The United States and Israel share a special relationship that has grown deeper and stronger throughout the past six decades. As we celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut with Israelis and Jews around the world, we can be proud that President Obama is committed to the security of the Jewish State and a U.S.-Israel relationship that is stronger and more important than ever.

Today, in honor of Israel’s 64th anniversary of independence, President Obama congratulated the government and the people of Israel with this statement:

"Sixty-four years ago, the United States became the first country in the world to recognize the State of Israel--the realization of a modern day state in the historic homeland of the Jewish People.  Since that momentous day, the special bond of friendship between the United States and Israel has grown stronger.  Ours is a unique relationship founded on an unbreakable commitment to Israel’s security, and anchored by our common interests and deeply held values.  These values continue to enlighten and guide our efforts as we work with Israel, as well as with others in the region, to confront shared challenges and to achieve a just and comprehensive peace based on a two-state solution that will usher in a future of peace, security, and dignity for the people of Israel and its neighbors.

Today, as Israelis celebrate their 64th Independence Day and their remarkable achievements over the past six decades, it gives me great pleasure to extend my best wishes, and the best wishes of the American people, to President Peres, Prime Minister Netanyahu, and the people of Israel."

 

Today, on Yom HaShoah, we remember the millions who suffered and were sent to their deaths at the hands of the Nazis during the Holocaust.  On Monday, President Obama will speak from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum about the United States’ pledge of never again. 

The White House released the following statement from President Obama commemorating Yom HaShoah:

“On this Holocaust Remembrance Day, I join people of all faiths across the United States, in Israel and around the world in paying tribute to all who suffered in the Shoah—a horrific crime without parallel in human history.  We honor the memory of six million innocent men, women and children who were sent to their deaths simply because of their Jewish faith.  We stand in awe of those who fought back, in the ghettos and in the camps, against overwhelming odds.  And in the year of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Raoul Wallenberg, we are humbled by the rescuers who refused to be bystanders to evil.

"On this day, and all days, we must do more than remember.  We must resolve that 'never again' is more than an empty slogan.  As individuals, we must guard against indifference in our hearts and recognize ourselves in our fellow human beings.  As societies, we must stand against ignorance and anti-Semitism, including those who try to deny the Holocaust.  As nations, we must do everything we can to prevent and end atrocities in our time.  This is the work I will advance when I join survivors and their families at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum on Monday.  This must be the work of us all, as nations and peoples who cherish the dignity of every human being."

From BarackObama.com: 

In his Passover message last year, President Obama encouraged us to embrace the lessons of this holiday and "work to alleviate the suffering, poverty, injustice and hunger of those who are not yet free." This Passover, we turn to the symbols of past hardships to remind us of our responsibility to serve others. President Obama reminds us of this important value every day with his belief that America prospers when we're all in it together.

 

Today, our community lives in freedom and we hope to eat a Seder meal that reflects that freedom. But the HagGadah reminds us over and over again that we should not forget that our ancestors were once slaves and strangers in Egypt. It is the essence of Passover to consider our blessings as a reminder to stand together with strangers and those less fortunate. President Obama’s vision of a free and just society compels us to apply the lessons of Passover to our country at this critical time.

Now is the time for us to stand with President Obama and ensure four more years of continued progress. Join me by signing up for Jewish Americans for Obama.

This week the White House released a Passover video message from the First Family. President Obama, along with Jewish members of his staff, will sit around the Passover table at the White House and to discuss the story of the Exodus. Watch this video of the President's Passover message. 

From barackobama.com:

It has been two years since President Obama put pen to paper and signed the Affordable Care Act into law. As a physician, I can attest to the profound impact of the law.

• Under the health care law, insurance companies can no longer cancel a patient’s health care coverage when they are diagnosed with a serious illness. Because of the Affordable Care Act, never again will I sit with a young woman who has just been informed her insurance coverage was dropped because of a trivial paperwork mistake.
• For our seniors, the health care law is taking steps to close the doughnut hole, where Medicare part D in the past has failed to cover the costs of lifesaving prescription medications.
• Young people can now stay on their parents' insurance plan until age 26 while they transition into full time employment or post-graduate education.
• As a physician, I am excited about the rollout of Accountable Care Organizations: groups of doctors that will be paid to both keep patients well and save the system money.
• The Affordable Care Act will keep Medicare solvent for another eight years.
• Another major issue is the use of gender as a factor in setting insurance rates. Women can be charged up to 50 percent more than men for the same health coverage, and oftentimes insurance women purchase does not cover maternity care. The Affordable Care Act will end this unfair practice.
• By 2014 the Affordable Insurance Exchanges will allow individuals to shop for insurance in new marketplaces where insurers compete on price and quality.

The new law is worth fighting for. Get involved, stay informed, and talk to your friends and neighbors about how the Affordable Care Act can help them.

On Sunday morning, President Obama addressed the 2012 AIPAC policy conference and reaffirmed his commitment to Israel and its security. He told those assembled, "Over the last three years, as President of the United States, I have kept my commitments to the state of Israel. At every crucial juncture—at every fork in the road—we have been there for Israel. Every single time."

In case you missed the live speech, here's the full video.

From BarackObama.com: 

This week President Obama announced his 2013 budget proposal, which included the largest-ever aid package to Israel. For fiscal year 2013, the President requested $3.1 billion, up from $3.075 billion in FY 2012 and $2.994 billion in FY 2011, in assistance that will enable Israel to maintain its Qualitative Military Edge. In the wake of regional uncertainty, this announcement demonstrates the President’s continued ironclad commitment to Israel and her security.