World Jewish Congress: Global Review 2012-13

WORLD JEWISH CONGRESS

2012−2013 Global Review

2012-2013 global reviewwritten by: Janice Wolpoart direction : Laura Anne Shay-Hupé, LASH Arts

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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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1 worldjewishcongress.org 2012-2013 global review

as the international jewish community faced enormous challenges in

2012 and 2013, the need for the World Jewish Congress (WJC) was greater than ever.

Through robust collaboration and cooperation with our regional affiliates—Euro-

Asian Jewish Congress, European Jewish Congress, Latin American Jewish Congress,

WJC Israel, WJC North America—and myriad

other international partners and member orga-

nizations in more than 100 countries on six

continents, we served the global Jewish com-

munity in effective and diverse ways that no

other organization could undertake. Our Global

Review offers select highlights of our achieve-

ments, influence and impact.

As you’ll read in the following pages, world Jewry has witnessed a lethal resurgence

and popularity of neo-Nazism and anti-Semitism, particularly in Europe, but else-

where as well, putting Jewish communities in great peril. Additionally, political par-

ties in several European countries have initiated legal actions to target Jewish laws,

culture and traditions.

WJC harnessed its unique global strength, prestige and unparalleled qualifications to

protect and defend the Jewish people. We advocated and took action at the highest

diplomatic levels with government and religious world leaders, working hand in hand

on the ground with our regional and national Jewish communal leaders.

Through WJC’s global efforts, we successfully opposed attempts by the lower house

of the Dutch parliament to ban kosher slaughter and spoke out to ensure that circum-

cision remained legal in Germany; we continued to press for justice for Holocaust sur-

vivors and their heirs; and we succeeded in placing the long-ignored issue of Jewish

refugees from Muslim countries on the political agenda at the United Nations. Fur-

ther, WJC’s work around the world resulted in other milestone achievements, as well

as historic interfaith meetings and important advances in the fight against Iran and

its proxies Hamas, Hezbollah and Syria.

As obstacles facing the Jewish community become increasingly complex, WJC’s vigi-

lance and front-line defense of world Jewry are critically important. Together, through

your partnership and loyalty, we will work tirelessly toward a brighter, safer and more

tolerant future.

Ronald S. Lauder

Message From WJC President Ronald S. Lauder

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2

Chairman of the Governing Board David de Rothschild

I am honored to have the opportunity to serve this dis-

tinguished organization for which I have the utmost

respect and admiration. The World Jewish Congress is

unmatched on the global stage and unrivaled in its vast

diplomatic and communal outreach. As a result, WJC

has the capability to mobilize rapidly and take the lead

whenever and wherever the Jewish people are in need.

Treasurer Chella Safra

The Word Jewish Congress has earned a platinum repu-

tation because it works as no other organization can

to protect and defend Israel and the Jewish people

everywhere. Through its diplomacy, programs and ac-

tivities, it unites worldwide Jewry under one umbrella

with a singular voice and common purpose. I am proud

to be able to play a part in moving WJC forward from

strength to strength in the coming years.

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over the past 76 years, the world jewish congress has been heralded

as the “diplomatic arm of the Jewish people” by virtue of our remarkable access in

the corridors of power, expertise, on the ground experience and moral passion for

representing the Jewish cause. The keys to our success are the respect and credibil-

ity we have earned from foreign governments, the trust we have merited from lead-

ers of Jewish communities and the warm bonds

of friendship we have forged with leading inter-

faith and interethnic groups.

Today, the global Jewish community is facing

troubling and dangerous times, and in the years

ahead we will no doubt witness even more ardu-

ous challenges. On every front, WJC stands ready

to use its reach in order to defend and strengthen

the Jewish people and protect the State of Israel.

Through a dedicated professional staff and lay

leadership and the dynamic partnerships we enjoy worldwide, WJC is making real

and lasting differences. We are deeply gratified that we have engaged a generation

of young leaders who are helping to carry forward WJC’s indispensable work with

renewed energy and commitment.

We have much to do. Please be a part of our ongoing efforts.

Robert Singer

Chief Executive Officer and Executive Vice President Robert Singer

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Combatting Anti-Semitism and Terrorism

WJC President Ronald S. Lauder with German

Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin.

WJC President Ronald S. Lauder meets with French

President Francois Hollande in Paris.

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WJC STANDS WITH THE DUTCH JEWISH

COMMUNITY

Working in close cooperation with the

Dutch Jewish community, WJC success-

fully opposed attempts to ban kosh-

er slaughter, a non-negotiable tenet of

Jewish law and ritual. Under a compro-

mise reached with the Dutch govern-

ment, WJC efforts ensured that shechita

will remain legal and permitted in the

Netherlands.

From France to Ukraine, from Hungary toGreece, anti-Semitism fueled by intolerance, extremism and xenophobia is gaining

new adherents and generating new threats, including a chilling resurgence of par-

ties with neo-Nazi tendencies. Jews around the world are again facing well-founded

fears for their personal safety, the denigration of their communal institutions and

the erosion of their right to freely practice their religious customs and traditions. As

the representative body of Jewish communities in more than 100 countries across six

continents, the World Jewish Congress stands united with global Jewry to monitor,

expose and vigorously fight anti-Semitism in all its insidious forms.

In 2012 alone, France saw a 58 percent rise in anti-Semitic attacks, including the

cold-blooded murder of a rabbi and three Jewish children on March 19 by an Islamist

radical at a Jewish school in Toulouse. Expressing solidarity with the French Jewish

community, WJC President Ronald S. Lauder, along with Jewish and Muslim leaders,

met with President Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris.

In Burgas, Bulgaria, a murderous terrorist attack by Hezbollah left six Israeli tour-

ists dead. In response, WJC used its singular diplomatic relationships with European

leaders and other heads of state to address this violence. Lauder joined with the

heads of the WJC affiliates European Jewish Congress (EJC) and Latin American Jew-

ish Congress (LAJC), meeting and corresponding with European Union leaders to urge

them to place Hezbollah on their list of terrorist organizations. This work gained

real ground when German Chancellor Angela Merkel called for Hezbollah to be

“Our communities in Europe have the right to expect

their governments will provide for their safety,

for the security of Jewish sites, and allow

Jewish life to flourish.” — Ronald S. Lauder, President, World Jewish Congress


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6 7 worldjewishcongress.org 2012-2013 global review

Combatting Anti-Semitism and Terrorism, continued

“What the world saw 18 years ago in Buenos Aires

it can still see today, be it in Syria, Lebanon

or elsewhere. The deadly attack in Bulgaria

reminds the world yet again

of Iran’s role in global terrorism.” —Ronald S. Lauder, President, World Jewish Congress

THE SHIELD OF ABRAHAM

As anti-Semitism takes on ever more in-

sidious and dangerous forms around

the world, WJC works vigorously to

safeguard Jewish security and advance

israel’s interests by speaking out in the

corridors of power and justice, taking

swift and decisive global action and

waging ongoing public opinion cam-

paigns.

blacklisted—the first ever statement from a prominent European politician to out-

law Hezbollah across the European Union—which set the stage for others to follow.

