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323154679
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Hanukkah Ceremony 12/12/90 [OA 4424]
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323154679
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Hanukkah Ceremony 12/12/90 [OA 4424]
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13880-016
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Records of the White House Office of Speechwriting (George H. W. Bush Administration)
Mary Kate Grant Subject Files
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Originally Processed With FOIA(s):
FOIA Number:
S
FOIA
MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the George Bush Presidential
Library Staff.
Record Group/Collection:
George H.W. Bush Presidential Records
Collection/Office of Origin:
Speechwriting, White House Office of
Series:
Grant, Mary Kate, Files
Subseries:
Subject File, 1988-1991
OA/ID Number:
13880
Folder ID Number:
13880-016
Folder Title:
Hanukkah Ceremony, 12/12/90
Stack:
Row:
Section:
Shelf:
Position:
G
19
2
7
5
Administration of George Bush, 1990 / Dec. 12
Dr. Henderson graduated from Oberlin
tinued for your people through the centur-
so
College (A.B., 1950), University of Roches-
ies. In fact, the first wave of Jewish immi-
ter School of Medicine (M.D., 1954), and
grants came to this country as early as 1654
Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene
to live a life free from intolerance and per-
in
and Public Health (M.P.H., 1960). He was
secution.
office
born September 7, 1928, in Cleveland, OH.
Two hundred years ago, George Washing-
Dr. Henderson served as a commissioned
ton wrote a letter to a Jewish congregation
officer for the U.S. Public Health Service,
in Newport, Rhode Island, in which he said,
the
1955-1977. Dr. Henderson is married, has
the United States Government would give
three children, and resides in Baltimore,
"to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no
erifi-
MD.
assistance." In this new country, Washing-
ton said, "Everyone shall sit in safety under
his own vine and fig tree and there shall be
none to make him afraid." These words
Remarks on the Observance of
embody the American ideal of freedom of
son
Hanukkah
worship, an ideal that we reaffirm here
today and that we pass on to the genera-
December 12, 1990
tions that follow us.
Thank you, rabbis, for those lovely words
I understand that these kids-I guess
and for the gift of this lovely menorah. It's
you're next-are going to sing for us. I'm
wonderful to see the students-the Gesher
looking forward to it. I know Barbara is,
Jewish Day School. I'm so glad you could
and I know Marilyn and I know Dan are as
S inten-
join us all here today to sing. You haven't
well. I was pretty good last year at this
rson, of
sung yet, have you? [Laughter] Oh, good,
game, reidel. Some said it was beginner's
ctor of
because I didn't want to miss that.
luck, but I'm ready for that. Also, I'm rely-
y Policy
Let me say that Barbara and I and Mari-
ing heavily on my partner here to prevail.
di James
lyn and Dan Quayle want to just welcome
[Laughter] He's a pro in this. So, why don't
everybody here to the White House, for the
we just have a few songs, and then we'll
erved as
second year of these Hanukkah celebra-
have a little match here.
ogy and
tions. It's a holiday of hope, for it shows us
But the main thing is, thank you for
Hopkins
the glory of God in our own lives and the
coming. Thank you for coming here to the
h in Bal-
power of miracles in the world. Last year at
White House at this very special time of
I as chief
this ceremony, we spoke of our efforts to
year. And thank you, rabbis, for your inspi-
tion pro-
help Vladimir Raiz and other brave refuse-
rational words, your prayers, and being
zation in
niks-help them leave the Soviet Union. By
with us here today, too. And Happy Hanuk-
In addi-
Passover, Vladimir was a free man. But the
kah to everyone. Now, let the show begin.
the Com-
story really doesn't stop there. In addition
Depart-
to Zev Rais, more than 150,000 Soviet Jews
Velfare in
emigrated this year to new homes, new
Note: The President spoke at 11:45 a.m. in
smallpox
lives of liberty and dignity.
