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David Harris (advocate)

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Not to be confused with David A. Harris, President and C.E.O. of the National Jewish Democratic Council[1] or David Harris (activist).
David Alan Harris
CEO of American Jewish Committee
In office
1990–2022
Preceded byIra Silverman
Succeeded byTed Deutch
Personal details
Born (1949-09-23) September 23, 1949 (age 74)
New York City, New York, U.S.
Children3

David Alan Harris (born September 23, 1949) is an American political activist who served as the CEO of the American Jewish Committee (AJC), from 1990 to 2022.[2] During his tenure, AJC became a global organization and began quiet engagement with countries in the Arab world, laying the groundwork for the Abraham Accords. For his role in international diplomacy, former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres called Harris "the foreign minister of the Jewish people."[2]

Early life

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Harris was born in New York City in 1949 into a secular Jewish family. His parents were Holocaust survivors.[2] He attended the Franklin School, then graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1971. He received a master's degree and completed his doctoral studies at the London School of Economics. Harris also was a Senior Associate at Oxford University (St. Antony's College).[3]

Career

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Refusnik advocacy

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In 1971, Harris worked as an English teacher in Moscow through a program with the American Field Service. During his time in the Soviet Union, Harris first became involved with Jewish refuseniks. Shortly after his arrival in Russia, Harris was arrested by Soviet authorities. After a stint in Helsinki, Harris joined the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS).[2]

In 1974 and again in 1981, he was detained by Soviet authorities and, on the first occasion, was expelled from the country. In 1987, Harris was asked by the Jewish community to serve as the national coordinator for Freedom Sunday[4] for Soviet Jewry[5]—the 1987 demonstration in Washington that drew over 250,000 participants, the largest Jewish gathering in American history.[6]

American Jewish Committee

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In 1979, he began working for the American Jewish Committee (AJC).[7][8] In 1981, he left the AJC to take a position at the National Coalition Supporting Soviet Jewry. In 1984, he returned to the AJC and became head of its Washington, D.C. office in 1987. Beginning in 1990, Harris served as the executive director and then the CEO of the AJC.[9]

Harris is a leading Jewish advocate[10][11][12] who meets with world leaders[13][14][15] to advance Israel's diplomatic standing and promote international human rights and inter-religious and inter-ethnic understanding.[16][17]

Harris was central to the emigration of over one million Jews from the Soviet Union.[18][19][20][21]

For 16 years, Harris was involved in the successful struggle to repeal the controversial "Zionism is racism" resolution (United Nations General Assembly Resolution 3379)[22] adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1975, only the second time in UN history a resolution was repealed. He spearheaded the AJC's successful campaign to change Israel's status[23] at the United Nations as the only nation ineligible to sit on the Security Council[24] and to include it in one of the United Nations' five regional groups.

On behalf of AJC, Harris has been involved in a number of humanitarian initiatives[25] in response to natural and man-made disasters, including in the Balkans, Middle East,[26] Africa, Asia, Latin America and the United States.

Harris has testified [27] before the United States Congress in both the House and the Senate on several occasions regarding the Middle East, NATO expansion, Russian[28] and Soviet affairs, and anti-Semitism, as well as before the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and the French Parliament.

In 2008, Harris spoke at the World Economic Forum in Davos at a plenary session entitled, "Faith and Modernization."[29]

He retired in October 2022, replaced by Florida Congressman Ted Deutch.[30][31]

Affiliations

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David Harris is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.[32] From 2000 to 2002, he was a visiting scholar at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.[33][34][35]

From 2009 to 2011, he served as a Senior Associate at Oxford University (St. Antony's College).[3]

Published works

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  • In the Trenches: Selected Speeches and Writings of an American Jewish Activist, Vol. 1, 1979–99, KTAV, ISBN 978-0-88125-693-2[36]
  • In the Trenches: Selected Speeches and Writings of an American Jewish Activist, Vol. 2, 2000–01, KTAV, ISBN 978-0-88125-779-3
  • In the Trenches: Selected Speeches and Writings of an American Jewish Activist, Vol. 3, 2002–03, KTAV, ISBN 978-0-88125-842-4[37]
  • In the Trenches: Selected speeches and Writings of an American Jewish Activist, Vol. 4, 2004–05, KTAV, ISBN 978-0-88125-927-8
  • In the Trenches: Selected Speeches and Writings of an American Jewish Activist, Vol. 5, 2006–07, KTAV, ISBN 978-0-88125-927-8
  • The Jewish World, HIAS, ASIN BOOOIBR1MG
  • Entering a New Culture: A Handbook for Soviet Migrants to the United States of America, HIAS, ASIN BOOO6CRK6Y
  • The Jokes of Oppression (with Izrail Ravinovich), Jason Aronson, ISBN 978-1-56821-414-6

