Vatican’s UN diplomat: Hate speech violates command to love one’s neighbor

by Gina Christian - OSV News

September 18, 2026

Archbishop Christophe-Zakhia el-Kassis, the Holy See's new permanent observer to the United Nations in New York, poses in an undated photo with U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres. At a conference sponsored by the U.N.'s Alliance of Civilizations Sept. 17, the archbishop said in an address, "Hate speech of any kind "contradicts the commandment to love one's neighbor, poisons public discourse, inflames division, and too often prepares the ground for violence and persecution. Credit: OSV News photo/Eskinder Debebe, courtesy United Nations


(OSV News) — Hate speech “contradicts the commandment to love one’s neighbor,” said the Vatican’s top diplomat to the United Nations.

Archbishop Christophe Z. el-Kassis, apostolic nuncio and the Holy See’s permanent observer to the U.N., shared his thoughts in a statement during the Sept. 17 “Global Conference on Promoting Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue and Tolerance in Countering Hate Speech.”

The conference, which took place at the U.N.’s New York headquarters, was sponsored by the U.N.’s Alliance of Civilizations, created in 2005 to address social and cultural polarization.

In his address — which came one day after three Vatican dicasteries released a new note on the importance of interreligious and ecumenical dialogue — Archbishop el-Kassis said hate speech “poisons public discourse, inflames division, and too often prepares the ground for violence and persecution.”

Such damage is inflicted regardless of whether hate speech is “directed against individuals or communities on the basis of their religion, ethnicity, nationality, or any other characteristic,” he said.

While “freedom of expression is a fundamental right that must be protected,” said the archbishop, “this freedom carries corresponding responsibilities.”

“Speech that deliberately incites hatred or violence cannot claim the protection of liberty,” he said, since “it erodes the very conditions in which genuine freedom can flourish.”

The Pope’s Letter

Chapter 1
The Pope’s Letter

The Lord’s Day — as Sunday was called from Apostolic Times." Thus commences Pope John Paul II’s Apostolic Letter, Dies Domini, issued July 7, 1998. The Pope provides a reference in order to document his initial assertion. His reference is Revelation 1:10. This Scriptural passage states:


I [John] was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet.

It will be seen that this verse of Scripture, while mentioning the Lord’s Day, does not in any particular indicate which day of the week is the Lord’s Day. One may read the context of the Biblical passage, and he will find no elucidation of the term. Since the term, "the Lord’s Day" occurs nowhere else in Scripture, it will not assist us to seek another reference containing the term "Lord’s Day" in order to enable us to discover the Biblical meaning of the term.

Yet the only safe ground for a sincere student of the Bible is to permit the Bible to interpret itself. God in His goodness has not left this matter in doubt. In clear, unequivocal terms He has revealed to us which day is the Lord’s Day. The New Testament specifies the day which is the Lord’s Day in two passages of Scripture:


For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day (Matthew 12:8).

And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath (Luke 6:5).

Plainly the Sabbath day is the Lord’s Day. The Bible itself has cited this fact. But a new question arises: Which day is the Sabbath? The context of these two texts reveals that the Jews were accusing the disciples of sabbathbreaking in that they rubbed ears of corn in their hands. Clearly the day referred to was the day the Jews identified as the Sabbath.

If we are sincere searchers for Biblical truth, then we must permit the Scripture to identify the day which the Jews hallowed as the Sabbath. Once more the Bible is specific. Jesus was crucified on the day which many Christians designate as Good Friday. The Jews named that day the preparation day. Speaking of the day of Christ’s death, Luke recorded:


And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on (Luke 23:54).

Thus the Sabbath day of the Jews was the day after Friday.

What Happens After the DSA Wins?

 

Americans Are Stealing Food Now And Stores Are Locking Everything Up

Americans Are Stealing Food Now And Stores Are Locking Everything Up

Epic Economist

Sep 12, 2026

There are two separate things going on in this video, and it matters that they do not get blurred together. The first is what somebody says once they are caught. Hardly anybody argues they did not do it — they argue about what it was for, and the sentence that keeps surfacing is some version of I needed to feed my family. That may be true and it may be a line, and there is no way to tell which from the outside.