In order to help European authorities deal with the growing attacks against Jews

and Israelis, leaders of the WJC affiliate European Jewish Congress (EJC) met with Eu-

ropean leaders, including French President François Hollande; Czech Prime Minister

Petr Nečas; Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament; Jose Manuel Bar-

roso, President of the European Commission; Laurent Fabius, French Foreign Minis-

ter; Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe; and Jean-Claude

Mignon, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, to out-

line common steps, including intelligence sharing, cooperation between enforce-

ment authorities and stronger legislative and security measures.

Evelyn Sommer, Chairperson of World Jewish Congress North America, along with WJC

leaders and member organizations, participated in an important conference held in

early 2013 at the United Nations. “The Conference on Incitement to Terror and Violence:

New Challenges, New Responses” was hosted by the Permanent Mission of Israel to

Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner

greets WJC President Ronald S. Lauder at Casa Rosada,

the presidential palace, in Buenos Aires.

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South American parliamentarians

at a memorial event commemorating

the bombing of the AMIA center.

WJC President Ronald S. Lauder

meets with Venezuelan

Vice President and

Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro

in Caracas in 2012.

AMIA: JUSTICE STILL DENIED

Following the plenary assembly of the

WJC affiliate Latin American Jewish Con-

gress (LAJC) held in Caracas, Venezuela,

WJC President Ronald S.Lauder and LAJC

leaders met privately with Venezuelan

Vice President and Foreign Minister

Nicolas Maduro. They raised their con-

cerns about rising anti-Semitism and

urged the re-establishment of relations

with Israel. Lauder also raised the need

for justice to be served in the 1994 ter-

rorist attack against the AMIA Jewish

community center in Buenos Aires. Sev-

eral former and current Iranian gov-

ernment officials have been implicated

but no arrests have been made.

the UN, the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs (JCPA) and the UN Secretary General.

The goal was to place before the UN a comprehensive international convention for

the prevention of incitement to terror.

latin american parliamentarians pledge to act against terrorism

More than 40 lawmakers from across South America met in Buenos Aires in July 2012

at the invitation of the WJC affiliate Latin American Jewish Congress (LAJC) in order

to commemorate the 18th anniversary of the bombing of the Asociación Mutual Is-

raelita Argentina (AMIA) Jewish community center, which killed 85 and wounded sev-

eral hundred. They joined with the Vice President of Argentina, the former President

of Uruguay and the Argentine prosecutor who is in charge of the AMIA investigation.

“We are concerned that justice has still not been done and that such an attack could

happen again at any moment on our continent,” said LAJC President Jack Terpins.

Parliamentarians from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Para-

guay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela signed a joint declaration against terrorism and

pledged to work together in the fight against anti-Semitism.


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Combatting Anti-Semitism and Terrorism, continued

CASE STUDY: GOLDEN DAWN IN

GREECE

Established in 1980, Golden Dawn

formed itself into a political party

in 1985 and gained the formal recog-

nition of Greek authorities in 1993. It

propelled itself into national and in-

ternational prominence in the May

2012 elections, in which it garnered

7 percent of the vote. against a back-

drop of economic depression, by April

2013 the party was polling at around

12 percent.

The party espouses anti-Semitism, de-

nounces Israel and endorses the

notion of a worldwide Jewish conspir-

acy. Golden Dawn is a stark reminder

that extremist parties can make con-

siderable advances from the smallest

of beginnings. It is now the third most

popular party in Greece.

In response to the rise of Neo-Nazism, the World Jewish Congress has become the preeminent organization speaking out

forcefully and taking aggressive steps to combat the resurgence of political parties

across Europe with neo-Nazi leanings, particularly in Greece and Hungary.

The toxic combination of extreme anti-Semitism, aggressive national chauvin-

ism and anti-capitalist and anti-socialist rhetoric that infused the Nazi party have

proved enduring.

This has long been understood in terms of the existence of skinhead movements,

racist gangs, extra-paramilitary fringe parties and maverick individuals. What is new

and worrisome, most particularly in Europe, is the emergence of electorally success-

ful political parties espousing, or in some way aligning themselves with, ideological

or historical trends reminiscent of Nazism.

In March 2013, WJC leaders, led by President Ronald S. Lauder, travelled to Thessa-

loniki, Greece, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the first deportation to the

death camps of the Jews of Salonica and to urge the Greek government to take swift

and decisive action against the growing neo-Nazi movement, Golden Dawn, which

Lauder called “the new Nazis.”

During a commemoration at the Monastiriotes Synagogue, Greek Prime Minister An-

tonis Samaras assured the assembled group that his government would be “com-

pletely intolerant to violence and racism” and pledged to rein in extremists.

In a resolution, the WJC called on Greece “to consider banning extreme

right political parties, such as the Golden Dawn movement, which pose

a serious danger to liberal democracy.” Further, the resolution calls on

the European Union to “ensure that political movements that actively es-

pouse a platform of discrimination of ethnic or religious minorities, in

contravention of the EU Charter of Fundamental Human Rights, are dealt

with in a coordinated manner in all EU member states and that law en-

forcement authorities receive all necessary support for the protection of

citizens against such crimes.”

WJC President Ronald S. Lauder and

Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras

in Thessaloniki.

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“Both in words and actions these fanatics behave

like the Nazis did 80 years ago. They need to be opposed

vigorously by all democratic forces

everywhere they operate.” —Ronald S. Lauder, President, World Jewish Congress

CASE STUDY: JOBBIK IN HUNGARY

Formed as a youth organization in

2002, Jobbik registered as a party in

2003. It captured the attention of

the world when it took 16.7 percent

of the vote at the 2010 general elec-

tions. In less than a decade it has

risen from nowhere to become a for-

midable force in Hungarian politics.

Jobbik offers Roma (gypsies) and jews

as scapegoats for the country’s prob-

lems. Jobbik’s blend of Anti-Zionism

and traditional anti-Semitism, as well

as the parallels it draws between the

Holocaust and Israel’s treatment of

the Palestinians, make for a danger-

ous anti-Jewish platform.

In May 2013, in cooperation with the Federation of Jewish Communities of Hungary

(MAZSIHISZ), WJC held its Plenary Assembly in Budapest. The decision to hold the

gathering of more than 600 delegates and observers from WJC’s affiliated communi-

ties and organizations in the Hungarian capital was made to express solidarity with

Hungarian Jews, who have faced growing anti-Semitism, and to focus world atten-

tion on the alarming rise in neo-Nazism in political parties across Europe, including

Hungary.

Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán addressed the opening dinner and told the

group that “anti-Semitism today in Hungary is unacceptable and we will show it zero

tolerance.” WJC adopted a resolution calling on Hungary “to recognize that Jobbik

poses a fundamental threat to Hungary’s democracy” and that decisive action must

be taken to protect all citizens, particularly the Roma and Jews, against threats of

violence, racism and Holocaust denial.

WJC President Ronald S. Lauder greets Hungarian

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán during a session of

WJC’s Plenary Assembly in Budapest.


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Champions For Israel

Members of the International Council

of Jewish Parliamentarians visit the Knesset

to devise strategies for combatting

the assault on Israel as the nation-state

of the Jewish people.

WJC President Ronald S. Lauder gets a rousing

ovation at the 2013 Feast of Tabernacles

in Jerusalem, following his address to the

worldwide gathering of Christian

supporters of Israel.

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The World Jewish Congress’ diplomacy,advocacy, educational initiatives and strategic media efforts are critical for helping

the Jewish community confront the global campaign to delegitimize Israel.

WJC worked indefatigably to counter the assault on Israel’s legitimacy as govern-

ments, institutions and high-profile individuals such as Archbishop Desmond Tutu

delegitimized Israel by unjustly likening it to apartheid South Africa.

Aggressively lobbying international organizations, most notably through the United

Nations, WJC sought to ensure that governments apply the same standards to Israel

as they do to other countries. In recent years, nearly half of all condemnatory reso-

lutions by the UN Human Rights Council targeted Israel, the only democracy in the

Middle East. WJC pressed the Council to adjust its priorities and expose the real hu-

man rights violators in the world.

WJC also led efforts to combat the anti-Israel Boycott-Divestment-Sanctions (BDS)

movement. WJC voiced strong opposition to the push by Irish Foreign Minister

Eamon Gilmore for a European Union ban on products made in Israeli communities

in the West Bank. WJC also spoke out effectively against plans by South Africa to cre-

ate pejorative labels for Israeli products made in the West Bank, negotiating for less

politically charged wording. In addition, WJC strongly condemned the decision by

the United Church of Christ of Canada to support a boycott of Israeli communities.

Internationally, WJC garnered support for the vendors of Israeli products through

the “Buycott” program.

“President Abbas, both your people and the

people of Israel will benefit from an agreement.

Both will continue to suffer without one…

It takes two sides to make peace.” —Ronald S. Lauder, President, World Jewish Congress

THE GLOBAL COALITION FOR ISRAEL (GC4I)

this wjc initiative, begun in 2010, brings

together israeli government ministries

and leading international jewish orga-

nizations to confront the multi-front

political warfare being waged against

the jewish state. since its inception, the

gc4i has established 10 working task

forces. in 2012, strategic consultations

convened by wjc helped identify best

practices to overcome the delegitimi-

zation of israel and effective ways to

protect jewish communities in europe,

euro-asia and latin america from anti-

semitism in the event that the west uses

force against iran.


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Champions For Israel, continued

WJC leadership met regularly with Israeli government, religious and civic

leaders for candid discussions on issues affecting the safety and security

of Jewish communities worldwide.

WJC President Ronald S. Lauder, along with Jack Terpins, President of the

WJC affiliate Latin American Jewish Congress (LAJC), met with Palestinian

President Mahmoud Abbas in London in January 2012 and urged a resump-

tion of peace talks. In official statements and in meetings with interna-

tional leaders, WJC supported a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian

conflict and opposed unilateral actions by either side, underscoring that

such actions were dangerous for Israel, for a future Palestinian state and

for peace in the Middle East.

In June 2012, WJC published a full-page open letter in The Wall Street Journal

and other major newspapers calling for President Abbas to return to the ne-

gotiating table without preconditions.

justice for jewish refugees from muslim countries

Israel’s detractors have spent decades propagating a one-sided history

of the Middle East refugee problem. To set the record straight, WJC North

America and WJC Israel, together with Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs,

co-hosted two pioneering conferences—Justice for Jewish Refugees from

Arab Countries—at United Nations headquarters in New York and in Jeru-

salem. These major events brought international attention to the long ig-

nored plight of 850,000 Jewish refugees from Muslim countries, who were

expelled or forced to flee upon the establishment of Israel, forfeiting their

homes, assets and institutions.

This unprecedented diplomatic campaign commanded impressive media coverage

and drove home the point that the heartbreaking testimonies of Jewish refugees—

“the other side of the coin”—must be addressed equally with the claims of Palestin-

ian refugees.

Following the conferences, Israeli diplomats were instructed to raise the matter in

all official government meetings and with parliamentarians. WJC proposed legisla-

tion that parliaments the world over could adopt. In addition, WJC spearheaded ad-

vocacy efforts in the U.S. Congress, working closely with Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) to

reintroduce a bi-partisan bill to highlight this historical inequity and seek remedies

to address the hardship endured by expelled Jews. Thanks to WJC efforts, Canada

agreed to hold hearings with testimony from Canadian Jewish victims.WJC President Ronald S. Lauder and Pales-

tinian President Mahmoud Abbas during a

private meeting in London.

World Jewish Congress full-page open letter

in The Wall Street Journal, June 14, 2012

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partners for dialogue and debate

In May 2012, The International Council of Jewish Parliamen-

tarians (ICJP), operating in cooperation with the World Jewish

Congress, the Knesset and the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Af-

fairs, held a major two-day working session in Rome to define

common goals and strategies to combat the rise in anti-Semi-

tism and extremism throughout Europe. The participants also

met with Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti and Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi di

Sant’Agata. The ICJP brings together Jewish legislators, parliamentarians and gov-

ernment ministers from around the world for ongoing dialogue on the core issues

facing the global Jewish community.

The Israel Council on Foreign Relations (ICFR) is a non-partisan forum for the study

and debate of international affairs, particularly regarding Israel and the Middle East,

and especially (but not exclusively) from a Jewish and Israeli perspective. Function-

ing under the auspices of the World Jewish Congress, it is an autonomous body led

by its president, veteran Israeli diplomat Ambassador Avi Primor. The flagship pub-

lication of the Council, appearing three times a year, is The Israel Journal of Foreign

Affairs. The Journal, which highlights current topics and priority WJC issues, enjoys

a worldwide readership including institutes/councils on foreign relations, scholars

and journalists. It is also circulated to Israeli embassies abroad and to all senior Min-

istry of Foreign Affairs officials in Israel.

The ICFR “Israeli-European Young Diplomats Forum” offers Israeli diplomats and gov-

ernment officials under the age of 40 and their European counterparts posted in Is-

rael opportunities to enhance their knowledge of, and exchange ideas on, issues of

common interest.

euro-asian journalists “discover” israel

The WJC affiliate Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) initiated a new program, “Dis-

covering Israel,” for non-Jewish media professionals. Participants included state and

national journalists from Azerbaijian, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Russia

and Ukraine, who traveled to Israel for a first-hand exploration of the Jewish state.

