Press Releases

The Latino Jewish Congressional Caucus was relaunched at an American Jewish Committee (AJC) Belfer Institute for Latino and Latin American Affairs event on Capitol Hill. “The bipartisan caucus is still going strong,” said Dina Siegel Vann, Director of AJC's Belfer Institute for Latino and Latin American Affairs. “ Co-chaired by Representatives Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), and Jaime Herrera Buetler (R-WA), the caucus convened a bipartisan group of members of Congress to meet with Sergio Massa, Speaker of the House of Argentina's Chamber of Deputies.

The two largest Jewish communities in the world are significantly lacking in education about each other, concludes new American Jewish Committee (AJC) surveys of Israeli and U.S. Jews.

American Jewish Committee (AJC) congratulates incoming Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Alternate Prime Minister Yair Lapid on successfully forming a new government in Israel. “The new Israeli government reflects the country’s diversity and is determined to pursue peace, security, and prosperity,” said AJC CEO David Harris. “AJC looks forward to working with the new coalition, as we have consistently done with every Israeli government since 1948, and we wish the leadership every success.”

Three U.S. Senators jointly announced today, at the 2021 American Jewish Committee (AJC) Global Forum, the launch of the bipartisan Senate Caucus on Black-Jewish Relations. Formation of the caucus comes amidst a rise in hate crimes directed toward minority communities across the United States, and a renewed commitment to bringing Blacks and Jews together, not just in the halls of the Capitol but on the streets of America. “We are going to show real leadership on this issue,” said Senator Jacky Rosen of Nevada, who was joined by Senators Tim Scott of South Carolina and Cory Booker of New Jersey at the AJC Global Forum as the co-founders of the new caucus.

The remarkable achievements of Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, were recognized today at the American Jewish Committee (AJC) 2021 Virtual Global Forum in a conversation between him and Felice Gaer, Director of AJC’s Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights (JBI).

French President Emmanuel Macron, in an historic address to the American Jewish Committee (AJC) Virtual Global Forum, reaffirmed his commitments to combat antisemitism, strengthen France’s relations with Israel and the United States, and ensure that Iran’s ballistic missile and regional activities are addressed in any agreement. It was Macron’s first address to an American Jewish organization since his election as president four years ago.

“Our fight against antisemitism is more urgent than ever,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told thousands participating in the 2021 American Jewish Committee (AJC) Virtual Global Forum. The commission, she announced today, will adopt later this year “the first-ever EU strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life.”

His Excellency Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain, addressed a worldwide audience of thousands participating in the 2021 American Jewish Committee Virtual Global Forum. In a conversation with Jason Isaacson, AJC Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer, the foreign minister discussed the historic Abraham Accords, Bahrain-U.S. relations, and the Iranian threat.

Luis Almagro, Secretary-General of the Organization of American States (OAS), told the worldwide American Jewish Committee (AJC) 2021 Virtual Global Forum today that he is issuing an executive order to create the position of OAS Commissioner for Monitoring and Combating Antisemitism. “The Commissioner’s main responsibilities will be to promote adoption and implementation by all countries in the region of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism, and to vigorously engage states and civil society organizations to raise awareness of the need to remain alert to all forms of antisemitism,” said Almagro.

American Jewish Committee (AJC) has opened an office in the United Arab Emirates and named Ambassador Marc Sievers as the office’s inaugural director. AJC Abu Dhabi: The Sidney Lerner Center for Arab-Jewish Understanding is the leading global Jewish advocacy organization’s first office in an Arab country, and its 13th overseas post. “AJC Abu Dhabi is truly historic,” said AJC CEO David Harris. “It will enable AJC to expand on our decades of bridge-building in the region and create a wider network of stakeholders in the new relationships made possible by the Abraham Accords.”

American Jewish Committee (AJC) is firmly denouncing Arizona’s widely reported plan to use a Holocaust era poisonous gas to execute prisoners.

