World Jewish Congress
2014 / 2015 Global Review
Executive Committee* WJC President
Ronald S. Lauder Treasurer
Chairman of the Governing Board
Chella Safra
David de Rothschild
Policy Council
Moshe Kantor
Robert Goot
Chairman Co-Chairman
Regional Chairs
Julius Meinl
President, Euro-Asian Jewish Congress
Jack Terpins
President, Latin American Jewish Congress
Moshe Kantor
President, European Jewish Congress
Shai Hermesh
Chairperson, WJC Israel
Evelyn Sommer
Chairperson, WJC North America
Vice Presidents
(by country, regional affiliate and organization)
Argentina
Julio Schlosser
Kyrgyzstan
WJC North America
President, Delegación de Asociaciónes Israelitas Argentinas
Vladimir Kritsman
Renée Dayan Shabot
Chairman, Jewish Community of Kyrgyzstan
International Council of Jewish Women
Australia
Mikhail Chlenov
Robert Goot President, Executive Council of Australian Jewry
Brazil
Fernando Lottenberg President, Confederação Israelita do Brasil
Canada
David J. Cape Chairperson, Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs
Czech Republic
Petr Papousek
President, Federation of Jewish Communities in the Czech Republic
France
Russia
Chairman, Vaad of Russia
Yuri Kanner President, Russian Jewish Congress
South Africa
Mary Kluk
Chairman, South African Jewish Board of Deputies
Ukraine
Boris Fuchsmann President, Jewish Confederation of Ukraine
Andrey Adamovskiy Chairperson, Vaad of Ukraine
United Kingdom
Jonathan Arkush
Roger Cukierman
President, Board of Deputies of British Jews
President, Conseil Représentatif des Institutions Juives de France
Rabbi Joel Meyers
Georgia
Chairperson, WJC (American Section), Inc.
President, Jewish Community of Georgia
Saul Levine Seir
Germany
President, Jewish Community of Venezuela
Guram Batiashvili Josef Schuster President, Zentralrat der Juden in Deutschland
USA
Venezuela
Euro-Asian Jewish Congress
Mikhail Mirilashvili
Greece
European Jewish Congress
President, Federation of Jewish Communities in Greece
Latin American Jewish Congress
Moses Constantinis Hungary
András Heisler President, Magyarországi Zsidó Hitközségek Szövetsége
Jacob (Cobi) Benatoff
Sara Winkowski
Women’s International Zionist Organization
Tova Ben-Dov World ORT
Emil Kalo
Vice Presidents Serge Berdugo Rabbi Yaakov Dov Bleich Eduardo Elsztain Robert Goot Shai Hermesh Ariel Muzicant God Nisanov Marcos Peckel Moshe Ronen Rabbi Arthur Schneier Tamar Shchory
Members of the Executive Sebastian Azerrad Catherine Gentilini Andi Gergely Lior Herman Rodrigo Slelatt
Saul Gilvich WJC Israel
(vacant)
* As of October 1, 2015
Message from WJC President Ronald S. Lauder
As world Jewry faced a “new reality” in 2014 and 2015, the need for the World Jewish Congress (WJC), hailed as the foreign ministry of the Jewish people, has never been more urgent. Virulent anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism reached deadly heights across Europe and elsewhere, leaving Jews with justifiable anxiety and uncertainty about their future. Israel faced a new wave of terror and remains subject to physical and political attacks and biased treatment at the United Nations. Prospects for a nuclear Iran loom large. Neo-Nazi parties claimed major gains in several European parliaments. Centuries-old Jewish customs and traditions faced legal challenges. Justice for Holocaust victims and their heirs remains elusive. The WJC wasn’t always here. It was born in 1936 out of necessity. And it is the World Jewish Congress, uniquely positioned through our member communities in more than 100 countries on six continents, our Regional Affiliates—Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, European Jewish Congress, Latin American Jewish Congress, WJC Israel, WJC North America—as well as myriad other international partners, that is relied upon to put our influential voice, commanding diplomacy and determined activism to work on behalf of our global Jewish family. And the WJC has risen to the challenge at every turn: standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Israel during Operation Protective Edge; defending the Jewish state at the United Nations and before the Human Rights Council; combatting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement; reaching out to beleaguered Jewish communities in Belgium, France, Denmark and wherever they are in peril; advocating internationally with government officials to achieve greater penalties for anti-Semitic crimes and hate speech; spurring the Greek government into action against the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party; accelerating movement by the German government on the issue of Nazi looted art; preserving the memory of the Holocaust; standing up for persecuted minorities and enhancing our interfaith relationships. Only a brief overview of the WJC’s acclaimed activities and accomplishments can be covered in these pages. But what will become evident is that from the smallest countries where only a handful of Jews remain, to the largest Jewish populations in Europe, the Americas and beyond, the WJC is on the front lines—thoughtful, engaged and energized. As radical Islam, the Iranian threat and other complex dangers emerge, protecting and defending world Jewry will require nothing less than the WJC’s extraordinary brand of experience, expertise and tenacity. In our solidarity there is strength. Stand with us. Together, we will move the world forward.
Ronald S. Lauder worldjewishcongress.org
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David de Rothschild
Chairman of the Governing Board As bitter hatred toward Israel and the Jewish people has flared anew, the unsurpassed diplomatic and communal outreach of the World Jewish Congress, and its ability to respond rapidly whenever and wherever Jews are threatened, have been a saving grace and a beacon of hope. The WJC is a most distinguished organization, whose passion and unwavering commitment to Jewish security and human rights define its global mission.
Chella Safra Treasurer
By bringing Jews together under one tent, the World Jewish Congress has the unique ability to act and react to global events with strength and unity. Skillfully defending our Jewish communities, and the people and state of Israel, WJC’s courageous work, firmly rooted in traditional Jewish values and ideals, is indispensable in the world today.
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Robert Singer
Chief Executive Officer and Executive Vice President
With each passing year, world affairs become increasingly complex and tumultuous. At the same time, the World Jewish Congress grows stronger, more respected, more influential and more effective in the international arena working on behalf of Israel and world Jewry. The global Jewish community is facing deeply disturbing challenges we haven’t had to confront since the WJC’s earliest days. Growing anti-Semitism has led to its natural consequence—a wave of terrorism. Israel struggles with brutal attacks, defamation, demonization and delegitimization. Indeed, the daunting prospect of a nuclear Iran casts a pall on Israel’s very survival. The WJC seizes every opportunity to speak truth to power, foment change and stand in solidarity with our Jewish communities, the backbone of our common enterprise. Through our newly created National Community Directors Forum, we bring our global Jewish communities even closer together. Our strength comes from our unity, collaboration, credibility and depth of knowledge. Our extraordinary professional staff and dedicated lay leaders around the world work tirelessly to uplift and strengthen the Jewish people and defend the state of Israel. We are reaching out everywhere—at the United Nations; with political, religious and ethnic leaders; in traditional and social media; and we are training and challenging our young people, tomorrow’s leadership, to carry forward the WJC’s essential work. Rabbi Tarfon taught: “It is not your responsibility to finish the work [of perfecting the world], but neither are you free to desist from it.” Our work is far from over. Please join us and help shape history.
Robert Singer worldjewishcongress.org
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Ominous statistics released by the FRA foreshadowed the dangers soon to come as Jews in Europe faced a chilling barrage of deadly attacks fueled by Islamic extremism. At a moment’s notice, the World Jewish Congress was there, working closely with our member communities, standing in solidarity and speaking out at the highest levels to ensure that the safety and security of the Jewish people and our communal institutions were of highest priority. Following the deadly shooting at the Jewish Museum of Belgium in May 2014,
European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) 2013 Survey on Anti-Semitism in eight EU member states
the World Jewish Congress organized a solidarity mission to Brussels, led by WJC President
> 66% of Jews surveyed across Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Sweden and the United Kingdom consider anti-Semitism to be a problem.
ister Didier Reynders, Justice Minister Annemie Turtelboom and other senior government
> 75% of all respondents believe online anti-Semitism is a problem.
commission of the government, the WJC and the Jewish community of Belgium to identify
> 46% worry about becoming the victim of an anti-Semitic verbal insult or harassment; 33% fear a physical attack.
