Following reports of the involvement of a number of UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) employees in the October 7 Hamas attacks against Israel – and sixteen UN member states pulling economic support from the agency – the UN commissioned a report, released this week, on the agency’s management and adherence to UN principles.
Press Releases and Statements
Find American Jewish Committee's latest press releases, official statements, and noteworthy announcements below.
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Respected Indonesian Religious Leader Completes Six-week Fellowship in Interfaith Dialogue, Study of Judaism
Professor Nasaruddin Umar, the Grand Imam of Masjid Istiqlal – Indonesia's national mosque and the largest mosque in Southeast Asia – recently completed a six-week intensive fellowship with American Jewish Committee (AJC) and the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS). The fellowship included academic study, meetings with civil society leaders and government officials, and participation in interreligious dialogues across the United States.
AJC Statement on the Second Anniversary of Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine
New York, NY – February 23, 2024 – As the world marks the second anniversary of Russia’s unprovoked attack against, and its reported commission of widespread and systematic human rights violations and war crimes in, Ukraine, American Jewish Committee (AJC) and its Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights (JBI) reiterate their longstanding call for world governments to act collectively and individually to ensure a robust international response to and deter further grave violations by Russia in Ukraine and beyond.
AJC, 70+ Leaders Around the World Call for True Universality of Human Rights
Marking the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, American Jewish Committee (AJC) was joined today by more than 70 leaders from around the world in calling on the international community to recognize that “universal means universal.” The group comprises former government officials, interreligious leaders, and human rights and democracy advocates.
AJC’s Jacob Blaustein Institute, UN, Diplomatic Leaders Reaffirm Commitment to Genocide Convention on 75th Anniversary
American Jewish Committee’s (AJC) Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights (JBI) and the United Nations Special Adviser on Prevention of Genocide brought together senior diplomats this week to mark 75 years since the signing of the Genocide Convention, including representatives from Rwanda and Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the event, several of the diplomatic leaders called for greater political will to confront ongoing signs that communities that have previously experienced genocide continue to face hatred and violence, noting rising global antisemitism and anti-Muslim bigotry.
AJC Welcomes White House Efforts to Combat Hate Against Muslims in America
American Jewish Committee today welcomed the White House’s announcement that the Biden administration will develop the first-ever U.S. National Strategy to Counter Islamophobia, fulfilling the commitment it made in December 2022 as it launched the process to create the National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism.
AJC Sponsors Historic Conference on Pope Pius XII Holocaust Documents
American Jewish Committee (AJC), the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people, today announced its sponsorship of an historic international conference, New Documents from the Pontificate of Pope Pius XII and Their Meaning for Jewish-Christian Relations: A Dialogue Between Historians and Theologians. AJC is the only global Jewish organization among the sponsors.
Globally Respected Muslim Scholar Receives Human Dignity Award from American Jewish Committee
American Jewish Committee (AJC) has presented its prestigious Human Dignity Award to Shaykh Abdallah Bin Bayyah, one of the world’s most respected Islamic scholars and a champion of religious freedom, peace, and enhancing Muslim-Jewish relations.
Jacob Blaustein Institute Calls for Urgent Action to Respond to the Risk of Genocide in Darfur, Sudan
The Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights of American Jewish Committee has urged the U.S. and other nations to protect non-Arab groups facing a serious risk of genocide in Darfur, Sudan, and to bring an end to brutal attacks against them.
American Jewish Committee Meets with Catholic Cardinal, Vocal Advocate Against Antisemitism, at Parliament of the World’s Religions
American Jewish Committee met with Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, a forceful advocate against antisemitism, at a conclave of many of the world’s religions and movements that is guided by a message that allyship and freedom to worship are needed more than ever.
American Jewish Committee's Rabbi Noam Marans Receives Prestigious Interfaith Award
Seton Hall University has honored Rabbi Noam Marans, Director of American Jewish Committee’s (AJC) Interreligious and Intergroup Relations, with the Sister Rose Thering Award for Outstanding Service in Education for Interreligious Harmony.