The goal of the program: to dispel propaganda and media stereotypes of Israel and

replace them with honest, objective reporting.

RIGHTS-BASED DIPLOMACY

WJC co-authored a highly acclaimed

seminal policy and diplomacy an-

thology entitled “Israel’s Rights as a

Nation-state in International Diplo-

macy.” English and hebrew editions

have been widely distributed to pol-

icy makers, opinion shapers, media,

members of congress, and jewish and

political leaders worldwide. Since its

publication, it has become required

reading for all incoming Israeli dip-

lomats and has been distributed by

Israel’s foreign ministry to its embas-

sies around the world.


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Mobilizing Against Iran


meets in New York with Jose Manuel Barroso,

President of the European Commission.

WJC President Ronald S. Lauder expresses deep concern

about Iran’s nuclear ambitions at a private meeting with

Vice President Joseph Biden in Washington, DC.

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As Iran’s new President Hassan Rouhani continues to rant against Israel and the Jewish people, and questions the need for

peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians, WJC has cautioned the West not to be

fooled by claims that he is a “moderate.”

WJC focused global attention on Iran not only as a sponsor of terrorism but as a four-

fold threat to international peace and stability. In diplomatic meetings and in the

media, WJC spoke out forcefully about Iran’s nuclear threat to Israel and beyond, its

campaign of international terrorism and genocidal incitement and its systematic vio-

lation of the human and civil rights of its citizens.

WJC President Ronald S. Lauder condemned the February 2012 attacks against Israeli

diplomats in Georgia and India in remarks quoted widely in major newspapers around

the world. “Iran is the biggest state sponsor of terrorism worldwide,” he warned.

The World Jewish Congress American Section intensified its efforts to expose Iran’s

manipulation of Hamas, Hezbollah and Syria and aggressively lobbied for the United

States to impose harsher sanctions on Iran, including the U.S. Nuclear Iran Prevention

Act. This groundbreaking legislation, still awaiting Senate confirmation, would, for

the first time, authorize a U.S. president to impose sanctions on any entity that main-

tains significant commercial ties to Iran.

SPEAKING OUT ON SYRIA

In a widely published opinion piece in

March 2012, “Syria After Assad,” WJC

President Ronald S. Lauder stressed that

“it is critical that any new Syrian govern-

ment ends the country’s role as a gate-

way for Iranian incursion into the Near

East....Syria’s most important neighbor,

Turkey, will have to make a choice: either

it continues to mollify Iran, or it acts in

favor of peace and stability, both in Syria

and throughout the region.”


“Despicable remarks against Israel and Jews

made by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani prove

that he is not the moderate many in the West

believe he is. The threat Iran poses

to the world is as real under Rouhani

as it was under Ahmadinejad.” —Ronald S. Lauder, President, World Jewish Congress

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Mobilizing Against Iran, continued

WJC was deeply gratified when, following its diplomatic efforts, Canada named the

Revolutionary Guard Corps’ elite Quds Force as a terrorist entity, closed its embassy

in Tehran and expelled Iranian diplomats from Ottawa.

WJC also ran several successful online campaigns denouncing the Iranian regime’s

actions.

israeli embassy bombing in buenos aires: 20 years later

On the 20th anniversary of the bombing of the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires, which

killed 29 people, the WJC affiliate Latin American Jewish Congress (LAJC) called for the

international community to redouble its efforts to capture those responsible for the

attack, which was perpetrated by Iran and its proxy Hezbollah.

“The masterminds of this and subsequent terrorist attacks must be brought to jus-

tice. We owe that much to those who died,” declared WJC President Ronald S. Lauder,

stressing the growing influence of Iranian and Hezbollah-backed groups in certain

Latin American countries. “Not only are many of the perpetrators still at large, but

there is also the question of if the world has learned the lesson of the attack. Twenty

Parliamentarians from across Latin America

sign a “Declaration Against Terrorism.”

WJC President Ronald S. Lauder and Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird.

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HIGHLIGHTING THE IRANIAN THREAT

WJC North America regularly advo-

cates in political and diplomatic arenas

on the Iranian nuclear threat, meet-

ing with UN and high-ranking govern-

ment officials and academics. During a

consultation with Professor David Me-

nashri of Tel Aviv University, a noted

expert on Iran, WJC leaders explored

broad-based techniques to inform the

public debate about the pressing glob-

al danger posed by the Iranian regime.

The group also discussed the condition

of Iran’s Jewish community.

years on, many Jewish and Israeli sites around the world are still in need of around-

the-clock protection because of the continuing threat emanating primarily from Iran

and its proxies.”

ejc: parliament visit to iran sends a dangerous message

In October, the WJC affiliate European Jewish Congress (EJC) successfully called on

senior European Union leaders to cancel a visit to Iran by a delegation from the Eu-

ropean Parliament. Reaching out to European Parliament President Martin Schulz,

the leaders of each parliamentary group, and the chairpersons of the European

Parliament’s Human Rights, Security and Defense and Women’s Rights and Gender

Equality Committees, EJC argued that the visit would be portrayed as the European

Parliament granting legitimacy to the Islamic Republic.

If this visit were to be allowed to go ahead, the EJC leaders stressed, it would send

troubling messages to those groups who are risking so much in their fight for democ-

racy, the rights of women and of ethnic and religious minorities in Iran.

“Tehran is behind attempts to quash

the protests in Syria; it was behind the bombing

of the AMIA Jewish community center and

of the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires in the 1990s,

and it continues to deploy the Revolutionary

Guard and Hezbollah in Lebanon to spread terror

around the globe.” —Vadim Shulman, President, Euro-Asian Jewish Congress


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18

Promoting Interfaith Dialogue

WJC President Ronald S. Lauder offers a

Rosh Hashanah basket to Pope Francis I at the Vatican.

WJC President Ronald S. Lauder presents

a gift to Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican.

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“In a world that is more and more threatened

by the loss of spiritual and moral values

that guarantee human dignity and a durable peace,

an honest and respectful dialogue between religions

is crucial for the future of our human family.”

—Pope Benedict XVI

FORGING TIES WITH THE LATINO

AMERICAN COMMUNITY

The World Jewish Congress North

America co-hosted a major conference

in San Antonio, Texas, at the end of

2012 to discuss ways to promote closer

cooperation between Latinos and Jews.

Attended by Jewish and Latino lead-

ers in politics, business and education,

the conference tackled discrimination

against minorities, the absorption of

immigrants, advancement in education

for minority youth and foreign policy.

Israel’s achievements in these fields—

especially in integrating millions of

immigrants—were featured in the dis-

cussions.

For more than seven decades, the World Jewish Congress has been at the forefront of strengthening alliances and building human bridges between Judaism and other

world religions.

