White House taps new liaison to Jewish community

Former State Department staffer and Baltimore native Chanan Weissman replaces Matt Nosanchuk

By JTA 12 May 2016, 7:33 pm

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Chanan Weissman, center, speaking with Jewish Federations Washington director William Daroff, right, and Jordan Hirsch. (Ron Sachs from CNP/Courtesy of Jewish Insider)

The White House named as its new Jewish liaison a former State Department staffer who worked to combat anti-Semitism worldwide.

Chanan Weissman, formerly the spokesman for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, worked there with Ira Forman, the envoy combating anti-Semitism.

Weissman, who is an Orthodox Jew, replaces Matt Nosanchuk, who stepped down in March after nearly three years on the job.

Weissman, a graduate of the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, has also worked at the Pentagon on Middle East issues.

He is from Baltimore, where he attended Beth Tfiloh, a Jewish community day school.

Nosanchuk is now at the State Department, in the Office of Religion and Global Affairs, where he works on engaging faith communities and the US-Israel relationship.

Jewish Insider first reported Weissman’s appointment.