ideal- Israel for the purpose of raising funds for John F. Kennedy launched the Alliance for istic nation. Irish famine relief. The potato crop in Ire- Progress, a program of government-to-govern- land had failed in 1846, resulting in wide- America today is not just a powerful and ment economic cooperation across the West- spread famine. Hazan Lyons well realized vast country. It is also an idea, a compelling idea that has a message for all people in all ern Hemisphere. At the same time, he called that the Jewish community needed chari- for the creation of a parallel people-to-people table dollars for its own internal needs; and lands. As American Jews, we are committed yet he insisted that Jews reach out and help to the ideals of freedom and equality, human initiative and the Partners of the Alliance was the people of Ireland. He said that there was dignity and security, to life, liberty, and the established the following year. After its found- one indestructible and all-powerful link be- pursuit of happiness, the pursuit of harmony ing, the idea of engaging in citizen-to-citizen tween us and the Irish sufferers: ‘‘That link, among ourselves and throughout the world. programs under the direct participation and my brethren, is HUMANITY! Its appeal to We have come far as a nation, but very much leadership of the people of the Americas led hear surmounts every obstacle. Clime, color, remains to be done. May God give us the to the Alliance’s re-organization in the private sect are barriers which impede not its strength and the resolve to carry on, to work proudly as Jews to bring the American sector. With this change in status also came progress thither.’’ In assisting with Irish a new name: Partners of the Americas. famine relief, the Jewish community re- dream to many more generations of human- flected its commitment to the well-being of ity. Today Partners of the Americas celebrates all suffering human beings. American Jewry I close with a prayer spoken by Mordecai 40 years of bringing together citizen volun- grew into—and has continued to be—a great Manuel Noah at the consecration of our sec- teers, their institutions and communities from philanthropic community perhaps un- ond Mill Street Synagogue on April 17, 1818: throughout the Americas to address shared matched in history. Never have so few given ‘‘May we prove ever worthy of His blessing; concerns of economic, social and cultural de- so much to so many. In this, we have been may He look down from His heavenly abode, velopment. Partners’ commitment to building true to our Jewish tradition, and true to the and send us peace and comfort; may He in- on these enduring relationships among people spirit of America. still in our minds a love of country, of Who articulated the hope and promise of friends, and of all mankind. Be just, there- of Latin America, the Caribbean and the U.S. America more eloquently than Emma Laz- fore, and fear not.