ADL’s Abraham Foxman awarded Germany’s highest civilian honor

Abraham Foxman receives Germany’s highest civilian honor.

Foxman, the national director emeritus of the Anti-Defamation League, was presented with the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit earlier this week by German Ambassador to the United States Peter Wittig, at the German Ambassador’s residence in Washington DC.

“Your voice has been a voice of tolerance and against hate, a voice for responsibility and against discrimination,” Wittig said. He called Foxman a “tireless and committed fighter” against bigotry in all forms, and praised his work in promoting reconciliation between Germany and the Jewish community in the United States.

Abraham Foxman (Miriam Alster/Flash90/File)
Abraham Foxman (Miriam Alster/Flash90/File)

Foxman, a Holocaust survivor, said in accepting the honor: “I never would have believed that I would one day accept and take great pride in accepting an honor like this from the government of Germany.”

He also said: “Germany has shown that it is willing to be a leader in standing up against intolerance. Wherever things go, that instinctive reaction is to be commended.

“The moral lesson of the Holocaust has been well-learned,” he concluded.

— JTA

Most Popular
If you’d like to comment, join
The Times of Israel Community.
Join The Times of Israel Community
Commenting is available for paying members of The Times of Israel Community only. Please join our Community to comment and enjoy other Community benefits.
Please use the following structure: example@domain.com
Confirm Mail
Thank you! Now check your email
You are now a member of The Times of Israel Community! We sent you an email with a login link to . Once you're set up, you can start enjoying Community benefits and commenting.