SWC Expresses Solidarity With the People of Haiti in Their Time of Unparalleled Crisis

March 21, 2024

The SWC joined with NYC Mayor Eric Adams and other elected officials at New York City Hall in a show of solidarity and concern for the people of Haiti suffering an unparalleled crisis. 

The Center was invited to add its voice in recognition of its efforts to forge closer relationships with Haitian Americans as they struggle to help families & friends in their native land.

Earlier this week, the SWC issued a public letter to the National Haitian American Elected Official Network (NHEAON) as well as the Haitian community at large expressing its solidarity with the Haitian people during a period of extreme turmoil & upheaval in Haiti.

Rabbi Abraham Cooper, Associate Dean and Director of Global Social Action Agenda, and Michael Cohen, Eastern Director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, expressed their profound gratitude for the support shown by members of the American-Haitian community and American-Haitian leadership for their support for Israel & the Jewish people following the October 7th attacks.  

The SWC’s statement of solidarity by Rabbi Cooper and Michael Cohen said in part:

“At a time when the Jewish people needed allies the most, the National Haitian American Elected Official Network (NHEAON) was among the very first to issue a statement offering their prayers and expression of solidarity with our people… Now, Haitians are confronted with a man-made disaster. When the people are facing criminal gangs forcing tens of thousands to flee their homes while countless others have been killed and maimed, we must express our solidarity with their suffering and together with other Jewish groups express our solidarity to our neighbors in the Haitian diaspora and pray for the well-being of the people of Haiti.”

The full text of the letter can be seen here.

For further information, please email Michele Alkin, Director of Global Communications at malkin@wiesenthal.com or Erik Simon at esimon@wiesenthal.com, join the Center on Facebook, or follow @simonwiesenthal for news updates sent directly to your Twitter feed. 

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is an international Jewish human rights organization. It holds consultative status at the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the Council of Europe, the OAS, and the Latin American Parliament (PARLATINO).