Holocaust education in schools and improve intelligence-sharing on a European and
> 57% have heard claims that the Holocaust was a myth or had been exaggerated.
a kosher market in Paris, the World Jewish Congress again sprang into action. “Three
> Large proportions have considered emigrating because they do not feel safe as Jews.
attack at the Jewish Museum in Brussels, we are faced with an Islamist terror campaign in
Ronald S. Lauder, bringing together nearly 40 representatives from Jewish communities around the world. The WJC delegation met with Belgium’s Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo, Foreign Minofficials, as well as Maurice Sosnowski, head of the Coordinating Committee of Jewish Organizations in Belgium. Heeding the WJC’s call for improved measures to ensure the safety of Jews and Jewish institutions, Prime Minister Di Rupo agreed to set up a joint measures to improve security; fight growing hatred, including on the internet; strengthen worldwide level. In January 2015, after the fatal terrorist attacks at the office of Charlie Hebdo and years after the massacre at a Jewish school in Toulouse, and eight months after the deadly Western Europe,” said President Lauder. “We must not be intimidated by this campaign. If we stand united in defense of freedom and against hatred and intolerance, we will win.” In the wake of the attack, the WJC participated in the unprecedented Unity Rally, which drew nearly 4 million marchers in Paris and across France, including world leaders. President Lauder met privately with French President François Hollande at the Elysee Palace, where he received assurances that Jewish sites in France would be protected by police and, if necessary, by the French military. The WJC president also met with Israeli
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Combatting Anti-Semitism and Terrorism
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss responses to terrorism and the growing threats facing the Jews of Europe. Two separate murderous terrorist attacks in Copenhagen in February 2015, one targeting the city’s main synagogue, brought immediate condemnation and swift response by the WJC as CEO Robert Singer travelled to Finland, Norway and Denmark to analyze security issues with government officials, lawmakers and community leaders. Following these chilling displays of anti-Semitism being played out across Europe, WJC President Ronald S. Lauder testified in Congress before the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations, calling on the United States to lead in the fight against rising global anti-Semitism. He was joined by WJC Vice President Roger Cukierman, president of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France (CRIF) and Dan Rosenberg Asmussen, president of the Danish Jewish community. Throughout the year, the WJC engages with the European Union and its member states, urging swift and effective measures to combat growing attacks against Jews, the resurgence of political parties with neo-Nazi leanings, and to outline common steps including intelligence sharing, cooperation between enforcement authorities and stronger
[ WJC President Ronald S. Lauder
legislative and security procedures.
(center, right); Didier Reynders, Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs (center, left); and leaders of WJC member communities on a solidarity mission to Brussels following the terror attack.
Through the auspices of its new Washington, DC office, the WJC North America conducts highest-level diplomacy with officials at the White House, State Department, National Security Council, Treasury and leading members of Congressional committees on issues of, among others, security for Israel, the rise of global anti-Semitism and the
]
Iranian threat.
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In coordination with its Regional Affiliate, the European Jewish Congress (EJC), the WJC has made strides in training communities in crisis management, a service that is being extended to Latin America and Eurasia. The World Jewish Congress North America participated in a special consultation with the Secure Community Network and representatives of the FBI and U.S. Department of Homeland Security to assess the security situation of American Jewish communal institutions. The WJC North America sends security bulletins to all its member organizations for distribution to their constituents, alerting Jewish organizations, synagogues and other institutions about anti-Semitic incidents around the country and offering best-practices for greater security. The WJC also played an integral role in the first-ever Special Session held by the United Nations General Assembly on the Rise of Anti-Semitism. Convened by UN Secretary
[ WJC President Ronald S. Lauder
General Ban Ki-moon, in January 2015, presentations were made by noted philosopher
with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden.
]
Bernard-Henri Lévy; Ambassador Samantha Power, Permanent Representative of the United States to the UN; Ambassador Ron Prosor, Ambassador of Israel to the UN and other dignitaries. The WJC arranged for the participation of Rabbi Yaacov Monsonego of Toulouse, France, principal of the Ohr Torah School that fell victim to terrorism in 2012. Rabbi Monsonego’s 8 year-old daughter, Miriam, was murdered in that attack.
WJC ESTABLISHES GLOBAL SECURITY DEPARTMENT
Vice President Biden to WJC: “Your Work Really Matters”
F ollowing requests from member communities for assistance to protect their institutions from anti-Semitic attacks, the WJC established a Department of Security, to:
Speaking at a reception of the World Jewish Congress annual Executive Committee Meeting in Washington, DC, in May 2015, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden praised the organization for its tireless efforts to combat anti-Semitism in Europe and worldwide. “I spent a lot of time in Austria, Munich and France talking about anti-Semitism in Europe and other places around the world, and let me tell you that your work really matters,” the Vice Presi-
> Exert political and diplomatic pressure on governments and police forces to provide adequate resources and funding to their Jewish communities.
dent told the group of WJC leaders. “If you don’t consistently speak out every time it raises its ugly head, if you let it sit for a minute, it’s like a boil that festers. I want to thank you all for your constant, unrelenting oversight and for making sure that wherever anti-Semitism rears its head, you speak.”
> Liaise with intelligence services. > Inspect the protective infrastructure and equipment of communal buildings to identify and correct vulnerabilities.
AMIA: DECADES WITHOUT JUSTICE 2015 marked the 21st anniversary of the terrorist attack against the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, which killed 85 and wounded several hundred. Speaking at the commemoration in Argentina, WJC CEO Robert Singer lamented the lack of progress in the investigation. “No matter how long it takes, we will not rest until justice has been done.” He reiterated the WJC’s strong criticism of the Argentine government in 2013 for signing a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ with
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combatting Anti-Semitism and Terrorism
“
I tell you now with great sadness that 70 years after the end of World War II, the age-old virus of anti-Semitism has returned in all its evil and ugliness. It has returned to the streets of Paris and Toulouse, to the streets of Brussels and Copenhagen, it has even returned to Berlin. In Great Britain and Austria, the number of anti-Semitic attacks doubled from the year before. You don’t have to be a mathematician to see an obvious trend here.”
“ “
— Testimony of WJC President Ronald S. Lauder
Jews have lived in France for the last 2,000 years. In 1791, at the time of the French Revolution, French Jews were given full French citizenship. Today, in 2015, our synagogues and our Jewish schools have to be protected by the police and even the army with machine guns.”
— Testimony of Roger Cukierman, WJC Vice President and Chairman, CRIF
You probably think of Denmark as a small and peaceful country. And that is basically also the way we think of ourselves. On February 15, the Jewish community and the whole Danish society awoke to a brutal new reality. The terror attack in Copenhagen did not happen by chance. It was the culmination of years of growing anti-Semitism in a country where it has become widely acceptable to criticize and question both Israel and Jews with a carelessness we did not expect or imagine just a few years ago.”
— Testimony of Dan Rosenberg Asmussen, Chairman, Jewish Community of Denmark
[ WJC President Ronald S. Lauder
testifies before Congress, joined by Roger Cukierman of France (l.) and Dan Rosenberg Asmussen of Denmark.
]
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Iran to investigate the attack, later declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Argentina. More than 40 legislators attended the annual Meeting of Latin American Parliamentarians in Buenos Aires, an initiative of the WJC Regional Affiliate, the Latin American Jewish Congress (LAJC), that brings members of the government and civil society together
Latin american jewish congress (LAJC) FIGHTS ANTI-SEMITISM ON THE WEB
to strategize ways to fight the scourge of international terrorism. After attending the public commemoration of the AMIA bombing, the group signed a “Declaration Against Terrorism” and pledged to work cooperatively to combat anti-Semitism.
