The Jewish Federations of North America and Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish organizations led 13 other Jewish groups in a letter to Senate leaders on Tuesday, asking the upper chamber to confirm Trump administration nominees for two key U.S. State Department positions.
The groups asked Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to “swiftly” fill the roles of U.S. special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, and U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.
U.S. President Donald Trump nominated Yehuda Kaploun, an Israeli-American rabbi and businessman, for the special envoy role, and Mark Warner, a pastor and former House Republican leader, for the latter.
Both nominees have advanced out of committee votes; however, Democrats have stalled their final confirmations.
“Filling these positions is a high priority for our organizations and of utmost importance in fighting growing antisemitism and ensuring freedom of religion or belief worldwide,” the Jewish groups wrote to the Senate leaders.
The two roles “are crucial to protecting vital human rights, promoting religious freedom and vigorously confronting the global surge in antisemitism,” the groups said.
William Daroff, CEO of the Conference of Presidents, told JNS that it is important to fill the positions as soon as possible. He noted that the Australian government recently expelled the Iranian envoy amid accusations that the Islamic Republic was behind antisemitic arson attacks in the country.
“The alarming news out of Australia exposes Iran fomenting Jew-hatred abroad and underscores the worldwide surge in antisemitism,” Daroff told JNS. “The Jewish community is united in demanding action. Unity is our strength, but government leadership is indispensable to confront this threat.”
Filling the two positions would send “a powerful signal to governments around the world,” the Jewish groups stated in the letter.
Other signees of the letter include B’nai B’rith International, American Jewish Committee, the Anti-Defamation League, Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, Orthodox Union, Israeli-American Council, Agudath Israeli of America, Combat Antisemitism Movement, Religious Zionists of America-Mizrahi, Zionist Organization of America, American Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists, NORPAC and Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America.