WJC President Ronald S. Lauder and the WJC affiliate Latin American Jewish Congress

(LAJC) President Jack Terpins led a first-of-its-kind delegation of Jewish community

leaders from 12 Latin American countries for a private audience with Pope Bene-

dict XVI. The Pope reaffirmed the groundbreaking 1965 declaration Nostra Aetate as

“the basis and the guide for our efforts toward promoting greater understanding,

respect and cooperation between our communities.” Nostra Aetate took a clear posi-

tion against all forms of anti-Semitism and laid the foundation for a new theological

evaluation of the Church’s relationship with Judaism.

On September 2, 2013, a WJC delegation represented the global Jewish community

before Pope Francis I at the Vatican. Pope Francis listened attentively to WJC’s con-

cerns and remarked “a Christian cannot be an anti-Semite.” WJC and Pope Francis

have enjoyed a longstanding and cordial relationship.

The World Jewish Congress also launched an exciting interfaith effort with the par-

ticipation of LAJC and the Center for Jewish and Christian Understanding of Israel.

Young rabbis and young Catholic priests from Latin American countries travel to-

gether to Israel to learn about the Jewish state and the Jewish people and develop

professional and personal relationships.

WJC continued to provide unparalleled organizational support for the International

Jewish Committee of Interreligious Consultations (IJCIC) and participated in many

liaison meetings to strengthen our interfaith alliances.


31777_WJC_R1.indd 19 11/15/13 12:29 PM


Promoting Interfaith Dialogue, continued

WJC AND IJCIC

World Jewish Congress North Amer-

ica plays a key role in the activities of

The International Jewish Committee on

Interreligious Consultations (IJCIC). In

2012 WJC helped to organize the Emerg-

ing Leadership Conference of IJCIC and

the Vatican, which brought together

an international group of 50 young

Catholic and Jewish leaders, theolo-

gians, priests and rabbis under the age

of 40 for a three-day retreat in New

York City. The group met with Timothy

Cardinal Dolan and other major reli-

gious figures to discuss contemporary

social problems and ways to work co-

operatively to address them.

In April 2012, leaders from the World Jewish Congress and the Conference of Pres-

idents of Major American Jewish Organizations hosted the Ukrainian Council of

Churches and Religious Organizations in New York. This high-level gathering included

the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the Bishop of the Roman Catholic

Church to Ukraine, the Chief Rabbi of Kiev and Ukraine, and others. The group dis-

cussed issues of mutual concern, including freedom of religion and increasing har-

mony among ethnic and religious groups.

World Jewish Congress North America expanded its outreach to American Chris-

tian leaders. This was especially critical in light of the introduction by leaders in the

Presbyterian Church USA of anti-Israel boycott resolutions. These resolutions were

defeated, thanks to the concerted and unified efforts of WJC United States and its

member organizations. Relations were also strengthened with the national leader-

ship of the Evangelical community.

Pro-Israel gathering of Christian and

Jewish leaders at an event organized by

WJC and the Christian Allies Caucus in

St. Petersburg, Russia.

“This historic gathering in Russia

is a clear indication that Israel has strong Christian

allies in parliaments and governments around

the world on which it can rely.”

—M.K. Shai Hermesh, Chairperson, WJC Israel

20

31777_WJC_R1.indd 20 11/15/13 12:29 PM


EMBRACING CHRISTIAN SUPPORT

On September 22, 2013 WJC Presi-

dent Ronald S. Lauder addressed

3,000 evangelical Christians at the

Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem to

express gratitude for their stead-

fast support of Israel and the Jew-

ish people. Hailed as a “watershed in

Jewish-Christian relations,” Lauder

lamented double standards in the

international community toward Is-

rael and vowed to speak out on be-

half of persecuted Christians.

in russia, wjc and knesset christian allies caucus mobilize support for israel among christians

The World Jewish Congress is committed to strengthening ties with Christians

around the world who share our commitment to Israel and who are willing to de-

fend it against unfair attacks in their home countries.

In June 2012, a delegation of the World Jewish Congress and Knesset Christian Allies

Caucus (KCAC), led by M.K. Shai Hermesh, Chairperson of WJC Israel and KCAC chair,

travelled to St. Petersburg, Russia, to meet with local Christian leaders at what may

have been the largest pro-Israel event in the city’s history. The delegation promoted

Judeo-Christian relations and aimed to shore up support for Israel among Christians

in Russia. The event was hosted by the International Christian Embassy in Jerusa-

lem’s St. Petersburg branch.

The KCAC is one of more than 20 parliamentary sister caucuses around the world. Co-

ordinated by an umbrella organization, The International Israel Allies Caucus Foun-

dation (IIACF), and in association with the World Jewish Congress, these caucuses

work to mobilize support for Israel and the Jewish people. At its annual Chairman’s

Conference, the IIACF took part, for the first time, in Israel’s largest tourist event, The

Feast of Tabernacles, which brings thousands of Christians from around the world

to the Jewish state.

“Jews and Christians across the United States

and around the world, working together

as faith communities, can be a powerful source

of inspiration and education to help

pave the way for constructive responses

to racism, discrimination, terrorism

and many other challenges.”

—Evelyn Sommer, Chairperson, WJC North America


31777_WJC_R1.indd 21 11/15/13 12:29 PM

Holocaust Remembrance and Restitution


participates in the April 2013

International March of the Living at the site of

the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp.

31777_WJC_R1.indd 22 11/15/13 12:29 PM


Holocaust remembrance and restitution ofEuropean Jewish assets seized during the Holocaust are, first and foremost, issues

of justice, morality and human dignity. Today, almost seven decades after the end of

World War II, several countries, especially Poland, refuse to make just restitution to

the victims, survivors and heirs of the Shoah. Holocaust denial is becoming more and

more common around the world.

As a founding member of the World Jewish Restitution Organization (WJRO), now

chaired by WJC President Ronald S. Lauder, WJC has led the battle to help those who

survived the Nazi death camps and to honor those who did not. Under Lauder’s lead-

ership, the WJRO intensively lobbied governments to implement laws providing for

the return of looted Jewish communal properties. In past years, WJC has secured bil-

lions of dollars in payments from Germany, Swiss banks, insurance companies and

other parties.

In July 2012, in close cooperation with the WJRO, Secretary General of the WJC af-

filiate Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) Mikhail Chlenov participated in a historic

session of the Claims Conference concerning Jewish communities in that region. At

the urging of WJC and partner organizations, an agreement was reached with the

German government. As a result, many Jews who were prisoners of ghettoes and

“Auschwitz symbolizes the depths to which

humanity can sink, but every time young people

make their way to these tear-soaked grounds,

listen to the stories of the survivors and

pledge to build a better world, I know

one thing with certainty:

Hitler did not win.” —WJC President Ronald S. Lauder at the 2013 March of the Living

EJC AT PRAGUE RESTITUTION

CONFERENCE: EUROPEAN

GOVERNMENTS MUST MOVE ON

RESTITUTION ISSUES

The WJC affiliate European Jewish

Congress (EJC) pressed a number of

European governments to resolve

claims on stolen property still out-

standing despite two decades since

the fall of post-war communist re-

gimes in Central and Eastern Europe.