The second thing is not people at all. It is equipment. A camera counting you. A check at the door. A glass case you have to ring a bell for. All of it signed off as an answer to the first thing, and all of it landing on the ninety-nine who paid. That is the part nobody explained to anyone who shops in one of these stores, and it is the part this video is really about.

Chick-Fil-A Fires Employee for Refusing to Work on Saturday Sabbath

Chick-Fil-A Fires Employee for Refusing to Work on Saturday Sabbath

Faith and Politics

Premiered Sep 4, 2026

In the first segment, our panelists discuss President Trump’s proclamation encouraging Americans to observe Shabbat 250 as part of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration. The discussion explores the significance of a presidential recognition of the Jewish Sabbath, its historical context, and the relationship between government acknowledgments of religious traditions and religious liberty.

In the second segment of the show, we explore the court case United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Hat Trick, Inc. Panelists examine allegations that a Chick-fil-A franchise failed to accommodate an employee’s Saturday Sabbath observance, raising questions about employers’ obligations under federal law to provide reasonable religious accommodations in the workplace.

About the Show: 

Faith & Politics is a show dedicated to discussing issues surrounding the intersection of Church, State and politics and the examination of whether you are allowing your faith to shape your politics or your politics starting to shape your faith. What do you do when God and government come face to face?

Panelists: 

Judith Hawkins, Former Judge and Attorney in Tallahassee Florida; Blayre Marley, Director Legal Corporate Counsel for a Fortune 500 Company; Dr. Andrew Polk, Professor of History at Middle Tennessee State University; and Joseph Richards, General Counsel and Director of Public Affairs and Religious Liberty for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada.

About Us:

North American Division Public Affairs & Religious Liberty (PARL) is a ministry dedicated to proclaiming and defending the God-given gift of religious freedom which is integral to our identity as Seventh-day Adventist Christians. Learn more about PARL at www.religiousliberty.info

Here is what we’ll cover in this video:

00:00 Show opener 

00:34 Introduction 

01:30 Pentagon Reduces Number of Recognized Religions 

14:18 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops v. EEOC 

26:30 Tell Me Something I Don’t Know

JD Vance: Antichrist may be walking among us

Vice-president tells evangelical YouTuber he ‘wouldn’t be shocked’ if world was living through ‘end times’

JD Vance, the US vice-president, says he is ‘focused on trying to do God’s work’ Credit: Getty Images / Saul Loeb

Verity Bowman

Show biography

Published 03 September 2026 12:34pm BST


JD Vance has claimed that the antichrist may be “walking among us”, and said the world may be living through the “end times”.

The US vice-president made the comments during a podcast interview with Bryce Crawford, 22, an evangelical Christian with more than a million YouTube followers.

While promoting his new book Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith, Mr Vance said he was “trying to focus on doing as much of God’s work as possible”.

He said: “Do I think that we’re in the end times? I don’t know. I think that it’s probably bad for me spiritually to focus too much on it. There are things about the world that make me feel not shocked if the antichrist was walking among us.

“I tend to think that while I wouldn’t be shocked if we are living in the end times, what I’m trying to focus on is doing as much of God’s work as possible right now, and that if that leads to the end times, OK.”

The vice-president was speaking to evangelical Christian and YouTube star Bryce Crawford, 22 Credit: YouTube


Literal readings of the “end times” hold that an antichrist will rise to power, turn against God and persecute believers before Jesus returns.

Asked another question on the “end times”, Mr Vance described a friend whose wife had turned to an AI chatbot for counselling, only to realise it agreed with everything she wrote.

Mayor in Lusaka Zambia Wants to Copy Uganda's Cleaning Day on Sabbath

August 26, 2026 NewsHound



A new storm is brewing for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Zambia as the newly elected Lusaka Mayor has called for the introduction of a mandatory Saturday cleaning day, urging the church to follow Uganda's model despite the recent resolution that allowed Adventists there to observe the Sabbath on Saturdays.

The mayor's proposal comes as a shock to church leaders, who are still watching the situation in Uganda unfold. In Uganda, Adventist members have been forced to start Sabbath School in their homes and only gather for main worship at 10:00 AM due to the government's National Cleaning Day being held on the last Saturday of every month.

