New York, NY, October 25, 2023 – The leadership of the American Jewish Congress, including Jack Rosen, President; Dr. Munr Kazmir, Vice President; Daniel Rosen, Vice Chair; Dr. Ben Chouake, Secretary; and Michael Melnicke, Treasurer, released the following congratulatory statement:
“The American Jewish Congress congratulates Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) upon his election as the new Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
We sincerely appreciate Rep. Mike Johnson’s unequivocal stance on the State of Israel’s security needs and its right to defend itself, especially now that it continues to fight Hamas terror forces following the barbaric October 7 attack.
Needless to say, the American Jewish community is hurting, both from the onslaught against Jews perpetrated in Israel by Hamas, the worst massacre since the Holocaust, and the alarming rise in antisemitic threats and rhetoric here at home. That is why we find Rep. Johnson’s strong record on Israel and his firm condemnation of antisemitism especially reassuring.
As the next Speaker, we look forward to Rep. Johnson’s prioritization of security assistance for Israel, as our ally continues its campaign to neutralize the threat posed by Hamas and to deter other malign actors in the region, such as Iran and Hezbollah. Similarly, we urge Congress to continue its support for our ally Ukraine, as it continues to push back against Russia in its unjustified war of aggression. The House has always stood as a beacon of democracy, and at this critical juncture, it is more important than ever for it to continue standing with our democratic allies spearheading the fight against the forces of evil, terror, and authoritarianism.
The American Jewish Congress wishes Rep. Johnson success as he leads the U.S. House of Representatives in navigating the important challenges that our nation faces. We look forward to working with him and other congressional leaders to address the critical issues and threats in front of us.”
