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1253066
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10/12/76 - Remarks at the Yeshiva Institute; Brooklyn, New York
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1253066
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10/12/76 - Remarks at the Yeshiva Institute; Brooklyn, New York
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collections
President's Speeches and Statements Reading Copies (Ford Administration)
Reading Copies of Presidential Speeches and Statements
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New York
Israel
Terrorism
Arab Boycott
Speeches, addresses, etc.
Presidential campaign, 1976
Jews
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1253066
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12
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1976-10-12
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10
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1976
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12
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1976-10-12
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10
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1976
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The original documents are located in Box 39, "10/12/76 - Remarks at the Yeshiva
Institute; Brooklyn, New York" of the President's Speeches and Statements: Reading
Copies at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Digitized from Box 39 of President's
THANK YOU, SEN. JAVITS
Speeches and Statements:
Reading Copies at the
SEN. BUCKLEY
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
ATORNEY GENERAL LEFKOWITZ
CONG PEYSER/BENGILMAN
DICK ROSENBAUM
MR. GOLDSCHMIDT
MRS. ELiACH
MR. KLIEN
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
SV
THE PRESIDENT HAS SEEN
PRESIDENT'S REMARKS AT YESHIVA
INSTITUTE, FLATBUSH, NEW YORK
OCTOBER 12, 1976
-I-
I COMMEND THIS OUTSTANDING JEWISH INSTITUTION
AND, AND ESPECIALLY, THE CENTER FOR HOLOCAUST STUDIES
FROM THE GREATEST TRAGEDY OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE
CAME THE GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT OF THE JEWISH SPIRIT
THE REBIRTH OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL
-2-
THIS INSPIRES AMERICANS OF ALL FAITHS
THE JEWISH PEOPLE
ONCE TRAGIC VICTIMS
TODAY ARE A SYMBOL OF HUMAN
COURAGE
PRIDE
AND UNCONQUERABLE DETERMINATION
,
3-
WHEN I THINK OF THE TERRIBLE ATROCITIES OF
WORLD WAR TWO
WHEN I RECALL THAT GRIM AND MOVING DAY
WHEN I VISITED AUSCHWITZ
WHEN I THINK OF THE SIX MILLION
,
JEWISH MARTYRS AND OTHERS so BRUTALLY MURDERED
----
-4-
I REFLECT ON HOW FORTUNATE WE ARE TO BE CITIZENS OF A COUNTRY
WHICH EXALTS TRUST IN GOD AND THE GOD-GIVEN RIGHTS OF
EVERY PERSON TO LIFE
LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS
-5-
I WAS JUST PRESENTED WITH A SMALL LAPEL PIN
INSCRIBED WITH A HEBREW WORD.
"REMEMBER"
I WILL REMEMBER
GOD HAS BLESSED OUR GREAT LAND
WITH
THIS BLESSING GOES A GREAT RESPONSIBILITY
-6-
AS A FREE PEOPLE
WE MUST REMEMBER THAT THE PRICE OF
FREEDOM IS ETERNAL VIGILANCE
IN OUR LIFETIME
THERE HAS
BEEN MORE THAN ENOUGH TRAGEDY AND TERROR
MORE THAN ENOUGH
FANATICISM AND FEAR
-7-
MY ADMINISTRATION IS COMMITTED TO COMBAT
TERRORISM WORLDWIDE
I SHARED THE RELIEF
--
AND THE
PRIDE OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE LAST JULY 4th WHEN OUR
INDEPENDENCE DAY WAS GIVEN AN ADDED DIMENSION BY THE
HEROIC ISRAELI RESCUE OPERATION IN UGANDA