In Uganda, the Seventh-day Adventist Church formally objected to the government's mandatory National Cleaning Days, citing that the programme, as communicated, interfered with the observance of the Seventh-day Sabbath. According to Scripture, the Sabbath is God's holy day, observed from sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday, and is a time for worship, fellowship, and rest from ordinary labour.

After negotiations, the Ugandan government granted an exemption, allowing Adventists to participate in the cleaning exercise on Sundays instead. President Yoweri Museveni directed that SDA faithful undertake their cleaning activities on the last Sunday of every month in recognition of their Sabbath observance.

The proposal from the Lusaka Mayor has raised concerns among Adventist leaders in Zambia, who fear a repeat of the Ugandan conflict. The Church is now waiting to see how the two unions in Zambia will respond to what is seen as a direct threat to religious liberty.

In Zambia, the Adventist Church is a significant presence, with over 1.3 million members in more than 3,200 congregations. The Church has actively engaged in community clean-up efforts in the past, including a major city-wide cleaning exercise in Lusaka in 2024, but such initiatives have always been conducted without compromising the sanctity of the Sabbath.

The Church's position is clear: while Adventists support initiatives that promote a clean and healthy environment, they remain committed to the sanctity of the Seventh-day Sabbath as ordained by God.

Commentary

Uganda introduced mandatory National Cleaning Days on the last Saturday of every month (from 8AM to 11AM) to address public health crises caused by poor sanitation and waste management. It has been observed that 75% of the country's disease burden (such as malaria, typhoid, and diarrhea) stems from poor hygiene, endemic litter, and poor sanitation.

Hakainde Hichilema, the president of Zambia is a baptized member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It will be interesting to see how he responds to this proposed cleaning mandate in Lusaka.

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“Those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed” (1 Samuel 2:30).

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National CleanUp Day 2026

National CleanUp Day 2026

Third saturday in september

SIGN UP NOW TO CLEANUP





National CleanUp Day in conjunction with World CleanUp Day are coordinating clean ups across the US for National CleanUp Day. Join us in every State, every territory and nearly every country around the world!

During the month of September, National CleanUp Dayis working with grassroots organizations and community members to clean up green spaces, urban landscapes, and waterways across the U.S. With participation in all 50 States and Territories, we aim to clean-up locations in your area — and opportunities to spread the action to communities nationwide — the National CleanUp Day will build an army of volunteers and make a tangible impact on waste in our environments.


Step 1: Find a Clean Up | Start a Clean Up

For National CleanUp Day we are coordinating volunteer clean ups in thousands of cities across the U.S. and every territory.
Step 2: Invite co-workers, friends, and family.
Step 3: Talk about it on social media using #NationalCleanUpDay and #trashtag
Step 4: Download and post this event flyer.
Step 5: Bring your own equipment.
Step 6: Hold the event. Be a good volunteer, have fun, be social, and safe.
Step 7: Send us just your BEST photos and a short video (4 max). Upload to our Dropbox HERE to be featured!

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P.S.

AI Overview             

National CleanUp Day in the United States is scheduled for September 19, 2026, falling annually on the third Saturday of September. Globally, similar community sanitation events occur worldwide, such as Uganda's mandatory monthly cleaning day held on the last Saturday of every month.

This Pastor Wants ONLY Christians in Power | PBD Podcast #846

This Pastor Wants ONLY Christians in Power | PBD Podcast #846

PBD Podcast

Premiered Aug 19, 2026  PBD Podcast

Patrick Bet-David sits down with Joel Webbon, senior pastor of Covenant Bible Church and founder of Right Response Ministries, whose growing influence in the New Christian Right has made him a controversial voice in American Christianity. 

Webbon lays out his vision for a more explicitly Christian America, arguing that believers should pursue political power and explaining what he would do with it. The conversation challenges his views on race, immigration, Israel, Islam, and marriage, before turning to the deeper divide over liberalism, Protestantism, Catholicism, and the future of the Christian Right.

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Matthew McConaughey drops new hint about politics after meeting Pope Leo XIV Story by Eren Waris

Story by Eren Waris

Matthew McConaughey drops new hint about politics after meeting Pope Leo XIV

Matthew McConaughey drops new hint about politics after meeting Pope Leo XIV

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Actor Matthew McConaughey said he could see himself “adding to or working on” a constitution built around common ground among religions.