During a restitution conference in

Prague in November 2012, EJC Sec-

retary-General Serge Cwajgenbaum

made it clear that progress has been

especially slow in Poland, Latvia and

Romania.

“It is unacceptable that after so

much time, some governments are

deliberately foot-dragging on this

issue and hiding behind so-called in-

ternal political problems to evade

their responsibility to their Jewish

communities, the heirs of this prop-

erty,” Cwajgenbaum said.

31777_WJC_R1.indd 23 11/15/13 12:29 PM


Holocaust Remembrance and Restitution, continued

concentration camps and those who hid in German occupied territories will receive

reparations. Further, the Hardship Fund, which provides a one-time payment to cer-

tain Jewish victims of Nazism, will now be extended to approximately 80,000 Jews

who reside in the republics of the former Soviet Union.

The tireless efforts of WJRO on behalf of Holocaust survivors paid off in other coun-

tries, as well. Lithuania, which had been reluctant to address the issue of property

restitution, enacted legislation in early 2012 allowing for partial compensation pay-

ments to Jewish property owners.

WJC also used the international political stage to confront Holocaust denial. In

February 2012, the World Jewish Congress condemned the German Federal Consti-

tutional Court for acquitting a Holocaust denier. WJC Vice-President Charlotte Knob-

loch criticized the highest German court for disposing of the German law that makes

Holocaust denial a crime “through the backdoor.” WJC officials spoke out often in the

A WELCOME MEMORIAL

During a trip to Macedonia in Septem-

ber 2012 to meet with the country’s

president, prime minister and Jewish

community leaders, WJC President Ron-

ald S. Lauder paid a visit to the impres-

sive new Holocaust Memorial Center

for the Jews of Macedonia in the cap-

ital, Skopje. Ninety-eight percent of

Macedonian Jews were killed in the Ho-

locaust.

“We don’t have the privilege of not dealing with evil.” —Moshe Kantor, President, European Jewish Congress

WJC leaders at Yad Vashem.

24

31777_WJC_R1.indd 24 11/15/13 12:29 PM


media in an effort to combat the activities of neo-Nazi like parties in a number of Eu-

ropean countries, including Hungary and Serbia.

Referring to what he termed “the normalization of evil, of the unthinkable,” WJC af-

filiate European Jewish Congress President Moshe Kantor sounded the alarm, in a

speech to the European Paliament on International Holocaust Remembrance Day,

about the “hatred for Jews, Israel and the West that currently permeates the Iranian

media, the education system and public discourse.”

WJC’s cutting-edge educational programs also made international headlines. In Sep-

tember 2012, a Cooperation Agreement was signed in Chisinau, Moldova between the

WJC affiliate Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) and the Ministry of Education of the

Republic of Moldova, introducing the EAJC’s “Tolerance—Lessons of the Holocaust”

program into Moldovan schools. This highly acclaimed program fosters interethnic

and interfaith tolerance among the younger generation.

“Through memory and education, future generations

will know what happened and why. We hope

that the lessons of the Holocaust will enable us

to avoid new genocides and shape

a world based on justice,

solidarity and peace.” —Jack Terpins, President, Latin American Jewish Congress

HOLOCAUST-DENYING BISHOP EX-

PELLED FROM PIUS BROTHERHOOD

In September 2012, the ultra-tradition-

alist Catholic splinter group Society

of St. Pius X (SSPX) expelled one of its

four bishops. Richard Williamson had

claimed on many occasions that no

Jews were killed in gas chambers. WJC

President Ronald S. Lauder, who raised

the issue of Williamson with the Vati-

can, welcomed the long-overdue ex-

pulsion, but added that this action

“does nothing to restore the credibil-

ity of this organization.” Several SSPX

leaders have made anti-Semitic state-

ments and are opposed to the Vatican’s

dialogue with Jews.


31777_WJC_R1.indd 25 11/15/13 12:29 PM

WJC in the Media

Neo-Nazis sitting in national parliaments ... a worldwide surge in anti-Semitic violence toward Jews and attacks on syna-

gogues, Jewish cemeteries and Holocaust memorials ... escalating global campaigns

to challenge the legitimacy of Israel, challenging its very right to exist ...

The World Jewish Congress effectively inserted itself into the epicenter of all these

battles, leveraging our leadership, visibility and influence as the most respected and

influential diplomatic voice of the Jewish people.

The World Jewish Congress was prominently featured in more than 1,500 articles in

top-tier national and international news outlets. WJC leaders offered interviews and

expert commentary on the pressing issues of the day and were cited in broadcasts

and periodicals across the world, including the BBC News in the UK, Der Spiegel in

Germany and Der Standard in Austria.

WJC’s far-reaching contacts allowed for remarkable exposure and the ability to ad-

vocate for the Jewish people even in unexpected places. For example, WJC President

Ronald S. Lauder spoke out against Syrian President Bashar Assad’s criminal regime

in the pages of The Daily Star in Lebanon. In an open letter in the pages of Hungary’s

HERE’S JUST A SMALL SAMPLE OF THE NEWS OUTLETS WHERE WJC SPOKE OUT BOLDLY ON BEHALF OF WORLD JEWRY.

Argentina: La Nación

Australia: The Australian

Austria: ORF television, Die Presse, Der Standard

Brazil: Folha

Canada: Canadian Press

Colombia: El Tiempo

France: Agence France-Presse, France24 television

Germany: Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Frankfurter Rundschau, Der Spiegel, Tagesspiegel, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Die Welt

Hungary: Népszabadság, IPOT NEWS

Israel: Haaretz, Jerusalem Post, Times of Israel, YNet

Italy: ANSA, Gazzetta dello Sport

Lebanon: Daily Star

Mexico: Reforma

Nigeria: Business Day

Peru: Expreso

Poland: PAP

Spain: EFE, El Mundo

South Korea: Korea Herald

United Kingdom: BBC News, Financial Times, Focus, Jewish Chronicle, Reuters, Sky News

United States: CNN, Associated Press, Dow Jones News, JTA, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, USA Today, Washington Post

26

31777_WJC_R1.indd 26 11/15/13 12:29 PM


leading daily newspaper, Népszabadság, Lauder called on Hungarian Prime Minister

Viktor Orbán to distance himself from the extremists of the Jobbik party and to take

decisive action against them.

In response to a dramatic rise of online anti-Semitism and use of the Internet to de-

monize and delegitimize Israel, the World Jewish Congress has strengthened its on-

line presence on social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

More than a million visitors look to WJC’s interactive website for information about

world events that affect the global Jewish community and for opportunities for per-

sonal advocacy through online petitions and international letters of protest.

