Commemoration of 25th Anniversary of Terrorist Attack on Jewish Center in Argentina

ADL marked the 25th anniversary of the terrorist bombing of AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires through commemorations in Israel and the US, through opinion pieces and through advocacy. ADL’s Israel office partnered with the Diaspora Museum to present a moderated discussion led by Times of Israel Editor David Horovitz with former Israeli Ambassador to Argentina and Argentina’s current Ambassador to Israel. An op-ed by Senior Vice President for International Affairs Sharon Nazarian called for sustained action by Argentina to bring justice for the victims. The Jerusalem Post featured ADL’s calls for action on the anniversary. An ADL video focused on the victims and their families. In addition ADL welcomed the efforts by the Argentine Government to combat terrorism and freeze Hezbollah’s assets. 

Advocating for Religious Freedom Inside and Outside State Department Confab

ADL participated in the State Department's Second Annual Ministerial on International Religious Freedom, represented by Senior Vice President for International Affairs Sharon Nazarian, Washington Director for International Affairs David Weinberg, Coordinator of ADL's Task Force on Middle East Minorities Tugba Tanyeri Erdemir, as well as several Members of ADL's Task Force. Sharon spoke on a State Department panel on best practices in International Religious Freedom advocacy, noting the activities of ADL's Task Force as well as ADL's work to combat religious persecution of LGBTQ people at home and abroad. She also spoke on a panel with the International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. 

ADL also participated in a wide array of meetings outside of the conference, including with the Swedish Special Envoy for Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue Amb. Joachim Bergstrom, the Bahraini Ambassador to the United States Abdullah bin Rashed Al Khalifa, former Acting Treasury Secretary Robert Kimmitt, the United Arab Emirates' interfaith delegation to the State Department summit, the President of the Jewish Community of the Emirates, Dr. Yousif al-Obaidli, Director General of Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center and the Council for Global Equality. 

ADL Israel Director Reflects on Recent Protests by Ethiopian Israeli Community

In an op-ed published in Makor Rishon, It's Time to Put an End to "Us" and "Them" Mentality in Israeli Society, ADL Israel Director Carole Nuriel examines the recent protests of Ethiopian Israelis and what it means for Israeli society. Carole writes: “All Israelis should be deeply concerned about this inequality. When there is injustice in a society, it affects not only the victims of the injustice, but also and especially the health of the entire society.”

Middle East

In advance of Emir Tamim’s meeting with President Trump, ADL’s David Weinberg called on the US to raise the concerning issue of Qatari government-sanctioned incitement.

With tensions with Iran heightened, ADL posted an explainer blog on The Iranian Nuclear Threat: Why it Matters.

Threats by Hamas leaders to kill Jews worldwide were condemned.  

ADL called out statements made by Israel’s education minister calling Jewish intermarriage a “second Holocaust” and endorsing “conversion therapy” for LGBTQ people.  

A hate-filled anti-LGBTQ comment by Jerusalem Chief Rabbi Amar was condemned. 

ADL commended the House Foreign Affairs Committee for approving H. Res. 246, the bipartisan resolution opposing efforts to delegitimize the State of Israel and the counterproductive BDS movement targeting Israel. It passed on July 23 by a vote of 398 to 17 with 5 abstentions. 

House passage of HR 1837, strengthening US-Israel relations and HR 1850 combating Palestinian terror was welcomed.  

Europe

A new video features European Jewish youth leaders talking about how they deal with anti-Semitism in their home countries.  

SVP for International Affairs Sharon Nazarian, European Affairs Director Andrew Srulevitch and Assistant Director Dalia Grinfeld met with newly appointed officials in the Berlin state government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs involved in combatting anti-Semitism. ADL also met with NGO and Foundation partners, as well as our new corporate partner, Volkswagen.

ADL continued to speak out on anti-Semitism in the Labor Party and to express support for the British Jewish community in its demand that party leader Jeremy Corbyn take substantive action. 

ADL leadership and staff met with Lord Eric Pickles, UK Special Envoy for Post-Holocaust Issues to discuss anti-Semitism and how to fight it.  

ADL called on the nominee for the EU top foreign policy position to clarify his troubling statements on Iran.  

Alarm expressed on findings on the extent to which European Jewish youth encounter anti-Semitism.  

Assistant Director of European Affairs Dalia Grinfeld spoke to the European Union of Jewish Students on ADL's work in Europe.   

Latin America

ADL hosted members of the Jewish community of Argentina represented by DAIA President Jorge Knoblovits and Executive Director Victor Garelik and discussed topics of mutual concern.

Global

International Affairs in the Regions

Staff and members of ADL’s Southwest Regional International Affairs Committee met with the new Consul General of Mexico in Houston, Alicia Kerber-Palma.  

ADL Israel hosted high school students from the Jewish Day School in Bogota, Colombia to gained skills to confront anti-Semitism and hate.

German Consul General Stefan Schneider hosted ADL’s annual International Affairs Committee reception on June 25 for ADL leaders and members of the diplomatic corps at the German official residence in Santa Monica.

New York/New Jersey presented an introductory Words to Action workshop at Yeshiva University to Brazilian high school students visiting New York.