 | |
| Formation | 1956; 69 years ago (1956) |
|---|---|
| Type | 501(c)(4) |
| Legal status | Nonprofit organization |
| Headquarters | 633Third Avenue,New York,New York, US |
| Coordinates | 40°44′59″N73°58′30″W / 40.749683°N 73.974957°W /40.749683; -73.974957 |
| Membership | 50 |
| Harriet P. Schleifer[1] | |
| William Daroff | |
| Subsidiaries | Conference of Presidents Fund501(c)(3) |
| Website | conferenceofpresidents |
TheConference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations (CoP; commonlyPresidents' Conference) is the umbrella organization for theAmerican Jewish community. Comprising 53 national Jewish organizations across the political spectrum, it was founded in 1955 to develop a consensus voice among Jewish organizations, especially to the U.S. government.
Along with theJewish Federations of North America,Hillel International, and theAnti-Defamation League, the CoP is considered to represent mainstream Jewish organizations in the United States. Since the 1970s, the CoP's chairperson is the American Jewish community's de facto spokesperson on international affairs.
The Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations (CoP) is theAmerican Jewish community's unofficial umbrella organization.[2] Its purpose is to provide consensus on issues, generally to theExecutive Branch of the United States federal government.[3] As of the 21st century, the Conference represents the American Jewish community not only to the U.S. government, but toIsrael and other countries.[4]
Along with theJewish Federations of North America,Hillel International, theAnti-Defamation League, CoP represents the mainstream of theAmerican Jewish community.[5][6][7][8] The CoP's chairperson is the American Jewish community's de facto spokesperson on international affairs, especially on matters related to Israel, based on the CoP's ability to develop consensus among the largest Jewish organizations and speak on behalf of the majority of affiliated American Jews.[9]
The Conference of Presidents was formed when Jewish groups felt a need to respond to the perceived tilt of theEisenhower administration away from Israel. In 1954, U.S. Assistant Secretary of StateHenry Byroade attempted to intimidate Israel,B'nai B'rith presidentPhilip Klutznick invited the leaders of 16 American Jewish organizations to meet in New York City as the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. In March 1955, the conference had 20 members and met in Washington, D.C. to discuss the Middle East. The 1955 conference was the first public forum that enabled the American government to hear the opinions of the largest representative body of American Jews afterWorld War II. At the forum, the Conference of Presidents declared its goals as three-fold: 1) the defense of American and the welfare of its people, 2) the spread of freedom and attainment of peace throughout the world, and 3) the attainment of peace, development, and security for the people of Israel in their ancestral homeland.[9]
In the early years, the Conference of Presidents, like other coordinating agencies such as theCouncil of Jewish Federations, theJewish Welfare Board, and theSynagogue Council of America, operated mainly as coordinating bodies with no powers of coercion over their constituent members. However, these groups were able to forge unprecedented levels of cooperation largely because there was a strong consensus about the Jewish communal agenda.[9]
By the 1970s, the Conference of Presidents andAIPAC assumed overall responsibility for Israel-related lobbying within the Jewish communal landscape. The Conference of Presidents was responsible for speaking to theExecutive Branch of the U.S. government, while AIPAC dealt mainly with the legislative branch.[9]
For its first 30 years, the organization was headed by Yehuda Hellman. After Hellman's death in 1986,Malcolm Hoenlein became chairman. Hoenlein took a much stronger role in shaping US policy, especially within theexecutive branch.[10] By 1990, the group grew to 48 members and 8 official observers. By then, its mission was to "strengthen the US-Israel alliance and protect and enhance the security and dignity of Jews abroad."[9]
In December 2008, the conference presentedCanadian Prime MinisterStephen Harper, and his government as a whole, with its inaugural "International Leadership Award" for his support for Israel.Malcolm Hoenlein, the executive vice-chairman of the conference, stated that the award was given to express the group's appreciation forCanada's "courageous stands" to boycott theDurban II anti-racism conference. He also praised Canada's "support for Israel and [its] efforts at the U.N. against incitement and ... the delegitimization [of Israel], where they have taken a role in the forefront."[11]
On February 12, 2009, a CoP delegation met withPope Benedict XVI at theVatican to re-assert the importance ofJewish–Catholic relations in the wake of the controversy over controversial comments bySociety of St. Pius X bishopRichard Williamson.[12]
On August 4, 2019,William Daroff was announced as CEO, succeeding Hoenlein after 33 years in the role. Daroff was previously a senior official at the Jewish Federations of North America.[13] The Conference of Presidents co-organized theMarch for Israel on November 14, 2023. Daroff claimed that more than 290,000 people attended the rally, making it "the largest pro-Israel gathering in US history".[14]
Progressive Jewish groups have floated leaving the Conference, particularly after the Conference declined to extend membership to liberal groupJ Street in 2014. In 2023, progressive groupThe Workers Circle withdrew from the Conference over what The Workers Circle claimed as policy differences. CoP CEO William Daroff stated that The Workers Circle owed $15,000 in membership fees and had not raised any concerns prior to its announcement. Other left-leaning Jewish groups expressed that they would remain in the Conference.[15]
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As of 2022, the CoP comprised 53 American Jewish groups from across the political spectrum. According to CEOWilliam Daroff, the CoP represents the views of liberal groups critical of Israel likeJ Street, but explicitlyanti-Zionist groups likeJewish Voice for Peace andIfNotNow were "beyond the pale."[4] The CoP pulled out of meetings with theBiden administration in 2024 over the inclusion of a group closely associated with IfNotNow.[8]
Citing the CoP as a model, the Conference of Presidents of Christian Organizations in Support of Israel launched in September 2024.[16]
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