Date: December 16, 2020
Contact - jsilberberg@pluspr.com

NEW YORK, NY - Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, Inc. (HWZOA) National President Rhoda Smolow and CEO/Executive Director Janice Weinman released the following joint statement following today's vote in the US Senate to pass the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Act.

"The United States Senate has today determined that the job of monitoring and combating antisemitism is worthy of our highest diplomatic rank. Similar legislation has already passed in the House of Representatives, putting Congress on the cusp of laying a marker in history. Hadassah applauds today’s bipartisan action in the Senate, which clearly demonstrates America's outstanding commitment to combating a rise in antisemitism that has all too often led to violence.

"This legislation provides the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism with the tools, resources and gravitas necessary to apply much needed pressure on foreign governments to create more tolerant societies as part of their relationships with the United States, and it has our strong support.

"Hadassah is proud to have worked closely with every Special Envoy since the creation of the position in 2004. Indeed, Hadassah and its members played an active role in its very creation. Since then, Hadassah members passed a Combating Anti-Semitism policy statement and have advocated for legislation that would apply additional public pressure on foreign governments using school textbooks to instill hatred against Jews.

"We urge the House of Representatives to ensure this legislation has an opportunity to be signed into law, and we look forward to continuing to work closely with the Office to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism in years to come."

ABOUT HADASSAH: Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, Inc. (HWZOA), is the largest Jewish women's organization in the United States. With nearly 300,000 members, Associates, and supporters, Hadassah brings women together to effect change and advocate on such critical issues as ensuring the security of Israel, combating antisemitism, and promoting women’s health. Through the Hadassah Medical Organization's (HMO) two hospitals in Jerusalem, Hadassah delivers exemplary patient care to over a million people every year and supports world-renowned medical research. HMO serves without regard to race, religion, or nationality and earned a Nobel Peace Prize Nomination in 2005 for building "bridges to peace." Additionally, Hadassah supports several Youth Aliyah villages that set at-risk children in Israel on the path to a successful future. For more information, visit my.hadassah.org.