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    "localId": "1252863",
    "label": "5/13/76 - Remarks at Annual Meeting of American Jewish Committee",
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    "title": "5/13/76 - Remarks at Annual Meeting of American Jewish Committee",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/1252863",
    "collections": [
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        "logicalDate": "1976-05-13",
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        "year": 1976
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    "seq": 1,
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    "url": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/63/2528/1252863/content/library/document/0122/1252863.pdf",
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    "ocrText": "The original documents are located in Box 32, \"5/13/76 - Remarks at Annual Meeting of\nAmerican Jewish Committee\" of the President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies\nat the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.\nCopyright Notice\nThe copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of\nphotocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United\nStates of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.\nWorks prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public\ndomain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to\nremain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid\ncopyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.\nDigitized from Box 32 of President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library\nTHE PRESIDENT HAS SEEN\nAMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE\nWASHINGTON HILTON HOTEL\nTHURSDAY, MAY 13, 1976\nACKNOWLEDGEMENTS\nAMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE DINNER\nTHANK YOU, MR. FISHER.\n(Max Fisher introduces you.)\nMR. WINTER\n(President of the American Jewish\nCommittee)\nYOUR EXCELLENCIES\nMEMBERS OF CONGRESS\nMY ASSOCIATES IN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH\nLADIES AND GENTLEMEN\n-1-\nI AM PLEASED AND HONORED TO CONGRATULATE\nTHE AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE ON ITS 70th ANNIVERSARY\nAS THE COMMITTEE TODAY CELEBRATES ITS ANNIVERSARY,\nWE ARE\n(\nALL OF US,\n)\nOBSERVING OUR BICENTENNIAL\n-2-\nTHE BICENTENNIAL RIGHTFULLY ADDRESSES THE JEWISH CONTRIBUTION\nTO AMERICA, ALONG WITH THE OTHER VITAL INGRED IENTS\nOF OUR NATIONHOOD\nTHE TRADITIONAL JEWISH CONCEPTS\nOF JUSTICE\nLIBERTY,\nFAMILY AND CITIZENSHIP ARE PART AND PARCEL\nOF THE AMERICAN HERITAGE\n-3-\nWHEN AMERICA'S FOUNDERS CREATED THIS REPUBLIC\n200 YEARS AGO, THEY SAW IT AS A PROMISED LAND\nTHEY WERE INSPIRED BY THE MORAL AND ETHICAL VALUES\nOF THE OLD TESTAMENT AS WELL AS BY THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS\n-4-\nAS WE REAFFIRM AMERICA'S TRADITIONAL SEPARATION\nOF CHURCH FROM STATE, WE ALSO HONOR THE SPIRIT\nOF OUR CONSTITUTION WHICH DRAWS ITS MORAL PHILOSOPHY\nFROM THE JEWISH-CHRISTIAN HERITAGE.