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<div><div style="display:none;display:none !important;line-height:1px;max-height:0px;max-width:0px;height:0;width:0;font-size:0px">Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Celebrates 70th Anniversary of the resolution on the State of Israel</div><div><div><div align="center"><div align="center" style="max-width:602px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto"><table width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" style="margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto"><tbody><tr><td><img alt="" width="1" height="5" hspace="0" vspace="0" border="0" src="https://imgssl.constantcontact.com/letters/images/sys/S.gif"></td><td align="center" valign="top" width="600"><table width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td align="center" valign="top"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td><img src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/shr_drw_left.png"></td><td><a href="http://s.rs6.net/t?e=NT00h6eALOA&c=1&r=1"><img src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/shr_drw_fb.png" style="border:0"></a></td><td><a href="http://s.rs6.net/t?e=NT00h6eALOA&c=3&r=1"><img src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/shr_drw_twit.png" style="border:0"></a></td><td><a href="http://s.rs6.net/t?e=NT00h6eALOA&c=4&r=1"><img src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/shr_drw_linked.png" style="border:0"></a></td><td><img src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/shr_drw_divider.png" style="border:0"></td><td><a href="http://s.rs6.net/t?e=NT00h6eALOA&c=5&r=1"><img src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/shr_drw_more.png" style="border:0"></a></td><td><img src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/shr_drw_right.png" style="border:0"></td><td style="padding-left:5px"><a href="http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Toda-Raba-Dear-Haiti---70th-Anniversary-Commemoration.html?soid=1103413547828&aid=NT00h6eALOA#fblike"><img src="http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/shr_btn_like_sm.png" style="border:0"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td><td><img alt="" width="1" height="5" hspace="0" vspace="0" border="0" src="https://imgssl.constantcontact.com/letters/images/sys/S.gif"></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div></div><img src="http://r20.rs6.net/on.jsp?a=1103413547828&r=3&c=681214d0-50f2-11e3-80e1-d4ae52a459cd&d=1129432365101&ch=6910e730-50f2-11e3-81ab-d4ae52a459cd&ca=6d95dee8-ba3a-4c63-84a5-80ffa9903acc&o=https://imgssl.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/s.gif" height="1" width="1">
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<div style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><strong>For Immediate Release:</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">November 29, 2017</div>
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<div style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><strong>Contact:</strong></div>
<div style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">Lisa Derrick</div>
<div style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">derrickl@nysassembly.gov</div>
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<div style="font-size:26pt"><strong>Assemblymember </strong></div>
<div style="font-size:26pt"><strong>Rodneyse Bichotte </strong></div>
<div style="font-size:18pt"><strong>Commemorates the Long-Standing History </strong></div>
<div style="font-size:18pt"><strong>Between</strong></div>
<div style="font-size:18pt"><strong>Haiti and Israel</strong></div>
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<div style="font-size:20pt"><strong> 1947-2017 </strong></div>
<div style="font-size:20pt"><strong>Toda Raba /Thank You Dear Haiti</strong></div>
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<div><strong>(Brooklyn, NY),</strong> Today we celebrate 70 years of the passing of the United Nation resolution for the formation of the Jewish State of <strong>Israel</strong>, where <strong>Haiti</strong> cast the deciding vote in the debate at the United Nations General Assembly.</div>
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<div>The nations of <strong>Israel</strong> and <strong>Haiti</strong> share a long and unique relationship. Before the independence of <strong>Haiti</strong> 213 years ago, the people of <strong>Haiti</strong> experienced a period of slavery, reminiscent of what the Jewish People experienced for 210 years in Egypt. </div>
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<div>"Not many people know about the relationship between <strong>Haiti</strong> and <strong>Israel</strong>, and I am happy to share this part of our joint history," said<strong> Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte</strong>, the daughter of Haitian immigrants. "One of the highlights of my world travel has been my 2011 trip to <strong>Israel</strong> where I was privileged to visit Holy Sites and the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum. During that trip I noted that <strong>Haiti</strong> was not properly commended for their role in saving Jewish people who were fleeing the Holocaust, based on communication I was able to have with <strong>Haiti</strong> Holocaust Survivor Bill Mohr and his wife Harriet Mohr who found refuge in <strong>Haiti</strong> for ten months during the holocaust. As a result of this, Yad Vashem added an exhibit where they commemorate this vital history." </div>
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<div>After the 2010 devastating earthquake in <strong>Haiti</strong>, <strong>Israel</strong> was the first country to come and set up field hospitals and initiate other vital work. <strong>Haiti</strong> remains grateful to <strong>Israel</strong> for their help in their time of need. Baby boys born in these field hospitals were named '<strong>Israel</strong>' in memorialization of <strong>Israel</strong>'s significant role in the aftermath of the earthquake."</div>
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<div>The Jewish community was deeply enrooted in <strong>Haiti</strong> during colonial times, mainly because of the Inquisition of 1492 in the Iberian Peninsula which forced Jewish people to flee, convert or be killed for practicing their religion, leading many Jewish people to flee to <strong>Haiti</strong>. Throughout the 1600's, various laws ordered all the Jewish people out of the French colonies of America. Jewish people fled and found haven in <strong>Haiti</strong>, with many of these residents subsequently establishing thriving communities and businesses. </div>
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<div>In the 1800's, Jewish people fled pogroms and the oppressive laws of Poland and the Levant, and found asylum in <strong>Haiti</strong>. They settled on the coastline, and in port cities, as many of them were involved in commerce and trade. </div>
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<div><strong>Haiti</strong> was instrumental in saving the lives of 70 Jewish families during the Holocaust. According to the Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, an estimated total of up to 300 Jews who fled Nazi Germany came to <strong>Haiti</strong>. There were others who never came to <strong>Haiti</strong>, but were given Haitian passports by the Haitian Government which allowed them to flee Germany and relocate to other countries, escaping certain death.</div>
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<div>On the <strong>29th of November 1947</strong>, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution calling for Palestine to be apportioned between Arabs and Jews, allowing for the formation of the Jewish State of <strong>Israel</strong>. Passage of the resolution required a 2/3 majority of the valid votes, not counting abstaining and absent members of the UN's then 56-member states. The United Nations General Assembly voted 33 to 13, with 10 abstentions and 1 absence, confirming the establishment of the Jewish State of <strong>Israel. </strong><strong>Haiti</strong> cast the deciding vote in the debate at the United Nations General Assembly on the existence of <strong>Israel</strong> as a nation in modern times.</div>
<div><a style="color:blue;text-decoration:underline" shape="rect" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001PjyGAK_o3oINS7OmG50taRkTOrcU7EnvpPLza0WBK6GZWyS_gK8E9fwp74XyTsZW-5rNQpTVPoW_l46px7QaHmukjf2b6JnrR6mYXWbVNQA4Eo7VuOeHWMQCiwsZxkEsI0XbquUpiMiTiZpJ-4GCL6JdKHjYl9cttWLwb-k_nSvg5jZ65ohtI7kmEZFiiIOsKx-4ZfV74bQWtI4FNSOkiJRJKUpxh-2BuoFNAWe1nwPXOXIXO8w8PMrJfMXw-q65Hog_H3uM6S6Irg8lgCZ_fFGIpFMq8wr2sfUoBj7_qhK_CzVgVcNZ-qXix63S4yetN4rXiWHukw4azLzfn0R76LIoKUg5Lgi0tMoUot-32_65SsCySDzdN5H500eaxThj&c=VNAWz6k0kzLdykC6Zk1kXJbmyLp3ei9rLsKMpPA8KfJnuypbLQ33gg==&ch=uqDaPoCpT8iS8fjrD-8OT7OQaBodb3-YEwBogywlUAYbhWTtzUU6fA==">https://israelforever.org/history/the_story_of_a_vote/</a> </div>
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<div>More on Haiti Holocaust:<a style="color:blue;text-decoration:underline" shape="rect" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001PjyGAK_o3oINS7OmG50taRkTOrcU7EnvpPLza0WBK6GZWyS_gK8E9XuFd2PgCBMhp4ZX9LHH3j9_XPpJOb8HC9XSH1jMVLhoIaYP11nr-9b72VpRS9ZTnCl4wmcce3DSExGUmO3xJ0b5_h-A9AyXmPZHfYwO7ITrdJjMkYzayhyuCeXNiuV7Iq5UwmXT4cwy0OChCpDI4fml7O6Zj9x31Bzd1i1uLjfNTDFqFJoMLlFalO1tlKVPkbOWEsZ-GD-BHOE-uLwe_tImr4_6sPdxW6kubmbuMnCWNFJltc1d2eQgsgk67UJZ7RRzP8f7PVHfq0vFn8rgVT-xryqjLpQQUHLI7DkznGaXhEFy78iIQErplKYlgVJ-6Q==&c=VNAWz6k0kzLdykC6Zk1kXJbmyLp3ei9rLsKMpPA8KfJnuypbLQ33gg==&ch=uqDaPoCpT8iS8fjrD-8OT7OQaBodb3-YEwBogywlUAYbhWTtzUU6fA==">https://haitiholocaustsurvivors.wordpress.com/about/</a></div>
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<div>Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte represents the 42nd Assembly District in the New York State Assembly representing Brooklyn communities of Ditmas Park, Flatbush, East Flatbush and Midwood. She is currently the <strong>Chair of the Subcommittee on Oversight of Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs)</strong>, and serves on the following committees: <strong>Housing, Government Operations, Economic Development, Small Businesses, Banks and Social Services</strong>. She also sits on <strong>Governor Cuomo's Domestic Advisory Council.
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<div>As the current Assemblymember and District Leader, Rodneyse Bichotte has been outspoken advocate on issues concerning immigration, unemployment, education reform, health care access, senior citizen centers, affordable housing, women's and LGBTQ rights, as well as other issues affecting the quality of life in the community.</div>
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<div style="text-align:center" align="center"><strong>Learn more about </strong></div>
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<div><strong>Rodneyse Bichotte by visiting her website at <a shape="rect">www.rodneysebichotte.com</a> or <a shape="rect">http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Rodneyse-Bichotte</a> </strong></div>
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