38 Febraury 14 • 2019
jn

Anti-Semitism Envoy 
Finally Appointed

Trump’
s new anti-Semitism monitor comes with diverse skills.

E

lan Carr’
s career, until now, has 
been equal parts prosecutor, 
policy wonk, politico and per-
formance artist.
That makes him 
perfect for his new 
job as the State 
Department’
s special 
envoy to monitor 
anti-Semitism. He 
was appointed last 
week.
Ira Forman, Carr’
s 
predecessor, who has 
been leading calls 
for President Donald 
Trump to fill the posi-
tion — unfilled since 
Forman’
s departure 
two years ago — said 
Carr’
s CV speaks well 
of the skills he brings to the post.
“His political skills should serve him 
well because part of the job is the art 
of the possible,” he said.
Forman cited his successor’
s 
background in the U.S. Army, his 
leadership of a Jewish fraternity, his 
day school background, his mixed 
Mizrahi-Ashkenazi heritage and his 
fluency in Arabic and Hebrew.
Forman said the community should 
be grateful now that Trump and 
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have 
filled the job.
“We’
ve all been complaining it 
hasn’
t happened, and we should now 
be happy it’
s happened,” said Forman, 
who now works with Human Rights 
First, an NGO, to monitor and combat 
anti-Semitism.
Indeed, some of the organizations 
that have been leading the criticism 
of Trump for the delay could barely 
contain their pleasant surprise: There 
were rumors that Trump might fill 
the slot with an unqualified donor or, 
worse, someone linked to the far-right 
elements that helped propel Trump to 
power and have influenced some of 
his policies, particularly on immigra-
tion.
Instead they are getting Carr, 
an affable, cross-the-aisle type of 

Republican who has gotten down and 
deep combating anti-Semitism and 
anti-Israel activity on campuses.
The statement by Anti-Defamation 
League CEO Jonathan 
Greenblatt, perhaps 
Trump’
s most out-
spoken critic among 
the large mainstream 
Jewish groups, nota-
bly focused on Carr’
s 
biography in “enthu-
siastically” welcoming 
the pick.
“Carr knows all 
too well the scourge 
of hate,” Greenblatt 
said. “His grandfather 
was imprisoned after 
an anti-Semitic show 
trial in Iraq, where 
Elan later served as a U.S. Army judge 
advocate. He has been a leader in the 
fight against anti-Semitism on college 
campuses and has long advocated 
for working across the aisle to craft 
thoughtful compromises, including in 
support of Israel.”
The American Jewish Committee 
said it was “grateful” for the appoint-
ment and also noted in its statement 
the intensive lobbying by the Jewish 
community and others to fill the con-
gressionally mandated job.
Jewish Democrats in the U.S. House 
of Representatives welcomed the 
appointment, but also emphasized the 
long wait.
The Wiesenthal Center said Carr 
“brings to the Special Envoy position 
boundless energy and a keen legal eye.
” 
B’
nai B’
rith International called the 
appointment “outstanding,
” and the 
Israeli American Council said there is 
“nobody more qualified” than Carr.
Carr is plunging into his work, 
last week he went to a conference on 
anti-Semitism in Bratislava organized 
by Slovakia, which currently holds the 
chair of the Organization for Security 
and Cooperation in Europe, and then 
a European Union conference on 
anti-Semitism in Brussels.
“He sees this as a nonpartisan job,” 

said Matt Brooks, the executive direc-
tor of the Republican Jewish Coalition 
who has known Carr for decades. 
Carr, 50, has since 2004 served as 
a criminal prosecutor in Los Angeles 
County, specializing in gang violence. 
His approach has been holistic, focus-
ing on the circumstances that drive 
youths to crime and not just on the 
crimes.
The big picture emphasis could 
serve him well in the job of anti-Semi-
tism monitor, where he will be expect-
ed to take officials to task for specific 
anti-Semitic acts in their countries or 
even in their governments, while also 
gently encouraging larger fixes in edu-
cation and rhetoric to roll back bias.
Carolyn Normandin, regional direc-
tor of the ADL in Michigan, welcomes 
the appointment. “We have repeatedly 
called for the administration to fill this 
position, and Carr has a deep breadth 
of knowledge and experience to bring 
to this critical role,” she said. “Carr 
has been a leader in the fight against 
anti-Semitism on college campuses 
and has advocated for thoughtful 
bipartisan work in this area.”
Normandin added that the ADL 
is also deeply committed to the sup-
port of H.R. 221/S. 238 — the Special 
Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-
Semitism Act, which would give Carr 
the rank of ambassador and ensure 
that, in the future, the position be 
appointed by the president with the 
advice and consent of the Senate. The 
law would impose a legal limit of 90 
days for how long any administration 
could leave the job unfilled.
“The House passed this import-
ant bill several weeks ago by a vote 
of 411 to 1,” Normandin said. “This 
act would help make up for lost 
time when the envoy position was 
vacant. We urge the Senate Foreign 
Relations Committee and full Senate 
to take swift action on the bill, and we 
urge the full-funding of Carr’
s office to 
ensure success.” ■

Managing Editor Jackie Headapohl contribut-

ed to this report.

eretz

RON KAMPEAS JTA.ORG

Elan Carr

WIKIPEDIA

May Detroit Community 
Birthright Trip Now Open

There’
s no better way to dethaw 
from these freezing temperatures 
than to do it in Israel. Registration 
for Federation’
s Detroit Community 
Birthright trip, May 8-20, is open. 
Anyone who has ever gone on a 
Birthright Israel trip will tell you 
it is the experience of a lifetime. 
A free trip to Israel, traveling 
from the south to the north, see-
ing all the iconic sites and hidden 
gems. You ride a camel, sleep in a 
Bedouin tent, climb Masada, swim 
in the Dead Sea, touch the Western 
Wall, walk the stone streets of 
Jerusalem, explore the mystic city 
of Tzfat, and eat all the hummus 
your heart desires. Ten, non-stop 
days in the Holy Land on a bus full 
of your peers has all the makings 
of an incredible adventure — but 
Detroit Community trips offer 
some special extras that trans-
form 10 days of travel into years 
of memories, such as Israeli travel 
mates from Federation’
s partnership 
region for the full 10 days, a full-
day visit to the partnership region 
and Home Hospitality Night where 
you are invited into Israeli travel 
mates’
 homes to share a local meal 
with their families.
The adventure isn’
t over when 
the trip ends. Traveling with fel-
low Detroiters means that you can 
meet up, hang out and build real 
community connections when you 
get back to Michigan and recon-
nect with the Israelis you met on 
your trip in August for a Mifgash, a 
week-long reunion.
Know someone 22-26 who hasn’
t 
gone on Birthright yet? Have them 
register at jewishdetroit.org/
nextgen/birthright or email Nikki 
at baron@jfmd.org with questions. 

