On March 12, the JCRC and Jewish Community Federation of Richmond hosted Virginia Delegate David Owen for a special presentation of a House of Delegates Resolution passed this year.
Delegate Owen presented the JCRC/JCFR with a copy of Resolution – HR572 – Commending the Jewish Community in Virginia, which passed the House of Delegates in a voice vote on Feb. 10.
Del. Owen was Chief Patron of the special resolution.
He read the full Resolution to the JCRC committee members at the JCFR office and answered questions, noting that he was pleased to work on the Resolution during the session.
CEO Daniel Staffenberg said, “We are thankful to Delegate Owen for standing with our community during these difficult days post October 7.”
The Resolution in part, stated:
WHEREAS, the Jewish community in Virginia has been an integral part of the Commonwealth’s history and has made significant contributions to the social, cultural, economic, and scientific advancements of the Commonwealth, including leadership in civil rights, education, medicine, and public service; and
WHEREAS, the Jewish community has played a critical role in the advancement of human rights in the United States, including through the founding of key civil rights organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League to combat hatred and discrimination, the co-founding of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and their service as leaders within the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, which coordinated advocacy for the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; and
WHEREAS, Jewish individuals … have courageously stood alongside other minority groups in the fight for equality, demonstrating the Jewish principle of tikkun olam, or repairing the world, as a moral imperative; and WHEREAS, the Jewish community has contributed to the founding of modern social work and to groundbreaking scientific, artistic, and cultural achievements; notably, despite comprising less than 0.2 percent of the global population, Jewish individuals have been awarded approximately 20 percent of Nobel Prizes, reflecting their substantial contributions to science, literature, and peace efforts …
For more on JCRC, reach out to JCRC Director Sam Richardson at srichardson@jewishrichmond.org.