Honors and decorations

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Ribbon bar Country Honor Date
Greece Commander of the Order of the Phoenix (Greece) 9 July 2019[38]
Germany Order of Merit (Knight's Commander Cross) 3 June 2022[39]
Austria Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold for Services to the Republic of Austria 12 June 2022[40][non-primary source needed]

References

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  1. ^ "David Harris' David Harris problem | the Telegraph | JTA - Jewish & Israel News". Archived from the original on February 2, 2012. Retrieved July 27, 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d Rosenblatt, Gary (September 28, 2022). "How an accidental activist became the 'foreign minister of the Jewish people'". 70 Faces Media. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Why David Harris-John Mearsheimer won't happen until 2010 | Capital J | JTA - Jewish & Israel News". Archived from the original on March 5, 2012. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
  4. ^ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search".
  5. ^ "The Jewish Post & News - Google News Archive Search".
  6. ^ "Observer-Reporter - Google News Archive Search".
  7. ^ Cohen, Patricia (January 31, 2007). "American Jewish Committee - Anti-Semitism - New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  8. ^ Kristof, Nicholas D. (August 3, 2011). "Seeking Balance on the Mideast". The New York Times.
  9. ^ "David Harris | AJC". www.ajc.org. July 9, 2017. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  10. ^ Bernstein, Richard (September 3, 1993). "For Jews in America, a Time For New Hope and New Fear - New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  11. ^ Schachter, Abby W. (November 8, 2011). "Quel shoc! Sarkozy hates Netanyahu". Nypost.com. Archived from the original on November 10, 2011. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  12. ^ Eshman, Rob. "Poor sports | Opinion". Jewish Journal. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  13. ^ "Candidates for U.N. Secretary-General post consult with U.S. Jewish leaders; | World". Jewish Journal. September 21, 2006. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  14. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on May 13, 2012. Retrieved November 11, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. ^ "Lecture by Richard Prasquier and David Harris - Consulat général de France à New York". Consulfrance-newyork.org. November 4, 2011. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  16. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 1, 2011. Retrieved September 27, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  17. ^ "Proposed Unity Pledge Spurs Debate –". Forward.com. October 27, 2011. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  18. ^ "Record-Journal - Google News Archive Search".
  19. ^ HighBeam
  20. ^ J.J. Goldberg (April 8, 1999). "Divided we stand - J.J. Goldberg". Salon.com. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  21. ^ "World's Largest Professional Network". LinkedIn. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  22. ^ Minicy Catom Software Engineering Ltd. www.catom.com. "Jewish Political Studies Review - Assessing the American Jewish Institutional Response to Global Ant". Jcpa.org. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  23. ^ Mozgovaya, Natasha. "Jewish groups congratulate Israel on Gilad Shalit return - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News". Haaretz. Haaretz.com. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  24. ^ "Why Israel Is Denied Security Council Seat - New York Times". The New York Times. September 11, 1995. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  25. ^ Barr, Robert (September 15, 2002). "Why American Jewish groups support war with Iraq - Iraq". Salon.com. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  26. ^ "If Iran is building a nuclear bomb, what action should the U.S. take, if any? | 89.3 KPCC". Scpr.org. November 9, 2011. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  27. ^ "AJC Testifies in Congress on U.S. Failure to Save European Jewry - American Jewish Committee". Archived from the original on June 30, 2011. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
  28. ^ "National Conference on Soviet Jewry - Pictures". Ncsj.org. Archived from the original on April 6, 2012. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  29. ^ "Faith and Modernization". Archived from the original on May 23, 2012. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
  30. ^ Weiss, Melissa (February 28, 2022). "Rep. Ted Deutch to succeed David Harris as American Jewish Committee CEO". Jewish Insider. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  31. ^ "Rep. Ted Deutch retires from Congress; to serve as CEO of AJC". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  32. ^ "Membership Roster - Council on Foreign Relations". Cfr.org. December 5, 2009. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  33. ^ "The Cutting Edge News". The Cutting Edge News. August 27, 2007. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  34. ^ "Latin American Herald Tribune - Harris: The West Must Not Let Iran Cross the Nuclear Threshold". Laht.com. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  35. ^ "Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs | AJC executive director, David Harris to discuss global leadership at WWS, Feb. 23". Wws.princeton.edu. Archived from the original on April 6, 2012. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  36. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 5, 2012. Retrieved November 14, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  37. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 2, 2014. Retrieved November 14, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  38. ^ "O Πρόεδρος της Δημοκρατίας Πρ. Παυλόπουλος παρασημοφόρησε τον Εκτελεστικό Διευθυντή της American Jewish Committee D. A. Harris". kathimerini.gr. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  39. ^ "AJC CEO David Harris Receives Prestigious German Government Award". Yahoo News. PR Newswire. June 3, 2022. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
  40. ^ "Austria Bestows Prestigious Award on AJC CEO David Harris". PR Newswire. June 12, 2022. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
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