Below is the full text of remarks delivered by Israeli President Isaac Herzog following the passing of Abraham Foxman, a Holocaust survivor and national director of the Anti-Defamation League from 1987 until 2015, on May 12, 2026.
Abe Foxman was a champion of justice and equality, a legendary leader of the Jewish people, and a longtime dear friend of mine. His life story of rising from the ashes is our story. It is the story of our people.
Born into a world at war, the Holocaust shaped Abe’s character and defined his mission to combat antisemitism and hypocrisy, to call out racism and bias, to speak up for the Jewish people in a Jewish, democratic State of Israel.
The decades during which Abe led the Anti-Defamation League positioned him as a prominent voice and distinguished figure in the American Jewish community and a bridge between Israel and the Diaspora. He was a passionate Zionist, a courageous Jewish leader who served all humanity and an outspoken wise friend.
The affection and respect we had for one another and our lengthy profound conversations will remain with me always. I will miss Abe’s counsel and Abe’s good voice, especially in these very challenging times, but I know that his legacy and his message will live on.
May his soul be bound up in the bond of eternal life. And may he rest in peace.
