American Jewish Committee Congratulates Israeli President-elect Isaac Herzog
June 2, 2021 — New York – American Jewish Committee (AJC) congratulates Isaac Herzog on his election today as the 11th President of the State of Israel. He succeeds Reuven Rivlin, whose seven-year term ends next month.
“We wish President-elect Isaac Herzog much success in fulfilling the duties of this high office, which is vital to the well-being and standing of Israel in the global community,” said AJC CEO David Harris, who has known Herzog for many years. “He brings enormous assets to the position, including an unusually deep understanding of world Jewry, including the American Jewish community. It is vitally important that Jews, whether in Israel or elsewhere, feel connected to, and welcomed by, the office of Israel’s President. In that spirit, as we have with each President since the state’s rebirth in 1948, we look forward to working closely with Mr. Herzog after he takes office on July 9.”
AJC has cooperated with Herzog for decades, most recently as chairman of the Jewish Agency and, previously, in his political life. He is the son of Chaim Herzog, Israel’s sixth president.
Following today’s Knesset vote electing Herzog as president, he vowed to “build bridges” within Israeli society and “with our brothers and sisters in the Diaspora.”
Herzog said: “The challenges are great and must not be underestimated. It is essential to tend to the bleeding wounds in our society. We must defend Israel’s international standing and its good name among the nations; combat antisemitism and hatred of Israel, and protect the pillars of our democracy.”
AJC, the global Jewish advocacy organization, was the first American Jewish organization, in 1961, to establish a full-time office in Israel. Today, Avital Leibovich is the director of AJC Jerusalem, which is housed in Beit Moses.