A digital version of The World Jewish Congress, 1936-2016, the recently published book chronicling the dramatic diplomatic efforts and achievements of this preeminent international Jewish organization, is now available on Kindle from Amazon.
World Jewish Congress (WJC) President Ronald S. Lauder writes in his forward that “this book reminds us not only what the WJC did in the past, but why the Jewish people need this vital organization now more than ever and will continue to need it in the future.”
Reviewing the book for The Huffington Post, acclaimed author and New York University law professor Thane Rosenbaum wrote: “Each chapter recalls either a different rescue mission, or truth-telling, justice-seeking episode where the World Jewish Congress stood up for Jews caught in a crisis without representation or recourse. . . . The stories are at times riveting, at other times poignant. . . . All together they comprise capstones to a fitting celebration of 80-years of good and righteous deeds in the service of Jewish survival.”
The World Jewish Congress, 1936-2016 received praise in numerous five-star reviews on Amazon.com, including:
“The World Jewish Congress: 1936-2016, edited by Menachem Rosensaft with a Foreword by Ronald Lauder, is a significant contribution to the history of one of the most important international Jewish organizations, and through that a lens into the story of the Jewish people before, during and after the Nazi Holocaust. The essays are written by Jewish leaders and scholars who played pivotal roles in the organization over the years. . . . Ronald Lauder's personal essay "My vision for a Jewish Future" brought tears to my eyes, as I read about the transformation of an assimilated Jew, who had a vision to revive Eastern European Jewish life for those Jews who are living there by providing Jewish education and other institutions vital for the vibrancy of a community.” (Eva Fogelman)
“The book covers the 1940's (the Holocaust years, and the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg), the 1950's and 1960's (the rescue of North African Jewry, and the WJC's pivotal role at the UN), the 1960's and 1970's (the Jewish-Vatican dialogue, and efforts on behalf of Soviet Jewry), the 1980's (fighting the UN "Zionism is racism" resolution, and the Waldheim Affair), the 1980's and 1990's (the campaign to force Swiss banks to return over one billion dollars to the heirs of Holocaust victims). The reader also gets to know the different presidents of the World Jewish Congress - Rabbi Stephen Wise, Nahum Goldmann, Edgar Bronfman and Ronald Lauder - through their own words. WJC CEO Robert Singer provides an overview of the WJC's present-day activities. . . . For anyone interested in the fate and history of the Jewish people during the past eight decades, the book is a welcome addition to university, college, synagogue, and public library shelves.” (Richard I. Janvey)
“This beautifully edited book is a pleasure to read and to handle. It's authoritative, but so much more accessible than its title makes it sound. It's a series of separate essays on key themes, all fascinating. But they also add up to tell a riveting story that is a big chunk of the history of the twentieth century (plus a bit of the twenty first), viewed from an unfamiliar and revealing angle. Above all, it tells of the fate of the Jews in the most momentous period in their history, and of their progress towards an effective and unified and democratic body that could speak for them. There is much too about the WJC's key role in opposing the resurgence of antisemitism today and about protection in the future. The book is simply a must-read if you care about any of this.” (Aramaean)
“Highly recommended! When public expressions of anti-Semitism are becoming more widespread in the US and Europe, this excellent compilation on the history of the World Jewish Congress could not be more timely. In contrast to the tragic libel of an ‘international Jewish conspiracy,’ the book shows how with leadership and initiative an institution has developed and has navigated the troubled waters of the modern era to advocate for and protect the interests and values of Jews around the world. . . . This informative and well-researched book is worthwhile for the general reader and suitable for courses on modern Jewish or world affairs.” (Jeffrey A Katz)
“This is a monumental effort that will serve as an extraordinary resource for those in the field of Jewish Communal Service as well as Jewish communities around the world! But it will also serve in a much broader sense to all caring people.” (Nussman)
“I received this book as a gift and what an eye-opener. For a long time, I knew of the existence of the World Jewish Congress but this book . . . has shown me how valuable this organization is. I had, it turns out, limited knowledge of what the WJC actually does and how much it has accomplished in the years of its existence. . . . Given the current climate, this would be a great book to give as a gift to a high school or college student. It instills pride and offers a role model for operating as a force for good.” (Susan S. Rogol)
The World Jewish Congress, 1936-2016 details the dramatic diplomatic efforts and achievements of this preeminent international Jewish organization, from its founding in Geneva 80 years ago through the present.
Contributors include historians Michael Brenner, Jonathan A. Bush, Suzanne Rutland, Zohar Segev, and Gregory J. Wallance; Monsignor Pier Francesco Fumagalli, vice prefect of the Biblioteca Ambrosiana in Milan; Natan Lerner, professor of law emeritus at IDC Herzliya; Gregg J. Rickman, who led the US Senate Banking Committee’s examination of Swiss banks and their treatment of Holocaust-era assets during and after World War II; Eli M. Rosenbaum, longtime head of the US Justice Department’s Office of Special Investigations; Dr. Maram Stern, the WJC's deputy CEO for diplomacy; Dr. Laurence Weinbaum, director of the Israel Council on Foreign Relations and founding editor of The Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs. and Evelyn Sommer, chairperson of the WJC’s North American Section.