United States President, Joe Biden on Thursday met with more than a thousand Jewish faith leaders virtually, to mark the beginning of the Jewish holidays.
Gatekeepers News reports that Biden, during the virtual event, vowed to fight anti-Semitism.
“If we walk away from ‘Never Again,’ it’s going to happen again,” the American President said.
“Since I became an elected official, on the 16th birthday of each of my children I put them on a plane and take them to Europe and the first stop I’ve taken them to was to go into one of the concentration camps, because I wanted them to see how this can happen again.”
Asked how he plans to fight a recent surge in anti-Semitic incidents, Biden disclosed that Attorney General Merrick Garland was recruiting more staff to help prosecute hate crimes.
The U.S President further urged the Senate to confirm his nominee for the State Department’s anti-Semitism monitor – Holocaust historian Deborah Lipstadt
“Now there’s no one more qualified and I called her for a swift confirmation in the Senate,” Biden said.
Gatekeepers News reports that Biden nominated Lipstadt in July but the Senate is yet to approve her nomination.
Speaking on various anti-Semitic attacks that has occured, Biden said “all anti-Semitic attacks aren’t just a strike against the Jewish community. They’re a strike against the soul of our nation and the values which we say we stand for, no matter its source or stated rationale.”
The American President stressed on his administration’s efforts to tackle extremist groups in what he described as “America’s first-ever comprehensive effort to take on the threat of domestic terrorism.”
On the United States’ relationship with Israel, “We’re going to maintain those deep bonds that started at the birth of the Jewish state,” said Biden, refering his meeting last week with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.
“The challenge before us, I think, [is] monumental, but if Jewish history and tradition teaches us anything, it’s the resilient belief in the promise tomorrow,” he said.
“Even after the worst destruction and pain, the Jewish people have recovered, rebuilt, emerged stronger than before.”
Gatekeepers News reports that Monday evening marks the beginning of Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur will be observed later this month.