Room 450 of the Old Executive Office
chief of
In fact, I am told that one kid, one child
Building. A tape was not available for veri-
demiology
with us today from the Gesher Jewish Day
fication of the content of these remarks.
of epide-
School, Lidia Shestopalova-where's Lidia?
Epidemic
Here she is, right there. Now, Lidia, if
chief of
that's-oh, I'm so glad you're here. But she
ce and as-
recently arrived from the Soviet Union.
idemiology
And so, we welcome you to this country,
it chief of
and we continue to pray for all those who
ice, 1955-
are seeking freedom. Thank you Lidia.
Executive Order 12736-Adjustments
the Mary
Now, sit down and be relaxed here. We're
of Certain Rates of Pay and Allowances
operstown,
so glad you're here. And you're so beautiful.
December 12, 1990
1954-1955,
The ancient story of the first Hanukkah is
1-1955. In
one of victory over persecution, aggression,
By the authority vested in me as Presi-
the Na-
and intolerance. But the struggle has con-
dent by the Constitution and laws of the
2021
HANUKKAH CEREMONY \ ROOM 450
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1990 \ 11:30 A.M.
THANK YOU, RABBIS, FOR THE GIFT OF THIS LOVELY
MENORAH. AND IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE THAT THE STUDENTS
OF GESHER JEWISH DAY SCHOOL COULD JOIN US TODAY TO SING
FOR US. BARBARA AND I -- AS WELL AS THE VICE PRESIDENT
AND MRS. QUAYLE -- WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYONE TO
THE WHITE HOUSE FOR THE SECOND YEAR OF OUR WHITE HOUSE
HANUKKAH CELEBRATIONS.
- 2 -
HANUKKAH IS A HOLIDAY OF HOPE, FOR IT SHOWS US THE
GLORY OF GOD IN OUR OWN LIVES AND THE POWER OF MIRACLES
IN THE WORLD. LAST YEAR AT THIS CEREMONY, WE SPOKE OF
OUR EFFORTS TO HELP VLADIMIR RAIZ [RY-EEZ] AND OTHER
BRAVE REFUSENIKS LEAVE THE SOVIET UNION. BY PASSOVER,
HE WAS A FREE MAN.
BUT THE STORY DOESN'T STOP THERE -- IN ADDITION TO
ZEV RAIZ, MORE THAN 150,000 SOVIET JEWS EMIGRATED THIS
YEAR, TO NEW HOMES AND NEW LIVES OF LIBERTY AND
DIGNITY.
- 3 -
IN FACT, I UNDERSTAND TWO CHILDREN WITH US TODAY
FROM THE GESHER JEWISH DAY SCHOOL, LIDIA [LID-JA]
SHESTOPALOVA [SHESS-TOE-PA-LOW-VA] AND ALEX VEYTSMAN
[VITES-MAN] HAVE RECENTLY ARRIVED FROM THE SOVIET
UNION. As WE WELCOME YOU TO THIS COUNTRY, WE CONTINUE
TO PRAY FOR ALL THOSE STILL SEEKING FREEDOM.
- 4 -
THE ANCIENT STORY OF THE FIRST HANUKKAH IS ONE OF
VICTORY OVER PERSECUTION, AGGRESSION, AND INTOLERANCE
-- BUT THE STRUGGLE HAS CONTINUED FOR YOUR PEOPLE
THROUGH THE CENTURIES. IN FACT, THE FIRST WAVE OF
JEWISH IMMIGRANTS CAME TO THIS COUNTRY -- AS EARLY AS
1654 -- TO LIVE A LIFE FREE FROM INTOLERANCE AND
PERSECUTION.
- 5 -
Two HUNDRED YEARS AGO, GEORGE WASHINGTON WROTE A
LETTER TO A JEWISH CONGREGATION IN NEWPORT, RHODE
ISLAND, IN WHICH HE SAID THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
WOULD GIVE "To BIGOTRY NO SANCTION, TO PERSECUTION NO
ASSISTANCE." IN THIS NEW COUNTRY, WASHINGTON SAID,
"EVERY ONE SHALL SIT IN SAFETY UNDER HIS OWN VINE AND
FIG TREE, AND THERE SHALL BE NONE TO MAKE HIM AFRAID.'
