Press Releases

An American Jewish Committee (AJC) delegation has returned from Japan, where they met with top government leaders and diplomats to reinforce strong ties among Japan and the U.S., Israel, and the American Jewish community.

A historic gathering of faith leaders from across religious traditions took place this week in Saudi Arabia, and included 12 rabbis, among them Rabbi David Rosen, American Jewish Committee’s Director of International Interreligious Relations.

American Jewish Committee (AJC) polls of the general and Muslim populations in Germany show widespread recognition of the gravity of antisemitism in Germany.

In honor of Jewish American Heritage month in the United States, and Israeli Independence Day, Yom Ha’atzmaut, American Jewish Committee (AJC) has designated May as #JewishandProud Month. “Amid rising antisemitism and a wave of deadly terror attacks on Israel, we’re calling on all Jews and all allies to celebrate Jewish identity and unite against all forms of Jew-hatred,” said Belle Etra Yoeli, AJC Chief Advocacy Officer.

Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff joined the Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council (MJAC) and other multifaith groups for an Iftar, the evening meal following the daily fast for Muslims during the month of Ramadan. Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, was in conversation with Rashad Hussain, the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom.

An American Jewish Committee (AJC) delegation visited Warsaw this week to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Shapiro Silverberg AJC Central Europe Office. Launched in March 2017, AJC Central Europe is dedicated to seven Central European countries: Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Slovakia.

American Jewish Committee surveys of U.S. and Israeli Jewish millennials show that Israel-Diaspora relations remain strong, but also indicate points of divergence regarding what role diaspora Jews should have in influencing Israeli polices, antisemitism in the U.S., and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The first-ever parallel surveys of Jews, ages 25-40, were conducted by YouGov in the U.S. and Geocartography in Israel for ACCESS, AJC’s young professional program, and AJC’s Contemporary Jewish Life Department. “Gauging the views of millennials is critical to ensuring strong, enduring ties between the world’s two largest Jewish communities,” said Dana Steiner, Director of AJC ACCESS Global.

American Jewish Committee (AJC) CEO David Harris today reaffirmed the leading global Jewish advocacy organization’s support for President Biden’s “resolute leadership in standing with Ukraine in the face of the reckless and illegal Russian invasion.” “You can continue to count on our full support as you galvanize both American and global power to confront this grave challenge to Ukraine, to international humanitarian law, to democratic aspirations, and to a rules-based international order,” Harris wrote in a letter today to President Biden.

College and university presidents and diversity officers from across North America learned best practices and new tactics to improve the campus climate for Jewish students this week at the University Presidents Summit on Campus Antisemitism. Presented by Hillel International and American Jewish Committee (AJC), in collaboration with the American Council on Education (ACE), the Summit helped higher education leaders grappling with the multi-faceted challenge of campus antisemitism, from how to define antisemitism to the special role of diversity officers as champions of all students experiencing discrimination.

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) and American Jewish Committee (AJC) Project Interchange (PI) are partnering to further enhance Black-Jewish ties across the United States by expanding collaboration between American and Israeli universities.
The highlight of a Memorandum of Understanding between the two organizations is an annual delegation to Israel for presidents and other leaders of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

American Jewish Committee (AJC) applauded the UN General Assembly decision to suspend Russia’s membership on the UN Human Rights Council. “Today’s momentous vote to suspend Russia from the Human Rights Council is a principled action reflecting the grave concern shared by many governments about the gross, systematic violations of human rights that Russian forces have committed during the invasion of Ukraine,” said Felice Gaer, Director of AJC’s Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights.

A plane filled with Ukrainian Jewish refugees — sponsored by American Jewish Committee (AJC) and organized by Jewish Agency for Israel — has arrived in Israel from Budapest, Hungary. “For Jews facing uncertain safety in their homes, Israel is a lifeline, a sanctuary, and a haven,” said AJC CEO David Harris. “Whether they are still living in Ukraine or have fled the violent Russian invasion to neighboring countries, these Jews know they have a home in the State of Israel, where they can build their lives anew because of the warm welcome they receive.”

American Jewish Committee’s Transatlantic Friends of Israel (TFI) inter-parliamentary group convened a virtual roundtable discussion on transatlantic responses to Iran’s nuclear ambition. Introduced by new American TFI co-chairs Reps. Brad Schneider (D-IL) and Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), the discussion brought together 22 members of Congress, members of the Knesset, and lawmakers from Europe and Canada. The event was moderated by AJC Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer Jason Isaacson.

American Jewish Committee (AJC) announced today additional grants from its #StandWithUkraine Fund to organizations providing direct humanitarian relief to Ukrainian refugees and to provide humanitarian assistance to Ukraine following Russia’s unprovoked, violent invasion. “We are compelled by our tradition and humanity to do whatever we possibly can to assist the people of Ukraine as they valiantly fight for their freedom and democratic, independent country,” said AJC CEO David Harris.

A group of American mayors is visiting Israel this week with Project Interchange, an educational institute of the American Jewish Committee (AJC). The educational seminar is the second delegation under the auspices of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between The United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) and AJC. Organized by AJC Project Interchange, the seminar is designed to further enhance U.S.-Israel relations at the important municipal level. The program’s intensive sessions and visits throughout the country will enable the mayors to gain a first-hand understanding of Israel’s vibrant democracy, diverse society, and regional challenges.

American Jewish Committee, the leading global Jewish advocacy organization, today launched on social media three videos featuring American Jews sharing how rising antisemitism has impacted them. They also speak powerfully about the importance of asserting proudly their Jewish identity to combat Jew-hatred. The video series is the latest initiative of AJC’s national campaign to raise awareness of the severity of rising antisemitism in the United States.

American Jewish Committee (AJC) announced today grants from its #StandWithUkraine Fund to Jewish organizations providing direct humanitarian relief to Ukrainians. AJC’s emergency #StandWithUkraine Fund, launched within days after Russia’s unprovoked and deadly invasion began, has raised to date more than $1.4 million to assist Ukrainian refugees and to provide humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.

We are here to bear witness,” American Jewish Committee (AJC) CEO David Harris declared at a refugee reception center in Dorohusk, Poland, on the border with Ukraine. Harris led an AJC group to Poland on a three-day visit to demonstrate solidarity with Ukrainians who have fled their country, seeking safety in Poland and other neighboring countries. He saluted the many Polish volunteers, who have been setting up tents, providing basic sanitary and food supplies, as well as opened their homes to some refugees.

In a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, American Jewish Committee (AJC) CEO David Harris has expressed grave concerns about the Iran nuclear deal emerging from more than eight months of negotiations in Vienna. “If the final result in Vienna is a return to essentially the same inadequate 2015 package, we will be left to wonder on what basis such an agreement advances regional and global security,” said Harris in the letter.

IsraAID, the international Israeli humanitarian aid organizations, is the first recipient of an American Jewish Committee (AJC) #StandWithUkraine Fund grant. The AJC grant will support IsraAID in establishing safe spaces for children, providing medical supplies, and offering trauma counseling. IsraAID, a longtime partner of AJC, has responded to humanitarian crises worldwide for more than 20 years, and often is among the first relief organization to be on site, as it is now doing in Moldova.