Rise in anti-Semitism is subject of Touro lecture

On April 1 at 7 p.m., David Harris, CEO of the American Jewish Committee (AJC), will present “The State of Anti-Semitism Today and AJC's Global Jewish Advocacy” via Zoom. The talk is the first of the 2021 Judah Touro Lectures Series sponsored by the Touro Synagogue Foundation in Newport. Audience members will have the opportunity to submit comments to for the Q&A that will follow the presentation.

In this time of a new, rising tide of anti-Semitism, Harris will discuss the role organizations, large and small, can play in working together to address this trend. He will share what the AJC is doing to counter all forms of anti-Semitism – not just in America, but around the world. AJC is the leading global Jewish advocacy organization and works to combat anti-Semitism and extremism, define Israel’s place in the world, and safeguard the rights and freedoms of all people.

Harris has led the American Jewish Committee since 1990. He has been honored more than 20 times, including by governments of many nations, for his efforts on behalf of the defense of human life, the advancement of the Transatlantic Partnership and dedication to the Jewish people. He has written hundreds of articles in leading media outlets. Educated at the University of Pennsylvania and the London School of Economics, he has been a visiting scholar at Johns Hopkins University and Oxford University.

All are welcome to participate in this virtual conversation, which has been made possible through a gift from a friend of Touro Synagogue Foundation. There is no fee to participate, but reservations are required in order to receive the Zoom login information. Register using this link: https://tinyurl.com/28vuc6aj. For more information, email  meryle@tourosynagogue.org or phone Meryle Cawley at 401-847-4794, extension 207.

 The Touro Synagogue Foundation is a 501(c) 3 not-for-profit, nonsectarian organization, dedicated to maintaining and preserving Touro Synagogue, the colonial Jewish cemetery, Patriots Park and to promoting and teaching religious diversity, colonial Jewish history and the history of Touro Synagogue.

Touro Synagogue, America’s oldest surviving synagogue, is a National Historic Site in Newport. The Touro Synagogue Foundation operates public programs in partnership with the National Park Service, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and is a project of Save America's Treasures. For more information, visit tourosynagogue.org.