\n-5-\nRELIGIOUS VALUES ARE THE FOUNDATION OF THE PROMISE\nOF AMERICA:\n-- THE INFINITE VALUE WE PLACE ON EACH INDIVIDUAL,\n-- THE SANCTITY OF HUMAN DIGNITY,\n-- THE COMMITMENT TO HUMAN RIGHTS, AND\n-- THE FIRM BELIEF IN JUSTICE FOR ALL\n-6-\nAMERICA HAS GROWN GREAT BECAUSE AMERICA\nHAD THE WISDOM TO INVITE DIVERSITY.\nJUDAISM AND ALL OF OUR RELIGIONS HELPED TRANSLATE\nTHE BASIC CREDOES OF RELIGIOUS FAITH INTO THE PRINCIPLES\nAND RULES THAT GOVERN OUR DAILY LIVES.\n-7-\nI AM TONIGHT ESPECIALLY MINDFUL OF THE UNIQUE\nBLENDING OF THE JEWISH HERITAGE WITH THE MULTITUDE OF\nDIVERSE CULTURES OF OUR COUNTRY\nI COMMEND THE WORK\nOF THE AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE AND THE SPIRIT WITH\nWHICH YOU HAVE TRANSLATED JEWISH CONCERNS INTO CONCERN\nFOR ALL HUMANITY\n-8-\nWE ARE PROUD TO HAVE AN AGENCY OF THE AMERICAN\nJEWISH COMMITTEE CO-SPONSOR A WHITE HOUSE MEETING\nON ETHNIC DIVERSITY AND GROUP IDENTITY NEXT MONTH\n-9-\nWHEN SIX MILLION JEWS WERE so CRUELLY MURDERED\nIN WORLD WAR TWO, THE VICTIM WAS NOT ONLY THE JEWISH PEOPLE\nBUT CIVILIZATION ITSELF.\nON MY VISIT TO THE NOTORIOUS AUSCHWITZ CONCENTRATION\nCAMP LAST SUMMER, I SAW THE WORDS \"NEVER AGAIN\".\nTHIS MUST APPLY TO ALL GENOCIDE\nEITHER PHYSICAL OR CULTURAL\n-10-\nTHE UNITED STATES STANDS BY THE FUNDAMENTAL\nHUMANITARIAN PRINCIPLE THAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE FREE\nTO EMIGRATE AS THEY CHOOSE\nA FEW YEARS AGO,\nWE ACHIEVED A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN EMIGRATION\nFROM THE SOVIET UNION\n-11-\nI WILL DO MY UTMOST TO RESTORE THIS EMIGRATION\nIT WILL BE A COMPLEX PROCESS,\nIN WHICH THE CONGRESS\nAND I WILL HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER\nBUT THE DOORS WERE\nOPEN BEFORE AND WE MUST STRIVE TO RE-OPEN THEM NOW\n-12-\nTHE REALIZATION OF OUR MUTUAL GOALS\nf\nADVANCEMENT OF THE POLITICAL AND SPIRITUAL FREEDOM OF ALL\nPEOPLE\nIS A PRIORITY ITEM ON AMERICA'S CONSCIENCE.\nTHE PROCLAMATION OF LIBERTY MUST BE WRITTEN NOT ONLY\nIN OUR DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE BUT IN OUR HEARTS\n-13-\nYET, JUST AS YOU CANNOT DO ALL THAT MUST BE DONE,\nNEITHER CAN YOUR GOVERNMENT\nTOGETHER, WE MUST HAVE\nA CREATIVE PARTNERSHIP\nVOLUNTARY EFFORTS SUCH AS THOSE\nPERFORMED so BRILLIANTLY BY THE AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE\n-\nCOMBINED WITH FEDERAL AND LOCAL AUTHORITY AND THE WILLINGNESS\nTO ACT,\nTO PRESERVE AND EXTEND THE VALUES WE SHARE.\n-14-\nTWO HUNDRED YEARS AGO THERE WERE RELATIVELY\nFEW JEWS IN AMERICA\nTHOUGH SMALL IN NUMBER,\nTHEY WERE GREAT IN SPIRIT\nTHEY SERVED IN ALL CAPACITIES.\n-15-\nGEORGE WASHINGTON TURNED TO ONE PATRIOT\nOF JEWISH FAITH, HAYM (HIGH-M) SOLOMON, WHEN THE\nBUDGET OF THE CONTINENTAL ARMY WAS DEPLETED\nSOLOMON\nSACRIFICED HIS PERSONAL FORTUNE AND ENCOURAGED OTHERS TO\nJOIN IN FINANCING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION\nIN PURSUING\nJUSTICE AND LIBERTY, HE PERSONIFIED THE FINEST QUALITIES OF\nAMERICAN PATRIOTISM\n-16-\nIN THOSE EARLY DAYS, WE BENEFITTED NOT ONLY\nFROM OUR OWN PATRIOTS BUT FROM OUTSIDE ASSISTANCE\nTO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN OUR INDEPENDENCE\nTODAY, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, REGARDLESS OF RELIGION,\nSEE