NEW YORK (Press Release) — Emory University professor and historian Deborah E. Lipstadt has been selected to serve as the next U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism. Lipstadt is one of the world’s leading historians on antisemitism and is the author of the seminal book, Antisemitism: Here and Now. She has also served as a fellow at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and successfully faced down a lawsuit against notorious Holocaust denier David Irving.
Applauding the selection, Jonathan A. Greenblatt, ADL CEO and National Director, issued the following statement:
“Dr. Deborah Lipstadt is an inspired selection to serve as the next Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism. She is eminently qualified as a distinguished scholar who understands the arc of history and knows that those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it. At a time of rising extremism from all sides, this awareness is essential and makes her a superior choice for this critical role.
“Professor Lipstadt is a woman of courage who has fought antisemitism in the courts, confronted it on campus and spoken truth to power. She is a champion of facts who will call out hatred against the Jewish people regardless of the source – but also a person who aptly has noted that antisemitism might start with the Jews, but it never ends with the Jews. This insight is critical, and Professor Lipstadt understands the relationship between anti-Jewish hate and other forms of bigotry and intolerance.
“The Special Envoy is critical in urging foreign governments to protect their Jewish communities, establishing national coordinators to address antisemitism, and developing and implementing policies to combat antisemitism and hate. The presence and efforts of an ambassador to monitor and respond to antisemitism sends a strong message to the world that the U.S. views antisemitism as a serious threat. ADL has worked with Professor Lipstadt for years and looks forward to supporting her in this new capacity as she turns her deep knowledge and considerable talent to serving the Jewish community and defending Jewish communities around the world.”
With antisemitic incidents on the rise in recent years, official positions that specifically target antisemitism are more important than ever. For example, during the May 2021 conflict between Israel and Hamas, ADL tracked twice as many antisemitic incidents compared to the same period in the previous year. From May 11 through the end of the month, ADL logged 251 incidents, an increase of 115 percent. A total of 305 incidents were tallied across the U.S. for the entire month of May 2021.
ADL has been a strong advocate for the Special Envoy since the position was established by the Global Anti-Semitism Review Act of 2004. ADL consistently has called on the Biden Administration to fill the position and recently requested that the Office of the Special Envoy be fully funded, asking Congress to increase the U.S. State Department’s allocation for the position to $1.25 million. Additionally, ADL has met directly with lawmakers about the importance of the Special Envoy and has organized petitions on the issue that garnered thousands of signatures.
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Preceding provided by Anti-Defamation League
Prof Lipstadt is well known in New Zealand as is the David Irving court case in the old Baily. This is one of Biden’s best moves and is widely welcomed in New Zealand. Anti Semitism is becoming a problem in New Zealand.
John McCormick
Chairman Hawkes Bay Friends of Israel
Waipukurau
new Zealand
Jewish Federations of North America issued this commentary:
Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) are proud that Prof. Deborah Lipstadt of Emory University, a former member of JFNA’s National Young Leadership Cabinet, has been selected by President Biden to serve as the nation’s Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism.
“Jewish Federations have been at the forefront of urging Congress to pass the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Act , and we are grateful for the bipartisan leadership in the Senate and the House for elevating this key diplomatic position to an Ambassadorship,” stated Eric Fingerhut, President and CEO of JFNA.
“We applaud President Biden for selecting Prof. Lipstadt,” continued Fingerhut. “Naming a qualified individual for this position as soon as possible amid the surge in antisemitism has been a top priority – from our May 21 letter to the White House to the Day of Action Against Antisemitism virtual rally, and at our National Young Leadership Cabinet Fly-In to Washington, D.C. just last week.”
Antisemitic incidents have increased around the world, especially during, and in the wake of, the conflict between Israel and Hamas in May. Just this week, the carving of a swastika in the elevator at the State Department reminded us that antisemitism reaches into every corner of our own society, including the halls of our federal government.
Mark Wilf, chair of the board of JFNA, said “We are thrilled that Prof. Lipstadt, who is a longstanding Jewish Federation leader, has been chosen for this crucial role in leading the charge against antisemitism. We hope that her nomination will be confirmed. We would be honored to work with her in restoring a sense of safety and security to all the members of the Jewish community.”
Prof. Lipstadt, the Dorot Professor of Modern Jewish History and Holocaust Studies at Emory University, is not just the nation’s leading expert in the field of antisemitism, but she has rendered decades of service to the Jewish community as a tireless advocate against all those who assault Jews and Jewish history.
She has transcended the role of academic by taking on and ultimately defeating David Irving, a notorious Holocaust denier, in a British courtroom. She was appointed by President Clinton to the United States Holocaust Memorial Council and served two terms. She was the recipient of a 2019 National Jewish Book Award for her most recent book, Antisemitism: Here and Now.
Eric Fingerhut added, “Prof. Lipstadt’s academic credentials are second to none in the field of understanding antisemitism. More than that, she has been an indefatigable and intrepid combatant against the scourge of Holocaust denial in all its forms. We can think of no better candidate for the position of Ambassador to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, and we call upon the Congress to confirm her nomination without delay.”
The OU issued this comment on Friday:
The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America (Orthodox Union), the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization, applauded President Biden’s anticipated nomination of Holocaust historian and author Deborah Lipstadt to the State Department’s position of special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism.
Lipstadt, a professor at Emory University, is a renowned scholar of Holocaust studies, author of many books and successfully defeated a libel suit brought against her by Holocaust denier David Irving.
The Orthodox Union, through its nonpartisan Advocacy Center, has urgently called for the special envoy position to be filled, and included that request in a recent letter to President Biden co-authored with other leading Jewish groups.
Said Nathan Diament, the Orthodox Union’s Executive Director for Public Policy:
“We extend our sincere congratulations to Deborah Lipstadt upon her expected nomination to this critical State Department post that comes at a time we are witnessing a terrible surge in attacks and threats committed against the global Jewish community. These range from assaults on individuals to legal assaults on fundamental Jewish rites including Kashrut and Brit Mila. While it’s unfortunate we need to have such a position at the State Department, Prof. Lipstadt is certainly the best person to fill this job.”
Said Orthodox Union President Mark (Moishe) Bane:
“We are greatly heartened by the anticipated announcement of Prof. Lipstadt to continue our nation’s fight against antisemitism both here and abroad. She is a leader with great moral courage; her dedicated work, clear voice in fighting Holocaust denial and preserving the memory of the attempted destruction of the Jewish people make her an exemplary choice for this role. The Orthodox Union leadership looks forward to working closely with Ambassador Lipstadt upon her confirmation. We call upon the U.S. Senate to swiftly consider her nomination and provide its approval.”