American Jewish Committee Advances Catholic-Jewish Relations with Visit to Vatican, Prayers for Pope Francis Recovery and Presentation of Unique Gift
American Jewish Committee (AJC) President Michael Tichnor and CEO Ted Deutch led a leadership delegation to the Vatican. “We are so grateful for the transformation in Catholic-Jewish relations and for the privilege AJC has enjoyed and continues to enjoy as a central actor in this ongoing historic reconciliation, which Pope Francis has taken to even greater heights,” said Deutch. “Pope Francis’s love and care for the Jewish People is universally known. We are grateful for his strong voice condemning antisemitism.”
American Society of International Law Honors AJC’s Felice Gaer
The American Society of International Law (ASIL) has honored Felice Gaer, Director of American Jewish Committee’s (AJC’s) Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights, with the organization’s 2023 Honorary Member Award. The award was presented to Gaer today at ASIL’s annual meeting in recognition of her “critically important contributions” to the development, interpretation, and implementation of international human rights law, including in the areas of prevention of torture, women’s human rights and freedom of religion or belief.
AJC Joins Amicus Brief Urging U.S. Supreme Court to Restore Workplace Religious Accommodation Protection
American Jewish Committee (AJC) has joined with religious liberty scholars Asma T. Uddin and Steven Collis in filing an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to support employee rights to seek religious accommodations to not work on the Sabbath.
AJC Abu Dhabi Joins in Celebration of UAE Abrahamic Family House Opening
American Jewish Committee (AJC) joined in the celebration of the Abrahamic Family House opening in Abu Dhabi. With a mosque, church, and synagogue, along with exhibition space and conference facilities, the new interfaith center drives home the message of interfaith respect and cooperation that has long been a feature of Emirati culture and life. Ambassador (ret.) Marc Sievers, Director of AJC Abu Dhabi: The Sidney Lerner Center for Arab-Jewish Understanding; Rabbi David Rosen, Director, AJC International Interreligious Affairs; and Reva Gorelick, Program Director, AJC Abu Dhabi, attended the opening ceremony yesterday.
AJC Video for Arabic Speakers Dispels Myths About What Jews Think About People of Other Faiths
American Jewish Committee (AJC) today released “What Jews Think About Non-Jews” (kayfa yaraa al-yahud ghayr al-yahud), the 10th installment in the leading global Jewish advocacy organization’s Arabic language educational video series, ‘An al-Yahud (“About the Jews”). The video also is available in English.
American Jewish Committee Mourns Pope Benedict XVI
American Jewish Committee (AJC), the leading global Jewish advocacy organization, mourns the passing of Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI. A true friend of the Jewish people, Benedict continued the path of reconciliation and friendship with world Jewry blazed by his predecessor, John Paul II.
AJC CEO Ted Deutch Applauds Iran’s Removal From UN Commission on Status of Women
American Jewish Committee CEO Ted Deutch praised today’s landmark vote by UN member states to remove Iran from the Commission on the Status of Women, a subsidiary body of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). “We applaud the 29 members of the UN's ECOSOC who declared today that they will no longer allow Iran, a country that relentlessly persecutes women and girls, to serve as a member of the Commission on the Status of Women. Its immediate removal for the remainder of its 2022-2026 term corrects a grave mistake,” said Deutch.
AJC Applauds UN Human Rights Council Decision to Investigate Abuses in Iran
American Jewish Committee (AJC) praised the UN Human Rights Council’s decision to establish an “independent international fact-finding mission” on Iran that will “thoroughly and independently investigate” human rights violations committed by the regime in its deadly crackdown on escalating protests since September 16. “The Human Rights Council was created precisely for addressing the egregious human rights abuses the Iranian regime is committing with impunity,” said AJC CEO Ted Deutch. “Today’s Council decision reflects the international community’s outrage at the regime’s conduct, its commitment to listen to the brave Iranian people, and its determination to hold accountable those responsible for the pervasive violence.”
Pope Francis Honors Longtime AJC Interreligious Director Rabbi A. James Rudin
Rabbi A. James Rudin, who headed American Jewish Committee’s pioneering work with the Roman Catholic Church and other faiths for many years, was honored today by Pope Francis with one of the Vatican’s highest awards, the Knight of St. Gregory the Great.