FORMER ADL NATIONAL DIRECTOR ABRAHAM FOXMAN DIES AT 86 . (PHOTO).

 Former ADL national director Abraham Foxman dies at 86  

   Abraham H. Foxman, the longtime national director of the Anti-Defamation League who became one of the most recognizable voices against antisemitism and hate in the United States, has died at the age of 86.

The Anti-Defamation League announced Foxman’s death Sunday, mourning the loss of the man who led the organization for nearly three decades before retiring in 2015.

During his 28 years at the helm of the ADL, Foxman advised presidents, diplomats, business leaders, and public figures while aggressively confronting antisemitic comments and actions. He became known nationally and internationally for defending Jewish communities and speaking out against hate and extremism.

Current ADL leadership praised Foxman’s influence and moral authority, describing him as a global advocate whose voice carried weight with world leaders and institutions whenever Jewish communities faced threats.

Foxman’s own life story was shaped by the Holocaust. Born in 1940 to Polish Jewish parents in what is now Belarus, he survived World War II after a nanny had him baptized as a Catholic in an effort to conceal his Jewish identity from Nazi forces. Following the war, he was reunited with his parents, and the family later immigrated to New York.

After earning a law degree, Foxman joined the ADL as a staff attorney and remained with the organization for five decades. In 1987, he became national director, overseeing the group during a period of growing attention to extremism, discrimination, and civil rights issues.

Under his leadership, the ADL expanded its work beyond antisemitism to include research into white supremacist groups and other extremist movements. The organization also supported immigrant rights, advocated for LGBTQ issues, provided diversity training for law enforcement agencies, and developed educational programs focused on the Holocaust, civil rights history, and bullying prevention.

Foxman’s approach often sparked debate. Critics accused him at times of reacting too strongly to perceived antisemitic incidents, while others argued he was too willing to forgive public figures who apologized for offensive remarks. Foxman defended his willingness to accept apologies, saying it was important to allow people the opportunity to change and become allies against hate.

Even after retirement, Foxman remained outspoken about the dangers of extremism and prejudice. He warned that the internet had dramatically accelerated the spread of hate speech and conspiracy theories, allowing extremists to communicate instantly and anonymously across the world.

Foxman spent much of his career arguing that combating antisemitism required confronting hatred in all forms, a mission that defined both his leadership of the ADL and his public legacy.