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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 709
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WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to |
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recognize the Texas Jewish Historical Society for its efforts to |
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preserve the history of the Texas Jewish experience; and |
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WHEREAS, The Texas Jewish Historical Society began in 1980 |
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after Rabbi Jimmy Kessler published a letter in Jewish newspapers |
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in Houston and the Dallas and Fort Worth area calling for the |
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creation of a historical society to preserve the history of the |
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Texas Jewish experience; and |
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WHEREAS, The society has grown to over 750 family members |
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and has sponsored and encouraged research and provided a forum |
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for scholars and students of Jewish history and culture in Texas; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, A permanent archive of source materials and |
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histories has been established at The University of Texas |
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American History Center in Austin as part of the Barker Texas |
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History Collection; and |
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WHEREAS, The earliest Jews, who arrived with the conquistadors, |
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were attracted to Texas for the same reasons that the non-Jewish |
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immigrants were; Texas promised seemingly limitless potential |
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opportunities and offered more religious freedom than Europe; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, The early settlers followed a pattern of forming a |
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cemetery-benevolent society and then establishing a synagogue; |
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the first chartered Jewish congregation in Texas, Congregation |
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Beth Israel, was founded in Houston in 1859; and |
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WHEREAS, By the turn of the century, numerous congregations |
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had been organized, and several Jewish communities began |
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benevolent associations, such as chapters of the International |
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Order of B'nai B'rith, literary societies, community lecture |
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series, and afternoon schools; and |
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WHEREAS, The Texas Jewish Historical Society preserves, |
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publishes, and disseminates materials referring to the |
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settlement and the history of Jews in Texas and their participation |
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in its growth, and their integral role in Texas history; the |
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society is holding its 2007 gathering April 20 through 22 in |
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Odessa; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, |
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80th Legislature, hereby commend the members of the Texas Jewish |
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Historical Society and extend to them best wishes for a successful |
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and informative meeting; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared as an |
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expression of high regard from the Texas Senate. |
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Seliger |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on April 16, 2007. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |