Foxman was one of the most consequential Jewish leaders of the 20th and 21st centuries, spending nearly 50 years fighting antisemitism with a ferocity that no diplomat could match. His work at the ADL — backed by hard data, global surveys and direct access to world leaders — proved that calling out hatred loudly and consistently actually changes minds. The surge in antisemitic incidents after Oct. 7, 2023, vindicated every alarm he ever raised.
The ADL under Foxman wasn't just a civil rights group — it was a surveillance operation that spied on Arab Americans, anti-apartheid activists and Palestinian rights advocates while sharing intelligence with Israel and South Africa. Foxman dismissed Gaza's devastation as neither genocide nor illegal, and backed the U.S.-Israel war on Iran days before his death. He leaves behind a controversial legacy.
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