American Jewish Congress

Who We Are

Over the past century, the American Jewish Congress has had a long and rich history of fighting for everyone’s rights and liberties, in the belief that Jews are more secure in a society that actively protects the rights of all its citizens. Since it was founded in 1918, the American Jewish Congress has been engaged in a continuous fight for equal rights for all Americans regardless of race, religion or national ancestry. Our founders include the likes of Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, Rabbi Stephen S. Wise, etc.

Our Rich History

The American Jewish Congress was fearless in its efforts to warn of the danger of Nazism in the 1930s. It helped German Jews migrate to the US and lobbied the American government to save endangered Jews during World War II. AJCongress was the first Jewish organization to be outspoken supporter for the founding of the State of Israel, becoming instrumental in its creation in 1948. The American Jewish Congress was the first organization to use law and legislation, the tools of democracy, to protect the rights of American Jews.

The American Jewish Congress was an integral part of the civil rights movement in the 1960s. We stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in solidarity with Martin Luther King Jr. as he delivered his historic “I have a dream” speech. Similarly, the American Jewish Congress has been an active supporter of women’s rights. We joined the struggle against the regime of apartheid in South Africa, campaigned to end persecution of Soviet Jews, to free the Jews of Syria, Ethiopia and Iran. Furthermore, we raised our voice and protested the atrocities in the Balkans in 1990s, the use of civilians as human shields by Hamas, and called for a stop to acts of genocide in Darfur and South Sudan.

Our Activity

With growing hostility to the Jewish community around the world, growing disorder in the Middle East, and persistent threats to the security of Israel, the efforts of the American Jewish Congress are needed now more than ever. Our organization is an important asset in fighting the dangers facing the Jewish communities worldwide. The challenges that we face today will define our future.