The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the Jewish Agency for Israel announced on Jan. 31 that they have forged a partnership to fight against antisemitism.
The announcement was made in front more than 350 emissaries in North America. An ADL spokesperson told eJewishPhilanthropy that the organization will be training the Agency’s emissaries, also known as shlichim, about how to identify antisemitism in the United States and how it can be addressed. These training sessions will take place in seven areas of the country, one of which is Los Angeles, according to eJewishPhilanthropy.
Additionally, according to The Jerusalem Post, the ADL-Jewish Agency collaboration will also focus on enhancing Jewish identity, including the connection between Jewish identity and Israel.
“In this unprecedented time, there’s a hunger among American Jews to deepen connections with Israel – the work of the shlichim to build those bridges has never been more important,” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement. “We’re grateful to be partnering with the Jewish Agency, the largest Jewish organization in the world, to equip their incredible emissaries from Israel with all the tools they need to combat antisemitism as they are working with U.S. Jewish communities.”
“In this unprecedented time, there’s a hunger among American Jews to deepen connections with Israel.”
– ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt
Jewish Agency Chairman Maj. Gen. (Res). Doron Almog also said in a statement, “In the aftermath of the horrific massacre in Israel on Oct. 7th, we are reminded not just of the importance of the State of Israel for the Jewish People but also of the importance of fighting antisemitism in all forms and in all places. Our shlichim are helping young American Jews be proud of their identities and feel a unique bond with Israel and we are proud to partner with the world’s leading anti-hate organization to do everything we can to further those objectives.”
On Jan. 10, the ADL released a report stating that they recorded 3,291 incidents between Oct. 7, 2023-Jan. 7, 2024, a 361% increase over the same timeframe in 2022-23. Greenblatt said in a statement at the time that “it’s shocking that we’ve recorded more antisemitic acts in three months than we usually would in an entire year.” Additionally, in November the ADL, in conjunction with Hillel International and College Pulse, released a survey that found 73% of Jewish students at American college campuses say they have been subjected to or seen an antisemitic incident on campus this school year; only 45.5% said they feel physically safe on campus following the Oct. 7 massacre, a decline from 66.6% before the massacre.
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