Developed in conjunction with AMIA and DAIA, the LAJC Observatoria Web combats hate speech on Spanish websites. Working in cooperation with the Buenos Aires District Attorney’s Office, this initiative led to the arrest of a former federal police officer and his son for possession and distribution of Nazi literature and unauthorized weapons.
In an unprecedented video message recorded at the Vatican by the LAJC, Pope Francis expressed solidarity with the Jewish community of Argentina and made an impassioned call for justice. “Terrorism is lunacy,” the Pontiff said in Spanish. “Terrorism’s only purpose is to kill. It does not build anything, it only destroys. Buenos Aires is a city that needs to cry, that still hasn’t cried enough. May justice be done.”
MARGINALIZING NEO-NAZIS As support for traditional political parties erodes amid economic crisis, far-right, xenophobic and anti-Semitic parties, and those who align themselves with Nazi ideologies, have made significant gains in European parliamentary elections. The WJC lent its support for a special committee of the European Parliament to establish a permanent body that will fight the growth of hateful and racist groups in the EU, such as Jobbik in Hungary and Golden Dawn in Greece. The WJC Executive continues to call for a “no platform” policy toward such parties “to ensure that they are completely marginalized in any decision making process.” After mounting pressure from the WJC and others, Hungary’s nominated ambassador to Rome—who once called Jews “agents of Satan, greedy, envious and ugly”—was dropped by Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government. The prime minister, addressing the
[ David de Rothschild, Chairman of WJC’s Governing Board (l.) shares a moment with Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, German Minister of Foreign Affairs, at a WJC Board Meeting in Berlin.
]
WJC Plenary Assembly in Budapest in 2013, pledged “zero tolerance” toward anti-Semitism. After more than a year of debate and the urging of the WJC, European Commission and the local Jewish community, the Greek Parliament approved a new law with stiffer penalties for hatemongers and those who deny or praise the Holocaust, genocide or war crimes against humanity. The WJC also published and widely disseminated its updated report, “Neo-Nazism in Modern Europe,” to expose the threats posed by neo-Nazi and other extremist political parties.
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combatting Anti-Semitism and Terrorism
“
The danger of extremist religious and political ideologies, which promote racism, anti-Semitism and neo-Nazism, is currently underestimated and trivialized. This apathy poses an existential threat to the soul of Europe.” — Moshe Kantor, President, European Jewish Congress
Stand Up: Say No to Anti-Semitism On September 14, 2014, WJC President Ronald S. Lauder and German Chancellor Angela Merkel were keynote speakers at a national rally in Berlin to speak out against anti-Semitism. The rally, held in front of the landmark Brandenburg Gate, was organized in response to a sharp rise in anti-Semitic attacks and growing hostility toward Israel. Chancellor Merkel told the thousands gathered that Jewish life is “a part of our society” and that the Jewish population of Germany is “a gift….That people in Germany
[ The WJC takes center stage
are threatened or abused because of their Jewish appearance or their support for Israel is
at a landmark rally in Berlin against anti-Semitism, featuring keynote presentations by (from l. to r.) WJC President Ronald S. Lauder; German President Joachim Gauck; Dieter Graumann, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
an outrageous scandal that we won’t accept.”
PROTECTING JEWISH CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS The World Jewish Congress, working with Israeli diplomats, successfully lobbied the Council of Europe to reconsider its earlier resolution banning religious circumcision. The intergovernmental body that proposes policy re-worded its motion to recognize the practice as “a religious rite which does not present risks for children and should be respected as a longstanding religious tradition.” Following months of heightened exposure and a multi-faceted campaign by the World Jewish Congress and others, Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal found the ban on religious slaughter, shechita, unconstitutional. Previously, the Polish Parliament—the Sejm—rejected a government bill that would have kept shechita legal. Addressing the troubling trend of bans against kosher slaughter and religious circumcision across Europe, the WJC delivered a compelling statement before the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva to recognize bans or limitations on the cornerstones of Jewish religious practice as violations of religious freedom.
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]
Defending Israel
As Israel pursues its quest for peace and security, the Jewish state faces physical dangers, including the threat of a nuclear Iran, overwhelming hostility at the United Nations, trade boycotts and ongoing assaults on its very legitimacy. All of these issues are high on WJC’s agenda as we work to achieve our goals through painstaking diplomacy, advocacy, public educational initiatives and strategic media efforts. One of the most active international Jewish organizations engaged in the defense of Israel, the WJC stood side-by-side with the Jewish state during its 50-day war against Hamas militants in Gaza, including a solidarity mission to Israel during the height of hostilities. Led by WJC President Ronald S. Lauder, 80 leaders from 22 member countries met with government officials and local residents, visited areas under attack, travelled to an Iron Dome installation and spoke with children at an ORT school specially built to protect students from rocket fire. As the conflict spilled over into Europe and anti-Zionism turned to hatred of Jews, the WJC spoke out at every turn and organized large-scale demonstrations worldwide to condemn the wave of anti-Semitic attacks. WJC leaders met with European authorities to call for decisive action to strengthen police protection of Jewish sites and ban or disband violent rallies. The World Jewish Congress North America, in consultation with the American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise and Scholars for Peace in the Middle East, addressed the troubling issue of anti-Semitic and anti-Israel attitudes on American college campuses. The group explored diverse ways to reach out to Jewish students, university faculty and administration, to offer support and encouragement to stand up against those who promote
[ WJC President Ronald S. Lauder
expresses support and appreciation to members of the Israel Defense Forces.
]
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“
Our diplomatic efforts at the United Nations on the Iranian threat, Palestinian incitement, fair treatment of Israel and the rising tide of global anti-Semitism have put the international body on notice: The World Jewish Congress is a vigilant observer and is holding world leadership accountable for the security of Israel and our global Jewish communities.” — Evelyn Sommer, Chairperson, WJC North America
divisiveness, anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism on campus. The WJC North America works actively with the WJC’s Jewish Diplomatic Corps and the Consulate General of Israel in New York to find innovative ways to promote peaceful coexistence and understanding among different groups on campus.
Diplomacy in Action The WJC’s diplomatic activities have increased dramatically over the past two years, as the organization has taken the lead on issues of Israel’s delegitimization and the BDS movement, the rise of anti-Semitism and religious discrimination, the situation in the Middle East and the threat of ISIS. The World Jewish Congress continues to focus attention on Iran as a leading sponsor of international terrorism; a prime manipulator of Hamas, Hezbollah and Syria; an ongoing threat to Israel, global peace and security and a systematic violator of the human and civil rights of its citizens. Following the agreement signed with Iran, in August 2015, WJC CEO Robert Singer attended an intimate meeting of Jewish leaders with U.S. President Barack Obama, where concerns regarding the agreement and its implementation, the relationship between Israel and the United States in the aftermath and Iran’s support of terrorism were discussed in depth. During the UN General Assembly opening sessions in 2014 and 2015, WJC leaders from New York and around the world met with dozens of delegations and heads of state, including: Foreign Minister John Baird of Canada; Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu; Helga Schmid, Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service; President of Hungary Viktor Orban; President of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos; Minister of Foreign Affairs of Austria Sebastian Kurz; President of Bulgaria Rosen Plevneliev; President of Croatia Grabar-Kitarović; President of Latvia Raimonds Vējonis; President of Marshall Islands Christopher Loeak; President of Panama Juan Carlos Varela; President
[ WJC CEO Robert Singer meets
with UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova.
]
of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko; President of Uruguay Tabaré Vázquez and Archbishop Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States of the Vatican.
