President Joe Biden appointed Susie Gelman, philanthropist and leader in the Washington, D.C., Jewish community, to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, the White House announced on July 14.
Gelman is the past president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and served as chair of the Israel Policy Forum from 2016-2023.
“USCIRF welcomes Susie Gelman, bringing together a full complement of nine Commissioners,” USCIRF Chair Abraham Cooper said in a press release. “Her expertise and insight on global antisemitism and freedom of religion or belief will be a great addition to help support the Commission’s mission to unflinchingly identify threats to international religious freedom.”
The USCIRF, created in 1988 by the International Religious Freedom Act, is an independent, bipartisan federal government agency that works to protect religious freedoms in the U.S. and internationally. The commission’s nine members make policy recommendations to the president, secretary of state and Congress and work to ensure these recommendations are followed.
Amidst rising antisemitism and other forms of hate, Gelman’s role as commissioner is particularly important, according to USCIRF Vice Chair Frederick A. Davie.
“We are fortunate to have Susie Gelman join the Commission at a time where we are seeing a significant rise in antisemitism and anti-Muslim bias throughout the world,” he said in a press release. “Her work in human rights offers a unique perspective to advocate on behalf of those persecuted for their religion or belief.”
Gelman’s leadership roles in Jewish organizations have prepared her for this role, including seven years at Israel Policy Forum, an education, advocacy and policy research organization advocating for a two-state solution in the Israel-Palestine conflict. She served as president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington from 2008-2011 and was co-chair of the nonprofit’s Israel Religious Expressions Platform, advocating for freedom of choice and religious pluralism in marriage. Gelman is a lifetime member of the Jewish Federation’s Board of Directors.
Gelman was also involved with Jewish Federation on the national level, serving as co-chair of United Jewish Communities (now Jewish Federations of North America) Israel and co-chair of JFNA’s General Assembly in Jerusalem in 2003 and 2013. She was the inaugural chair of the Birthright Israel Foundation, as well as a member of the Taglit-Birthright Israel Planning Committee.
A graduate of Harvard University and Georgetown University Law Center, Gelman has served on the boards of many educational institutions, including as past president of the Georgetown Day School Board of Trustees. She is a member of The Hebrew University Board of Governors and an honorary fellow of Brandeis University.
Gelman and her husband Michael Gelman, who both are co-owners of Mid-Atlantic Media, which publishes Washington Jewish Week, Baltimore Jewish Times and Philadelphia Jewish Exponent, operate their philanthropic efforts through the Morningstar Foundation.
Gelman will replace Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, spiritual leader of Congregation Beit Simchat Torah in New York City, who finished her two-year term on the commission in March.
