Jewish groups urge Congress to move forward with confirming antisemitism envoy

A range of American Jewish groups write a letter urging members of Congress to move forward with confirming Deborah Lipstadt as the State Department’s special envoy on antisemitism.

“Even for those of our organizations that generally have a policy to neither endorse nor oppose nominees pending before the Senate for confirmation, we are compelled to urge you to hold the Committee’s hearing on Prof. Lipstadt’s nomination without further delay,” reads the letter, signed by representatives of the Anti-Defamation League, the Jewish Federations of North American and the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America.

“The global Jewish community needs the United States to be a leader in the fight against antisemitism and we must not waste more time leaving our lead official in this fight off the field.”

“Prof. Lipstadt has a long and well-documented history of fighting antisemitism and all forms of racism,” reads the letter to the chairman and the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “She has a record of calling out antisemitism in all its forms, from both the left and the right.”

A number of the Biden administration’s nominees have been held up among Republican opposition in Congress. The White House’s pick for ambassador to Israel, Tom Nides, was finally confirmed yesterday.