January 31, 2022

Chairman Robert Menendez

Senate Foreign Relations Committee
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C.

Ranking Member James Risch

Senate Foreign Relations Committee
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C.

Dear Chairman Menendez and Ranking Member Risch,

On January 15th, a British citizen held four people hostage inside a synagogue in
Colleyville, TX for 11 hours. This act, which United States and British government officials
have acknowledged was a clear act of terror and antisemitism, was a stark reminder of
the constant and ever-increasing threat of antisemitism that members of the Jewish
community encounter daily around the world.

We write as members of the American Jewish community represented by the Jewish

Federation movement, with 146 local Jewish Federations and 300 independent
communities across North America. Along with thousands of affiliated human services,
educational and other partner agencies, the Federations encompass a philanthropic
network and constituency as diverse as any in America, dedicated to ensuring safe and
flourishing Jewish communities.

We may not know everything that led to this attack, but the congregants held hostage that
day report a series of antisemitic tropes from the gunman. It is undeniable that a rising
tide of antisemitic speech and physical attacks have targeted the Jewish community
across the world, creating the dangerous preconditions to attacks on Jewish individuals
and institutions abroad and at home.

For over a decade, the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism has been
critical in urging foreign governments to protect their Jewish communities, establish
national coordinators to address antisemitism, and develop and implement policies to
combat antisemitism and hate. On July 30th, President Biden nominated renowned
Holocaust historian and scholar of antisemitism, Dr. Deborah Lipstadt, to fill this role. In a
recent oped, Dr. Lipstadt noted that in too many cities overseas, synagogues are denoted
by their security guards and precautions worthy of an airport. We are not immune in this
country and an important tool in ensuring American Jews are safe is addressing the global
antisemitism that can too easily seep across borders.

This latest, horrific attack makes clear that the Senate must expeditiously confirm this
position so that America’s diplomatic corps has an able leader to combat the global threat
of antisemitism. We urge you to hold a hearing on the nomination of Professor Deborah
Lipstadt in the Committee on Foreign Relations for the post of State Department Special
Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism without delay.

Sincerely,
The Jewish Federations of North America
Baltimore Jewish Council
Birmingham Jewish Federation
Canton Jewish Community Federation
Charleston Jewish Federation
Chicago Jewish Community Relations Council
Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Boston
Community Relations Committee of Nashville and Middle Tennessee
Federation for Jewish Philanthropy of Upper Fairfield County
Greater Miami Jewish Federation
JCRC of Atlanta
JCRC of Greater Washington
JCRC of Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County
JCRC of the Columbia Jewish Federation
JCRC of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia
JCRC of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle
JCRC of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation
Jewish Community Alliance of NEPA
Jewish Community Federation of Richmond
Jewish Community Relations Bureau/AJC Kansas City
Jewish Community Relations Council of Broward County
Jewish Community Relations of Greater Boston
Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Charleston
Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Indianapolis
Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Phoenix
Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas
Jewish Community Relations Council of New York
Jewish Community Relations Council of Southern Arizona
Jewish Community Relations Council of Southern New Jersey
Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis
Jewish Community Relations Council of The Birmingham Jewish Federation
Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of San Antonio
Jewish Federation & JCRC of Greater New Haven
Jewish Federation & Jewish Community Foundation of Southern Arizona
Jewish Federation and Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Phoenix
Jewish Federation and Jewish Community Foundation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee
Jewish Federation Association of Connecticut
Jewish Federation of Broward County
Jewish Federation of Central New York
Jewish Federation of Chicago
Jewish Federation of Cincinnati
Jewish Federation of Cleveland
Jewish Federation of Delaware
Jewish Federation of Dutchess County
Jewish Federation of Fort Wayne
Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor
Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta
Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte
Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines
Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg
Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford

2
Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis
Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest, NJ
Jewish Federation of Greater Naples
Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia
Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh
Jewish Federation of Greater Portland
Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester
Jewish Federation of Greater Rockford
Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle
Jewish Federation of Greater Toledo
Jewish Federation of Howard County, MD
Jewish Federation of Lane County Oregon
Jewish Federation of Louisville
Jewish Federation of Madison, Inc.
Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey
Jewish Federation of Omaha
Jewish Federation of Orange County
Jewish Federation of Peoria
Jewish Federation of San Antonio
Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey
Jewish Federation of the Greater San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys
Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley
Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts
Jewish Long Beach and the Alpert JCC
Jewish Nevada
Jewish Silicon Valley
JEWISHcolorado
JewishColumbus – Jewish Community Relations Council
Memphis Jewish Federation
Mid Kansas Jewish Federation, Inc.
Milwaukee Jewish Federation
National Association of Jewish Legislators
Ohio Jewish Communities
Savannah Jewish Federation
St. Paul Jewish Federation
Tampa JCCs and Federation
The Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey
The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles
The Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass
Tucson Jewish Museum & Holocaust Center
UJA Federation of New York
United Jewish Community of the VA Peninsula
United Jewish Federation
United Jewish Federation of Greater Stamford, New Canaan and Darien
United Jewish Federation of Tidewater
Wisconsin Jewish Conference
Youngstown Area Jewish Federation

Cc: Members of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations