February 21, 2023 — Washington, D.C.
American Jewish Committee (AJC) will convene a meeting of antisemitism envoys from other nations as part of the efforts of an interagency group created by President Biden to build a national strategy to combat antisemitism.
The envoys and AJC are slated to meet with Biden administration officials at the White House on Feb. 28.
“AJC is convening this meeting at the White House because we know that effectively combating antisemitism at home requires lessons and best practices from abroad,” said AJC CEO Ted Deutch. “The more we can learn about the strategies other nations have deployed to fight antisemitism, the better it can inform how law enforcement and government respond to anti-Jewish hatred in the U.S.”
Deutch was in Brussels last month to speak at the European Parliament on the eve of International Holocaust Remembrance Day. He said the “memory of the six million is a constant reminder of the difficult work that lies ahead” and underscored the need for a global response to antisemitism.
Deutch was also part of a White House antisemitism roundtable on Dec. 7 with Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, where Deutch urged the Biden administration to create the interagency task force and a national strategy to fight antisemitism. Both were announced five days later.
The meeting will be held following the Feb. 13 release of AJC’s latest State of Antisemitism in America report, a comprehensive look at how American Jews and the general public view antisemitism and the threat it poses in the U.S. today.
The envoys slated to attend are:
- Katharina von Schnurbein, European Commission Coordinator on Combatting Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life
- Fernando Lottenberg, Organization of American States (OAS) Commissioner for Monitoring and Combating Antisemitism
- Felix Klein, Federal Government Commissioner for Jewish Life in Germany and the Fight Against Antisemitism
- Lord John Mann, United Kingdom's Government Independent Advisor on Antisemitism
- Eddo Verdoner, Netherlands’ National Coordinator for Countering Anti-Semitism
- Oystein Lyngroth, Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief and Head of the IHRA Delegation in Norway
AJC leaders will also accompany the envoys to Capitol Hill for meetings with members of Congress. Some of the envoys will travel on to Miami and Los Angeles to meet with local officials and Jewish leaders before returning to Europe.
AJC advances its work combating antisemitism and extremism through extensive relationships with leaders and decision-makers from around the world and partnerships with local Jewish communities, including the development of national action plans to combat antisemitism.
Through its 25 regional offices in the U.S. and 16 international offices, AJC, the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people, counters all forms of antisemitism by calling on governments to act and by organizing coalitions with other faith and ethnic groups to forge a united front against hate.
