February 24, 2023 — Washington, D.C.
American Jewish Committee (AJC) and the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute (CHLI) strengthened Jewish-Latino relations in the United States today by formalizing their collaborative relationship through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by AJC CEO Ted Deutch and CHLI Chair Lincoln Diaz-Balart.
AJC, the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people, and CHLI, a bicameral bipartisan institute dedicated to fostering a broad awareness of the diversity of thought, heritage, interests, and views of Americans of Hispanic and Portuguese descent, have partnered on initiatives over the past decade.
“The AJC-CHLI MOU will help ensure that the next generation of American Hispanic and Jewish leaders are connected by the values of democracy, pluralism, and inclusion, by the vision of the U.S. as a global leader that values its strategic alliances with its Latin American neighbors and with Israel, and by a strong commitment to ensuring that antisemitism and anti-Latino hate are expunged from our society,” said AJC CEO Ted Deutch.
“It is a genuine privilege for CHLI to be able to work with the American Jewish Committee, a prestigious organization admirably led by my friend Ted Deutch. CHLI looks forward to deepening its relationship with the Jewish people as it works together with the AJC on behalf of the values that unite us,” said Lincoln Diaz-Balart, CHLI founder and Chairman.
The MOU highlights the two organizations’ commitment to promoting a coalition between Latinos and Jews with joint activities, including:
• Co-hosting an annual joint visit to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
• Co-hosting “Connect Conversations” for AJC and CHLI interns and their alumni networks to establish professional relationships
• Promoting each other’s programs that support bipartisan leadership and diversity of thought, including engagement with members of the Latino-Jewish Congressional Caucus
• Participants in AJC and CHLI summer fellows programs will come together for a joint consultation to learn about their respective communities, advocacy priorities and opportunities for collaboration.
AJC has worked with CHLI’s members for more than a decade. Many have joined the Latino-Jewish Congressional Caucus, which AJC helped establish in 2011. During his tenure in Congress, Deutch served on the Latino-Jewish Congressional Caucus.
Last December, AJC and CHLI brought a group of CHLI fellows and AJC ACCESS Global members to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, where they engaged in a conversation about the implications of the Holocaust for society today and how both communities can work together to ensure genocide does not happen again.
CHLI is the premier organization founded by Members of Congress to advance the Hispanic Community’s Economic Progress with a focus on Social Responsibility and Global Competitiveness.
AJC’s Belfer Institute for Latino and Latin American Affairs is focused on establishing alliances between the U.S. Hispanic and Jewish communities and fostering U.S.-Latin America-Israel ties.
