A mix of centrist and liberal Jewish groups did not attend a Hanukkah party hosted by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations at a Donald Trump-owned hotel in Washington, D.C.
The event on Dec. 15 at the Trump International Hotel, which was co-hosted by the Embassy of Azerbaijan, sparked controversy due to its venue. Eight of the conference’s liberal members announced they would skip the party in protest of the president-elect’s policies, his conflicts of interest or the Azeri government’s policies.
On Dec. 14, Haaretz reported that four major groups — the Jewish Federations of North America, the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee and Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America — would also not attend. JFNA, ADL and Hadassah all cited scheduling conflicts.
Following the event, however, AJC released a statement saying it had sent a representative, but did not give a name.
Earlier, eight liberal Jewish groups had said they would not attend the party, which was co-hosted by the Embassy of Azerbaijan.
The liberal Jewish groups, including the Union for Reform Judaism and the National Council of Jewish Women, said they would not attend in protest of Trump’s policies and in order to avoid the appearance of conflicts of interest.
When the venue was first announced, Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice president of the Presidents Conference, said that the Azerbaijani Embassy had rented the location because of its proximity to the White House, where President Barack Obama’s final Hanukkah party will be taking place the same evening. He said that using a Trump property should not taint anyone who has business with the administration.
“You think that Trump knows who rents a room in his hotel and that influences how we represent to him?” he asked. — jta