Bill Summary
This resolution is a formal statement by the House of Representatives in the United States recognizing and honoring the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research on its 100th anniversary. The resolution highlights the institute's history and its contributions to preserving and promoting the culture and history of East European Jewry, including its survival and relocation during the Holocaust. It also acknowledges the institute's significant role in Jewish scholarship and cultural preservation, particularly through its digitization initiatives. By passing this resolution, the House of Representatives affirms their support for institutions that promote diversity, historical research, and intercultural dialogue.
Possible Impacts
1. The legislation may affect YIVO employees by recognizing and commemorating their organization's contributions, and may boost morale and motivation within the workplace.
2. The legislation may affect Jewish Americans by acknowledging and celebrating their heritage and culture, and promoting cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue.
3. The legislation may affect scholars and learners by making YIVO's resources accessible through digitization initiatives, allowing for increased research opportunities and enrichment of knowledge.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 450 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 450
Commemorating the centennial of the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 29, 2025
Mr. Goldman of New York (for himself, Mr. Nadler, Ms. Clarke of New
York, and Mr. Suozzi) submitted the following resolution; which was
referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Commemorating the centennial of the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research.
Whereas the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research was established in 1925 in Vilna,
Poland (now Vilnius, Lithuania), as the world's first comprehensive
center devoted to the study, preservation, and dissemination of East
European Jewish history, culture, and language;
Whereas YIVO is the only prewar Eastern European Jewish archive and library to
survive the Holocaust, relocating to New York City in 1940;
Whereas, over its century-long history, YIVO has amassed over 24 million items,
including the largest repository of primary Holocaust materials
globally, surpassed only by Yad Vashem in Israel, and its library
encompasses 400,000 volumes in multiple European languages and features
the world's largest collection of Yiddish-language books, pamphlets, and
newspapers;
Whereas YIVO provides a home for millions of documents and artifacts related to
the history of Jews in the United States, and among these are thousands
of photographs, newspapers, and magazines, and other ephemera that
document the voyages of Jewish immigrants and the lives they made
throughout the country;
Whereas YIVO has become a leading institution in the United States for research
on Jewish history, Holocaust studies, and Yiddish language and
literature, contributing significantly to academic scholarship and
cultural preservation;
Whereas YIVO's digitization initiatives, such as the Edward Blank YIVO Vilna
Online Collections Project, have made accessible millions of documents
and artifacts related to Jewish history, including Holocaust materials,
through digital platforms that serve educators, scholars, and learners
across the globe; and
Whereas the centennial anniversary of YIVO presents an opportunity to recognize
its extraordinary contributions to the preservation of Jewish history
and culture, and to reaffirm the United States commitment to supporting
institutions that promote cultural diversity, historical scholarship,
and intercultural dialogue: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) commemorates the centennial of the YIVO Institute for
Jewish Research, honoring its 100 years of dedicated service to
preserving and promoting the rich history, culture, and
language of East European Jewry during this Jewish American
Heritage Month; and
(2) recognizes YIVO's invaluable historical and ongoing
contributions to Jewish scholarship, Holocaust remembrance, and
cultural preservation, which have profoundly enriched the
intellectual and cultural fabric of the United States and the
world.
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