All posts tagged: Foxman

Abraham Foxman was a warrior against hate. His work is hardly complete.

Abraham Foxman was a warrior against hate. His work is hardly complete.

Published by Sam Flores

(RNS) — Right about now, the angels in the world to come are tearing their hair out. That is because Abraham Foxman has arrived. They will never know what hit them. Abe Foxman, the longtime national director of the Anti-Defamation League, died Sunday (May 10) at the age of 86. He joined the organization in 1965 — fresh out of New York University Law School — and served for 50 years, 28 of them as national director. He made the ADL into one of the world’s foremost civil rights advocacy organizations and was the unquestioned dean of the alphabet soup system of Jewish legacy organizations. And, I dare say that even he could not have predicted the wave of antisemitism we are now experiencing — the very thing he spent his entire life fighting against. About 13 years ago, during a professional transition, I spent a year working for the ADL. I had long admired its mission and its purpose. I appreciated how their scope went far beyond antisemitism in how they protested discrimination against …

Abraham Foxman, antisemitism umpire for the ADL, dies at 86

Abraham Foxman, antisemitism umpire for the ADL, dies at 86

Published by Sam Flores

(RNS) — People used to joke that Abraham Foxman, the longtime national director of the Anti-Defamation League, was the “Jewish pope” for his frequent comments on any attack on Jews around the world. A better description might be top cop. During the late 20th century, Foxman — who died Sunday (May 10) at age 86 — was one of the most recognized American Jewish leaders for his regular pronouncements whenever he perceived antisemitism. As the national director of the ADL for almost three decades, he built up the organization into a formidable agency that tracked antisemitism and other forms of extremism. His successor, Jonathan Greenblatt, described him as “an iconic Jewish leader who embraced the ideal of an America free from antisemitism and hate and who strongly believed that these scourges could be defeated if good people opposed it,” in a statement mourning his death.  Abraham Foxman. (Photo courtesy of ADL) The American Jewish Committee in a statement said, “Abe brought moral clarity, courage, and unwavering conviction to generations of advocacy and leadership.” To New …