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“
We are here today to tell the United Nations Human Rights Council: Stop applying double standards toward Israel—it’s unfair. Stop portraying Israel as a serial violator of human rights—it’s wrong. Stop putting the democratic state of Israel on the same level as the terror regime of Hamas—it’s an insult.” — WJC CEO Robert Singer The WJC has significantly increased its presence in the United Nations and its associated bodies, including the Human Rights Council, and developed working relationships with many relevant agencies such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). WJC leaders also meet regularly with Permanent Representatives to the UN in New York and Geneva. In the UN, the WJC highlights bias towards Israel and the numerous resolutions against Israel passed in all UN bodies, advocates for fair treatment of Israel and calls for the removal of Israel-related discussions, such as Agenda Item 7 of the Human Rights Council, the only agenda item dedicated to a single issue, Israel-Palestine. Discussions with UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova on anti-Israel activity, the politicization of UNESCO and Holocaust education projects led to Bokova’s decision to block the Liberation Graphics Collection of Palestine Posters from being accepted into
The Global Coalition for Israel (GC4I)
UNESCO’s Memory of the World Program, marking the first time such a nomination has been vetoed by the Director-General.
This WJC-led coalition brings Israeli government ministries and Jewish organizations from around the world together for collaboration on critical issues facing Israel and the Jewish people. The WJC co-sponsored an international GC4I event in London, hosted by Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the goal of synchronizing efforts to combat the delegitimization of Israel and the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
The WJC scored another major victory in the removal of a critical reference from a UNESCO resolution sponsored by Arab countries that would have declared the Western Wall in Jerusalem, the holiest Jewish place of prayer, to be a Muslim site. Prior to UNESCO’s vote, WJC President Ronald S. Lauder appealed to all 58 member countries on the UNESCO Executive to vote against the proposal. WJC CEO Robert Singer wrote to Bokova, urging her to do all in her power to prevent the adoption of this offensive resolution. The original draft resolution, sponsored by Algeria, Egypt, Kuwait, Morocco, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates on behalf of the Palestinians, was deplored by Bokova, who again took the unusual and courageous step to publicly oppose her board members. Following the vote, President Lauder called Bokova to express appreciation for her efforts to ensure that UNESCO is not turned into a battleground for conflicts between religions. The WJC has also met with the Commissioner General for UNRWA, Pierre Krähenbühl, raising concerns about politicization of the organization, use of its facilities by Hamas and anti-Israel and anti-Semitic posts by its staff in Israel.
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Defending israel
A Rally For Fairness At a WJC-organized rally in Geneva, some 1,000 participants—including members of more than 80 WJC partner organizations from around the world, Jews and Christians—gathered on June 29, 2015 to express their support for Israel as the UN Human Rights Council held another debate on Israel and on the Commission of Inquiry Report into the 2014 Gaza conflict. The WJC continues to call for the United Nations, and the Human Rights Council, to fulfill their mandates and apply the same standards to every country in a fair and unbiased manner. At the rally, WJC CEO Robert Singer called for the United Nations to end its “obsession” with Israel. “This obsession is destructive, and it stands in the way of an effective human rights policy that is so badly needed.” The Human Rights Council has consistently dealt with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict more extensively than with any other subject. To date, the Council has issued more onesided condemnations of Israel—sixty-one—than of all the other countries in the world combined.
JEWS FROM ARAB COUNTRIES For the third time, along with the Mission of Israel to the United Nations, the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and Justice for Jews in Arab Countries, the WJC North America hosted a program at the United Nations to raise awareness of the 850,000 Jewish refugees from Arab countries who were forcibly expelled or forced to flee upon the establishment of Israel, forfeiting their homes, assets and institutions.
[ W JC-sponsored rally
in Geneva calling for the fair treatment of Israel in the United Nations.
]
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“
Let’s not forget that Jews and Arabs have no alternative but to live together in this small land. The law must protect all citizens. The sanctity of human life is a supreme moral value that preserves us as a nation.” — Shai Hermesh, Chairperson, WJC Israel
Highlighting the struggles faced by these Jewish refugees, WJC Israel and the Israel Council on Foreign Relations hosted “The Imperiled Legacy of Iraqi Jewry,” to draw support for efforts to block the return to Iraq of a trove of Jewish documents and holy books rescued after the fall of Saddam Hussein and brought from Baghdad to Washington, DC. Member of Parliament Irwin Cotler, Canada’s former Minister of Justice and Attorney General, told a capacity audience that it is “high time that the forced exodus of Jews from Arab lands be introduced to the international agenda after the unconscionable neglect of the
Making Israel’s Case
issue for six decades.” The WJC North America is working to garner support for bills in the
Following a decision by soccer’s world governing body, FIFA, to proceed with a Palestinian motion to suspend the membership of the Israeli Football Association, the WJC and a number of its affiliated Jewish community organizations successfully stepped in with the heads of their respective national soccer associations to defend Israel’s membership and seek a rejection of this blatant and divisive attempt to misuse FIFA for political ends.
U.S. Congress to recognize the cause of Jewish refugees from Arab countries and forestall the return of the Iraqi Jewish archives. Cooperating with like-minded organizations, the WJC successfully lobbied the Knesset to set November 30 as the date to annually commemorate the expulsion of Jews from Arab lands.
Fighting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement (BDS) Popular American Jewish singer Matisyahu expressed his personal appreciation to WJC President Ronald S. Lauder for the organization’s successful efforts to fight intense pressure by an anti-Israel BDS group that tried to block his appearance at Europe’s largest reggae festival in Spain. Matisyahu was disinvited from the concert after refusing to sign a declaration stating his unequivocal support for the Palestinians. Following immediate outrage by the WJC and its member organization, the Federation of Jewish Communities in Spain, the organizers of the Rototom Sunsplash Festival publicly apologized and re-invited the singer. In Reykjavik, Iceland, a motion by the City Council to boycott all Israeli products was withdrawn following strong reaction by the WJC and others.
Advancing the Cause of Peace
[ W JC President Ronald S. Lauder
WJC President Ronald S. Lauder met with Jordan’s King Abdullah II, in the Jordanian capital of Amman in August 2015, where he reaffirmed the organization’s support for the Israel-
speaks with Jordan’s King Abdullah II.
]
Palestinian peace process and expressed appreciation for Jordan’s efforts in this regard. King Abdullah stressed the important role that the WJC can play in reviving the peace talks. In January 2015, President Lauder met in Cairo with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to discuss the need for global cooperation to combat the scourge of terrorism.
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Defending israel
President Lauder praised a speech given by al-Sisi in which he urged tolerance, acceptance of others and the need to confront terrorism through deeds, not only words. The Egyptian president called for international efforts against terrorism that are not limited to military and police activities but include economic, social and cultural considerations. Leaders of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD), a WJC member community, met with President Jacob Zuma to discuss the upsurge in anti-Semitic incidents in South Africa since the conflict in Gaza and prospects for Middle East peace. President Zuma, noting that South Africa has sent envoys to the region to meet with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, reiterated his government’s support for a negotiated two-state solution. In August 2015, leaders from the WJC Regional Affiliate, the Latin American Jewish Congress (LAJC), met in Buenos Aires with Saeb Erekat, secretary-general of the PLO and chief negotiator for the Palestinians. Exchanging views on the situation in the Middle East and discussing relations between Jewish and Palestinian communities in Latin America, the LAJC urged that negotiations persist until a permanent agreement is reached that offers both sides peace and security.