-8-
JUST AS I AM DETERMINED TO FIGHT TERRORISM
THROUGHOUT THE WORLD , I WILL DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER
TO FIGHT TERRORISM IN OUR OWN STREETS AND NEIGHBORHOODS
IN NEW YORK AND THROUGHOUT THE NATION
THERE HAVE BEEN
TOO MANY MUGGINGS AND TOO MANY MURDERS
-9-
THE TIME HAS COME TO LOCK UP THOSE WHO MAKE A CAREER OF
CRIME AND TO GIVE THE STREETS BACK TO THE PEOPLE
WE ARE DEDICATED TO AMERICAN RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
-10-
BUT RELIGIOUS FREEDOM MEANS LITTLE IF PEOPLE
CANNOT WALK IN SAFETY TO THEIR SYNAGOGUES AND CHURCHES
CANNOT FEEL SECURE IN THEIR OWN STREETS AND NEIGHBORHOODS
AND CANNOT BE SURE THAT SOCIETY IS AS DEVOTED TO THE RIGHTS
OF THE VICTIM AS TO THE RIGHTS OF THE CRIMINAL
-11-
A FREE PEOPLE MUST NEVER CAPITULATE TO TERRORISM
WHETHER AT FOREIGN AIRPORTS OR IN OUR OWN STREETS
I AM IN FLATBUSH TODAY TO REAFFIRM THAT
NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES LIKE THIS ARE THE LIFEBLOOD
OF AMERICA
-12-
LET US EXPAND AND ENCOURAGE THE VALUES INHERENT IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS AND IN OUR TRADITIONS
AMERICA'S FUTURE
REQUIRES TRADITIONAL COMMON SENSE,
NOT RADICAL
EXPERIMENTATION AT YOUR PERSONAL EXPENSE
-13-
WE MUST CHERISH AND PRESERVE OUR RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS,
THE
FAMILY
THE HOME AND THE RICH HERITAGE OF MANY CULTURES IN
NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGHOUT AMERICA
THE UNITED STATES IS SOUND
WE ARE SECURE
WE ARE ON THE MARCH TO FULL ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND A BETTER
LIFE FOR ALL AMERICANS
-14-
BUT AMERICA'S SALVATION WILL NOT BE FOUND IN EXPENSIVE
NEW PROGRAMS FINANCED BY YOU WHO PAY THE TAXES AND OBEY
THE LAWS
IN THE NAME OF JUSTICE FOR SOME
WE MUST NOT DO
INJUSTICE TO OTHERS
-15-
I AM AGAINST ARBITRARY QUOTAS IN HIRING AND
EDUCATION
INDIVIDUAL MERIT MUST BE REWARDED
OPPORTUNITIES SHOULD BE OPEN TO ALL AMERICANS ON AN EQUAL
BASIS
I TODAY RENEW MY PLEDGE TO BE PRESIDENT OF ALL THE
PEOPLE
NOT WITH WILD PROMISES AND VAGUE PLANS
BUT WITH
A PROVEN RECORD OF PERFORMANCE
-I5a-
THE ARAB BOYCOTT HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE SINCE 1952 --
AND I HAVE OPPOSED IT SINCE 1952
OUR MORAL AND LEGAL
OPPOSITION TO THE ARAB BOYCOTT IS BEING MADE FORCEFULLY CLEAR,
NOT ONLY TO FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS
BUT TO THE AMERICAN BUSINESS
COMMUNITY
-15b-
LAST WEEK I ORDERED THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE TO
MAKE PUBLIC EVERY INSTANCE IN WHICH ARAB BOYCOTT DEMANDS
ARE RECEIVED FROM NOW ON BY AMERICAN COMPANIES
SUCH DISCLOSURE WILL ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO MONITOR THE RESPONSE
OF BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY
-15c-
I HAVE NOT AND WILL NOT TOLERATE THE TRANSLATION
OF FOREIGN RELIGIOUS PREJUDICE INTO DOMESTIC DISCRIMINATION
AGAINST AMERICAN CITIZENS.
-15d-
I AM PROUD TO BE THE FIRST PRESIDENT TO TAKE STRONG
EXECUTIVE ACTION TO COMBAT THE BOYCOTT.
IN MARCH, 1975,
I INITIATED THE FIRST COMPREHENSIVE WHITE HOUSE REVIEW OF THE
BOYCOTT PROBLEM
-15e-
MY ACTION LED,
IN NOVEMBER, 1975, TO A SERIES OF EXECUTIVE
ORDERS THAT I ISSUED SPECIFICALLY TO COMBAT RELIGIOUS
DISCRIMINATION AGAINST AMERICAN CITIZENS
-15f-
DURING THE 25 YEARS I SERVED IN THE CONGRESS,
I ACTED
AS YOU KNOW
-
ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS TO BRING
AMERICA'S ATTENTION TO THE PLIGHT OF SOVIET JEWRY
-15g-
AS PRESIDENT, I AM PRESSING FOR NEW MOVEMENT ON THE ISSUE
