The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), formerly known as the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith, is a New York-based international advocacy organization founded in 1913 with the stated purpose of combating antisemitism, as well as other forms of bigotry and discrimination. The ADL is also known for its pro-Israel advocacy, and, since the 1970s, it has promoted the concept of a new antisemitism, describing criticism of Israel or opposition to Zionism as antisemitic.
The ADL is a non-governmental organization, its CEO is Jonathan Greenblatt, and its headquarters are located in Murray Hill, in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It has 25 regional offices in the United States including a government relations office in Washington, D.C., as well as an office in Israel and staff in Europe. In 2023, the ADL reported total revenue of $38.3 million, the vast majority from contributions and grants. Its operating expenses for 2023 were reported at $57.9 million.
It was founded in late September 1913 by the Independent Order of B'nai B'rith, a Jewish service organization, in the wake of the contentious murder conviction of Leo Frank. In 2009, the ADL became independent from B'nai B'rith and continued as an independent US section 501(c)(3) nonprofit. In an early campaign, the ADL and allied groups pressured the automaker Henry Ford, who had published virulently antisemitic propaganda.
In the 1930s, the ADL worked with the American Jewish Committee (AJC) to oppose pro-Nazi activity in the United States. It campaigned for major civil rights legislation in the 1960s. During this period, it also worked with the NAACP to discredit far-right organizations such as the John Birch Society. In the 1980s, it was involved in propaganda against Nelson Mandela of South Africa before embracing him the following decade.
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