All Attendees Welcome
How Global Leaders are Fighting Antisemitism Together
Featuring Susan Heller Pinto, Shimon Fogel, Alex Ryvchin, Marie van der Zyl, William C. Daroff
Speakers
Shimon Fogel
President and CEO, CIJA
Shimon Fogel has served as President and CEO for the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs since 2011. He is a graduate of the Clark School of Government and International Relations in Massachusetts and pursued graduate and doctoral studies at McGill University. He also holds both Rabbinic and Judicial ordination.
Shimon joined the Canada-Israel Committee as Director of Government Relations in 1988 and was appointed as CEO in 2001.
Shimon Fogel has served as a consultant to Parliament’s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and as a member of the prestigious Round Table on Global Security under the Department of National Defense.
In 2002 he introduced the concept of the Shared Values strategy as a basis for securing support for Israel that has now been adopted by much of the international pro-Israel advocacy community, including Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 2005 he developed a model for moving to sustainable peace in the Middle East that focuses on conflict management rather than conflict resolution – an approach that has won broad support internationally.
He has written and lectured extensively in Canada and internationally on matters of public policy and has been engaged by numerous groups, including the Assembly of First Nations, the World Sikh Organization, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress and the Canadian Tibet Committee, to advise on strategic planning and advocacy.
The Hill Times recognized Fogel as one of the 100 most influential actors within the political sector, and Embassy Magazine ranked him among the 50 most important people influencing Canadian foreign policy.
Alex Ryvchin
Co-Chief Executive Officer, Executive Council of Australian Jewry
Alex Ryvchin is co-Chief Executive Officer of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, the author of internationally acclaimed books of history and politics including Zionism – The Concise History, and a best-selling children’s author. His new book on antisemitism is The 7 Deadly Myths – Antisemitism from the Time of Christ to Kanye West
Marie van der Zyl
President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews
Marie van der Zyl was elected President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews in May 2018.She became a Deputy is 2012 and was elected Vice President in 2015, where she served as Chair of the Defense Division. Since 2015, she has played a crucial part in the fight against antisemitism in the Labour Party. Her quote, labelling the Chakrabarti report as a “whitewash”, was carried widely across national media. Marie was at the forefront of the campaign against the so-called “cabrank” policy, by which the Inner North London Coroner delayed the release of bodies to Jewish families. The High Court ruled that this policy was discriminatory. She has been a strong advocate for the adoption of the IHRA definition of antisemitism, including negotiating with King’s College London which resulted in its adoption of the IHRA definition. She has energetically pursued interfaith relations with Britain’s faith communities and has also led the campaign against the persecution of the Uyghur Muslims. Marie is very passionate about youth engagement and future leadership development. Marie, who represents Jewish Lads and Girls Brigade, has two daughters. In her professional life she is a solicitor specializing in employment equalities law and a partner at INCE GD.
William C. Daroff
CEO, Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations
As the Chief Executive Officer of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, William Daroff is the senior professional guiding the Conference’s agenda on behalf of the 50 national member organizations that represent the wide mosaic of American Jewish life.
Named by The Jerusalem Post as being among the fifty most influential Jews worldwide, and by The Forward newspaper as one of the fifty most influential Jews in America, Daroff steadfastly guides the leadership of American Jewry through its thorniest issues. He builds consensus among the Conference’s diverse membership to craft cohesive foreign policy goals for the American Jewish community. He advocates for a secure Israel, for strengthening the US-Israel relationship, and the protection and security of Jews worldwide. Daroff is an international leader fighting antisemitism in all its forms, both in America and abroad.
As CEO of the Conference, Daroff is in continual dialogue with key policymakers, members of Congress, and the White House. He regularly engages with the diplomatic corps in Washington and at the UN on a range of issues that are of interest to the American Jewish community. He is frequently invited to give testimony before committees of the US Senate, US House of Representatives, European Parliament, and Knesset. Daroff also travels extensively to meet with governmental and Jewish communal leaders from across the globe, including the top leadership of the Israeli government.
Daroff received his Bachelor’s Degree (summa cum laude) in Political Science & History, Master’s Degree in Political Science, and Juris Doctorate from Case Western Reserve University in his hometown of Cleveland, OH. He is an adjunct Professor at George Washington University and a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Moderator
Susan Heller Pinto
Vice President, International Policy, ADL
As Vice President of International Policy, Susan Heller Pinto oversees ADL’s work combatting antisemitism and hate outside the United States as well as supporting Israel as a Jewish and democratic state. She also pays a key role with ADL’s work in the U.S. and globally educating and engaging about anti-Zionism and countering efforts to undermine Israel’s legitimacy.
Susan joined ADL in 1993 as Assistant Director of Middle Eastern Affairs and has worked for nearly three decades to develop and promote ADL’s international affairs priorities.
Susan is a graduate of the University of Toronto and the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs.