American Jewish Committee Receives Masliansky Award From Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society

American Jewish Committee
Tuesday, 8 June 1999

The American Jewish Committee was honored today by the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society with the Zvi Hirsch Masliansky Award for humanitarian service and protection of the rights of Jews throughout the world. AJC Executive Director David A. Harris accepted the award at HIAS's annual awards presentation.

"The American Jewish Committee and HIAS share a common spirit," said Mr. Harris, "of communal self-reliance, of grounded enlightenment, of belief in the possibility of a better tomorrow."

While HIAS provides "the gift of a new life" for those fleeing persecution, the AJC's mission is "to improve the political and social landscape for Jews and other peoples through the promotion of democratic values, protection of basic human rights and enhancement of mutual respect."

"Both our organizations pursue the same noble visions. Our work is complementary in every sense," said Mr. Harris.

Mr. Harris described the common roots of AJC and HIAS, noting that the leaders of the two organizations shared a vision in striving to meet the needs of the Jewish community. They also understood the need to encourage active Jewish participation in American public life. Mr. Harris cited a 1921 letter from Louis Marshall, then President of AJC, to Secretary of State Charles E. Hughes, written in response to the State Department's negative portrayal of Jewish immigrants and HIAS. Mr. Marshall defended HIAS's actions to aid new immigrants, calling it "a philanthropic organization in the best sense of the word."

Mr. Harris cited several examples of close cooperation between AJC and HIAS:

- Fighting to end "unreasonable and biased limits on immigration" to the U.S.;
- Opposing attempts "to deny benefits" for legal immigrants;
- Helping Soviet Jews leave "inhospitable soil" and welcoming them to new homes in the West; and, most recently,
- Working to aid the Kosovo Muslim refugees.

In conclusion, Mr. Harris recalled working in the HIAS offices in Rome and Vienna in the 1970's, where inspiration to persevere in helping the immigrants "came from many of the refugees themselves" as well as his HIAS colleagues. Mr. Harris said his HIAS experience "persuaded me to pursue a career in Jewish communal work." It convinced him "that there could be no higher calling than a lifetime spent in the Jewish community."

For more information, or to contact American Jewish Committee, see their website at: www.ajc.org