House adopts resolutions honoring Muslim and Jewish heritages
Rep. Tarik Khan May 7, 2024 | 11:09 AM
HARRISBURG, May 7 – On Monday, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives adopted two resolutions:
- H.R. 352- introduced by state Rep. Tarik Khan, D-Phila., to recognize July 2024 as “Muslim Heritage and Appreciation Month” in Pennsylvania.
- H.R. 365- introduced by state Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, to recognize May 2024 as “Jewish American Heritage Month” in Pennsylvania.
The resolutions were introduced as a package by the two legislators to celebrate both faiths.
“Growing up as a Muslim kid in a Jewish neighborhood with a Catholic mom, I saw every day how diversity makes us stronger, better and more empathetic,” Khan said. “To paraphrase Mahatma Gandhi, ‘different religions are beautiful flowers from the same garden,’ and are equally true and majestic. Today’s resolutions are about celebrating these two equally beautiful and magnificent faiths.”
“These two great faiths and cultures helped shape the world, and they also help shape almost every community in this commonwealth,” Frankel said. “At a time when conflict abroad has Jewish and Muslim Pennsylvanians feeling vulnerable, it’s more important than ever to create space for cultural education and appreciation.”
Khan and Frankel were joined by several colleagues in the introduction of the two pieces of legislation, including state Reps. Robert Freeman, D-Northampton; Matt Gergely, D-Allegheny; Jose Giral, D-Phila.; Roni Green, D-Phila.; Carol Kazeem, D-Delaware; Abigail Salisbury, D-Allegheny; Ben Sanchez, D-Montgomery; Mike Schlossberg, D-Lehigh; Melissa Shusterman, D-Chester; Josh Siegel, D-Lehigh; Ismail Smith-Wade-El, D-Lancaster; Jared Solomon, D-Phila.; and Ben Waxman, D-Phila.