Abraham “Abe” Foxman, a towering figure in Jewish communal life who led the Anti-Defamation League for nearly three decades, and whose personal story as a hidden child during the Holocaust gave him a unique gravitas in dealing with issues of Holocaust memory and anti-Jewish bias, died on Sunday, the ADL confirmed. He was 86.
After stepping down from the ADL, Foxman remained active in Jewish communal life. No longer the head of a nonpartisan organization, he began to endorse candidates and policies, while speaking out against the mainstream media’s coverage of Israel and antisemitism.
In a statement, Israeli President Isaac Herzog praised Foxman as a “passionate Zionist, a humanist, and an outspoken, [and] wise friend.”
