H.R. No. 1629
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The Greater Dallas Section of the National Council
of Jewish Women has been at the forefront of community leadership
and social activism in Dallas for nearly a century; and
WHEREAS, Founded in 1913, the section today is composed of
some 1,200 members who volunteer thousands of hours each year to
further the welfare of children, women, the elderly, and families
and to advance the cause of social justice; and
WHEREAS, The pressing needs of the day have regularly called
forth a determined response from this exceptional organization,
from providing home-front support during two World Wars to caring
for child refugees from Nazi Germany, working to foster interracial
understanding, and helping immigrants to achieve citizenship and
integrate into American society; and
WHEREAS, Many of the projects begun by the Dallas group have
become ongoing endeavors or else served as precursors of
present-day programs; these include the hot lunch and after-school
programs for schoolchildren, the provision of free milk and baby
formula, programs to screen for infant hearing problems and to
enhance infant brain development, an advocacy program for foster
children that evolved into Dallas CASA, and a program to support
children who may need to testify in court in felony child abuse
cases; in addition, the section introduced the Home Instruction for
Parents of Preschool Youngsters program, an initiative to boost
academic achievement that has since been adopted by a number of area
school districts, and pioneered an adult literacy program that now
ranks as one of the largest and most widely respected in the
country; and
WHEREAS, Over the past five years, the Dallas section has
raised more than $1 million and distributed those funds to over 40
projects in the Metroplex; at the same time, the organization
continues its efforts to educate area citizens about significant
issues and to develop the skills of community leaders; its own
members have served on numerous city boards and commissions and on
the city council, and three have held the office of Dallas mayor;
and
WHEREAS, Inspired by Jewish values and committed to
progressive social action, the women of the Dallas section of the
NCJW have helped secure for countless individuals the hope of a
brighter, more promising future, and their far-reaching civic
engagement is leaving an indelible imprint on a major city of the
Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby honor the Greater Dallas Section of the National
Council of Jewish Women for their distinguished community service
and extend to them sincere appreciation for their exemplary public
spirit; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for the section as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.
Davis of Dallas
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1629 was adopted by the House on April
30, 2009, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House