McConaughey, who calls himself an aggressively centrist Christian, has previously been asked about running for office, including governor of his home state.

The comments came in a USA TODAY interview, published on Saturday, August 15, after his meeting with Pope Leo XIV in Vatican City.

Actors Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey speak onstage at Nokia Theatre LA Live on August 25, 2014 in Los Angeles, California (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Matthew McConaughey says religion could inform politics

McConaughey said he sees common ground among religions as something that could inform a political system.

“There’s still a constitution out there to be written that all religions could agree on,” he told USA TODAY. “There's so much commonality.”

He said he was interested in the possibility of “adding to or working on” such a constitution, calling it “a great thing to share.”

Pope Leo XIV waves as he leaves after his weekly general audience in St Peter's Square at The Vatican, Wednesday, June 3, 2026 (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

McConaughey also drew a line between religious teachings and the separation of church and state.

“Even though I agree with the separation of church and state, the values of those should bleed down into the values of any political system,” he said.

US evangelical body welcomes government announcement of $2 billion for faith-based global health work

By CDI Staff Aug 11, 2026 06:09 EDT 

A newly acquired Boeing 757 sits outside the Samaritan's Purse Airlift Response Center at the Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina. Courtesy of Samaritan's Purse

The National Association of Evangelicals has praised a U.S. government announcement directing nearly $2 billion in health and humanitarian funding through faith-based organizations, calling it an encouraging sign that global compassion work will remain a national priority.

The State Department announced on Aug. 6 that the investment represents the largest allocation of global health foreign assistance to faith-based organizations in more than 20 years. Awards will support services in more than 20 countries and are expected to reach 7 million people across 16 humanitarian crises.

"Faith-based hospitals, clinics, community health workers and humanitarian organizations combine trusted local relationships with compassionate service," NAE President Walter Kim said in a statement issued Aug. 10.

Galen Carey, the NAE's vice president of government relations, said the announcement signals that such partnerships will endure. "The administration's announcement is a big boost to those efforts and an encouraging sign that lifesaving global health partnership will remain a national priority for years to come," he said.

The funding is divided into two streams. Approximately $1.4 billion is designated for health services — including an $850 million, five-year Faith and Community Initiative Award to World Vision and its consortium partners, along with $570 million channeled through agreements with country governments. That portion is projected to strengthen more than 2,500 faith-based hospitals and clinics across 17 countries and fund the training of more than 30,000 community health workers. Programs supported include vaccinations, HIV/AIDS treatment, Ebola response and nutrition initiatives.

The remaining $538 million will go toward humanitarian assistance through Samaritan's Purse and a World Vision–Compassion International consortium. More than $100 million is immediately available for natural disaster response across 23 disaster-prone countries, the State Department said.

One notable feature of the awards is a requirement that at least 80 percent of resources go directly toward frontline health services. That compares with the 35 to 40 percent the State Department has historically allocated in comparable programs — a shift the NAE indicated reflects the efficiency and community embeddedness that faith-based organizations bring to global health delivery.

The announcement comes after a turbulent period for U.S. international assistance. Following significant changes to foreign aid programs in 2025, the NAE issued a statement titled "Compassion for a World in Need," urging evangelical Christians to support global compassion ministries and calling on Congress to preserve poverty-focused aid delivered through faith-based partners. The Aug. 6 State Department announcement was received by the organization as a positive response to those concerns.

The NAE has long maintained that faith-based organizations occupy a distinct position in global health and humanitarian work — not only as service providers, but as institutions embedded in local communities with relationships that government agencies cannot replicate. Kim and Carey both framed the funding as a recognition of that role, and as an investment in long-term, trust-based partnerships rather than short-term contracting.

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The Separation of Church and State | Straight Talk, episode 19 (Tim Rumsey)

Pathway to Paradise Ministries

Jul 29, 2026  Straight Talk: The Religious Liberty Podcast

The separation of church and state has served this country well for nearly 250 years. If morality is declining, let the churches start preaching truth once again. If attacks against Christians continue, let the courts fulfill their appointed duty and administer justice. But don't eradicate the separation that has protected both church and state from each other, and granted religious liberty to millions of people of all faiths.

JD Vance Just Pushed This Sunday Law Nobody Saw Coming

 

The Footprints of the Jesuits by R. W. Thompson.

