Honoring HIAS (the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) and Council Migration Service of Philadelphia on their 120th Anniversary.

WHEREAS, HIAS and Council Migration Service of Philadelphia was founded 120 years ago by Louis Edward Levy, and was the first Jewish immigrant aid society in Philadelphia; and

WHEREAS, HIAS and Council Migration Service of Philadelphia has been, and is, a legal and humanitarian lifeline to the resettlement and asylum claims of Jews and others who face persecution; and

WHEREAS, Philadelphia and Delaware Valley immigrants and refugees from over 60 nations have received service from lawyers, caseworkers and specially accredited representatives from HIAS and Council Migration Service of Philadelphia in the last year; and

WHEREAS, The professional staff of HIAS and Council Migration Service of Philadelphia has responded to over 25,000 telephone and personal requests for assistance in the last two years; and

WHEREAS, Senator Lautenberg of New Jersey (retired), has been a tireless advocate for Soviet Jewry and other religious minorities and persecuted peoples through the sponsorship of the Lautenberg Amendment; because of the Lautenberg Amendment as many as 400,000 individuals from the former Soviet Union and Southeast Asia have emigrated to the United States, including thousands who have settled in the Philadelphia region, contributing economically and culturally to our area; and

WHEREAS, On April 17, 2002 at 5:30 PM at the Jewish Community Services Building, 2100 Arch Street, HIAS and Council Migration Service of Philadelphia will honor Senator Lautenberg for his dedication at a l20th Anniversary celebration; and

WHEREAS, This 120th Anniversary celebration is significant because in the Jewish tradition it is considered a blessing to live to be as old as Moses, who lived to be 120 years old. For 120 years, HIAS and Council Migration Service of Philadelphia has enabled hundreds of thousands of refugees and immigrants to make new lives, with economic opportunity and freedom for themselves and their families, in our region; now therefore

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That the Council of the City Philadelphia hereby lauds, commends and congratulates HIAS and Council Migration Service of Philadelphia on their 120th Anniversary; and further, the Council of the City of Philadelphia lauds commends, and congratulates honoree, Senator Frank Lautenberg for his tireless advocacy for Soviet Jewry.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to HIAS and Council Migration Service of Philadelphia as the true and sincere sentiments of this legislative body.

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