THESE WORDS EMBODY THE AMERICAN IDEAL OF FREEDOM OF
WORSHIP, AN IDEAL THAT WE REAFFIRM HERE TODAY AND THAT
WE PASS ON TO THE GENERATIONS TO FOLLOW US.
- 6 -
I UNDERSTAND THESE CHILDREN ARE READY TO SING FOR
US, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. ONE WORD OF
WARNING: I WAS PRETTY GOOD LAST YEAR WITH THE
DREYDEL -- PURELY BEGINNER'S LUCK. THIS YEAR, HOWEVER,
I'VE BEEN PRACTICING.
So LET'S HEAR A FEW SONGS AND THEN, I'LL TAKE ON
ALL COMERS. // AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR COMING TO THE
WHITE HOUSE, AND THANKS TO THE GESHER JEWISH DAY SCHOOL
FOR ENTERTAINING US. HAPPY HANUKKAH TO EVERYONE.
###
Grant/Grossman
December 7, 1990
9 a.m.
A:HANUKKAH
BRIEF REMARKS: HANUKKAH CEREMONY
ROOM 450
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1990
11:30 A.M.
((Acknowledgements))
Thank you, Rabbi [name] for the gift of this lovely Menorah.
Barbara and I would like to welcome everyone to the White House,
[especially the Synagogue Council of America], again this year
for our Hanukkah celebration. Tradition is very important to our
family, and this ceremony is one tradition we've started that I
hope to see continued for many years at the White House.
Hanukkah is a holiday of hope, for it shows us the glory of
God in our own lives and the power of miracles in the world.
Last year at this ceremony, we spoke of our efforts to help
Vladimir Raiz and other brave refuseniks leave the Soviet Union.
By Passover, he was a free man.
But the story doesn't stop there -- in addition to Zev Raiz,
more than 150,000 Soviet Jews emigrated this year, to new homes
and new lives of liberty and dignity. In fact, I understand two
children with us today from the [school] have recently arrived
from the Soviet Union. As we welcome you to this country, we
also thank God for delivering thousands of Jews from repression
this year -- and we continue to pray for all those still seeking
freedom.
Throughout the world, freedom has been on the march, most
especially in Eastern Europe. And while lately the peace and
2
stability of all nations have been threatened by a lone
aggressor, we are thankful nonetheless for the great strides
toward democracy and liberty taken by people around the world,
over the course of this year. The candles of the Menorah attest
to the wonder of faith and the triumph of freedom, and its flame
should inspire people everywhere.
The ancient story of the first Hanukkah is one of victory
over persecution, aggression, and intolerance -- but the struggle
has continued for your people through the centuries. In fact, the
first wave of Jewish immigrants came to this country -- as early
as 1654 -- to live a life free from intolerance and persecution.
Two hundred years ago, George Washington wrote a letter to a
Jewish congregation in Newport, Rhode Island in which he gave "to
bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance." In this new
country, he said, "Every one shall sit in safety under his own
vine and fig tree and there shall be none to make him afraid."
Washington's words embody the American ideal of freedom of
worship, an ideal that we reaffirm here today and that we pass on
to the generations to follow us.
I understand these children are ready to sing for us, SO I
don't want to hold up the show. But let me add this final
thought -- there's an old Jewish saying: "The pleasures we get
from children are far more precious than gold." Seeing so many
young, happy faces proves those words true. One word of warning:
I was pretty good last year with the draedel -- purely beginner's
luck. This year, however, I've been practicing.
3
Happy Hanukkah to everyone. Again, thank you for coming to
the White House, and thanks to the [name of school] for
entertaining us. Let's hear a few songs and then, let the games
begin.
# # #