Jul 14, 2023

USCIRF Welcomes President Biden’s Appointment of Susie Gelman to U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom

Washington, DC – President Joseph R. Biden announced today the appointment of Susie Gelman to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).

“USCIRF welcomes Susie Gelman, bringing together a full complement of nine Commissioners,” stated USCIRF Chair Abraham Cooper. “Her expertise and insight on global antisemitism and freedom of religion or belief will be a great addition to help support the Commission’s mission to unflinchingly identify threats to international religious freedom.”

Susie Gelman served as board chair of Israel Policy Forum from 2016-2023. She previously served for three terms as president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, one term as Federation’s campaign co-chair, and is a lifetime member of the Federation’s Board of Directors. She previously co-chaired the Israel Religious Expressions Platform (iRep) of the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), an initiative that focused on pluralism through freedom of choice of marriage in Israel.

Gelman was the inaugural chair of the Birthright Israel Foundation and served for many years as a member of its board as well as the Taglit-Birthright Israel Planning Committee. She served as co-chair of UJC (now JFNA) Israel and co-chaired JFNA’s General Assembly in Jerusalem in both 2003 and 2013. Susie is a member of the Board of Governors of The Hebrew University, an honorary fellow of Brandeis University, and is past president of the Georgetown Day School Board of Trustees, where she served on the board for 12 years. She is the past president of the Goldman Environmental Foundation, where she continues to serve on the board.

“We are fortunate to have Susie Gelman join the Commission at a time where we are seeing a significant rise in antisemitism and anti-Muslim bias throughout the world,” USCIRF Vice Chair Frederick A. Davie added. “Her work in human rights offers a unique perspective to advocate on behalf of those persecuted for their religion or belief.”

USCIRF Commissioners are appointed by the President and leadership of both political parties in the Senate and House of Representatives.

 

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected]