Jewish American Heritage Month - 2023

In celebration of Jewish Heritage Month, esteemed members of Congress gathered in May on Capitol Hill to honor and recognize the numerous contributions of the Jewish community to the United States. Attendees of the celebration engaged in a multitude of discussions and speeches that explore the diverse involvement of the Jewish Community in science, public service, law, medicine, and philanthropy.

This annual event, sponsored by US Senator Jacky Rosen and coordinated by Project Legacy, took place in the historic Kennedy Caucus Room in the Russell Senate Office building.

Jewish American Heritage Month Celebration is held yearly during the month of May, which has officially been proclaimed as Jewish American Heritage Month by the President.

This year, President Biden proclaimed, “This month, we celebrate the enduring heritage of Jewish Americans, whose values, culture, and contributions have shaped our character as a Nation. For generations, the story of the Jewish people — one of resilience, faith, and hope in the face of adversity, prejudice and persecution — has been woven into the fabric of our Nation’s story. It has driven us forward in our ongoing march for justice, equality, and freedom as we recommit to upholding the principles of our Nation’s founding and realizing the promise of America for all Americans.”

The ceremony focused on the achievements of Morris Oiring, the CEO of Pleet Homecare, which has revolutionized the healthcare industry and completely reinvented homecare by reducing costs while improving the quality of care.

Morris Oiring embodies the breadth of Jewish contributions to American life. As someone who has been revolutionizing the delivery of healthcare to seniors for more than 13 years Morris Oiring's care, compassion and advocacy for each patient is what sets him apart from others in the field. 

As owner of Pleet Healthcare, Morris has dedicated his professional life to enhancing the way healthcare providers respond to the needs of patients and providing preventive care to ensure overall wellness. His forward thinking has resulted improved access to quality care, reduced costs, and better patient experience.

Representative Sheila Jackson Lee said it best within her speech during the ceremony stating, “It is most appropriate that we are honoring Morris Oiring. Healthcare may not be in the constitution, but it is a fundamental human right.”

In addition to his attributions to healthcare, Oiring also used his business savvy to invest in the hospitality industry by opening the first kosher hotel in Albany. This was a huge achievement with Albany having a large Jewish population of around 12-13,000 people. The Master of Ceremony, Greg Rosenbaum, received a standing ovation when he stated that Oriving “recently purchased a hotel in Albany New York, he’s refurbished it, and as a part of this refurbishment is that he is opening a full-service kosher restaurant.” This shows how significant this step is for the Jewish community and how important Morris Oiring is to the advancement of Jewish culture.

When Morris Oiring got to the podium, he made a comment that summed up why celebrations like these are so paramount, “My father always stressed that being a Jew is not always the easiest cause… like in certain parts of the country where there isn’t a lot of Jewish outreach.” 

Numerous House Representatives attended including Representative Debbie Wasserman Shultz, Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, Representative Troy Carter, Representative Greg Landsman, Representative Jerry Nadler, Representative Kathy Manning, Representative Brad Schneider, and Representative Nicole Malliotakis. Remarks from the Senators included Senator Cory Booker, Senator Sherrod Brown, Senator Ben Cardin, Senator Richard Blumenthal, Senator John Hickenlooper, Senator Tim Kaine, Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Senator Michael Bennet, Jon Ossoff, and Senator Jacky Rosen.

“This Jewish Heritage Month celebration represents not only the progress made by this community but the potential for everything to come and Morris Oiring is a perfect example of these achievements." said Brock Pierce co-chair of the luncheon.

Ezra Friedlander, the Founder of Project Legacy and CEO of The Friedlander Group, commented on the significance of this celebration by stating, “Jewish Heritage celebration in the Congress is a reflection on how our government value and respect the diverse contributions of our community to the fabric of our nation--the very essence of the purpose behind Jewish Heritage Month.”