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1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION 500
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2 | WHEREAS, 2013 marks the 170th anniversary of B'nai B'rith | ||||||
3 | International; and
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4 | WHEREAS, The organization was founded on the Lower East | ||||||
5 | Side of New York to improve the lives of new German Jewish | ||||||
6 | immigrants to America; and
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7 | WHEREAS, B'nai B'rith is the oldest service organization | ||||||
8 | founded in the United States and has an unparalleled record of | ||||||
9 | aiding humanity in communities throughout the United States and | ||||||
10 | more than 50 other nations (the American Red Cross, which was | ||||||
11 | founded 38 years later, was co-founded by a B'nai B'rith | ||||||
12 | member); and
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13 | WHEREAS, B'nai B'rith has provided over $100 million in | ||||||
14 | cash, medical equipment, and supplies to victims of disasters | ||||||
15 | worldwide since 1868; and | ||||||
16 | WHEREAS, B'nai B'rith is a strong and vocal advocate for | ||||||
17 | the promotion of the State of Israel and has had an active | ||||||
18 | presence in Israel since 1888; and
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19 | WHEREAS, B'nai B'rith has had an active presence as an NGO | ||||||
20 | at the United Nations since its founding and is the only Jewish |
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1 | NGO with full-time representation at the United Nations in New | ||||||
2 | York and its agencies in Europe and Latin America; and
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3 | WHEREAS, B'nai B'rith is America's largest Jewish sponsor | ||||||
4 | of federally-funded housing for seniors with limited income, | ||||||
5 | provides safe, comfortable, and affordable housing for seniors | ||||||
6 | without regard for race, religion, and ethnicity, and has an | ||||||
7 | international network of senior living facilities; and | ||||||
8 | WHEREAS, B'nai B'rith is widely acclaimed as a forceful | ||||||
9 | advocate for senior citizens, with a special emphasis on | ||||||
10 | protecting Social Security and Medicare and in supporting | ||||||
11 | health care reform for all; and
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12 | WHEREAS, B'nai B'rith has a 100-year record of commitment | ||||||
13 | to cultural diversity, tolerance, and understanding, | ||||||
14 | complemented by the Diverse Minds Youth Writing Challenge, | ||||||
15 | through which high school students write and illustrate books; | ||||||
16 | B'nai B'rith publishes the books for elementary school | ||||||
17 | children, teaching them the values of tolerance and diversity; | ||||||
18 | and
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19 | WHEREAS, B'nai B'rith members in local communities provide | ||||||
20 | countless hours of service to local projects to better the | ||||||
21 | communities in which they live; and
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1 | WHEREAS, The B'nai B'rith International president, Mr. | ||||||
2 | Allan J. Jacobs, is a resident of Lake Forest; therefore, be it
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3 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | ||||||
4 | NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
5 | we designate October 13, 2013 as B'nai B'rith Day in the State | ||||||
6 | of Illinois.
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