Abraham H. 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 organization said Sunday. The ADL said in a statement that it deeply mourns the loss of its longtime national director but provided no details about where or when he died.

Foxman led the group from 1987 until his retirement in 2015, counseling presidents, diplomats, business executives and celebrities on issues involving antisemitism and prejudice. During his tenure he confronted prominent figures over antisemitic remarks or representations and accepted apologies on behalf of the Jewish community.

He used his position to advocate wherever Jews faced risk, building the ADL's research capabilities on white supremacists and extremists while expanding its work on immigrant rights, gay rights, law enforcement training and school programs covering the Holocaust, the 1964 Civil Rights Act and bullying.

Born in 1940 to Polish Jews in what is now Belarus, Foxman survived the Holocaust 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 moved to New York. After earning a law degree he joined the ADL as a staff lawyer and spent his entire 50-year career there.

The organization was founded in 1913 to fight antisemitism and all forms of bias. He also drew objections that he overreacted to perceived slights against Jews and condemned too quickly, even as others chided him for forgiving repentant figures too easily.

Foxman maintained that accepting apologies was essential, particularly from those who could become allies. "If you don’t let them change, then you become the bigot," he said. Foxman advocated forgiveness even toward those who had expressed antisemitic views, arguing that refusing to allow change turned the refuser into the bigot.

His approach balanced vigorous defense of the Jewish community with efforts to build broader coalitions against prejudice. The organization expanded its monitoring of extremists and developed educational programs during his leadership. Foxman endured both accusations of excessive sensitivity to slights and criticism for being too quick to reconcile with public figures who apologized.

Yet the group strengthened its research into white supremacists and conducted diversity training for law enforcement while creating school curricula on civil rights and bullying prevention. Foxman counseled multiple administrations and international figures throughout his career.

His death was announced as the organization continues its work monitoring hate and advocating against prejudice in an era when online dissemination of such views has accelerated beyond what he warned about at retirement.