Rosenthal appointed to U.S. religious freedom commission

          Hannah Rosenthal, president and CEO of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation, was appointed on June 17 to the bi-partisan U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.

          “Freedom of religion and belief or non-belief is a fundamental human right,” said Rosenthal. “In the world of chaos that we all live in, this is a group that focuses on that human right.”

          Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) lauded the appointment in a statement released June 19.

          “I have long supported her tremendous work and the vital role she has played in our international community,” Moore stated. “I look forward to her continued service and emboldening our fight against hatred, injustice and intolerance.”

          The commission is a bi-partisan body created by an act of Congress in 1998 to make religious freedom a higher priority in U.S. foreign policy. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), the minority leader in the House of Representatives, recommended Rosenthal’s appointment, which was approved by Speaker of the House Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio).

          “While this is a bi-partisan commission, I cannot imagine any issue of religious freedom that would be partisan,” said Rosenthal.

          The commission watches the International Religious Freedom Office. It also produces a report identifies “Countries of Particular Concern” and “Closely Monitored Countries” that persecute on the basis of religion or have religious freedom issues, and it works towards freeing people imprisoned because of their religious beliefs.

          “In some of these countries, many do not have Jews left, and in countries that still have Jews, they represent a minority, and like all religious minorities, are at risk of abuse of religious freedom,” said Rosenthal.

          This appointment also gives her an opportunity to represent Milwaukee and the Jewish community on an international level, and to share an international perspective with the local community.

          The commission has 10 meetings per year that are a combination of teleconference and traveling to Washington, D.C., and may include some optional international travel.

          Rosenthal is the former U.S. State Department Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism.