It is only in the United States that a penniless survivor of the Holocaust and a fighter in the anti-Nazi underground could have received an education, raised a family, and had the privilege of serving the last three decades of his life as a Member of Congress,” he said. “I will never be able to express fully my profoundly felt gratitude to this great country.

Why are some of the most patriotic Americans not even born in this country? I know that question has been asked before, and will be again, but the death of this man should all give us pause to reflect.

On Darfur: Sixty years ago, when the Holocaust unfolded, there were no rallies, there were no demonstrations, there was no legislation, there was just silence and indifference. I salute everyone who has stood up during these last few weeks and months to tell the oppressors, “We shall no longer mourn this genocide, we shall stop it.”

I may not have agreed with all of his political positions, but it would be impossible not to recognize and respect him. Viszontlátásra and Shalom.