JUSTICE IN THIS NATION'S TRADITIONAL AND SPECIAL\nRELATIONSHIP TO A KINDRED NATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST --\nTHE STATE OF ISRAEL\n-17-\nTHE FIRST HEAD OF A FOREIGN GOVERNMENT TO VISIT\nTHE WHITE HOUSE IN THIS BICENTENNIAL YEAR WAS PRIME MINISTER\nRABIN OF ISRAEL\nHE PAID HOMAGE TO THE SHRINE\nOF OUR FREEDOM IN PHILADELPHIA®\nTHE ISRAELI TRIBUTE TO OUR BICENTENNIAL\nDEMONSTRATES THE BASIC VALUES SHARED BY AMERICA WITH ISRAEL\n-18-\n-- BOTH NATIONS WERE BORN IN THE FACE\nOF ARMED OPPOSITION\n-- BOTH NATIONS ARE A HAVEN FOR PEOPLE\nFLEEING PERSECUTION.\n-- BOTH NATIONS FIND THEIR VITALITY AND THEIR VISION\nIN A COMMITMENT TO FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY.\n-19-\n-- BOTH NATIONS SHARE THE COURAGE AND DETERMINATION\nTO PRESERVE THEIR INDEPENDENCE AND SECURITY.\nISRAEL AND THE UNITED STATES HAVE AN AFFINITY\nNOT ONLY FOR EACH OTHER BUT FOR BASIC PRINCIPLES\nOF DEMOCRATIC SELF-GOVERNMENT WHICH DISTINGUISH\nTHESE TWO NATIONS FROM MOST OF THE OTHER COUNTRIES\nOF TODAY'S WORLD\n-20-\nAMERICA MUST AND WILL PURSUE FRIENDSHIP\nWITH ALL NATIONS\nBUT, THIS WILL NEVER BE DONE\nAT THE EXPENSE OF AMERICA'S COMMITMENT TO ISRAEL\nA STRONG ISRAEL IS ESSENTIAL TO A STABLE PEACE\nIN THE MIDDLE EAST\nOUR COMMITMENT TO ISRAEL WILL MEET THE TEST\nOF AMERICAN STEADFASTNESS AND RESOLVE\n-21-\nMY ADMINISTRATION WILL NOT BE FOUND WANTING\nTHE UNITED STATES WILL CONTINUE TO HELP ISRAEL\nPROVIDE FOR HER SECURITY\n-22-\nTHE FUNDS WHICH I HAVE PROPOSED TO THE CONGRESS\nFOR THE TWO BUDGETS I HAVE SUBMITTED TOTAL OVER\nFOUR BILLION DOLLARS\nI FAVOR SUCH AID BECAUSE IT IS\nso CLEARLY IN THE NATIONAL SECURITY INTEREST OF THE\nUNITED STATES AND so ESSENTIAL TO PRESERVE AND PROMOTE PEACE\nIN THE MIDDLE EAST\n-23-\nTHESE FIGURES SPEAK FAR MORE ELOQUENTLY THAN\nANY WORDS OF MY COMMITMENT TO THE SURVIVAL AND SECURITY\nOF ISRAEL\nIT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE REMAIN TRUE TO OUR\nCOMMITMENTS NOT ONLY FOR OURSELVES BUT FOR ALL THOSE WHO RELY\nUPON US\nWE MUST NOT LOSE THE VISION THAT HAS MADE THIS\nCOUNTRY A BEACON TO ALL WHO SEEK FREEDOM\n-24-\nBUT OUR STRENGTH AND OUR GOALS ARE TO NO AVAIL\nIF WE LACK THE COURAGE, THE UNITY, AND THE WILL TO UTILIZE\nOUR STRENGTH IN SUPPORT OF OUR FRIENDS\nWITHOUT COHESIVENESS OF PURPOSE AT HOME, OUR FRIENDS CANNOT\nREALLY BE PROTECTED NOR OUR OPPONENTS LONG DISSUADED\nFROM AGGRESSIVE ACTIONS\n-25-\nMY DEDICATION TO ISRAEL'S FUTURE GOES BEYOND\nITS MILITARY NEEDS TO A FAR HIGHER PRIORITY -- THE NEED\nFOR PEACE\n-26-\nWE APPRECIATE ISRAEL'S DILEMMA IN MOVING TOWARD\nPEACE\nISRAEL IS ASKED TO RELINQUISH TERRITORY --\nA CONCRETE AND ESSENTIALLY IRREVERSIBLE STEP --\nIN RETURN FOR BASICALLY INTANGIBLE POLITICAL MEASURES\nBUT IT IS ONLY IN WILLINGNESS TO DARE THE EXCHANGE OF THE\nTANGIBLE FOR THE INTANGIBLE THAT HOSTILITY CAN BE ENDED\nAND PEACE ATTAINED\n-27-\nI AM VERY PROUD THAT DURING MY ADMINISTRATION,\nTHE UNITED STATES HAS SEEN A MAJOR AND SUCCESSFUL MOVEMENT\nTOWARD PEACE, PROSPERITY AND TRUST ABROAD AS WELL AS\nAT HOME\n-28-\nLAST SEPTEMBER'S SINAI AGREEMENT WAS A MILESTONE ON THE ROAD\nTO PEACE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN