A group of American Jewish leaders released an open letter on Thursday marking the United States’ 250th anniversary and expressing gratitude for the country’s role in enabling Jewish life to thrive.
The letter, titled “Grateful Are We: An American Jewish Declaration for America’s 250th,” says the U.S. “did not merely tolerate Jewish life, but made possible its flourishing.”
Among the signatories are former U.S. special antisemitism envoy Deborah Lipstadt, Conference of Presidents CEO William Daroff, American Jewish Committee CEO Ted Deutch, Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt, Jewish Federations of North America CEO Eric Fingerhut, Orthodox Union Advocacy Center Executive Director Nathan Diament and AIPAC President Bernard Kaminetsky.
“Here, Jewish immigrants arrived with little and built lives of dignity. Here, Jewish communities established synagogues, schools, charities, businesses and institutions of civic life,” the declaration states. “Here, Jews rose not because success was guaranteed, but because freedom made striving possible.
“We are proud to contribute to helping America more fully realize the promise of a more perfect union,” it concludes. “Grateful are we. Committed are we. Hopeful are we. God bless America.”
