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 PROCLAMATION 7183—APR. 14, 1999 113 STAT. 2069 cialist Steven Gonzales of the United States Army as they endure unjust captivity in Yugoslavia and as we work for their safety and swift release. NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 9, 1999, as National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day. I call upon all Americans to join me in remembering former American prisoners of war who suffered the hardships of enemy captivity. I also call upon Federal, State, and local government officials and private organizations to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-third. WILLIAM J. CLINTON Proclamation 7183 of April 14, 1999 Jewish Heritage Week, 1999 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Nearly 350 years have passed since the first Jewish settlers arrived in America. The sons and daughters of a proud and ancient heritage, they brought to this new land gifts that have enriched our national life tremendously: a deep faith in God, a strong sense of morality, a devotion to family and community, a thirst for freedom, a reverence for justice, and a long tradition of philanthropy. Millions of Jews have shared the American immigrant experience. Many came here fleeing poverty and persecution, yearning for religious or political freedom, seeking a better life for themselves and their families. Investing their dreams, ambitions, labor, and love in our country, Jewish immigrants overcame great obstacles to rise as far as their talents and effort could take them. Today their descendants continue to make extraordinary contributions to the cultural, economic, religious, and intellectual life of our Nation. In education, the arts, politics, the law, science, entertainment, technology, philanthropy, industry, and every other field of endeavor, Jewish men and women have excelled in their pursuits and strengthened America with their character and accomplishments. As we look forward to a new century and a new millenniiun, let us give thanks for all that the Jewish community in America has done to keep our Nation free, strong, and prosperous. Let us celebrate the freedom of religion guaranteed by our founders in the Bill of Rights, which has done so much to attract men and women of conscience to this land. Let us recognize that our country's great diversity of races, religions, ethnicities, and cultures will prove to be among our greatest strengths in the global community of tomorrow. And let us reaffirm our sacred obligation to build a future based upon a spirit of tolerance, respect, and understanding.

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