US Congress sings happy birthday to Pittsburgh and Shoah survivor Judah Samet
Judah Samet was invited as a special guest to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address
A Holocaust survivor who lived through the Tree of Life shooting has received a standing ovation from the US Congress yesterday after members sang “Happy Birthday” to him.
Judah Samet was invited as a special guest to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address in the House of Representatives and received a special recognition from the president.
The president said: “Tonight, we are also joined by Pittsburgh survivor Judah Samet. He arrived at the synagogue as the massacre began.
“But not only did Judah narrowly escape death last fall, more than seven decades ago, he narrowly survived the Nazi concentration camps.”
The chamber broke into song after President Trump announced it was Samet’s 81st birthday, who appeared overcome with emotion and shouted back “thank you”.
The House chamber sings “Happy Birthday” to Holocaust survivor and Tree of Life shooting survivor Judah Samet on his 81st birthday #SOTU https://t.co/qTH9WTJ5uM pic.twitter.com/vCBCnK85us
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) February 6, 2019
The president smiled and mock-conducted, adding: “They wouldn’t do that for me, Judah”.
Judah Samet was several minutes late to services at the Tree of Life synagogue on October 27, which meant he was able to escape the shooting which killed 11 worshippers.
He sat in his car in the synagogue car park after he heard the shooting and was warned by another man, Samet told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Samet served in the Israeli army before moving to the United States in the 1960s, according to a statement by the White House.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.