View source for Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations

{{Short description|Jewish umbrella organization in the U.S.}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations
| logo = copmajo.png
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| predecessor = 
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| formation = {{start date and age|1956}}
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| extinction = <!-- use {{end date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
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| type = [[501(c)(4)]]
| registration_id = <!-- for non-profit org -->
| status = [[Nonprofit organization]]
| purpose = 
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| headquarters = 633 [[Third Avenue]], [[New York City|New York]], [[New York (state)|New York]], US
| coordinates = {{coord|40.749683|-73.974957|display=inline, title}}
| origins = 
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| products = 
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| membership = 50
| membership_year = 
| leader_title = [[Chairman|Chair]]
| leader_name = Harriet P. Schleifer<ref name= leadership>"[https://conferenceofpresidents.org/who-we-are/ Who We are]". Retrieved August 23, 2023.</ref>
| leader_title2 = [[Chief Executive Officer]]
| leader_name2 = [[William Daroff]]
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| subsidiaries = Conference of Presidents Fund <sub>[[501(c)(3)]]</sub>
| secessions = 
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| website = {{official URL}}
}}
The '''Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations''' ('''CoP'''; commonly '''Presidents' Conference''') is the umbrella organization for the [[American Jewish community]]. Comprising 53 national Jewish organizations across the political spectrum, it was founded in 1955 to develop a consensus voice among Jewish organizations, especially to the U.S. government.

Along with the [[Jewish Federations of North America]], [[Hillel International]], and the [[Anti-Defamation League]], the CoP is considered to represent mainstream Jewry in the United States. Since the 1970s, the CoP's chairperson is the American Jewish community's de facto spokesperson on international affairs.

==Mission==
The Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations (CoP) is the [[American Jewish community]]'s unofficial umbrella organization.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ari Gross |first1=Judah |title=US Jewish leader Daroff warns: 'Crisis of divisiveness' is tearing Israel apart |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-jewish-leader-daroff-warns-crisis-of-divisiveness-is-tearing-israel-apart/ |access-date=20 November 2023 |work=Times of Israel |date=2023-02-02}}</ref> Its purpose is to provide consensus on issues, generally to the [[Executive branch (US)|Executive Branch]] of the United States federal government.<ref name="DaroffAppointed">{{cite news |last1=Oster |first1=Marcy |title=William Daroff named CEO of Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations |url=https://www.jta.org/quick-reads/william-daroff-named-ceo-of-conference-of-presidents-of-major-american-jewish-organizations |access-date=2 February 2025 |work=[[Jewish Telegraphic Agency]] |date=2019-08-04}}</ref> As of the 21st century, the Conference represents the American Jewish community not only to the U.S. government, but to [[Israel]] and other countries.<ref name="2022ToI">{{cite news |last1=Gross |first1=Judah |title=US Jewish leaders warn of growing antisemitism, say they helped fight Amnesty report |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-jewish-leaders-warn-of-growing-antisemitism-say-they-helped-fight-amnesty-report/ |access-date=7 December 2024 |work=[[Times of Israel]] |date=2022-02-16}}</ref>

Along with the [[Jewish Federations of North America]], [[Hillel International]], the [[Anti-Defamation League]], CoP represents the mainstream of the [[American Jewish community]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kornbluh |first1=Jacob |title=Analysis: Trump's Gaza relocation plan signals shift in Jewish political influence |url=https://forward.com/news/694276/trump-gaza-plan-israel-jewish-american/ |access-date=11 March 2025 |work=[[The Forward|Forward]] |date=2025-02-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Kampeas |first1=Ron |title=Prominent Jewish leaders criticize Israel's new government |url=https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-730355#google_vignette |access-date=11 March 2025 |work=[[Jewish Telegraphic Agency]] |date=2023-02-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Jewish groups balk at Ed Department meeting with anti-Israel-aligned activists |url=https://www.jns.org/jewish-groups-balk-at-ed-department-meeting-with-anti-israel-aligned-activists/ |access-date=11 March 2025 |work=[[Jewish News Syndicate]] |date=2024-05-03}}</ref><ref name="JInsider050324">{{cite news |last1=Rod |first1=Marc |title=Mainstream Jewish groups pull out of Dept of Ed meeting over inclusion of far-left activists |url=https://jewishinsider.com/2024/05/mainstream-jewish-groups-pull-out-of-dept-of-ed-meeting-over-inclusion-of-far-left-activists/ |access-date=7 December 2024 |work=[[Jewish Insider]] |date=2024-05-03}}</ref> The CoP's chairperson is the American Jewish community's de facto spokesperson on international affairs, especially on matters related to Israel, based on the CoP's ability to develop consensus among the largest Jewish organizations and speak on behalf of the majority of affiliated American Jews.<ref name="Wertheimer95">{{cite journal |last1=Wertheimer |first1=Jack |title=Jewish Organizational Life in the United States Since 1945 |journal=[[The American Jewish Year Book]] |date=1995 |volume=95 |pages=3–98}}</ref>

