House Passes Resolution Celebrating Jewish American Heritage, Condemns Antisemitism Amid Soaring Hate Crimes

By: Fern Sidman

In a powerful and nearly unanimous show of support, the House of Representatives passed a resolution on Wednesday honoring Jewish American Heritage Month and called on elected officials at every level to take a public stand against antisemitism. As reported by the Jewish News Syndicate (JNS), the resolution passed 421-1, with only Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) voting against it.

Spearheaded by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), the resolution both celebrates the deep contributions of Jewish Americans to the United States and recognizes the urgent need to confront rising levels of antisemitism across the country.

“It is a resolution that highlights the enduring contributions of Jewish Americans to our country,” Wasserman Schultz said on the House floor. She first introduced the resolution in 2005, leading to President George W. Bush proclaiming the inaugural Jewish American Heritage Month in 2006. Since then, it has become a yearly occasion to acknowledge Jewish achievements and promote understanding of Jewish life in America.

So proud to lead @HouseDemocrats in recognizing Jewish American Heritage Month!

As Jews, we have a long-standing commitment to tikkun olam – to repair the world – and we take great pride on the impact we have made for generations. pic.twitter.com/xcPWcF4ZXX

— Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (@RepDWStweets) May 16, 2025

According to the information provided in the JNS report, the resolution honored a wide range of Jewish innovators, inventors, and cultural figures whose contributions have shaped American society. These included Irving Naxon, inventor of the slow cooker; Sylvan Goldman, inventor of the shopping cart; Edwin Land, who created the Polaroid camera; Ruth Handler, creator of the Barbie doll and founder of Mattel; Ralph Baer, the pioneering mind behind the first multiplayer video game console; and actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr, whose innovations made technologies like Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth possible.

“As Jews, we have a long-standing commitment to tikkun olam—a commitment to repair the world,” Wasserman Schultz stated passionately. “We take great pride regarding the impact we have made on so many generations of Americans.”

JNS reported that the resolution came at a time of alarmingly high levels of antisemitism, with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) recording 9,354 incidents of assault, harassment, and vandalism in 2024—the highest since the organization began tracking such data 46 years ago. The rise in antisemitic attacks has coincided with global unrest surrounding Israel’s military conflict with Hamas and a growing wave of anti-Zionist demonstrations on college campuses and in public discourse.

“This House, elected officials at the state and local level, faith leaders, community leaders and university administrators all have an obligation to confront antisemitism,” said Rep. Derek Schmidt (R-Kan.) during the debate, echoing the resolution’s call to action.

However, the unity was briefly disrupted by a sharp exchange between Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin (Md.) and Republican Rep. Randy Fine (Fla.), both of whom are Jewish. Raskin took the opportunity to highlight what he characterized as selective condemnation of antisemitism, citing President Donald Trump’s controversial appointment of Ed Martin to the U.S. Department of Justice. Martin had previously praised Timothy Hale-Cusanelli, a convicted Jan. 6 insurrectionist known for espousing neo-Nazi views and even posing as Adolf Hitler.

“We must insist that men like Ed Martin and his antisemitic associates and friends have no place representing the people of the United States in our government,” Raskin said, according to JNS. “We must pay more than lip service to the idea of fighting antisemitism.”

Rep. Fine responded that while the resolution was meant to build bipartisan unity in the fight against antisemitism, it was not the appropriate moment for what he described as “partisan potshots.”

“Antisemitism doesn’t have a monopoly on either party. Both have it,” Fine acknowledged. “But where we fight together to take it on and not to take shots, we actually begin to solve the problem.”

Raskin replied pointedly, “If a discussion of antisemitism and the contributions of Jewish Americans is not an appropriate time to talk about antisemitism in the government, I wonder what is.”

The JNS report noted that the heated exchange highlighted ongoing tensions around how best to address antisemitism in a deeply polarized political landscape. Yet, the overwhelming passage of the resolution itself was a significant bipartisan signal, with 421 members voting in favor.

Rep. Massie, the sole dissenter, has previously been the only “no” vote on other bills aimed at countering antisemitic behavior or restricting participation in boycotts against Israel. The report at JNS indicated that he has also opposed legislation to prevent compliance with boycotts led by international governmental organizations such as the United Nations—a stance that has drawn criticism from pro-Israel groups and Jewish civil rights advocates.

Jewish American Heritage Month serves not only as a celebration of achievements but as a platform for education and vigilance. With antisemitism on the rise across sectors—from universities and political institutions to public demonstrations—the resolution calls on all segments of society to act, not merely in symbolic solidarity, but with tangible resolve.

As JNS emphasized in its coverage, the vote stands as both a recognition of Jewish Americans’ indispensable role in the nation’s story and a sober acknowledgment of the challenges they continue to face.