Abraham H. Foxman, seen here in a 2014 appearance, led the Anti-Defamation League for nearly three decades. (Photo: WireImage/Getty Images)

NEW YORK — Abraham H. Foxman, the Holocaust survivor who transformed the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) into a global powerhouse against antisemitism and bigotry during his 28-year tenure as its national director, died on Sunday in Manhattan. He was 86.

The ADL announced Foxman’s passing, calling him “a moral voice, a passionate advocate for the Jewish people and the state of Israel, and a remarkable leader.” No cause of death was immediately disclosed, but Foxman had remained active in Jewish causes into his later years, serving as vice-chair of the Museum of Jewish Heritage’s board until 2021.

A Childhood Forged in the Holocaust

Born Avraham Chanoch Hanach Fuksman on May 1, 1940, in Baranovichi (now in Belarus), then part of the Byelorussian SSR in the Soviet Union, Foxman was just 16 months old when Nazi forces invaded in June 1941. His parents, desperate to save him from the Holocaust’s horrors, entrusted him to a Polish Catholic nanny, Bronisława Kurpi, who baptized him as Henryk Stanisław Kurpi and raised him as her own during the war.

His parents survived the ghetto and reclaimed him after the war’s end in 1945. The family emigrated to the United States in 1950, settling in Brooklyn, New York. Foxman went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from the City College of New York and a law degree from New York University, forging a path that would define his life’s work.

Five Decades at the ADL

Foxman joined the ADL in 1965 as an assistant director in its legal affairs division, beginning a 50-year career with the organization. He ascended to national director in 1987, succeeding Nathan Perlmutter, and held the post until his retirement in 2015.

Under his leadership, the ADL evolved from a division of B’nai B’rith into an independent “muscular juggernaut,” as described by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA). It expanded anti-bias education programs, monitored antisemitism worldwide from regional offices, and lobbied for anti-discrimination laws. Foxman became the arbiter of antisemitism in public life—scathing toward offenders like Mel Gibson and Michael Richards, yet willing to grant forgiveness upon genuine apologies.

“He pursued a world without hate,” the Times of Israel quoted colleagues saying. Foxman met with U.S. presidents from Ronald Reagan to Barack Obama, popes, and world leaders, urging action against extremism and support for Israel. He was dubbed the “Jewish pope” for his authoritative voice on Jewish matters.

“America and the Jewish people have lost a moral voice…”

— Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO and Foxman’s successor

Legacy and Tributes

Jonathan Greenblatt, who succeeded Foxman, praised him as a transformative figure. “Abe was always accessible, always answering calls,” recalled Forward journalist Jacob Kornbluh, who shared anecdotes of Foxman’s wit and Yiddish-inflected commentary on politics.

Israeli journalist Zvika Klein of The Jerusalem Post called Foxman’s death “the end of an era for American Jews,” reminiscing about intimate conversations overlooking Jerusalem’s Old City walls—their last planned meeting canceled by fate.

Foxman authored books like Never Again: The Threat of the New Anti-Semitism (2003) and Jews and Words (2012, co-authored with Amos Oz). He was married to Golda Bauman; they had two children, a son and a daughter. Funeral services were held Tuesday in New York.

A Voice Against Bigotry

Foxman’s post-retirement years saw him championing Holocaust education and combating rising antisemitism. At the Museum of Jewish Heritage, he led antisemitism initiatives. His personal story—from hidden child to global advocate—embodied resilience.

In a 2014 speech, echoing sentiments from a Clinton White House event, Foxman lamented humanity’s progress: “We have learned to walk on the moon, but we have not yet learned to walk together in harmony on the Earth.” His death leaves a void in the fight against hate, but his legacy endures through the ADL’s ongoing work.