==History==
===Formation===
The Conference of Presidents was formed when Jewish groups felt a need to respond to the perceived tilt of the [[Eisenhower administration]] away from Israel. In 1954, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State [[Henry Byroade]] attempted to intimidate Israel, [[B'nai B'rith]] president [[Philip Klutznick]] invited the leaders of 16 American Jewish organizations to meet in New York City as the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. In March 1955, the conference had 20 members and met in Washington, D.C. to discuss the Middle East. The 1955 conference was the first public forum that enabled the American government to hear the opinions of the largest representative body of American Jews after [[World War II]]. At the forum, the Conference of Presidents declared its goals as three-fold: 1) the defense of American and the welfare of its people, 2) the spread of freedom and attainment of peace throughout the world, and 3) the attainment of peace, development, and security for the people of Israel in their ancestral homeland.<ref name="Wertheimer95" />

In the early years, the Conference of Presidents, like other coordinating agencies such as the [[Council of Jewish Federations]], the [[National Jewish Welfare Board|Jewish Welfare Board]], and the [[Synagogue Council of America]], operated mainly as coordinating bodies with no powers of coercion over their constituent members. However, these groups were able to forge unprecedented levels of cooperation largely because there was a strong consensus about the Jewish communal agenda.<ref name="Wertheimer95" />

===Growth===
By the 1970s, the Conference of Presidents and [[AIPAC]] assumed overall responsibility for Israel-related lobbying within the Jewish communal landscape. The Conference of Presidents was responsible for speaking to the [[Executive branch (US)|Executive Branch]] of the U.S. government, while AIPAC dealt mainly with the legislative branch.<ref name="Wertheimer95" />

For its first 30 years, the organization was headed by Yehuda Hellman. After Hellman's death in 1986, [[Malcolm Hoenlein]] became chairman. Hoenlein took a much stronger role in shaping US policy, especially within the [[Executive (government)|executive branch]].<ref name="MassingDeal">{{cite news |last1=Massing |first1=Michael |title=Deal Breakers |url=http://prospect.org/article/deal-breakers|access-date=December 17, 2016 |work=The American Prospect |date=February 12, 2002}}</ref> By 1990, the group grew to 48 members and 8 official observers. By then, its mission was to "strengthen the US-Israel alliance and protect and enhance the security and dignity of Jews abroad."<ref name="Wertheimer95" />

In December 2008, the conference presented [[Prime Minister of Canada|Canadian Prime Minister]] [[Stephen Harper]], and his government as a whole, with its inaugural "International Leadership Award" for his support for Israel. [[Malcolm Hoenlein]], the executive vice-chairman of the conference, stated that the award was given to express the group's appreciation for [[Canada]]'s "courageous stands" to boycott the [[Durban II|Durban II anti-racism conference]]. He also praised Canada's "support for Israel and [its] efforts at the U.N. against incitement and ... the delegitimization [of Israel], where they have taken a role in the forefront."<ref>[http://jta.org/news/article/2008/12/04/1001354/presidents-conference-honors-harper Presidents Conference to honor Harper] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081206024311/http://jta.org/news/article/2008/12/04/1001354/presidents-conference-honors-harper |date=December 6, 2008 }}, Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA), December 4, 2008.</ref>

