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Abraham “Abe” Foxman, a stalwart in the fight against antisemitism and a champion for marginalized communities, passed away on Sunday at the age of 86. Foxman’s half-century-long career at the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) left an indelible mark on the global stage.
Having served as the national director of the ADL from 1987 until 2015, Foxman became a pivotal figure in the struggle against hate and bigotry. The ADL recognized him as “one of the world’s foremost voices against antisemitism and hate” in a statement released to honor his legacy.
Foxman’s life story began in 1940 in what is now Belarus. His early years were marked by the turmoil of World War II, as his homeland came under Nazi control just a year after his birth. During this harrowing time, a Polish Catholic nanny played a crucial role in his survival, a testament to the resilience and compassion that would define his life’s work, according to the ADL.
Tragically separated from his parents during the war, Foxman was eventually reunited with them after its conclusion. Yet, the shadow of the Holocaust loomed large, having claimed the lives of 14 of his family members, as recounted by the organization.
In a poignant turn of events, the nanny who saved him attempted to keep custody, even going as far as a legal battle against his parents. Despite losing the case, she remained undeterred, reportedly attempting to kidnap him. This desperate act prompted his parents to flee to the United States, seeking a new beginning away from the strife of their past.
Foxman joined the ADL immediately after graduating from New York University’s School of Law in 1965. He served in various roles before he was eventually tapped as the national director in 1987.
While leading the charge, Foxman blew past all expectations — and helped establish the ADL as the anti-hate mainstay it is today. He never shied away from confronting antisemitism at its root, even when it was spouted by some of society’s most powerful figures.
He also famously, and controversially, expanded the ADL’s tenets beyond a sole focus on Jewish issues.
He established a research arm probing white supremacy and other forms of extremism, advocated for immigrants, sought to advance gay rights during the AIDs epidemic, and developed educational programs to teach young people about topics from the Holocaust to the lasting effects of bullying.
In 2000 — around the same time he raised a staggering $6 million during a single banquet at the Waldorf Astoria — Foxman’s heart suddenly stopped in his sleep, but he was quickly revived and underwent an emergency bypass surgery.
At the time, many speculated the brush with death would force Foxman into retirement. But he refused to let a short-lived scare dampen his spirit, and he remained at the helm of the ADL until 2015.
When he retired after a storied 50 years with the ADL, Foxman passed the torch to the org’s current CEO, Jonathan Greenblatt, who, on Sunday, mourned the trailblazer’s death as a loss of a key “moral voice.”
“Abe Foxman was an iconic Jewish leader who embraced the ideal of an America free from antisemitism and hate and who strongly believed that these scourges could be defeated if good people opposed it,” Greenblatt said in a statement.
Nicole Munchnik, the ADL board chair, described Foxman as “a warm friend, advisor, spirited antagonist and hugger – all over lunch.”
Foxman is survived by his wife, Golda Bauman, their two children, and several grandchildren.