Children of Abraham: An Introduction to Judaism for Muslims, the highly acclaimed book by Rabbi Dr. Reuven Firestone of Hebrew Union College, first published by American Jewish Committee (AJC) in 2001, will be updated and distributed in multiple languages prevalent in Muslim-majority countries around the world. "We see a growing desire across the Muslim world for in-depth knowledge about Judaism and the Jewish people,” said AJC CEO David Harris. “The Children of Abraham translation project will make an authentic Jewish voice widely accessible to hundreds of millions of Muslims.”

To expand American Jewish Committee’s (AJC’s) reach to audiences in the Middle East, the global advocacy organization launched AJC Farsi today, with Persian-language social media accounts on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. “The intersection of my Iranian, American, and Jewish identities makes me particularly proud to make this exciting announcement,” Saba Soomekh, Associate Director of AJC Los Angeles, told the 2021 Virtual AJC Global Forum’s worldwide audience. “AJC Farsi will bolster our efforts to reach Iranians in Iran and diaspora communities in the United States and around the world.”

Project Interchange (PI), American Jewish Committee’s signature educational institute introducing Israel to leaders from the United States and countries around the world, plans to host delegations of policymakers and opinion influencers from countries that signed the Abraham Accords last year. The new initiative, announced today to a worldwide audience attending the 2021 AJC Virtual Global Forum is intended to support the growing foundation of peaceful cooperation in the region. The first educational seminar in Israel for Arab Gulf leaders will take place in November, and a second group will come in January 2022.

His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, United Arab Emirates Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, addressed today a worldwide audience participating in the 2021 American Jewish Committee Virtual Global Forum. The Global Forum is the leading global Jewish advocacy organization’s premier annual event. In a conversation with Jason Isaacson, AJC Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer, the foreign minister discussed the historic Abraham Accords, UAE-U.S. relations, prospects for advancing Arab-Israeli peace, and the threat of extremism.

The 2021 American Jewish Committee (AJC) Virtual Global Forum opened today with remarks by Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, whose seven-year term ends in July. “For many years, AJC has played a central role as an advocate for the Jewish people, combating antisemitism, BDS, and supporting Israel’s fight against terror,” said Rivlin. He thanked AJC for its “work to promote Muslim-Jewish relations and ties between Israel and Arab states, and for all you do for Israel and the Jewish people.”

More than four months after President Biden’s inauguration, majorities of American Jews give him high marks for his performance as president, and his handling of U.S-Israel relations and the threat of antisemitism, according to a new national survey by the nonpartisan American Jewish Committee (AJC). The questions on U.S. political issues, U.S-Israel relations, and the peace process are part of a larger survey that will be released later this month.

"We wish President-elect Isaac Herzog much success in fulfilling the duties of this high office, which is vital to the well-being and standing of Israel in the global community,” said AJC CEO David Harris, who has known Herzog for many years. “He brings enormous assets to the position, including an unusually deep understanding of world Jewry, including the American Jewish community. It is vitally important that Jews, whether in Israel or elsewhere, feel connected to, and welcomed by, the office of Israel’s President. In that spirit, as we have with each President since the state’s rebirth in 1948, we look forward to working closely with Mr. Herzog after he takes office on July 9.”

“Every trip to Israel is a reminder of the remarkable qualities of this nation,” said AJC CEO David Harris. “This solidarity visit, like so many others AJC has sponsored since 1991, when Iraq fired Scud missiles at Israeli cities, underscores the courage, resilience, ingenuity, and determination of Israelis to defend their country — in this case against Hamas, a genocidal terrorist group. Each trip is also a reminder of how misrepresented and mischaracterized Israel is by many in the media and some countries who seek to demonize this thriving democracy and the lone Jewish-majority country on earth.”

“The number of Jews attacked on the streets of New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Miami, Chicago and other U.S. cities is growing,” said AJC CEO David Harris. “Antisemitism, the world’s oldest hatred, is not solely a Jewish problem. It is a societal problem, and we urge elected officials, civic leaders, and others to stand up and speak out. History has taught us that silence and indifference are never the answer.”