Jewish advocate David Harris will be participating in a discussion at a community program titled, “An Urgent Call to Action: In Conversation with David Harris.”
Several community organizations will be co-hosting the event on Thursday, Nov. 21, at 6:30 p.m. at The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah (12320 Nall Ave, Overland Park, KS 66209).
Harris’ advocacy stretches back more than 50 years, and he served as CEO of the American Jewish Community (AJC) from 1990 to 2022 and currently as the executive vice chair for Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy.
Harris will speak about his experiences working with global Jewry, challenges he's faced throughout his life’s work and the evolving role of Jewish advocacy in the world today. He has worked on several issues the Jewish people, Israel and liberal democracies have faced in the past half-century, and he stands as the most decorated Jewish organizational leader in American history.
He is the recipient of four honorary doctorates, most recently receiving a Brandeis University Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in 2022. He has also been honored over 20 times by foreign governments for his international and global work. Former Israeli President and Nobel Laureate Shimon Peres is said to have called Harris “the foreign minister of the Jewish people.”
Harris’ new book, “On the Front Lines: A Lifetime of Global Jewish Advocacy,” was released in August and details his 50-plus-year career working in the Jewish advocacy space. The book is a personal account, in conversation with Agnieszka Markiewicz, of Harris’ life journey.
Harris grew up in the home of wartime survivors, spent time in Soviet detention and faced many challenges. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and continued his studies with a master’s degree and doctoral studies at London School of Economics. He has been a visiting scholar at Johns Hopkins University and Oxford University.
The discussion is being presented in partnership by several community organizations including Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City, The J, Jewish Experiences and Jewish Community Relations Bureau | AJC. Several synagogues and congregations are also partners of the event, including Congregation Beth Israel Abraham & Voliner, Congregation Beth Shalom, Congregation Beth Torah, Kehilath Israel Synagogue, New Reform Temple and B’nai Jehudah.
The event is free and open to all members of the community. Registration is requested by Tuesday, Nov. 19. More information and registration are available on jewishkansascity.org/events/an-urgent-call-to-action.
