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Foxman survived the Holocaust after his parents entrusted him to a Polish Catholic nanny who baptized him and hid his Jewish identity during the Nazi occupation.
By United with Israel Staff
Abe Foxman, one of the world’s most prominent voices against antisemitism and a towering figure in Jewish advocacy, passed away earlier this week at the age of 86 after a lifetime dedicated to defending the Jewish people and combating hate.
The Anti-Defamation League later confirmed his passing in a statement Sunday, mourning the loss of its longtime national director, who led the organization for nearly three decades and spent 50 years at the ADL.
Born in 1940, Foxman survived the Holocaust after his parents entrusted him to a Polish Catholic nanny who baptized him and hid his Jewish identity during the Nazi occupation. He was later reunited with his parents after the war and eventually immigrated to the United States.
Foxman joined the ADL in 1965 after graduating from New York University School of Law and rose through the organization before becoming national director in 1987. He retired in 2015 after helping transform the ADL into one of the leading global organizations fighting antisemitism and extremism.
In a statement, ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt called Foxman “a moral voice” and “a passionate advocate for the Jewish people and the state of Israel.”
“Abe Foxman was an iconic Jewish leader who embraced the ideal of an America free from antisemitism and hate,” Greenblatt said. “Abe’s voice was heard by popes, presidents, and prime ministers, a voice he used wherever Jews were at risk.”
Greenblatt also reflected on Foxman’s longstanding warning about the dangers of hateful rhetoric.
“He often said that the Holocaust did not begin with bricks and mortar and gas chambers, but rather, it began with words,” Greenblatt noted.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar mourned Foxman’s death in a statement posted on X.
“Deeply saddened by the passing of Abe Foxman,” Sa’ar wrote. “A towering voice against antisemitism, Abe devoted his life to defending the Jewish people and strengthening the bond between Israel and Jewish communities worldwide.”
“On behalf of the State of Israel, I extend my heartfelt condolences to his wife Golda, family, friends, and all at the Anti-Defamation League. May his memory be a blessing.”
Throughout his career, Foxman became one of the most recognizable Jewish leaders in the world, confronting antisemitism from both the political left and right while advocating for Jewish security and the legitimacy of the State of Israel on the global stage.
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