Disruption and Debate at ADL Conference: Kushner Speech Sparks Controversy

Edited by:  Fern Sidman

Tensions ran high at the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) annual conference on anti-Semitism at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City as three individuals were removed for disrupting Jared Kushner’s keynote speech on Wednesday, as was reported by The Forward. The incident unfolded as Kushner, former President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and Middle East adviser, was being honored for his role in negotiating the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Gulf Arab countries.

Jared Kushner’s ADL speech in NYC disrupted by protesters calling him a “warmonger.”

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— AF Post (@AFpost) March 6, 2024

Amidst chants of “warmonger” and “ceasefire now,” security officers escorted the protesters from the hall, though Kushner remained unfazed, continuing his address. However, the report in The Forward indicated that the disruption was not isolated, as several dozen attendees silently walked out as Kushner took the stage, reflecting the contentious nature of his presence at the conference.

The decision to honor Kushner has sparked heated debate within the ADL community, with many expressing concerns over his perceived failure to denounce Trump’s associations with perceived extremists and anti-Semitic rhetoric. Despite protests and objections, Jonathan Greenblatt, the ADL’s CEO, introduced Kushner, acknowledging the contentious nature of the decision. “Our next speaker is someone I have disagreed with strenuously,” Greenblatt remarked, according to the report in The Forward, addressing the audience’s palpable skepticism.

“Do unto others as you would have them do to you,” says Jared Kushner during his speech today at the ADL conference in NYC.

“You’re not doing shit like that!” yells a woman in the audience. “You are not a civil rights ally, you fascist! You’re a fucking racist!” pic.twitter.com/wuhh9NIB0l

— Talia Jane ❤️‍🔥 (@taliaotg) March 6, 2024

In response to the widespread questioning of Kushner’s selection for the award, Greenblatt emphasized the ADL’s nonpartisan stance, highlighting the organization’s commitment to combating bigotry irrespective of political affiliations, as was indicated in The Forward. “ADL is not a partisan organization,” Greenblatt asserted, acknowledging the diversity of perspectives within the audience.

Kushner, for his part, addressed the controversy surrounding his award, admitting initial skepticism due to concerns about the ADL’s perceived political leanings. However, he ultimately accepted the honor, emphasizing the organization’s broader mission in combating anti-Semitism. “We cannot let this be about politics,” Kushner emphasized, as was noted in the report in The Forward. “This is about the Jews,” he declared.

According to the information provided in The Forward, Kushner’s address at the Anti-Defamation League’s annual conference stirred both applause and jeers as he defended his father-in-law, former President Donald Trump, against accusations of anti-Semitism while briefly touching on contentious issues such as the war in Gaza.

Despite asserting that Trump “is not an anti-Semite,” Kushner’s remarks were met with mixed reactions from the audience, with some jeering his defense of the former president, The Forward reported.  However, moments of applause punctuated his speech, particularly when he spoke of his wife Ivanka’s conversion to Judaism and Trump’s support for their son’s brit milah.

While Kushner acknowledged the suffering of the Palestinian people amid the conflict in Gaza, where Israeli forces have faced international scrutiny for civilian casualties, his remarks were brief and did not delve into the complexities of the situation, the report in The Forward said. “My heart goes out to the Palestinian people,” he said. “They could use better friends as well.”

Outside the convention center, a heavy police presence was observed, with officers guarding entrances where protesters held banners advocating for a ceasefire and singing Hebrew antiwar anthems, according to The Forward.

The controversy surrounding Kushner’s speech highlights the deep divides within the ADL community and underscores the complexities of addressing issues of anti-Semitism and geopolitical conflicts. As the organization conducts a review of the incident, the debate over Kushner’s remarks is likely to continue, reflecting broader tensions within the Jewish community and beyond.