Abraham Foxman, Longtime Anti-Defamation League Director, Dies at 86

Abraham H. Foxman, who served as national director of the Anti-Defamation League for nearly three decades, has died at the age of 86. The ADL announced the death on Sunday in a statement that expressed deep mourning for its longtime national director but gave no details about where or when he died.

Foxman retired from the organization in 2015 after 28 years at its helm and a total of 50 years with the group. Born in 1940 to Polish Jews in what is now Belarus, Foxman survived the Holocaust as a child after a nanny had him baptized as a Catholic to hide his Jewish identity.

He was reunited with his parents after the war and the family later moved to New York. After earning a law degree, Foxman joined the ADL as a staff lawyer and spent his entire career there. He was named national director in 1987. During his tenure he counseled presidents, diplomats, business leaders and celebrities on matters involving antisemitism and prejudice.

Foxman confronted prominent figures over antisemitic remarks or representations and accepted apologies on behalf of the Jewish community. He argued that it was essential to allow people to change their views and become allies. "If you don't let them change, then you become the bigot," he said.

The ADL was founded in 1913 to fight antisemitism and all forms of bias. The organization expanded its research into white supremacists and extremists, advocated for immigrant and gay rights, conducted diversity training for law enforcement, and created educational programs on the Holocaust, the 1964 Civil Rights Act and bullying.

Foxman faced criticism from some who said the ADL devoted too many resources to causes not directly related to Jewish issues. Others accused him of overreacting to perceived slights against Jews or of being too quick to forgive those who apologized for antisemitic statements.

He expressed particular concern in his later years about the internet's ability to spread hate anonymously and at high speed. The organization built a substantial research operation tracking hate groups during his leadership. >Abe's voice was heard — and listened to — by popes, presidents, and prime ministers, a voice he used wherever Jews were at risk.

— Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL director (CBS News) The ADL said it deeply mourns the loss of its longtime national director. Foxman is remembered as a forceful advocate who used moral authority on the global stage in pursuit of a world without hate.

Foxman's childhood was shaped by the Holocaust.

His survival through a hidden Catholic identity left a lasting imprint on his lifelong commitment to combating antisemitism. After the war and the family's relocation to New York, he pursued legal education before entering what became a half-century tenure at the ADL.

He rose through the ranks from staff lawyer to the top leadership post in 1987. In that role he became a national figure who weighed in on public controversies involving prejudice and representation of Jewish communities.

Foxman was known for directly engaging both allies and adversaries. He accepted public apologies from those who made antisemitic remarks, viewing forgiveness as a path to broader support for Jewish causes. This approach drew objections from those who believed he was too lenient.

At the same time, he endured complaints that he was overly sensitive to minor slights. The balance he struck reflected the evolving mandate of the ADL, which under his direction broadened its work beyond core antisemitism issues to encompass wider civil rights and anti-bias efforts.

These programs addressed topics ranging from historical events to contemporary issues like bullying. His retirement in 2015 came amid ongoing debates about the proper scope of the organization's advocacy. Foxman warned at the time that digital technology was accelerating the spread of hate in ways previously unimaginable.