The civil institutions of the United States could not have been formed without the separation of Church and State, and could not continue to exist if they were again united. Christianity could not maintain its primitive purity if politics and religious faith were mingled together; nor could the State preserve its capacity to provide for the general welfare if subjected to the dominion of ecclesiastical authority. Our success as a nation is mainly attributable to the fact that these sentiments are deeply imbedded in the American mind.

A party pledged to restore to the pope the temporal power which the Italian people have taken away, must necessarily be politico-religious in character, because it proposes to interfere with the temporal affairs of one of the European nations. And if the attempt to do this is justified upon the ground that such restoration involves religious duty, any one can see that the obligation is the same in the United States as in Italy, for the laws of God do not shift to suit the exigencies of human affairs.

In the times before the Reformation the temporal affairs of Governments were required to conform to the commands of the ecclesiastical authority—that is, the pope—and it was held to be a necessary and essential part of religion that this union should be continued, no matter what might be the degree of popular ignorance and humiliation. The founders of our Government started out upon a different theory, believing it to be[Pg 4] their duty to separate "the things of God" from "the things of Cæsar," so that each could reach perfection in its own distinct sphere. Therefore, it is clear that a politico-religious party in this country, pledged to unite Church and State in Italy, against the expressed will of the Italian people, not only must oppose one of the fundamental principles of our Government, but disturb the public peace.

To my mind it is also clear that a nation acts politically, and not religiously, when it decides upon the structure of its temporal Government—that is, whether its affairs shall be managed by an absolute or elective monarch, or by machinery provided by a written constitution. I have, therefore, refrained from the discussion or criticism of religious belief—as it is understood in the American sense—any further than it is made the pretext for the reversal of this opinion, so generally prevalent in this country. It would be an evil day for the people of the United States if they should be persuaded to permit any power whatsoever, whether temporal or spiritual, at home or abroad, to share with them any portion of their political authority, or to dictate, in any degree, the measures of their civil polity.

MOMENTS: Pope Leo Shares Lunch With Vulnerable People, Says He Came With 'Hunger for Justice'

 

The Council for Inclusive Capitalism with the Vatican Launches

The Council for Inclusive Capitalism with the Vatican Launches

By Council Staff
December 08, 2020

THE COUNCIL ANSWERS THE CHALLENGE BY POPE FRANCIS TO APPLY PRINCIPLES OF MORALITY TO BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT PRACTICES

ORGANIZATIONS COMMIT TO CONCRETE ACTION TO CREATE A MORE EQUITABLE, SUSTAINABLE AND TRUSTED ECONOMIC SYSTEM

The Council for Inclusive Capitalism with the Vatican, an effort led by some of the world’s largest investment and business leaders, launched today. It signifies the urgency of joining moral and market imperatives to reform capitalism into a powerful force for the good of humanity. Under the moral guidance of His Holiness Pope Francis and His Eminence Cardinal Peter Turkson, who leads the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development at the Vatican, and inspired by the moral imperative of all faiths, the Council invites companies of all sizes to harness the potential of the private sector to build a fairer, more inclusive, and sustainable economic foundation for the world.

The Council is led by a core group of global leaders, known as Guardians for Inclusive Capitalism, who meet annually with Pope Francis and Cardinal Turkson. These leaders represent more than $10.5 trillion in assets under management, companies with over $2.1 trillion of market capitalization, and 200 million workers in over 163 countries. The organization challenges business and investment leaders of all sizes to embrace the Council’s guiding principles and make public commitments to act on them. These collective actions are intended to lead to systemic change by making capitalism a greater force for inclusivity and sustainability. Watch a video of the Guardians discussing the Council’s mission here.

Speaking to the Guardians, Pope Francis said, “An economic system that is fair, trustworthy, and capable of addressing the most profound challenges facing humanity and our planet is urgently needed. You have taken up the challenge by seeking ways to make capitalism become a more inclusive instrument for integral human wellbeing.”

The Guardians have already committed to hundreds of measurable actions, and Council members will make ongoing commitments to continue to advance inclusive capitalism. They will be accountable for their public commitments and invite businesses around the world to join. View the full list of actions being taken here.

