[dropcap]In[/dropcap] his annual High Holiday call with the Jewish community, Wednesday, President Biden reaffirmed his commitment to Jewish Americans and to Israel. After briefly using the opportunity to ask Americans in harm’s way of Hurricane Milton, Biden spoke for around 15 minutes, in a heartfelt address. Below are his remarks, with minor edits for clarity.

[dropcap]My[/dropcap] dad was what would you call a righteous Christian. My dad literally raised us to believe that we had to stand up for any community being persecuted. He used to rage about why we didn’t bomb the railroad tracks in Auschwitz . . . he used to talk about how we wouldn’t let that one ship land [MS St. Louis] with Jewish refugees on it during Hitler’s era. He talked about how it’s important for people to know what happened and not forget. One of the things that it taught me was that every one of my children and grandchildren, when they turned the age of 14, they put them on a plane and I flew to Dachau.

I wanted them to see that no one could pretend it wasn’t happening. You go through the gate and you . . . see those beautiful homes along the outside of that gate. They had to know. They had to know what was going on. I wanted them to understand. I wanted them to see where the ovens were. I wanted them to know what was going on. I wanted them to be aware. The country has not paid nearly much attention to [Oct. 7].

When I went over shortly after the second smaller holocaust, but [one] more vividly seen by the whole world on Oct. 7 . . . I wanted to let the world know where I stood and where America stood. I saw the remnants of what had happened 10 days earlier.

Under my direction last week, the US military took compression that actually began to actively assist the successful defense of Israel. You’ve heard me say [and] I got really badly criticized as a young senator saying, “I’m a Zionist.” You don’t have to be a Jew to be a Zionist. That’s not necessary. I firmly believe without an Israel every Jew in the world’s security is less stable. That doesn’t mean that Jewish leadership doesn’t have to be more progressive than it is, but it does mean it has to exist.

That’s what worries me most about what’s going on. [Here Biden restated his “ironclad” commitment to the safety of Jewish people and security of Israel having the right to exist as an independent state.] The Jewish state has to remain.

For the last three years it’s been an honor to do this high holiday with all of you from the White House, a season of joy and a season of pain. And that’s what we’ve been going through — a season of joy and pain. You are the rock for your people. I want to thank you for all you do every single day for your congregations, for your communities, for our country. I know this year’s call is very different, a very difficult time for the Jewish community and for Jews around the world.

[quote]Jewish people have embodied this duality of pain and joy for generations. It’s your strength[/quote]

In the midst of the High Holidays, two days ago we commemorated the first anniversary of Oct. 7, the deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust. And a year later, when the trauma and the loss from that day and its aftermath is still raw; it’s hard to memorialize and mourn a tragedy that is still ongoing, hostages still in captivity, some American Jews as well. Loved ones still in harm’s way. Survivors carrying wounds . . . the families and friends left behind will never, never be the same.

I spoke to Netanyahu for about an hour this morning. I offered my condolences on this somber one-year anniversary. Throughout this year, my wife Jill and I, Kamala [Harris] and Doug [Emhoff] mourned along with all of you, including after the appalling execution of the six hostages, including American-born Hersh Goldberg-Polin who would have just turned 24 this week.

My administration is doubling down on our work to secure and release the remaining hostages just as we have freed hostages already. We will not rest until they’re all home. As you saw just last week, the United States fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself against Iran and all its proxies — Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis. We’re doing everything we can. The ease of suffering of all the people from this war against Hamas and that Hamas started. As Israel’s ambassador in Washington said at the memorial two days ago, “We remember the Jewish commandment that we were all created an image of G-d. The loss of innocent life, Israeli, Palestinian, Lebanese, or others is a tragedy.” Well, I feel the same way. Far too many civilians have suffered far too much during this year’s conflict.

I also want you to know that I see you, I hear you. I see your pain from the ferocious surge of anti-Semitism in America and quite frankly around the world. Absolutely despicable. Hopefully we learned a lesson from our parents’ generation. We have to stand up, we have to call it out. It has to be stopped. [We] respect and protect the fundamental right free speech to protest peacefully. But there is no place emphasized, no place anywhere in America, none, for anti-Semitism hate speech, the threats of violence of any kind against the Jews or anyone else.

Long before October the seventh, I launched the first national security to counter anti-Semitism in American history. Vice President Harris and I and our entire administration are aggressively implementing that commitment. Since we took off we secured a record of over $800 million for the physical security of nonprofits, including synagogues, Jewish community centers, Jewish day schools, all around the country.

In 2023, we’ve secured an additional $400 million, the largest single increase ever in funding ever. And we have concrete evidence that our historic assistance is making an impact and that the investment matters. The Dept. of Education has put our colleges on notice about something that should be obvious to everyone. That anti-Semitism is discrimination. Again, anti-Semitism is discrimination and prohibited under Title Six of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. And the Dept. of Homeless Security has proved provided resources to train campus law enforcement administrators on how to ensure Jewish students are safe on campus. We’re going keep working to ensure that Jewish students can get their education free of intimidation and harassment. [Here Biden called on the Dept. of Justice to swiftly investigate and prosecute the dramatic hate crimes and hold the perpetrators accountable.] We encourage you and members of your community please to report incidents as local law enforcement.

My administration is calling on a social media company to adopt a zero tolerance policy toward anti-Semitism and other hateful content, including the violent anti-Semitic attacks online that we’ve seen in recent days against public officials leading responses to recovery efforts to Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. It’s appalling, but it must end now. We have to speak and end it now. Globally.

[The ambassador to monitor and combat anti-Semitism Deborah Lipstadt] is mobilized. More than 40 countries and international organizations support our new guidelines for countering anti-Semitism around the world. This matters. But I know there’s so much more to do. And let me assure you as your president, that you are not alone. You belong always, always have, always will, and always must be protected, from the inception of our nation.

Jewish Americans have enrich every part of American life. Let me say that again. From our very inception, as a nation, Jewish Americans have enriched every part of American life, and you can continue to do so for many years to come.

Let me close with this. I think about the wisdom I’ve learned from Jewish communities in Delaware and across the country I’ve gotten to know over the years. It seems to me there is a delicate yet profound balance between joy and pain to the High Holidays. Rosh Hashanah is a day of celebration for the Jewish New Year. It’s also a day of judgment. Similarly, Yom Kippur, is the most solemn day in the Jewish calendar, yet Jewish scholars say it’s also the happiest day because it is time for forgiveness and for renewal. And in two weeks you celebrate another holiday [Simchat Torah] for the singing and dancing for the Torah.

I know you’ll do so with the profound sorrow in your soul because last year that holiday was shattered by October the 7th. From my perspective, Jewish people have embodied this duality of pain and joy for generations. It’s your strength. The Jewish people have always chosen to find joy and happiness and life, despite centuries of suffering, persecution and pain. This is an an enduring lesson and legacy for the Jewish people and for all America to understand.

Thank you for continuing to find joy in the darkness, to shine your light on the nations around the world. G-d bless you all and thank you. Have a happy New Year.