Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations
Formation | 1956 |
---|---|
Type | 501(c)(4) |
Legal status | nonprofit organization |
Headquarters | 633 Third Avenue, New York, New York, US |
Coordinates | 40°44′59″N 73°58′30″W / 40.749683°N 73.974957°W |
Membership | 50 |
Harriet P. Schleifer[1] | |
William C. Daroff | |
Vice Chair | Malcolm I. Hoenlein[1] |
Stephanie Hausner[1] | |
Subsidiaries | Conference of Presidents Fund 501(c)(3) |
Website | conferenceofpresidents |
The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations (CoP; commonly Presidents' Conference) is the umbrella organization for the American Jewish community. Comprising 50 national Jewish organizations, it was founded in 1956 to develop a consensus voice among Jewish organizations, especially to the U.S. government.
Mission
[edit]The Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations is the American Jewish community's unofficial umbrella organization.[2] Since the 1970s, the chairperson of the Conference of Presidents has assumed the role of de facto spokesperson for the American Jewish community on international affairs, especially on matters related to Israel. Its authority is generally based on its ability to development consensus among the largest Jewish organizations, and therefore it claims to speak on behalf of the majority of affiliated American Jews.[3]
History
[edit]Formation
[edit]The Conference of Presidents was formed when Jewish groups felt a need to respond to the perceived tilt of the Eisenhower administration away from Israel. In 1954, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Henry Byroade attempted to intimidate Israel, B'nai B'rith president Philip Klutznick invited the leaders of 16 American Jewish organizations to meet in New York City as the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. In March 1955, the conference had 20 members and met in Washington, D.C. to discuss the Middle East. The 1955 conference was the first public forum that enabled the American government to hear the opinions of the largest representative body of American Jews after World War II. At the forum, the Conference of Presidents declared its goals as three-fold: 1) the defense of American and the welfare of its people, 2) the spread of freedom and attainment of peace throughout the world, and 3) the attainment of peace, development, and security for the people of Israel in their ancestral homeland.[3]
In the early years, the Conference of Presidents, like other coordinating agencies such as the Council of Jewish Federations, the Jewish Welfare Board, and the Synagogue Council of America, operated mainly as coordinating bodies with no powers of coercion over their constituent members. However, these groups were able to forge unprecedented levels of cooperation largely because there was a strong consensus about the Jewish communal agenda.[3]
Growth
[edit]By the 1970s, the Conference of Presidents and AIPAC assumed overall responsibility for Israel-related lobbying within the Jewish communal landscape. The Conference of Presidents was responsible for speaking to the Executive Branch of the U.S. government, while AIPAC dealt mainly with the legislative branch.[3]
For its first 30 years, the organization was headed by Yehuda Hellman. After Hellman's death in 1986, Malcolm Hoenlein became chairman. Hoenlein took a much stronger role in shaping US policy, especially within the executive branch.[4] By 1990, the group grew to 48 members and 8 official observers. By then, its mission was to "strengthen the US-Israel alliance and protect and enhance the security and dignity of Jews abroad."[3]
On February 12, 2009, the conference's leaders met with Pope Benedict XVI in order to re-assert the importance of Jewish–Catholic relations in the wake of the controversy over negationist comments made by Society of St. Pius X bishop Richard Williamson.[5]
Contemporary
[edit]On August 4, 2019, William Daroff was announced as Hoenlein's successor as CEO.[6] The Conference of Presidents co-organized the March for Israel on November 14, 2023. Daroff claimed that more than 290,000 people attended the rally, making it "the largest pro-Israel gathering in US history".[7]
Progressive Jewish groups have floated leaving the Conference, particularly after the Conference declined to extend membership to liberal group J Street in 2014. In 2023, progressive group The Workers Circle withdrew from the Conference over what The Workers Circle claimed as policy differences. CoP CEO William Daroff stated that The Workers Circle owed $15,000 in membership fees and had not raised any concerns prior to its announcement. Other left-leaning Jewish groups expressed that they would remain in the Conference.[8]
Activities
[edit]International Leadership Award
[edit]In December 2008, the conference presented Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and his government as a whole, with its inaugural "International Leadership Award" for his support for Israel. Malcolm Hoenlein, the executive vice-chairman of the conference, stated that the award was given to express the group's appreciation for Canada's "courageous stands" to boycott the Durban II anti-racism conference. He also praised Canada's "support for Israel and [its] efforts at the U.N. against incitement and ... the delegitimization [of Israel], where they have taken a role in the forefront."[9]
Support for Jonathan Pollard
[edit]In December 2008, the conference asked President George W. Bush to pardon Jonathan Pollard, a former US navy analyst who was sentenced to life in prison in 1987 for spying for Israel. Malcolm Hoenlein stated that Pollard should be pardoned on humanitarian grounds, adding that "It's time that he be released. He has expressed remorse."[10] Pollard, who was branded as a traitor in the US but considered a hero in Israel, was released in November 2015, almost thirty years from the day when he was arrested.[11] Pollard was scheduled to speak to members of the Conference in January 2016 in New York. US Representatives Jerrold Nadler and Eliot Engel, to discuss efforts to lighten Pollard's parole conditions, in which both congressmen have been actively involved.[12]
See also
[edit]- American Israel Public Affairs Committee
- Anti-Defamation League
- Jewish lobby
- Jewish Council for Public Affairs
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d ". Retrieved August 23, 2023.
- ^ Ari Gross, Judah (2023-02-02). "US Jewish leader Daroff warns: 'Crisis of divisiveness' is tearing Israel apart". Times of Israel. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Wertheimer, Jack (1995). "Jewish Organizational Life in the United States Since 1945". The American Jewish Year Book. 95: 3–98.