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Now is a time for bold action because the stakes are too high for anything else. It is not enough to be united. We must also be solution-oriented. I want to be very clear: No serious discussion about peace for the Jewish people of Israel can take place without a strong agreement for a viable two-state solution.” — WJC President Ronald S. Lauder
[ WJC CEO Robert Singer with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. ]
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WJC Programmatic Initiatives
Jewish Diplomatic Corps (JDCorps) The flagship program of the World Jewish Congress, the Jewish Diplomatic Corps is a leadership development program designed to build, strengthen and empower the next generation of Jewish leaders. The program provides more than 150 successful professionals, age 27 – 40, from more than 30 countries, with the necessary skills, experience, networks and confidence to impact and lead within their own communities or globally. The non-partisan group engages in research, international diplomacy and public policy formulation on various issues of importance to Israel and the Jewish people. The JDs participate throughout the year in unique experiences through training programs and engagement with governments, foreign embassies, religious organizations and regional and international bodies, such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); the Council of Europe; the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Among other activities, the JDs have delivered statements to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on issues of religious freedom, persecution of minorities, human rights violations in Iran, the state of racial discrimination worldwide, the protection of children in armed conflicts and the phenomenon of cyber-hate. Working actively to expand the ranks of the JDCorps, the WJC has held a series of
[ WJC President Ronald S. Lauder with members of the Jewish Diplomatic Corps. ]
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recruitment events in Washington, DC; New York City; Montreal and Toronto as well as Odessa, Ukraine. Events are also being planned in Los Angeles, Mexico City, Buenos Aires, London, Berlin and Moscow.
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“
We must and we will defend Jewish communities and Jewish interests, but we must also look forward…Rejuvenating our communities on the one hand while standing strong against anti-Semitism requires us to be proactive and engage with the world around us.” — Julius Meinl, President, Euro-Asian Jewish Congress
WJC International Yiddish Center The WJC views the revival of the Yiddish language as an instrumental component to regenerating and re-energizing Jewish life in Europe, particularly as it has almost disappeared from the curricula of universities and other academic institutions around the world. The World Jewish Congress International Yiddish Center based in Vilnius, Lithuania, was established in June 2014 with the goal of educating teachers and students about the rich history of the Yiddish language and culture that their ancestors left behind in Europe. After one year of operation, the Center has engaged over 2,900 students through seminars by noted Yiddish lecturers in Vilnius, the former Soviet Union, Austria, the United States, Canada, Argentina and Uruguay. Many of its activities are held in partnership with major organizations, such as Yad Vashem, Beit Hatfutzot, Tel Aviv University, Bar Ilan University, YIVO and the Israeli Ministry of Education.
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[ I sraeli teachers participate in a “Pearls of Yiddish” seminar at the Jewish Public Library in Vilnius. ]
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The WJC International Yiddish Center has created a dedicated website (Yiddishcenter. org) that features information on its various activities, and maintains a Facebook page that is regularly updated with content on topics related to Yiddish learning and heritage.
Israel Council on Foreign Relations (ICFR) Established in 1989 and operating under the auspices of the World Jewish Congress, the ICFR is a non-partisan forum for the study and debate of foreign policy. Under its new president, veteran Israeli statesman Dan Meridor, the ICFR has cemented its reputation as a premier institution for international affairs. In 2014–2015, the ICFR hosted numerous visiting foreign statesmen, including Czech Foreign Minister Lubomír Zaorálek, German Opposition Head Gregor Gysi, Albanian Foreign Minister Dimitar Bushati, Bulgarian Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski, Romanian Diaspora Minister Angel Tîlvăr, Mayor of Buenos Aires Mauricio Macri and Lithuanian Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius. Among its events featuring distinguished speakers, the ICFR held international conferences on “The Allied Powers’ Response to the Holocaust;” “Anti-Semitism and the Islamist Challenge;” U.S.–Israeli relations and terror litigation in U.S. courts against the governments of Libya, Iran and Saudi Arabia. The ICFR continued its tradition of organizing an annual seminar on diplomacy for Ben-Gurion University students. The flagship publication of the ICFR, the highly acclaimed Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs, is now in its 10th year. The journal, appearing three times a year, focuses on many of the WJC’s core agenda issues. Since January 2015, a publishing agreement with Londonbased Taylor & Francis/Routledge has significantly increased its reach worldwide, in print and digital editions.
[ Participants in ICFR’s Young Diplomats Forum meet at the Knesset with Ambassador Lars Faaborg-Andersen, head of the EU Delegation in Israel (5th from r.). ]
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WJC Programmatic Initiatives
The ICFR Israeli–European Young Diplomats Forum enables young European diplomats posted in Israel and their Israeli counterparts to exchange ideas on issues of common interest. Of late, the ambassadors to Israel of the EU, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden and Switzerland hosted policy talks, as did the Knesset and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The International Council of Jewish Parliamentarians (ICJP) The International Council of Jewish Parliamentarians (ICJP), an initiative of the World Jewish Congress, brings together a global network of Jewish parliamentarians and government ministers to share knowledge and enhance understanding of the diverse challenges facing Jewish communities in Israel and the diaspora. In its quest to support Israel and the cause of peace in the Middle East, and combat racism, anti-Semitism, xenophobia, terrorism and Holocaust denial, the ICJP promotes dialogue, the principles of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. The ICJP is comprised of nearly 300 Jewish members of parliament and 100 members of Knesset. Congressman Eliot L. Engel (D-NY) is Chairman of the ICJP. Member of Parliament Irwin Cotler, Canada’s former Minister of Justice and Attorney General, is Deputy Chairman.
[ ICJP Chairman Eliot Engel (standing)
with WJC President Ronald S. Lauder and Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) during an ICJP Steering Committee meeting.
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]
Auschwitz is not only the world’s biggest graveyard, it is also the primary symbol of the Holocaust—the largest organized mass murder in human history. To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi death camp, the World Jewish Congress, in partnership with the USC Shoah Foundation, brought a historic delegation of 101 survivors from 22 countries, together with family members, to Auschwitz to participate in the official observance, held on January 27, 2015, under the auspices of the AuschwitzBirkenau State Museum and the International Auschwitz Council. The ceremony, broadcast live to tens of millions of households around the world, hosted dignitaries from, among 40 international delegations, Poland, France, Germany, Austria and Belgium. Steven Spielberg, Founder of the USC Shoah Foundation, was among the notable guests. Delivering a keynote address next to the gate and railroad tracks that marked the
[ Auschwitz survivors attending the
final journey for the more than 1 million murdered at Auschwitz, WJC President Ronald
commemoration of the liberation, with WJC President Ronald S. Lauder and Steven Spielberg, Founder, USC Shoah Foundation.
]
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S. Lauder offered cautionary remarks shaped by the murderous attacks that had recently taken place in Paris. WJC CEO Robert Singer expressed gratification that so many aging survivors were able to attend the event. “This may be the last major anniversary we will be able to
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Holocaust Remembrance and Restitution
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For a time, we thought that the hatred of Jews had finally been eradicated. But slowly, the demonization of Jews started to come back. Once again, young boys are afraid to wear yarmulkes on the streets of Paris and Budapest and London. Once again, Jewish businesses are targeted. And once again, Jewish families are fleeing Europe.” — WJC President Ronald S. Lauder
remember with those who experienced the Holocaust firsthand. From this historic event, their voices will echo across the generations.” The WJC Regional Affiliate, the European Jewish Congress (EJC), marked the day with a ceremony held at the Theresienstadt concentration camp in the Czech Republic. The WJC North America participated in a commemoration sponsored by the Holocaust and United Nations Outreach Program, with a special presentation by Israeli President Reuven Rivlin. A WJC leadership delegation also travelled to Lower Saxony, Germany, on April 26, 2015, to mark the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Bergen-Belsen camp where more than 50,000 people were murdered, the vast majority Jews. A Displaced Persons Camp—the largest in post-war Germany—was later established nearby where an estimated 2,000 children were born.
[ World leaders, including French
President François Hollande (5th from r.), listen as WJC President Ronald S. Lauder delivers a keynote address at the Auschwitz commemoration.
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Joining German President Joachim Gauck at the commemoration at the Bergen-Belsen Memorial, President Lauder praised Jewish resilience. “From the ashes of this terrible place, the Jewish people rose up and moved on. But tragically,” he warned, “seventy years later, the world is not moving on; it is moving backward.” On April 12, 2015, President Lauder delivered a stirring speech before thousands attending the March of the Living in Budapest, organized each year with the support of the WJC partner organization MAZSIHISZ (the Federation of Jewish Communities in Hungary). “When Jews are part of a society, any society, countries prosper. Jews win Nobel prizes. Jews create jobs and they cure diseases. Jews build, they don’t tear down. Anti-Semites tear down, they destroy, they create nothing, they save no one.”
