1. Abraham Foxman served as the national director of the Anti-Defamation League from 1987 to 2015, and is currently the League's national director emeritus.
18 Facts About Abraham Foxman
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Abraham Foxman immigrated to the United States in 1950 with his parents.
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Abraham Foxman graduated from the Yeshivah of Flatbush in Brooklyn, New York City.
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Abraham Foxman earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the City College of New York and graduated with honors in history.
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Abraham Foxman holds a JD degree from the New York University School of Law.
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Abraham Foxman did graduate work in Jewish studies at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America and in international economics at The New School.
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In 1987, Abraham Foxman was the consensus choice of the Board to become its new National Director, replacing long-time director Nathan Perlmutter.
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Abraham Foxman has been awarded several honors from nonprofit groups, religious figures, and statesmen.
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In 1998, Abraham Foxman received the Interfaith Committee of Remembrance Lifetime Achievement Award "as a leader in the fight against anti-Semitism, bigotry, and discrimination".
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Abraham Foxman won the Raoul Wallenberg Humanitarian Leadership Award on April 18,2002, from the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Ramapo College of New Jersey.
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On October 16,2006, Abraham Foxman was named a Knight of the Legion of Honor by French President Jacques Chirac.
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Additionally, American President George W Bush appointed Foxman to serve on the Honorary Delegation to accompany him to Jerusalem for the celebration of the 60th anniversary of Israel in May 2008.
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Abraham Foxman has received criticism from Jewish and non-Jewish quarters for his antagonist approach to the 2004 film The Passion of the Christ and its director, Mel Gibson.
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In September 2003, during the pre-release controversy, Abraham Foxman called Gibson "the portrait of an anti-Semite".
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Abraham Foxman was criticized for his initial response to Gibson's apology for his behavior during his 2006 DUI arrest, and for giving second billing to the Seattle Jewish Federation shooting that occurred on the same day.
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In July 2007, Abraham Foxman opposed a congressional resolution recognizing the Armenian genocide.
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Sharistan Melkonian, chairwoman of the Armenian National Committee of Eastern Massachusetts, accused Abraham Foxman of engaging in "genocide denial" in an interview with The Boston Globe.
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Abraham Foxman opposed the Park51 Islamic community center near the World Trade Center site.