Floor SpeechNeutral2026-05-21

HONORING RABBI ANDREA C. LONDON

Foreign PolicyIsraelInfrastructureCivil Rights

Context

On 2026-05-21, Representative Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL-9) delivered a floor speech titled "HONORING RABBI ANDREA C. LONDON" in the House.

Full Text

HONORING RABBI ANDREA C. LONDON

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 87 (Thursday, May 21, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 87 (Thursday, May 21, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E481] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING RABBI ANDREA C. LONDON ______ HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY of illinois in the house of representatives Thursday, May 21, 2026 Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Rabbi Andrea C. London, of Beth Emet The Free Synagogue in Evanston, Illinois. Rabbi London's retirement after many years of devoted and passionate spiritual leadership for our congregation and the broader Evanston community marks a meaningful moment of transition and celebration. It is also a chance to do something I do not do often enough: to pause and express my deep gratitude for my Rabbi. For more than twenty-five years, Rabbi London has led Beth Emet with a steady hand and strong vision. Through it all, she has demonstrated a deep commitment to Jewish learning, pastoral care, and justice. Much of her leadership has centered on building bridges. Across cultures. Across religions. She was always there with an extended hand and a warm smile. Her longstanding efforts have established strong and lasting relationships across lines of faith and race that truly inspire me. Today, Beth Emet has successful and growing Black-Jewish and Jewish-Muslim partnerships. Rabbi London operates with moral clarity in a world that is often brutal and complex. She has offered a clear, courageous voice on issues of peace in Israel and Palestine. The North Shore NAACP, J Street, and a wide range of interfaith partners have recognized her for that work, and The Forward named her one of the most inspiring rabbis in the country. The City of Evanston has honored her as well, marking her contributions with a formal proclamation. Rabbi London once organized a trip, taking Black and Jewish Evanston teenagers on a civil rights journey through the American South. This trip was designed to give young people a real opportunity to connect with the journey of African Americans living through the civil rights era and to walk in the shoes of those fighting for justice. Through this trip, Rabbi London helped young people understand themselves as part of a moral tradition that makes real demands. That is her gift: she does not tell people what to think. She puts them somewhere they have to reckon with what they believe. Mr. Speaker, I have turned to Rabbi London many times over the years. I have sought her out for counsel, for clarity, and for the kind of grounding that only comes from someone who has devoted their life to justice and to people. She has that rare quality in a leader: she helps you think, rather than thinking for you. I am a better public servant for knowing her. On behalf of the residents of the 9th Congressional District of Illinois, I want to offer my deep gratitude for Rabbi London's efforts on our behalf over the last quarter century. Her efforts have made Evanston, and our entire country, more just. I know she will continue her great work in our community, making a meaningful difference in the lives of so many. I am proud to call her my rabbi, and forever proud to call her my friend. ____________________

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HONORING RABBI ANDREA C. LONDON Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 87 (Thursday, May 21, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 87 (Thursday, May 21, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E481] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING RABBI ANDREA C. LONDON ______ HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY of illinois in the house of representatives Thursday, May 21, 2026 Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Rabbi Andrea C. London, of Beth Emet The Free Synagogue in Evanston, Illinois. Rabbi London's retirement after many years of devoted and passionate spiritual leadership for our congregation and the broader Evanston community marks a meaningful moment of transition and celebration. It is also a chance to do something I do not do often enough: to pause and express my deep gratitude for my Rabbi. For more than twenty-five years, Rabbi London has led Beth Emet with a steady hand and strong vision. Through it all, she has demonstrated a deep commitment to Jewish learning, pastoral care, and justice. Much of her leadership has centered on building bridges. Across cultures. Across religions. She was always there with an extended hand and a warm smile. Her longstanding efforts have established strong and lasting relationships across lines of faith and race that truly inspire me. Today, Beth Emet has successful and growing Black-Jewish and Jewish-Muslim partnerships. Rabbi London operates with moral clarity in a world that is often brutal and complex. She has offered a clear, courageous voice on issues of peace in Israel and Palestine. The North Shore NAACP, J Street, and a wide range of interfaith partners have recognized her for that work, and The Forward named her one of the most inspiring rabbis in the country. The City of Evanston has honored her as well, marking her contributions with a formal proclamation. Rabbi London once organized a trip, taking Black and Jewish Evanston teenagers on a civil rights journey through the American South. This trip was designed to give young people a real opportunity to connect with the journey of African Americans living through the civil rights era and to walk in the shoes of those fighting for justice. Through this trip, Rabbi London helped young people understand themselves as part of a moral tradition that makes real demands. That is her gift: she does not tell people what to think. She puts them somewhere they have to reckon with what they believe. Mr. Speaker, I have turned to Rabbi London many times over the years. I have sought her out for counsel, for clarity, and for the kind of grounding that only comes from someone who has devoted their life to justice and to people. She has that rare quality in a leader: she helps you think, rather than thinking for you. I am a better public servant for knowing her. On behalf of the residents of the 9th Congressional District of Illinois, I want to offer my deep gratitude for Rabbi London's efforts on our behalf over the last quarter century. Her efforts have made Evanston, and our entire country, more just. I know she will continue her great work in our community, making a meaningful difference in the lives of so many. I am proud to call her my rabbi, and forever proud to call her my friend. ____________________