[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 12] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages 15859-15860] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]TRIBUTE TO RABBI MICHAEL ROBINSON ______ HON. LYNN C. WOOLSEY of california in the house of representatives Tuesday, July 25, 2006 Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my good friend Rabbi Michael Robinson who died July 20, 2006, surrounded by friends and family at his home in Sebastopol, California. Mr. Speaker, this is the second time I have risen to honor this unique man who has dedicated his life to the cause of social justice at home and around the world. On the last occasion, several years ago Rabbi Robinson received a civil liberties award from the ACLU of Sonoma County recognizing a lifetime of achievements and his passionate advocacy for civil rights. From the American civil rights movement to the Nicaraguan Contra war to the Israel-Palestinian conflict Michael Robinson has been on the front lines promoting peace and the improvement of humanity. Born in North Carolina, Michael received his B.A. from the University of Cincinnati and attended North Carolina State College before enlisting in the Navy during World War II. He served in the Pacific and became a pacifist immediately after this experience. In 1952, after completing a course of study at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, Michael became the first North Carolina native to be ordained as a rabbi. He later earned his doctoral degree from the New York Theological Seminary and served in temples in Seattle and Pomona as well as 29 years as an activist leader at Temple Israel in Westchester, New York. During the civil rights movement, the synagogue raised money to help rebuild the black churches that had been burned in the South and finance the van used by the Freedom Riders to tour the South. Michael marched with Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, and expressed his convictions with these words: ``When I was ten years old I began sitting on the back seat of the bus with `colored people.' I never returned to the front seat.'' After moving to Sonoma County with his wife Ruth, Michael served Shomrei Torah, and is credited with growing the congregation from [[Page 15860]] 30 families to now the largest Jewish congregation (175) in Santa Rosa, CA. Retired since 1996, Rabbi Robinson holds the title of Rabbi Emeritus at both Temple Israel and Shomrei Torah. In addition to promoting affirmative action, same sex marriage, affordable housing, and other equality issues, Michael has worked against nuclear war, apartheid, and all forms of injustice. He is known locally for his involvement in the Sonoma County Task Force on Homelessness, Children's Village, the Living Wage Coalition, Habitat for Humanity, the Sonoma County Peace and Justice Center, and the Sonoma Land Trust. A founding Member of Angry White Guys for Affirmative Action in 1996, Michael's words still resonate: ``I hope that my anger will not dissipate until justice is done and every man, woman and child has equal access to all the privileges of a democratic society and receives equal respect.'' Michael is survived by his wife Ruth, his sister Leah Karpen, his daughters Jude and Sharon, and 3 grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, I share Rabbi Michael Robinson's hope that we as a nation can become better people and create a just society. And I join with his family and friends in the belief that we can best honor his life by making the work of peace and social justice a priority in our own lives. ____________________