[ WJC President Ronald S. Lauder
and ICRC President Peter Maurer.
Remembering the Shoah: The ICRC and the International Community’s Efforts in Responding to Genocide and Protecting Civilians
]
As the abhorrent denial or trivialization of the Holocaust and the glorification of the Nazi era are becoming increasingly fashionable, the WJC actively promotes education for younger generations and advocates for legislation around the world to outlaw Holocaust denial and other forms of anti-Semitism. On April 28, 2015, the WJC Geneva office, together with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), sponsored a major program titled “Remembering the Shoah” to share lessons learned by the ICRC and the international community regarding the development of legal and political tools to prevent and respond to large-scale atrocities. The ICRC, although particularly active during the Second World War, acknowledged that it failed to adequately address the plight of victims of the Nazi regime and its allies. In his keynote address at the event, ICRC President Peter Maurer noted that “the ICRC failed to protect civilians, most notably, the Jews persecuted and murdered by the Nazi regime. It failed as a humanitarian organization because it lost its moral compass.” Stressing that his
[ WJC Treasurer Chella Safra (r.)
organization has learned from its past failures, he emphasized that “for the ICRC, somehow,
lights a candle at the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin as Charlotte Knobloch, WJC Commissioner for Holocaust Memory, looks on.
‘never again’ resonates with difficulty because of what we see and experience on the ground every day. We cannot guarantee that a humanitarian catastrophe of the extent of the Holo-
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caust will not happen again. On the contrary, we witness a catalogue of atrocities, every day, in wars across the globe.” The commemorative event was attended by more than 200 guests, including senior members of Geneva’s diplomatic corps. It also featured a panel discussion with American Holocaust historian Deborah Lipstadt and Canadian physician, writer and activist James Orbinski.
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Holocaust Remembrance and restitution
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There should be no statute of limitations in the case of Nazi-looted art, just as there is no statute of limitations for genocide. For almost every stolen painting, a felony murder was committed and a family was destroyed. — WJC President Ronald S. Lauder
Looted Art For the World Jewish Congress, restitution and compensation of European Jewish assets are primarily issues of justice, morality and human dignity. As a founding member of the World Jewish Restitution Organization (WJRO), currently chaired by WJC President Ronald S. Lauder, the WJC is committed to preserving the memory of those who perished in the
Holocaust Education Through the Arts
Shoah and strives to ensure that those who survived its unimaginable anguish, and the heirs of those who did not, have returned to them what is rightfully theirs.
Co-sponsored by the WJC North America, the United Nations Outreach Program and the Permanent Mission of Israel to the United Nations, this special educational event featured presentations by accomplished artists in dance, literature, film and music.
The WJC continues to shape the debate on the issue of looted art. After launching major public and diplomatic campaigns for the return of artwork stolen by the Nazi regime, the German government agreed to accelerate provenance research, establish a task force on the Gurlitt trove and has begun to return Nazi-looted art to its rightful owners. In ongoing talks with Germany, the WJC is working to ensure that public and private museums and art galleries respect the 1998 Washington Principles on this issue and introduce legislation to allow for the return of looted works of art, eliminating its 30-year statute of limitations on stolen property cases, a major stumbling block in many restitution cases. Speaking at the Documentation Center ‘Topographie des Terrors’ in Berlin following a meeting with senior German government officials, WJC President Ronald S. Lauder noted that Germany has already negotiated compensation on “the difficult issues of slave labor, stolen bank deposits and insurance policies. I encourage Germany to deal with Nazi-looted art, the last prisoners of World War II, in the same comprehensive manner.”
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WJC President Ronald S. Lauder presents WJC award to actress Helen Mirren for helping to publicize the issue of Nazi-looted art through her role in “Woman of Gold.”
]
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Promoting Interfaith Dialogue
For nearly 80 years, the World Jewish Congress has been a pioneer in furthering relations, enhancing understanding, advancing mutual respect and building coalitions with interreligious groups around the globe. WJC Israel reaches out on an ongoing basis to Evangelical Christians, an important reservoir of support for the Jewish state. Each year, in partnership with the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus (KCAC), the WJC hosts “Night to Honor our Christian Allies” to pay tribute to Christian leaders who have been steadfast in their commitment to Israel. In addition, a delegation to Poland helped to launch the first Christian Allies Caucus in the Sejm (Polish Parliament). Together with the Israel Allies Foundation and the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem (ICEJ), WJC Israel co-sponsored the annual Chairman’s Conference, a gathering of pro-Israel parliamentarians from 20 countries to address the most pressing issues facing Israel and the Jewish people, including strategic border implications, the BDS movement and religious persecution in the Middle East. The WJC Regional Affiliate, the Latin American Jewish Congress (LAJC), brought 15 Argentine Jewish, Catholic and Muslim leaders to the Middle East, where they met with
[ WJC President Ronald S. Lauder
presents a gift to Pope Francis at the Vatican.
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If we can establish firm ways of understanding between Jews and Catholics, we will leave our children a more fraternal world than the one we received.” — Jack Terpins, President, Latin American Jewish Congress
then-Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, to illustrate the model of religious coexistence in Argentina. WJC President Ronald S. Lauder gave the keynote address at the ICEJ annual gathering of more than 5,000 supporters of Israel from 90 nations gathered for the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem. President Lauder was met with a standing ovation for his spirited defense of the imperiled Christian population in the Middle East.
The Opinion Pages | op-ed contributor
Who Will Stand Up for the Christians? By Ronald S. Lauder AUG. 19, 2014
Separately, the WJC president published a highly quoted op-ed in the New York Times on August 19, 2014, titled “Who Will Stand Up for the Christians,” condemning the barbarous slaughter of thousands of Christians in the Middle East and Africa and calling for international action. “Christians are dying because of their beliefs, because they are defenseless and because the world is indifferent to their suffering. The Jewish people understand all too well what can happen when the world is silent.” President Lauder also addressed the European Israel Allies Summit in Budapest, which was attended by 25 members of parliament and 12,000 Christian supporters. The event was broadcast live on Hungarian television and to more than one million people around the world. Marking the 50th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, a declaration adopted by the Second Vatican Council in 1965 that transformed and greatly improved relations between Jews and Catholics, more than 100 global leaders of the Governing Board of the World Jewish Congress, led by WJC President Ronald S. Lauder, met with Pope Francis in Rome on October 28, 2015. The Pope, expressing unequivocal support for the Jewish people, issued a strong condemnation of anti-Semitism. “To attack Jews is anti-Semitism, but an outright attack on the State of Israel is also anti-Semitism,” Pope Francis told the WJC delegation. “There may be political disagreements between governments and on political issues, but the State of Israel has every right to exist in safety and prosperity.” During his public audience that day in St. Peter’s Square, the Pope stressed that Nostra Aetate helped to turn “enemies and strangers” into “friends and brothers,” adding that the declaration “paved the way…for the rediscovery of the Jewish roots of Christianity,
Latin American Jewish Congress (LAJC) honored for interfaith work In July 2015, the parliament of Bueno Aires presented LAJC with a special declaration that read: “…In the context of a society fractured by politics, the LAJC’s actions contribute to the construction of diversity and pluralism.” At another ceremony attended by the envoy of Pope Francis, Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, LAJC accepted the Ecumenical Social Forum’s Latin American Award for NGO Social Responsibility, for its “efforts to promote dialogue and the promotion of human rights.”
and [said] no to any form of anti-Semitism and condemnation of any insult, discrimination and persecution derived from that.”
