ZIONIST ORGANIZATION OF AMERICA NEWS RELEASE   Speaker of the House Mike Johnson Headlined ZOA’s Speak Out for Israel Dinner Also Featured: Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt, Rep. Lee Zeldin, Rep. Elise Stefanik, Dr. Miri Adelson, Dr. Kiron Skinner, Mike Huckabee (Video Interview with Mort Klein) The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) held its star-studded Speak Out for Israel Gala dinner in New York City on Sunday December 3, 2023 at NYC’s Marriott Marquis hotel. Eminent speakers and the enthusiastic crowd sent a strong message that the American Jewish community and all decent Americans deeply care about our Jewish brothers and sisters in Israel and on American streets and campuses, and that we will ultimately prevail over our current difficult circumstances. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson received the Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson Defender of Israel Award after he was introduced to the cheering crowd by the Chair of the Republican Conference, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik and philanthropist and great friend of ZOA, Dr. Miriam Adelson. The Mistress of Ceremonies, award-winning broadcaster Rita Cosby and others lauded Speaker Johnson for his first acts as Speaker: overwhelmingly passing bipartisan pro-Israel House resolution, H. Res. 771, condemning Hamas’ brutal war against Israel, standing with Israel, and urging full enforcement of the Taylor Force Law and U.S. sanctions against Iran; and passing H.R. 6126, a bipartisan $14.3 billion stand-alone emergency aid bill for Israel. (Senate Democrats have been blocking a Senate vote on this vitally important stand-alone Israel aid bill.) Speaker Johnson spoke of the horrors and heartbreak of Hamas’ atrocities and the shameful, unprecedented level of attacks that American Jews and Jewish students are experiencing. He rightly condemned “members of Congress who routinely use the rhetoric of genocidal terrorists, giving them legitimacy.” Speaker Johnson made it clear: “We know from the river to the sea is an explicit call for genocide of the Jewish people,” and called for boldly countering this, “We must meet them with force when necessary, and it is necessary right now.” Importantly, Speaker Johnson vowed that “we will continue to pressure the Senate and administration” to pass the stand-alone aid bill to Israel, which the House had swiftly passed. Speaker Johnson also presented a news flash that the Speaker of Israel’s Knesset, Amir Ohana, invited Speaker Johnson to address the Knesset, and that Speaker Johnson plans to do so soon. Speaker Johnson also assured us: “We will stand with Israel until this is resolved, until every hostage is returned and the threats against Israel cease to exist.” Senator Eric Schmitt, a great U.S. Senator and Zionist from Missouri, was presented with the Steven Sass Righteous Friend of Zion Award by ZOA President Morton Klein. Mr. Klein praised Senator Schmitt for fighting against Biden’s ignoring sanctions on Iran; joining ZOA in opposing the appointment of Iran-deal-promoter Jack Lew as U.S. ambassador to Israel; making clear that aid to Israel should not be linked to $62 billion to Ukraine; and cosponsoring every major pro-Israel legislation. Senator Schmitt emphasized the continuing daily existential threat Israel faces: Hamas’ atrocities – raping, torturing, brutally murdering innocent civilians, throwing grenades into rooms with children – must never be forgotten and must be answered. Senator Schmitt noted: “Hamas’ mission statement is to murder every Jew. Israel has every right to completely and utterly eradicate Hamas, and the U.S. has to give them the diplomatic and other support they need to do it. . . . Israel needs our support now more than ever. We will work to assure Israel gets everything it needs.” Senator Schmitt also condemned the unabashed antisemitism on college campuses, and the poisonous concepts such as DEI and CRT which foster antisemitism. Former Congressman Lee Zeldin was presented with the Myron Zimmerman Award for Pro-Israel Activism and was introduced and warmly praised for his great work in Congress by philanthropist and ZOA Board member Myron Zimmerman. Congressman Zeldin declared: “I’m proud to be here as a friend and ally of Israel. My great grandfather was a rabbi who worked with ZOA generations ago.” He explained: “The real test of friendship is when times are tough” – such as when the Obama administration tried to pass the flawed Iran deal; and enabled the passage in 2016 of a “UN resolution to ethnically cleanse Judea/Samaria of Jews”; and when ZOA comes to members of Congress after October 7, Congressman Zeldin explained that a true friend does whatever he possibly can do to aid Israel and to make sure that action is taken when students are threatened. Congressman Zeldin also thanked and praised ZOA for being the “tip of the spear” and thanked the crowd for supporting ZOA. At the outset of the evening’s program, MC Rita Cosby stated: Tonight is about standing up and speaking out.” MC Cosby also declared: “I thank ZOA and Mort Klein for all the education work they are doing, to change generations,” and commended all the students from Columbia, NYU and elsewhere at the ZOA dinner. Attorney Edward Lewis was presented with the Justice Louis D. Brandeis Award by Morton Klein. Mort praised Mr. Lewis for, among other things, bringing members of Congress to become pro-Israel. Mr. Lewis encouraged and praised ZOA, saying: “There is no other organization like ZOA. I’m so humbled to be here this evening. We are under attack. In my lifetime, I’ve never seen antisemitism higher than it is now. We need to start telling people that CRT and other woke ideologies they are teaching to our kids are no good. . . . Mort Klein does amazing things; each one of you does amazing things. Now is the time to say, I am Jewish and proud of It. It’s not going to get easier. . . . Speak up; be proud; be ZOA.” Philanthropists and pro-Israel activists Melanie and Professor Gerald Shreiber were presented with the Justice Louis D. Brandeis Award. Melanie Shreiber described how her husband grew up facing being called antisemitic epithets and yet developed an enormous sense of Jewish pride. Mrs. Shreiber praised ZOA for providing her with information, pamphlets and books to aid her in advocating for Israel, and described meeting Mort Klein when he spoke at a Jewish day school in San Francisco. She noted: “For Jews and lovers of Zion, this is a heartrending time. For those who abandoned us, shame on you. For those who stood with us, bless you. We are a light that can never be dimmed. We are so grateful for this award ,and will cherish it forever.” Professor Shreiber also praised his wonderful wife, and declared: “I am proud to be a Jew; I am proud to be an American. I am proud to be a Jew in America.”   CONTINUE READING   DONATE     Share This Email Share This Email Copyright © Zionist Organization of America 2023, All rights reserved. Zionist Organization of America | 633 Third Ave, 31 B, New York, NY 10017 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected]