Conference of Presidents
Conference of PresidentsEliran Aharon

Dianne Lob the former chairwoman of HIAS, has been nominated to become chairwoman of the Conference of Presidents of American Jewish Organizations.

Lob led HIAS, a left-wing Jewish pro-immigrant organization, from 2016-2019. She will run unopposed in the elections on April 28 and assume her new position on June 1.

Israeli consul in New York Danny Dayan congratulated Lob on her nomination. "A heartfelt Mazal Tov to Dianne Lob, Chair-Elect of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations. As she clearly stated in her 1st official statement, the mutual support between the State of Israel and the American Jewish Community is central to her beliefs as it is to ours," Dayan wrote on Twitter.

Conference of Presidents CEO William Daroff and Vice Chair Malcolm Hoenlein said that Lob was the correct choice to lead the organization during the coronavirus crisis.

“During this unique time in Jewish life, as we all struggle with the uncertainty of the COVID-19 crisis, Dianne Lob brings a unique and valued outlook from her leadership position as the chair of one of the most storied organizations in American Jewish life and from her senior positions in the financial industry," they said in a statement.

Lob's nomination caused controversy over her political affiliations.

Israeli journalist Caroline Glick wrote in response: "The Conference of Presidents nominated Dianne Lob, the former chairman of the anti-Israel, post-Jewish, open borders HIAS outfit to serve as its new chairman. This along with Biden's embrace of J Street tells us the traditional US Jewish organizations have rotted through. Terrible."

"Regular American Jews who want those who claim to speak for them to actually have a commitment to the Jewish people need to oppose this with all their might. HIAS got good press because the Nazi at the Tree of Life raged against it in his massacre screed. But the fact that Bowers hates HIAS doesn't make it more representative of American Jews. American Jews, like Jews around the world mustn't let anti-Semites define them. Standing with HIAS, a radical leftist pressure outfit because Bowers hates it would do just that.," Glick added.

The Zionist Organization of America also opposed Lob's nomination.

"The ZOA believes that electing Ms. Lob would undermine and create multiple serious conflicts with the COP’s mission to help Israel and the Jewish people, and would damage the COP’s relationships with U.S. federal, state and local governments and the Israeli government and people," the organization stated.

"Ms. Lob is virtually unknown to the Conference members. She has not spent significant time at the Conference. We do not know of any COP members who have seen her at any COP meetings. Like many other COP members, we have never met Ms. Lob. She did not join the February missions to Saudi Arabia and Israel. She has not been active in Conference activities. As such, Ms. Lob lacks the requisite extensive network of relationships and experience with the complex dynamics affecting the Conference," the ZOA added.

"HIAS is not the proper organization from which the top leader of the American Jewish community should be chosen. We are also deeply concerned that Ms. Lob holds the same troubling views as the organization that she led. Especially at this time with the current administration in the White House."

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee also condemned Lob's nomination, writing on Twitter: "W/O dispute DonaldTrump is best US President ever as ally to IsraeliPM, so why would Conf of Presidents of Jewish Groups nominate anti-Trump Dianne Lob fmrly of HIAS (ties to radical groups) to lead them? Makes NO sense! Hope they reconsider-for their own sake!"