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Leveraging our leadership, visibility and influence as the most respected and influential diplomatic voice of the Jewish people, the message of the World Jewish Congress is heard worldwide, through a strong and growing presence both in traditional news media and social media. The WJC led the international Jewish community’s response to the barbaric terror attacks against Jews and Jewish institutions in Brussels, Paris and Copenhagen, and raised its voice to support embattled Jewish communities in Greece, Hungary and elsewhere. WJC leaders continued to speak out boldly in support of Israel and unequivocally against BDS and the escalating global campaigns seeking to demonize and delegitimize the
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Jewish state. Hundreds of millions of people around the globe saw, or read, what WJC President Ronald S. Lauder told the survivors and many statesmen present at the main commemorative event in January 2015 to mark the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz: “World silence led to Auschwitz. World indifference led to Auschwitz. World anti-Semitism
youtube.com/worldjewishcongress
led to Auschwitz. Do not let this happen again.” The major American and international news networks, including NBC, CNN, BBC and others, carried this message to the world. Furthermore, the World Jewish Congress was prominently featured in thousands of articles in top-tier U.S. and global news outlets. WJC leaders offered interviews and expert commentary on the pressing issues of the day and were cited in broadcasts and periodicals
#worldjewishcong
around the world. The WJC’s far-reaching contacts allowed for unprecedented exposure and the ability to advocate for the Jewish people in diverse places and forums. In a series of opinion pieces, interviews and press releases, WJC President Ronald S. Lauder successfully pushed Germany to undertake more concerted efforts to return Nazilooted art to its rightful owners. Further, an op-ed penned by the WJC President in the New York Times on August 19, 2014, entitled “Who Will Stand Up for the Christians,” brought the plight of thousands of Christians slaughtered throughout the Middle East and Africa into the global spotlight. Effectively using the internet to help counter the dramatic rise of online anti-Semitism, the WJC rapidly grew its presence on social media sites such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, now reaching up to 100 million people through these platforms. With more than 150,000 fans, the WJC’s Facebook page is now one of the biggest of any Jewish nonprofit in the U.S.
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WJC Theodor Herzl Award
Theodor Herzl was the father of modern political Zionism. Established in 2012, the World Jewish Congress Theodor Herzl Award recognizes individuals who carry forward Herzl’s ideals for a safer, more tolerant world through international support for Israel and enhanced understanding of Jewish history, culture and peoplehood. Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger was honored at a dinner gala held on November 11, 2014, in New York City. The 91-year-old laureate was presented with the Herzl Award by journalist Barbara Walters and WJC President Ronald S. Lauder. President Lauder hailed Dr. Kissinger, America’s first Jewish Secretary of State, as a man “who brought an unusual combination of knowledge, brilliance and skill to the office of Secretary of State. From his boyhood in Germany, and through this one man’s life, we see the entire Jewish story of the 20th century.” President Lauder spoke of the establishment of the WJC in 1936 to draw global attention to the growing threat coming out of Nazi Germany. “This past summer looked more like 1936 at times than 2014. Huge anti-Israel demonstrations throughout the Middle East and Europe quickly turned into the lowest form of anti-Jewish riots. The irrational hatred of Jews has returned, along with the growing ignorance and intolerance that fuel it. When things turn ugly, they can turn very quickly. Just ask Henry Kissinger, who had to leave his very secure home at the age of 15.” In accepting the WJC award, Dr. Kissinger addressed some of the crises currently facing America and Israel. “There is enormous upheaval. The Jewish people have again,
[ WJC President Ronald S. Lauder, Barbara Walters and Theodor Herzl Award honoree Henry Kissinger. ]
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When Jews need protection and when Israel needs political help, there is a number they can call. The World Jewish Congress will always answer. We travel the world to meet with presidents, prime ministers and kings to make it very clear that any anti-Semitic behavior in their borders is unacceptable, intolerable and will not go unchallenged. — WJC President Ronald S. Lauder
in some countries, become the object of severe attacks. In the years ahead, the United States needs to keep in mind what it will defend, even if it has to do so alone; what it has to achieve together with allies, and finally, what is beyond its capacity. The survival of Israel and the maintenance of its capacity to build a future is a principle we will pursue, even if we have to do it alone.” On April 27, 2015, the WJC also paid tribute to Lord George Weidenfeld, co-founder of the renowned publishing firm Weidenfeld & Nicolson and Chief of Cabinet to Israeli President Chaim Weizmann in 1949. The 95-year old statesman, scholar and publisher was feted at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. WJC President Ronald S. Lauder presented the award. “There are some people in our world—just a few—who have the courage and temerity to stand up for what is right and speak out when they see injustice. George Weidenfeld is one of these rare men.” President Lauder recalled his own work with Lord Weidenfeld to expose former UN secretary general and later Austrian President Kurt Waldheim’s Nazi past, as well as Lord Weidenfeld’s “constant efforts on behalf of Israel and the Jewish people.” Previous WJC Theodor Herzl Award recipients include Shimon Peres, Elie and Marion Wiesel, and, posthumously, Ronald Reagan and Axel Springer.
[ WJC President Ronald S. Lauder with Lord George Weidenfeld. ]
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World Jewish Congress
WJC Member
WJC Affiliated
African Jewish Congress
Jewish Agency for Israel
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Anti-Defamation League
Limmund FSU
B’nai B’rith International
Maccabi World Union
Conference of European Rabbis
World ORT
Women’s International Zionist Organization
Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany
World Jewish Congress Institute for Research and Policy
Regional Affiliates & Communities
Communities Affiliated with:
Organizations and Related Bodies
Hillel
International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists
The Jewish Diplomatic Corps
International Council of Jewish Women
World Mizrachi Movement
International Council of Jewish Parliamentarians
World Union of Jewish Students
International Jewish Committee on Inter-Religious Consultations
World Union for Progressive Judaism
Israel Council on Foreign Relations
World Zionist Organization
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Staff and Regional Affiliate Executives 2015 Senior Professional Staff
Washington, DC
Chief Executive Officer and Executive Vice President
Washington Advisor
*Maram Stern
Geneva Office
Robert Singer
Deputy CEO for Diplomacy
Sonia Gomes de Mesquita Chief Program Officer
*John Malkinson Chief Operating Officer
Chaim Reiss Chief Financial Officer
Randi Dubno Acting Director of Development
*Michael Thaidigsmann Director, Communications and Media Relations
Aliyana Traison Director, Public Relations; Senior U.S. and Israel Press Officer
Shira Copans Head of Executive Office
Menachem Rosensaft General Counsel
Michael Schneider Special Advisor