INCONCEIVABLE JUST A FEW YEARS\nAGO\nI COMMEND ISRAEL'S BOLD AND COURAGEOUS DECISION\nISRAELIS AND EGYPTIANS ARE NO LONGER DYING IN THE SANDS\nOF THE SINAI PENINSULA\n-29-\nTHE PEACE PROCESS MUST CONTINUE WITHOUT\nONE-SIDED CONCESSIONS -- BUT WITH STEADY PROGRESS\nSTALEMATE AND STAGNATION CREATE UNACCEPTABLE RISKS\nOF FURTHER CONFLICT\n-30-\nTHE UNITED STATES IS DEDICATED TO A JUST AND\nLASTING PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST\nWE HAVE WORKED\nUNCEASINGLY TO THAT END\nWE SHALL CONTINUE TO DO so\nYET, IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS, IT IS THE PARTIES TO THE DISPUTE\nWHO MUST MAKE PEACE A REALITY\n-31-\nTHE RESPONSIBILITY TO ACHIEVE THAT PEACE\nEXISTS EQUALLY ON ALL THE PARTIES, WHO MUST CONTRIBUTE,\nEACH IN FULL MEASURE, TO THE PEACEMAKING PROCESS\nAMERICA'S RESPONSIBILITY IS TO ENCOURAGE BOTH SIDES\nTO END THE STATE OF WAR THAT HAS FOR TOO LONG PLAGUED\nTHE MIDDLE EAST AND THREATENED WORLD PEACE\n-32-\nTHE 1973 WAR HAS HAD DANGEROUS POLITICAL AND\nECONOMIC REPERCUSSIONS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD\nIT CAUSED STRAINS ON OUR ALLIANCES AND NEAR-CONFRONTATION\nWITH THE SOVIET UNION.\nTHE RESULTING OIL EMBARGO AND\nDRASTIC AND UNWARRANTED OIL PRICE INCREASES CAUSED\nSEVERE PROBLEMS OF RECESSION AND INFLATION.\n-33-\nI WILL CONTINUE TO WORK FOR PEACE IN THE MIDDLE\nEAST\nTHIS IS NOT ONLY FOR THE SAKE OF THE ISRAELI AND\nARAB PEOPLES BUT FOR THE WELL-BEING OF ALL AMERICANS\nAND ALL HUMANITY\n-34-\nTHE UNITED STATES HAS DEMONSTRATED THE STRENGTH\nOF OUR FREE ECONOMY -- AS WELL AS OUR FAITH AND VISION\nOF THE FUTURE\nTHESE QUALITIES ARE CHARACTERISTIC\nOF A KINDRED PEOPLE, THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL\n-35-\nAMERICANS AND ISRAELIS HAVE BOTH BEEN INSPIRED BY MORAL\nAIMS\nINDEED, MY COMMITMENT TO THE SECURITY AND FUTURE\nOF ISRAEL IS BASED UPON BASIC MORALITY AS WELL AS ENLIGHTENED\nSELF-INTEREST\nOUR ROLE IN SUPPORTING ISRAEL HONORS\nOUR OWN HERITAGE\n-36-\nAMERICA REMAINS THE REAL HOPE FOR FREEDOM\nTHROUGHOUT THE WORLD\nWE WILL REMAIN THE ULTIMATE GUARANTOR OF\nISRAEL'S FREEDOM.\nIF WE FALTER, THERE IS NO ONE TO PICK UP THE TORCH\nIF WE WITHDRAW INTO OURSELVES, THOSE WHO RELY ON US,\nTHOSE WHO GAIN THEIR STRENGTH FROM US, ARE LOST\n-37-\nBUT WE WILL NOT FALTER; WE WILL NOT WITHDRAW\nWE WILL REMAIN STEADFAST IN OUR DEDICATION\nTO PEACE AND TO THE SURVIVAL OF ISRAEL\n-38-\nTHERE MAY AT TIMES BE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN\nAMERICA AND ISRAEL OVER THE MEANS TO ACHIEVE MUTUAL GOALS\nBUT THERE HAS NOT AND WILL NOT BE ANY EROSION OF THE\nFUNDAMENTAL AMERICAN-ISRAELI FRIENDSHIP\nNOR WILL\nI FORSAKE THE GOAL OF PEACE OR THE MORAL COMMITMENT\nTO ISRAEL WHICH I NOW REAFFIRM\n-39-\nWITH THAT CONVICTION, I TONIGHT REITERATE\nTHE WORDS OF GEORGE WASHINGTON TO THE HEBREW CONGREGATION\nOF NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND TWO CENTURIES AGO\nTHE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES WILL CONTINUE \"TO GIVE\nTO BIGOTRY NO SANCTION, TO PERSECUTION, NO ASSISTANCE\nTHAT IS MY GOAL WORLDWIDE AS IT IS AT HOME\nTHANK YOU VERY MUCH\nEND OF TEXT"
}