In 2013, WJC American Section revamped its flagship monthly newsletter, World

Jewry Digest, an authoritative and comprehensive provider of global information af-

fecting Jewish communities. More than 100,000 subscribers look to World Jewry Di-

gest for its compelling compilation of international news stories of Jewish interest

and importance, including stories often ignored by the mainstream media.

31777_WJC_R1.indd 27 11/15/13 12:29 PM


WJC Theodor Herzl Award

IRAN MUST BE STOPPED, BARAK

TELLS WJC AT PERES TRIBUTE

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak

put Iran squarely in the crosshairs of

his keynote address. “We are deter-

mined to prevent Iran from becoming

a military nuclear power,” he said.

Minister Barak detailed how the Ira-

nians were hardening their nuclear

program in order to evade Western

efforts to dismantle it. “Once they

enter the ‘zone of immunity,’ fate

will be out of our hands,” he empha-

sized, adding “The State of Israel was

founded precisely so that our fate

would remain in our own hands.”

The World Jewish Congress honoredIsraeli President Shimon Peres with its inaugural Theodor Herzl Award at a major

dinner event held on December 17, 2012 in New York City. The event raised more

than $3 million in support of WJC’s vital global work.

More than 300 business leaders, diplomats and other distinguished guests attended,

including Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who gave the keynote address. WJC

President Ronald S. Lauder, Leonard A. Lauder and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Elie

Wiesel served as dinner chairs.

Ronald Lauder hailed President Peres as “the last great founding father of the State

of Israel,” calling him “a man of vision” and “a true champion for peace in our time.”

Lauder spoke out about the dangers facing Jewish communities the world over and

expressed grave concern about Iran’s nuclear ambitions, the resurgence of anti-Sem-

itism across Europe and the ongoing attempts by Israel’s enemies to demonize and

isolate the Jewish state.

“The World Jewish Congress is on the ground taking effective action wherever and

whenever Jewish life, property or culture is threatened,” Lauder said. “The WJC has

always, and will always, stand with Israel as one Jewish family.”

In a video prepared for the dinner, President Peres stressed that Hamas, despite its

strong hold in Gaza, was not gaining strength. “They don’t have any future,” he said.

“We must try to make peace with those Palestinians ready to make peace.”

28

31777_WJC_R1.indd 28 11/15/13 12:29 PM


“The Jewish people are a fighting people, more with values than with swords.” —Israeli President Shimon Peres

In his keynote address, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak stated: “We must be

ready to stretch out our hand for peace, while keeping the other hand on the trig-

ger, ready to defend ourselves.” The Defense Minister called the Palestinian bid for

observer status at the United Nations “provocative” and said that it “cannot replace

direct negotiations without preconditions, nor should it be used as an excuse not to

negotiate. The objective of these negotiations is clear: two states for two peoples.”

The WJC event also recognized and paid tribute to the developers and operators of

Israel’s unique and highly successful missile-defense system, the Iron Dome. “This

is revolutionary technology that has saved thousands of lives,” said the WJC Presi-

dent. “We are indebted to the IDF and to all the soldiers who operate this equipment

and who put their own lives on the line to protect and secure the people and land

of Israel.”

A satellite hookup allowed the guests at the dinner to see a live interview with IDF

soldiers stationed at an Iron Dome battery in Southern Israel.

WJC President Ronald S. Lauder with Israeli

President Shimon Peres.

WJC’s inaugural Theodor Herzl Award Dinner paid tribute to Israeli President Shimon Peres.

L. to r.: Leonard A. Lauder, Chairman Emeritus, Estee Lauder Companies; WJC President Ronald S. Lauder; Israeli Defense

Minister Ehud Barak, and Ambassador Ron Prosor, Israel’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.


31777_WJC_R1.indd 29 11/15/13 12:29 PM

30

WORLD JEWISH CONGRESS Regional Affiliates & Communities

World Union of Jewish StudentsThe Jewish Diplomatic Corps

African Jewish Congress Israel Council on Foreign RelationsAnti-Defamation League B’nai B’rith International Conference of European Rabbis Conference on Jewish MaterialClaims Against Germany

Hillel International Association ofJewish Lawyers and Jurists

International Councilof Jewish Women

International Councilof Jewish Parliamentarians

International Jewish Committee onInter-Religious Consultations

Jewish Professionals Network

World Mizrachi Movement World Union for Progressive Judaism World Zionist OrganizationLimmund FSU Maccabi World Union Women’s InternationalZionist Organization

Jewish Agency for Israel World ORT World Jewish CongressInstitute for Research and Policy

WJC Affiliated

WJC Member

Organizations and Related Bodies

Communities Affiliated with:

31777_WJC_R1.indd 30 11/15/13 12:29 PM


WORLD JEWISH CONGRESS Regional Affiliates & Communities

World Union of Jewish StudentsThe Jewish Diplomatic Corps

African Jewish Congress Israel Council on Foreign RelationsAnti-Defamation League B’nai B’rith International Conference of European Rabbis Conference on Jewish MaterialClaims Against Germany

Hillel International Association ofJewish Lawyers and Jurists

International Councilof Jewish Women

International Councilof Jewish Parliamentarians

International Jewish Committee onInter-Religious Consultations

Jewish Professionals Network

World Mizrachi Movement World Union for Progressive Judaism World Zionist OrganizationLimmund FSU Maccabi World Union Women’s InternationalZionist Organization

Jewish Agency for Israel World ORT World Jewish CongressInstitute for Research and Policy

WJC Affiliated

WJC Member

Organizations and Related Bodies

Communities Affiliated with:

31777_WJC_R1.indd 31 11/15/13 12:30 PM

Executive Committee*

CHAIRMAN OF THE GOVERNING BOARD

David de Rothschild

WJC PRESIDENT

Ronald S. Lauder

Vadim ShulmanPresident, Euro-Asian Jewish Congress

Moshe KantorPresident, European Jewish Congress

ARGENTINAJulio Schlosser

President, Delegación de Asociaciones Israelitas Argentinas

AUSTRALIADanny Lamm

President, Executive Council of Australian Jewry

BRAZILClaudio Lottenberg

President, Confederação Israelita do Brasil

CANADADavid Koschitzky

Chairperson, Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs

CZECH REPUBLICPetr Papousek

President, Federation of Jewish Communities in the Czech Republic

FRANCERoger Cukierman

President, Conseil Représentatif des Institutions Juives de France

GEORGIAGuram Batiashvili

President, Jewish Community of Georgia

GERMANYDieter Graumann

President, Zentralrat der Juden in Deutschland

GREECEBenjamin Albalas

President, Federation of Jewish Communities in Greece

HUNGARYAndrás Heisler

President, Magyarországi Zsidó Hitközségek Szövetsége

VICE PRESIDENTS(by country, regional affiliate and organization)

KYRGYZSTANVladimir Kritsman

Chairman, Jewish Community of Kyrgyzstan

RUSSIAMikhail Chlenov

Chairman, Vaad of Russia

Yuri Kanner President, Russian Jewish Congress

SOUTH AFRICAMary Kluk

Chairman, South African Jewish Board of Deputies

UKRAINEBoris Fuchsmann

President, Jewish Confederation of Ukraine

Josef ZisselsChairperson, Vaad of Ukraine

UNITED KINGDOMVivian Wineman

President, Board of Deputies of British Jews

USARabbi Joel Meyers

Chairperson, WJC (American Section), Inc.