Regional Affiliate Executives Haim Ben Yaakov CEO, Euro-Asian Jewish Congress
Betty Ehrenberg
*Mark Levin
Tom Gal WJC Geneva Consultant
Arielle Godin Jewish Diplomatic Corps Coordinator, Europe, FSU Region, Israel and South Africa
Lauren Rose UN Geneva Representative
Brussels Office *Myriam Glikerman Director, Community Relations
*Morgan Meldrum Director, IT and Communications
*Isabella Nespoli Director, Interfaith Affairs
*Serge Weinber Global Events Administrator
Israel Office Laurence Weinbaum Director, Israel Council on Foreign Relations
Yvette Shumacher Assistant Director, Israel Council on Foreign Relations
Oranit Weiner
Executive Director, World Jewish Congress North America
Administrative Assistant
Claudio Epelman
Buenos Aires OFFICE
Executive Director, Latin American Jewish Congress
Sam Grundwerg Director General, World Jewish Congress Israel
Raya Kalenova Executive Vice-President, European Jewish Congress
New York Office Cheryl Bailes
Veronica Machtey Director, Strategic Projects
Valeria Grimberg Program Director, New Generations
Ariel Seidler Social Medial Manager
Ezequiel Kupervaser
Director of Direct Mail
Press Secretary
Yfat Barak Cheney
Vilnius – WJC International Yiddish Center
International Relations/Policy Analyst
Sarah Khedouri Administrative Assistant
Susan Manoukis Database Manager
David Meluskey Assistant to CEO
Ornit Michael Office Manager/Development Assistant
David Nagel Controller
Vivian Pollack Administrative Assistant/Bookkeeper
Dov Strulowitz Accountant
Cory Weiss Jewish Diplomatic Corps Coordinator, North America; Assistant to CPO
Janice Wolpo Director, Campaign Relations and Communications
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*Yitzchak Averbuch Director
Lev Milner CEO
Rosita Rybokaite Program Coordinator
*Mordahey Yushkovsky Pedagogical Director
Global Project Managers *Gabriela Jiraskova WJC Crisis Management Project Coordinator
Omri Segelman Director, Global Jewish Security
*Mladen Petrov Social Media Manager
*Indicates that the staff member is a consultant
Tree of Life Society–World Jewish Congress, American Section* The World Jewish Congress (American Section), Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization incorporated in New York State, solicits donations in support of the vital work and projects of the World Jewish Congress. The WJC American Section, also the independent U.S. affiliate of the World Jewish Congress, facilitates American Jewish input into WJC’s global deliberations and advocates for Israel at the United Nations and in the public arena. The Tree of Life Society recognizes individuals who have left a legacy gift to the World Jewish Congress, American Section. We are grateful for their vision and generosity. Erwin Abrams Lowell Adelson Kenneth Adin Alice R. Alderman Maurice Amzalak Bruce Apotheker Nathan Appelbaum Simon and Beatrice Apple Sonia G. Atkinson Sophie Axkel Herbert and Selma Azif Kurt Baer Rena A. Baff Gerald Bagner Milton N. Baker Molly Barrett Lila R. Bath Pauline A. Becker Robert H. Bell George Bennett Marlene Berg Curtis Frederick Bergen Emil Berger Louis Berger Charles Berman Benjamin Bernstein Martin Blaifeder Miriam Markowitz Blatt Sylvia Bleckner Jerome G. Block Leroy Block Peter Blumberg Roslyn Blumberg David Meyer Blumenthal Sol Blumenthal Marvin Bogdanoff Florence Bolatin Clarice Borodkin Irvin Bregman Percy A. Brill Elaine Brimer, Ph.D. David E. Brody Barbara F. Brown Evelyn B. Bruyere Harry Bugin Lillian Burgeman Merle Cahn Max Canter Adrea Z. Carter Ruth Chapman Joseph T. Charney Jefferson Cohen Milton and Ruth Cohen Sander Cohen Ben Colloff Ruth Crum Leslie A. Davis Ezra Delson Herbert Denenberg Sheila Deutsch Thelma Dobrowolski Lawrence Doppelt Norma Duboff Ilse Earl Estherlea Eckmann Abraham Edelman
Aaron Eden Sara and Max Efron Romaine Efros Thelma May Eidelman Levite Evelyn Isidore and Dora Felber Ida Lee Feldman Cecil Finegold Douglas A. Finkelstone Linda Fish Jean V. Fleischer Mark Forrest Frances W. Franck Judith B. Frankel Abraham Freedman Lillian Freudmann Edna Fried Sidney C. Fried Harold B. Friedland Benjamin Fullett Esther Galinsky Dorothy Y. Garber Shelley Gardiner Rebecca S. Gilbert Aaron B. Glicksberg Jack M. Goldberg Louis Jay Goldenberg Beatrice Goldfarb Gerson M. Goldman Morton Goldsmith Doris M. Goodman Peryl Gottesman Irving James Gottlieb Esther Gould Catalina Grady Anne Greenbaum Louise B. Greenberg Lenore Greiman Herbert E. Groskin Abraham J. Gross Charlotte A. Gunzburger Rudolph and Lucille Guttmann Bernard and Rhoda Herman Gisela Herzl Louis P. Heyman D. H. Hirsberg Irving L. Horowitz David L. Ichelson John F. Ignatz Rose L. Jacobs Stanley N. Jacobs Bertha M. Jacobson Richard Jacobson Arnold Jacoby Bernard H. Jaffee David L. Joseph Levin Joseph Mathilda Kamerman Edith Katz Henry and Sara Katz Florence Glass Kaufman Roma Fineberg Kaufman Sarah Kaufman Bertram C. Kay Minna Kaye Ruby Kelton
Louis and Gretchen Klaff Harold J. Klein Harry H. Klein Saul Klein Moses R. Klipper Grace Koenigsberg Samuel M. Koenigsberg Jacob Korn Clara Koropshinsky Sidney Krakower Myer S. Kripke Sylvia E. Krone Joseph R. Kuh Elaine Lampert Paul Lappe Samuel J. Lashinsky David Leavitt Pauline W. Ledeen Miriam Lengyel Harry S. Lester Frances Leventritt Avis Levin Esther Levin Diane Levine Herbert Levine Morton J. Levinson Miriam Levy Herman Lipsitz Rebecca Lister Helen Galland Loewus Ervin B. London Jack Luchs Suzy Mahler Florence G. Maio Isabel K. Maller Edith Mallon Harold Margolis Ida Mae Margolis Rosalind Marimont Clara D. Markowitz Melody Marks Susi T. Marx Esther Shady Masters Marcia Z. Mehr Thelma Mermelstein Max P. Milians Harold Miller Shirley Miller Sonia Ann Miller Ruth Moss Manuel Nathan Sylvie M. Nathanson Neiman Family Janet Nemerofsky O. Onwaeze Walter Oppenheim Morton A. Packel Harold A. Pelter Steven A. Perlberg Miriam Perry Joseph Polusky Reuben Porton Harold Putterman Celia P. Ritter Lillian Robbins Sara Roberts
Kay Rose George Rosenfeld Helen Jean Rosenzweig June Rosner and Family Emanuel N. Rotter Henry Sachsman Regina Salomon Michael Samek Allan and Edith Schechter Signa Scher Hans L. Schlesinger Luise Schlesinger Charlotte Schloss Herbert Schneider Manuel Schneider Isidore Schnur Denise K. Schorr Morris Schultz H. Paul Schwadel Marsha Schwartz Rose Seltzer Marion C. Shamos Meyer Shapiro Vincent Sherman Philip R. Siegelbaum Norman Silverman Sarah Silverman Ida Simon Betty Solodar Cari Sommer Sandra Sosnick Dennis Stein Edna Steinberger Bernard Stern Hyman Stoller Gertrude Stone Rhoda Sturmak Marianne Sufrin Druria Sylvester Ruth N. Taub Ethel Taylor Max and Sylvia Tennebaum Solodare Theodore Herman A. Tolz Arthur Vamos Varhegyi Family Trust Martin Virsotsky Louis J. Walinsky Leonard J. Warren Richard Waton Trudi Weimer Milton P. Weinstein Irving and Rita Weinstock Alma Weisberg Arlene W. Weiss Frances Winkler Martin F. Witkin Julius Wittman Liese-Lotte Wolf Lenny Worth Dorothy Yashon Henrietta Zackin Martha Zeff Phyllis W. Zierler Max Zimmer Byron Zuckerman
* As of September 1, 2015
World Jewish Congress Founded in 1936 in Geneva, the World Jewish Congress is the representative body of Jewish communities and organizations in more than 100 countries across six continents. Working as the permanent address on behalf of world Jewry with foreign governments and international agencies, the World Jewish Congress: > > > > >
safeguards Jewish security combats anti-Semitism, bigotry and extremism supports Israel and advances Middle East peace advocates on issues of human rights promotes and enhances interfaith relations
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Charity Navigator, the largest independent evaluator of philanthropies in the United States, has cited the World Jewish Congress, American Section, with its highest 4-star rating for financial health, accountability, transparency and efficiency. GLOBAL REVIEW Written by: Janice Wolpo worldje wishcongress.org Art Direction : Laura Anne Shay-HupĂŠ, LASH Arts