- ^ Massing, Michael (February 12, 2002). "Deal Breakers". The American Prospect. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
- ^ "UDIENZA AI MEMBRI DELLA DELEGAZIONE DELLA "CONFERENCE OF PRESIDENTS OF MAJOR AMERICAN JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS" , 12.02.2009". Archived from the original on February 18, 2009.
- ^ "Conference of Presidents taps William Daroff as new CEO". JNS.org. 2019-08-04. Retrieved 2019-08-04.
- ^ Magid, Jacob (November 15, 2023). "'Let our people go': Nearly 300,000 rally in Washington for Israel, hostages' release". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on November 15, 2023. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
- ^ Lapin, Andrew (2023-08-02). "The Workers Circle, progressive Jewish group, leaves Conference of Presidents over disagreements on US and Israel advocacy". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
- ^ Presidents Conference to honor Harper Archived December 6, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA), December 4, 2008.
- ^ Pres. Conf. calls for Pollard pardon Archived 2008-12-07 at the Wayback Machine, Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA), December 5, 2008.
- ^ Morello, Carol; Eglash, Ruth (2015-11-20). "Jonathan Pollard, spy for Israel, released from prison after 30 years". Washington Post.
- ^ "Jonathan Pollard reportedly to speak with Jewish leaders". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 2016-01-21.
External links
[edit]- Embassy of Israel, Washington, D.C.
- Ambassadors of Israel to the United States
- Embassy of the United States, Jerusalem
- Ambassadors of the United States to Israel
- Consulate General of Israel to the Pacific Northwest Region
- Consuls general of Israel to the United States
- Tel Aviv Branch Office of the Embassy of the United States
- Consulate General of the United States, Jerusalem
- Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs
- Rogers Plan
- Camp David Accords
- Strategic Cooperation Agreement
- May 17 Agreement
- Israel–United States Free Trade Agreement
- Oslo Accords
- Israel–Jordan peace treaty
- Wye River Memorandum
- 2000 Camp David Summit
- The Clinton Parameters
- Taba Summit
- Negroponte doctrine
- Road map for peace
- U.S.–Israel Joint Economic Development Group
- Annapolis Conference
- 2010–2011 Israeli–Palestinian peace talks
- 2013–2014 Israeli–Palestinian peace talks
- John Kerry Parameters
- United States recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel
- United States recognition of the Golan Heights as part of Israel
- February 2019 Warsaw Conference
- Trump peace plan
- Abraham Accords
- Kosovo and Serbia economic normalization agreements
- Indo-Abrahamic Alliance
- I2U2 Group
- Negev Summit
- Israeli–Lebanese maritime border dispute
- Jack Parsons
- The Apollo Affair
- USS Liberty incident
- Lod Airport massacre
- Sami Esmail trial
- Lekem
- Rachel Corrie
- 2004 Tashkent suicide bombings
- Steve J. Rosen
- Lawrence Franklin espionage scandal
- Ben-Ami Kadish
- Stewart Nozette
- Gaza Freedom Flotilla
- United States diplomatic cables leak
- 2011 alleged Iran assassination plot
- Zivotofsky v. Clinton
- Zivotofsky v. Kerry
- Donald Trump's disclosures of classified information
- 2022 Erbil missile attacks
- Self-immolation of Aaron Bushnell
- World Central Kitchen drone strikes
- Assassination of Imad Mughniyeh
- 2012 US–Israel military exercise
- Iran–Israel proxy conflict
- Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict
- Have Doughnut
- HAVE DRILL
- Joint Political Military Group
- Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Israeli procurement
- Major non-NATO ally
- Operation Joshua
- Operation Moses
- Operation Nickel Grass
- Operation Tipped Kettle
- Safari Club
- Stuxnet
- Terminal High Altitude Area Defense
- United States support for Israel in the 2023 Israel–Hamas war
- Palestine–United States relations
- Israel lobby in the United States
- Anti-Israel lobby in the United States
- Opposition in the United States to the Israeli occupation
- Robert F. Kennedy's 1948 visit to Palestine
- American Association for Palestinian Equal Rights
- America-Israel Cultural Foundation
- America–Israel Friendship League
- American Healthcare Professionals and Friends for Medicine in Israel
- American Jewish Committee
- American Palestine Public Affairs Forum
- American Israel Public Affairs Committee
- American Task Force on Palestine
- Anti-Defamation League
- BlueStar PR
- BIRD Foundation
- Bust of Golda Meir
- Center for Middle East Policy
- Christians United for Israel
- Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America
- Committee for Justice and Peace in the Holy Land
- Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations
- Coordinating Council on Jerusalem
- Creative Community for Peace
- Council for the National Interest
- The David Project
- Democratic Majority for Israel
- Emergency Committee for Israel
- Hibur
- If Americans Knew
- Institute for Advanced Strategic and Political Studies
- Institute for Middle East Understanding
- Israeli-American Council
- Israel on Campus Coalition
- Israel Policy Forum
- Israel Project
- J Street
- Jewish Council for Public Affairs
- Jewish Institute for National Security of America
- Joint Action Committee for Political Affairs
- Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law
- Media Watch International
- Milstein Family Foundation
- NORPAC
- Project Interchange
- Queers Undermining Israeli Terrorism
- StandWithUs
- United States – Israel Binational Science Foundation
- Zionist Organization of America
- Paul Findley
- Jerusalem American International School
- Walworth Barbour American International School
- 9/11 Living Memorial Plaza
- The Armageddon Network
- They Dare to Speak Out
- A Clean Break: A New Strategy for Securing the Realm
- The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy
- The Occupation of the American Mind