NEW YORK — Abraham H. Foxman, who served as the national director of the Anti-Defamation League for nearly 30 years and became one of America’s most recognized advocates against antisemitism, has passed away at age 86, the organization announced Sunday.
The ADL released a statement expressing that it “deeply mourns the loss of our longtime national director,” though specific details regarding the time and location of Foxman’s death were not disclosed.
During his 28-year tenure leading the ADL until his 2015 retirement, Foxman advised presidents and diplomats while also engaging with business leaders and public figures. He regularly confronted high-profile individuals who made antisemitic statements and would accept their apologies on behalf of the Jewish community.
“Abe’s voice was heard –- and listened to -– by popes, presidents, and prime ministers, a voice he used wherever Jews were at risk,” stated Jonathan Greenblatt, the ADL’s current director. “Abe Foxman spoke on the global stage with moral authority and clarity and was relentlessly dedicated to his pursuit of a world without hate.”
Foxman’s life began in 1940 when he was born to Polish Jewish parents in present-day Belarus. He became a Holocaust survivor after his nanny baptized him as a Catholic to hide his Jewish heritage. Following the war’s end, he was reunited with his family, who then relocated to New York.
Following his legal education, Foxman began working at the ADL as a staff attorney. His entire five-decade career was devoted to the organization, where he emerged as a prominent national figure in the fight against antisemitism and hatred. The organization appointed him as national director in 1987.
When he stepped down from his role, Foxman expressed concerns to The Associated Press about how the internet was enabling bigots to disseminate their ideologies “not only anonymously but at the speed of light.”
The ADL was established in 1913 with the mission to combat antisemitism and all forms of prejudice. However, the organization’s focus has shifted over the years based on leadership and contemporary challenges.
Some critics argued that under Foxman’s leadership, the ADL allocated excessive resources to issues beyond Jewish concerns. During his tenure, the organization developed an extensive research division focused on white supremacists and other extremist groups, championed immigrant and LGBTQ rights, provided diversity training for police departments, and created educational programs covering topics from Holocaust education to civil rights legislation and anti-bullying initiatives.
Throughout his career, Foxman endured criticism from those who believed he was overly sensitive to perceived anti-Jewish sentiments and too hasty in his condemnations. Conversely, others criticized him for being too willing to forgive individuals who expressed regret for their anti-Jewish comments.
Foxman maintained that accepting apologies was crucial, particularly from influential figures who could become valuable allies for the Jewish community.
“If you don’t let them change, then you become the bigot.”