They’re Killing Church and State Separation… and an Adventist is Helping

FULL ADDRESS: Pope Leo XIV in Spain Says "World Is Crying for Peace" at Royal Palace Madrid | AK14

Rededicate 250: Pastor Gary Hamrick to call for national repentance, rebuke 'lies of gender confusion, marriage redefinition'

By Ian M. Giatti, Christian Post Reporter
Thursday, May 14, 2026

An undated photo of Pastor Gary Hamrick teaching at Cornerstone Chapel in Leesburg, Virginia. | Courtesy Cornerstone Chapel

As thousands prepare to gather at the National Mall on Sunday to pray for the nation ahead of America’s 250th anniversary celebrations, Cornerstone Chapel Senior Pastor Gary Hamrick is calling for national repentance and a return to the God of the Bible.

Hamrick, who is one of over a dozen pastors set to speak at “Rededicate 250: A National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise & Thanksgiving” on May 17, says his message to the nation is the same as that of the Apostle Peter at the dawn of the Christian era.

“Rededication begins with repentance,” Hamrick told The Christian Post. “Acts 3:19 says, ‘Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.’ We must turn from our sin and turn to God and stand upon the solid rock of Jesus Christ, because He is the only hope for the soul of our nation. Jesus is always the answer.”

While the “Rededicate 250” event is expected to mark the nation’s largest religious gathering in more than 50 years, Hamrick expressed concern that despite a rich heritage of religious freedom, the country has drifted from its founding principles when it comes to issues like abortion, marriage and gender identity.

JEWISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH, 2026

JEWISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH, 2026

Proclamations
May 4, 2026

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

This Jewish American Heritage Month, we honor the countless contributions of Jewish Americans throughout our Nation’s 250 glorious years of independence, and we celebrate their unwavering commitment to the values that make our country great — faith, family, and freedom.

In his letter to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1790, President George Washington beautifully said, “May the Children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other Inhabitants; while everyone shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree, and there shall be none to make him afraid.” Since the earliest days of our Republic, Jewish Americans have helped build the cause of liberty and sustain the greatness of our Nation. Among them was the iconic Haym Salomon, an early supporter of the war for independence. As stories tell us, Salomon was instrumental in the success of our Continental Congress and Founding Fathers, and rallied support for freedom. He was a zealous advocate against tyranny, and even after imprisonment by the British Crown, he continued his work in defense of freedom. In the end, he gave everything to the success of the American Revolution. Like so many Jewish Americans who follow in his footsteps, Salomon’s legacy stands as a testament to the unshakable belief in the American promise.

In the same letter to the Hebrew Congregation at Newport, President Washington proclaimed that the United States “gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance.” Under my leadership, we are aggressively fighting the violence against Jewish Americans that increased under my predecessor, prosecuting hateful criminals to the fullest extent of the law, and working to end the scourge of anti-Semitism throughout our institutions, especially on college campuses. As President, I will never stop fighting to protect our birthright of religious freedom — a sacred right that continues to guide our Nation, drawing us closer to the Almighty each and every day.

Throughout this historic year, we rejoice in the triumph of the American spirit and rededicate ourselves to the cause of liberty and justice for all. In special honor of 250 glorious years of American independence and on the weekend of Rededicate 250 — a national jubilee of prayer, praise, and thanksgiving — Jewish Americans are encouraged to observe a national Sabbath. From sundown on May 15 to nightfall on May 16, friends, families, and communities of all backgrounds may come together in gratitude for our great Nation. This day will recognize the sacred Jewish tradition of setting aside time for rest, reflection, and gratitude to the Almighty.

This month, we celebrate the contributions that Jewish Americans have made to our way of life, we honor their role in shaping the story of our Nation, and we remember that religious devotion, learning, and service to others are enduring pillars of a thriving culture. Through every trial and triumph, the contributions of Jewish Americans have shaped our past, have strengthened our communities, and will continue to inspire American greatness for generations to come.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 2026 as Jewish American Heritage Month. I call upon Americans to celebrate the heritage and contributions of Jewish Americans and to observe this month with appropriate programs, activities, and ceremonies. I further call on all Americans to celebrate their faith and freedom throughout this year, during this month, and especially on Shabbat to celebrate our 250th year.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fiftieth.

​​​​​​DONALD J. TRUMP

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