OF EMIGRATION OF JEWS FROM THE SOVIET UNION
I RAISED THIS
QUESTION PERSONALLY WITH GENERAL SECRETARY BREZHNEV
}--
AND I WILL RAISE IT AGAIN AND AGAIN
-15h-
IT IS IMMORAL FOR ANY NATION EITHER TO DOMINATE
OTHER NATIONS OR TO DOMINATE THE RELIGIOUS LIFE AND ELEMENTARY
HUMAN RIGHTS OF ITS OWN CITIZENS
-16-
FROM THE TIME I FIRST RAN FOR CONGRESS IN 1948,
I RECOGNIZED THAT A STRONG ISRAEL IS ESSENTIAL TO THE CAUSE
OF PEACE AND TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY OF THE UNITED STATES
I AM PROUD OF MY RECORD
IT IS AS OLD AS THE STATE OF
ISRAEL
YOU KNOW WHERE I STAND
-17-
I STAND FIRM IN MY COMMITMENT TO ISRAEL
I AM PROUD THAT OUR DELEGATION AT THE UNITED NATIONS
HAS FOUGHT AND WILL FIGHT ANY MEASURE THAT CONDEMNS ZIONISM
AS RACISM OR WOULD DENY ISRAEL HER FULL RIGHTS OF UNITED
NATIONS MEMBERSHIP
-18-
AMERICA'S POLICY OF PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH HAS
PROVEN ITSELF IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD
NOBODY QUESTIONS OUR DEDICATION TO PEACE
AND NOBODY
MUST DOUBT MY WILLINGNESS TO USE OUR STRENGTH WHEN AMERICA'S
VITAL INTERESTS ARE AT STAKE
-19-
A STRONG DEFENSE IS THE BEST INSURANCE FOR PEACE
BUT OUR STRENGTH HAS NEVER RESTED UPON ARMS ALONE
IT IS ROOTED IN OUR COMMITMENT TO THE HIGHEST STANDARDS
OF ETHICS AND MORALITY
-20-
AS PRESIDENT, , I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT PEACE IN THE
MIDDLE EAST HAS BEEN ENHANCED BY THE TRUST WE HAVE ELICITED
ON BOTH SIDES
ISRAEL'S FUTURE IS CERTAINLY BRIGHTER
TODAY THAN IT WAS BEFORE I BECAME PRESIDENT
-21-
IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, THE FORCES OF MODERATION
IN THE MIDDLE EAST HAVE GROWN STRONGER
THE AREA'S
EXTREMISTS AND TERRORISTS ARE ON THE DEFENSIVE
-22-
PRIME MINISTER RABIN
WHO HAS BEEN MY PERSONAL
,
FRIEND SINCE HE WAS AMBASSADOR HERE WHEN I SERVED IN
CONGRESS
SAID RECENTLY THAT RELATIONS BETWEEN OUR
,
TWO COUNTRIES ARE AT A PEAK
-23-
THE FUNDS FOR ISRAEL IN MY FIRST TWO YEARS IN
OFFICE TOTALLED OVER 4.3 BILLION DOLLARS
FORTY PERCENT OF THE TOTAL AMERICAN AID TO ISRAEL SINCE
1948 WAS AUTHORIZED DURING THE FORD ADMINISTRATION
-24-
OUR SUPPORT OF ISRAEL
:
WITH WEAPONS
NOT WORDS
WAS SUMMED UP BY ISRAEL'S PRIME MINISTER RABIN
,
WHO SAID THAT "THE MARGIN BETWEEN WHAT WE WANT AND
WHAT WE GET IS VERY SMALL."
-25-
ISRAELI STRENGTH ENHANCES THE PROSPECT FOR PEACE
I REAFFIRM TODAY THAT, AS WE PURSUE PEACE, THERE
WILL BE NO IMPOSED SOLUTION
-26-
THERE WILL BE NO ONE-SIDED CONCESSIONS
I HAVE MET WITH PRIME MINISTER RABIN AND OTHER
ISRAELI LEADERS IN WASHINGTON SINCE I BECAME PRESIDENT
-27-
IN MY NEXT TERM I INTEND TO VISIT ISRAEL AND OTHER
MIDDLE EASTERN COUNTRIES WHENEVER SUCH A TRIP WOULD
CONTRIBUTE MOST TO A JUST AND LASTING SETTLEMENT
-28-
MY RECORD AS A FRIEND OF ISRAEL SPEAKS FOR ITSELF
MY RECORD IS ONE OF REALISM,
NOT RHETORIC
MY RECORD IS ONE OF EXPERIENCE
NOT EXPEDIENCY
MY RECORD IS ONE OF PERFORMANCE
NOT PROMISES.
-29-
I RECALL THE TIMELESS QUESTION ASKED BY A GREAT
JEWISH PROPHET
"WHAT DOTH THE LORD REQUIRE OF THEE,
BUT TO DO JUSTLY, AND TO LOVE MERCY, AND WALK HUMBLY WITH
THY GOD?"
-30-
AS I VISIT WITH CITIZENS LIKE YOURSELVES,
AND NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE THIS, I AM REASSURED BY THE GOODNESS
OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA -- A NATION WHICH STRIVES
TO DO JUSTLY AND TO LOVE MERCY
-31-
LET US WALK HUMBLY TOGETHER,
IN BROTHERHOOD
WITH GOD
AS OUR GUIDE
THANK YOU VERY MUCH
SHALOM
END OF TEXT