On February 12, 2009, a CoP delegation met with [[Pope Benedict XVI]] at the [[Vatican City|Vatican]] to re-assert the importance of [[Christian–Jewish reconciliation|Jewish–Catholic relations]] in the wake of the controversy over controversial comments by [[Society of St. Pius X]] bishop [[Richard Williamson (bishop)|Richard Williamson]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Papal Meeting |url=https://www.dw.com/en/pope-meets-jewish-leaders-to-calm-storm-over-holocaust-denier/a-4023668 |access-date=2 February 2025 |work=[[Deutsche Welle|DW]] |date=2009-02-12}}</ref>

===2020s===
On August 4, 2019, [[William Daroff]] was announced as CEO, succeeding Hoenlein after 33 years in the role. Daroff was previously a senior official at the Jewish Federations of North America.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jns.org/conference-of-presidents-taps-william-daroff-as-new-ceo/|title=Conference of Presidents taps William Daroff as new CEO|date=2019-08-04|website=JNS.org|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-04}}</ref> The Conference of Presidents co-organized the [[March for Israel]] on November 14, 2023. Daroff claimed that more than 290,000 people attended the rally, making it "the largest pro-Israel gathering in US history".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Magid |first=Jacob |date=November 15, 2023 |title='Let our people go': Nearly 300,000 rally in Washington for Israel, hostages' release |work=[[The Times of Israel]] |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/let-our-people-go-nearly-300000-rally-in-washington-for-israel-hostages-release/ |url-status=live |access-date=November 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231115141914/https://www.timesofisrael.com/let-our-people-go-nearly-300000-rally-in-washington-for-israel-hostages-release/ |archive-date=November 15, 2023}}</ref>

Progressive Jewish groups have floated leaving the Conference, particularly after the Conference declined to extend membership to liberal group [[J Street]] in 2014. In 2023, progressive group [[The Workers Circle]] withdrew from the Conference over what The Workers Circle claimed as policy differences. CoP CEO William Daroff stated that The Workers Circle owed $15,000 in membership fees and had not raised any concerns prior to its announcement. Other left-leaning Jewish groups expressed that they would remain in the Conference.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lapin |first1=Andrew |title=The Workers Circle, progressive Jewish group, leaves Conference of Presidents over disagreements on US and Israel advocacy |url=https://www.jta.org/2023/08/02/politics/the-workers-circle-progressive-jewish-group-leaves-conference-of-presidents-over-disagreements-on-u-s-and-israel-advocacy |access-date=28 February 2024 |work=[[Jewish Telegraphic Agency]] |date=2023-08-02}}</ref>

[[File:Secretary Pompeo Delivers Remarks at the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations (47960393552).jpg|thumb|US Secretary of State [[Mike Pompeo]] speaks at the CoP on 28 May 2019]]

As of 2022, the CoP comprised 53 American Jewish groups from across the political spectrum. According to CEO [[William Daroff]], the CoP represents the views of liberal groups critical of Israel like [[J Street]], but explicitly [[anti-Zionist]] groups like [[Jewish Voice for Peace]] and [[IfNotNow]] were "beyond the pale."<ref name="2022ToI" /> The CoP pulled out of meetings with the [[Presidency of Joe Biden|Biden administration]] in 2024 over the inclusion of a group closely associated with IfNotNow.<ref name="JInsider050324" />

Citing the CoP as a model, the Conference of Presidents of Christian Organizations in Support of Israel launched in September 2024.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wagenheim |first1=Mike |title=New Christian Conference of Presidents aims to support Israel |url=https://www.jns.org/new-christian-conference-of-presidents-aims-to-support-israel/ |access-date=2 February 2025 |work=[[Jewish News Syndicate]] |date=2024-09-19}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Board of Deputies of British Jews]]
*[[American Israel Public Affairs Committee]]
*[[Anti-Defamation League]]
*[[Jewish lobby]]
*[[Jewish Council for Public Affairs]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website}}
* [https://conferenceofpresidents.org/member-organizations/ List of member organizations]

{{Organized Jewish Life in the United States}}
{{Israel-United States relations}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Jewish-American political organizations]]
[[Category:Zionist organizations in the United States]]
[[Category:Non-profit organizations based in New York City]]
[[Category:1956 establishments in the United States]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1956]]
[[Category:501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations]]
[[Category:Israel–United States relations]]