During the time I served as Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism in the Obama administration, I traveled across Europe, Central Asia and beyond, working with governments, religious leaders and civil society to develop new strategies against antisemitism while building broader coalitions for tolerance and pluralism.

From Kazakhstan to Poland, I saw firsthand the unique value of a dedicated envoy focused on antisemitism, empowered by the State Department. At a moment when this ancient hatred is evolving and spreading across borders, the United States should strengthen—not dilute—this office’s mission.

That is why, as a former Special Envoy on Antisemitism and as the child of a Holocaust survivor, I am very concerned about the efforts by the current envoy to merge his office with that of the Special Envoy on Holocaust Issues (SEHI). The proposed merger, which could also end up with the elimination of the SEHI office, reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of the responsibilities and duties of each of the offices.

The special envoy on antisemitism’s office requires diplomatic strategies, building relationships with diverse groups around the world, to identify and combat hatred of Jews wherever it rears its head — which is often and almost everywhere. When I went to a country experiencing antisemitism, it often called for bringing together people who had never been in the same room before, to condemn the hatred and to have meaningful conversations about how to prevent it. It called for meetings with the media to educate them and to encourage thoughtful coverage of antisemitism. It called for encounters with young people who would be future leaders, and with elected leaders of countries and parties to engage in........

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