Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz announces formation of Latino-Jewish Caucus

Wasserman Schultz and fellow Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Xavier Becerra (CA-31), Eliot Engel (NY-17) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-18) will address members of both the Jewish and Hispanic communities during a reception in Washington this evening.  Featured speakers at the event include both the Mexican and Israeli Ambassadors to the United States, Arturo Sarukhán and Michael Oren.

“When the American Jewish Committee first approached my office about the idea for this Congressional Caucus, I was absolutely thrilled,” said Rep. Wasserman Schultz.  “As a member of Congress representing a diverse district in South Florida, I know the important contributions that both of these communities have made to our country,” she added.

The Caucus epitomizes the special friendships and unique partnerships that Members of Congress form around shared interests.  Diverse personal backgrounds and Congressional districts are only a small reminder of the valuable ways that the Latino and Jewish cultures have come together throughout our nation’s history.

Both the Latino and Jewish communities continue to grow and change, adding rich cultural contributions to our society, changing our nation for the better.   So much of our country’s diversity is owed to what these immigrant and ethnic groups have added to our country’s cultural fabric.

Wasserman Schultz cited the strong historical bonds and sense of partnership between the two communities. “As an American Jew, my community has faced issues similar to modern challenges for the Latino community: immigration, assimilation, and caring for the aging and less fortunate.  Both the Latino and Jewish communities identify with the importance of family, veneration of elders, and the trials and tribulations of being an immigrant group,” she said.

The activities of the caucus will help set a positive example of how to learn from one another, working together to make the United States a more perfect union.