Remembering a true leader and spokesman for American Jewry: Abe Foxman
The Jerusalem Post • • nation
Key Points:
- Abe Foxman, former national director of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), passed away at age 86; he was a Holocaust survivor and a prominent voice for American Jewry and Jewish democracy.
- Foxman was known for his steadfast support of Israel’s democracy and pluralism, making his support conditional on Israel maintaining these values, especially amid rising ideological extremism in Israeli politics.
- Throughout his career, Foxman engaged thoughtfully with issues like antisemitism, the role of the Chief Rabbinate in Israel, and challenges facing Jewish identity in the Diaspora, always advocating for honest and principled leadership.
- Despite disagreements and difficult political realities, Foxman maintained a civil, persistent, and courageous approach to Jewish leadership, emphasizing the importance of balancing support for Israel with a commitment to democratic values.
- His death marks the loss of a generation of Jewish leadership shaped by post-Holocaust immigrant experience and institutional stability, leaving a legacy of nuanced advocacy for Jewish unity and democracy in complex times.