VENEZUELADavid Bittan

President, Jewish Community of Venezuela

EURO-ASIAN JEWISH CONGRESS

(vacant)

EUROPEAN JEWISH CONGRESS

Jacob (Cobi) Benatoff

LATIN AMERICAN JEWISH CONGRESS

Saul Gilvich

WJC ISRAEL

(vacant)

* As of October 22, 2013

WJC NORTH AMERICA

Renée Dayan Shabot

INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN

Sara Winkowski

WOMEN’S INTERNATIONAL ZIONIST ORGANIZATION

Tova Ben-Dov

WORLD ORT

Emil Kalo

VICE PRESIDENTS

Rabbi Yaakov Dov Bleich

Eduardo Elsztain

Guiora Esrubilsky

Robert Goot

Shai Hermesh

Ariel Muzicant

Marcos Peckel

Moshe Ronen

Rabbi Arthur Schneier

Tamar Shchory

MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE

Sebastian Azerrad

Catherine Gentilini

Andi Gergely

Lior Herman

Rodrigo Slelatt

TREASURER

Chella Safra

POLICY COUNCIL

Moshe Kantor Mervyn Smith Chairman Co-Chairman

Jack TerpinsPresident, Latin American Jewish Congress

Shai HermeshChairperson, WJC Israel

REGIONAL CHAIRS

Evelyn SommerChairperson, WJC North America

32

31777_WJC_R1.indd 32 11/15/13 12:30 PM

Erwin Abrams

Lowell Adelson

Kenneth Adin

Alice R. Alderman

Maurice Amzalak

Bruce Apotheker

Simon and Beatrice Apple

Sonia G. Atkinson

Sophie Axkel

Kurt Baer

Rena A. Baff

Gerald Bagner

Lila R. Bath

Robert H. Bell

George Bennett

Curtis Frederick Bergen

Emil Berger

Louis Berger

Charles Berman

Benjamin Bernstein

Martin Blaifeder

Miriam Markowitz Blatt

Sylvia Bleckner

Jerome G. Block

Leroy B. Block

Peter Blumberg

Roslyn Blumberg

David Meyer Blumenthal

Marvin Bogdanoff

Clarice Borodkin

Irvin Bregman

David E. Brody

Barbara F. Brown

Evelyn B. Bruyere

Harry Bugin

Lillian Burgeman

Max Canter

Adrea Z. Carter

Ruth Chapman

Joseph T. Charney

Jefferson Cohen

Milton and Ruth Cohen

Ben Colloff

Ruth Crum

Leslie A. Davis

Ezra Delson

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

Harry H. Klein

Grace Koenigsberg

Samuel M. Koenigsberg

Jacob Korn

Clara Koropshinsky

Sidney Krakower

Sylvia E. Krone

Elaine Lampert

Paul Lappe

Samuel J. Lashinsky

David Leavitt

Pauline W. Ledeen

Frances Leventritt

Avis Levin

Esther Levin

Diane Levine

Herbert Levine

Miriam Levy

Herman Lipsitz

Rebecca Lister

Helen Galland Loewus

Jack Luchs

Florence G. Maio

Isabel K. Maller

Edith Mallon

Harold Margolis

Ida Mae Margolis

Clara D. Markowitz

Marion Marsh-Goldenfeld

Susi T. Marx

Esther Shady Masters

Marcia Z. Mehr

Thelma Mermelstein

Max P. Milians

Harold Miller

Shirley Miller

Sonia Ann Miller

Ruth Moss

Sylvie M. Nathanson

Neiman Family

Janet Nemerofsky

O. Onwaeze

Morton A. Packel

Steven A. Perlberg

Miriam Perry

Joseph Polusky

Reuben Porton

Harold Putterman

Lillian Robbins

Sara Roberts

Allen Rose

Kay Rose

Carol R. Rosen-Gray

George Rosenfeld

June Rosner and Family

Emanuel N. Rotter

Henry Sachsman

Levite Evelyn

Victor Farkas

Isidor and Dora Felber

Ida Lee Feldman

Roma Fineberg Kaufman

Cecil Finegold

Douglas A. Finkelstone

Linda Fish

Jean V. Fleischer

Mark Forrest

Frances W. Franck

Judith B. Frankel

Abraham Freedman

Lillian C. Freudmann

Edna Fried

Harold B. Friedland

Esther Galinsky

Dorothy Y. Garber

Shelley Gardiner

Rebecca S. Gilbert

Aaron B. Glicksberg

Jack M. Goldberg

Louis Jay Goldenberg

Beatrice Goldfarb

Morton Goldsmith

Doris M. Goodman

Peryl Gottesman

Esther Gould

Catalina Grady

Anne Greenbaum

Louise B. Greenberg

Lenore Greiman

Herbert E. Groskin

Abraham J. Gross

Charlotte A. Gunzburger

Rudolph and Lucille Guttmann

Gisela Herzl

Louis P. Heyman

D. H. Hirsberg

David L. Ichelson

John F. Ignatz

Rose L. Jacobs

Stanley N. Jacobs

Bertha M. Jacobson

Richard Jacobson

Arnold Jacoby

Bernard H. Jaffee

Levin Joseph

Mathilda Kamerman

Edith Katz

Henry and Sara Katz

Florence Glass Kaufman

Sarah Kaufman

Bertram C. Kay

Minna Kaye

Louis and Gretchen Klaff

Harold J. Klein

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

Meyer Shapiro

Vincent Sherman

Norman Silverman

Sarah Silverman

Ida Simon

Betty Solodar

Sandra Sosnick

Dennis Stein

Edna Steinberger

Bernard Stern

Hyman Stoller

Gertrude Stone

Rhoda Sturmak

Marianne Sufrin

Druria Sylvester

Rose Tapp

Ruth N. Taub

Ethel Taylor

Max and Sylvia Tennebaum

Solodare Theodore

Herman A. Tolz

Arthur Vamos

Clare Villanti

Martin Virsotsky

Louis J. Walinsky

Leonard J. Warren

Richard Waton

Wendy Weinberg

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

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 U.N. 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.

Tree of Life Society – World Jewish Congress, American Section

* As of October 22, 2013

31777_WJC_R1.indd 33 11/15/13 12:30 PM

worldjewishcongress.org

2012-2013 global reviewwritten by: Janice Wolpoart direction : Laura Anne Shay-Hupé, LASH Arts

31777_WJC_R1.indd 2 11/15/13 12:28 PM

Documents

World Jewish Congress: Global Review 2012-13