The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) announced today the appointment of Alyza D. Lewin as President of U.S. Affairs.
In this newly-established role, Lewin will lead CAM’s American operations and oversee strategic engagement, programming, coordination, and collaboration with government, educational, and civic institutions nationwide.
Lewin joins CAM after serving as President of the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, where she spearheaded landmark legal and advocacy efforts protecting the civil rights of Jewish students and employees across the U.S. A distinguished attorney and co-founder of Lewin & Lewin, LLP, Lewin has dedicated her career to defending justice and equality, and forging a deeper public understanding of antisemitism in modern-day society.
“I am incredibly proud that Alyza Lewin — among the foremost authorities on antisemitism in the U.S., with decades of unmatched experience safeguarding Jewish civil rights — will now, as CAM’s President of U.S. Affairs, employ her personal expertise and vision in engaging American decision-makers so that they can better implement effective solutions to address the challenges facing American Jewry,” said Sacha Roytman, CEO of CAM. “In just over six years since its founding, CAM has become one of the most effective forces fighting antisemitism today. Bringing Alyza to this new role will elevate CAM to an even higher level.”
At CAM, Lewin will prioritize expanding and strengthening engagement with leaders at the city, state, and national levels, including mayors, city councilors, governors, state attorneys general, Congress members, executive branch officials, religious leaders, and law enforcement personnel, as well as other key stakeholders. By offering practical solutions and advancing unique and impactful educational, legislative, and legal initiatives, Lewin will equip both leaders and the broader public with the knowledge and tools — including the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism — needed to identify and counter rising Jew-hatred and uphold fundamental civil rights for all.
“I am honored to join CAM at such a critical juncture in the civil rights movement for the Jewish people,” Lewin said. “Fundamentally, antisemitism is a civil rights issue that challenges the very principles of equality and justice our nation was built upon. We are building a movement to ensure that Jews in America can practice their faith, take pride in their history — including the Jewish people’s ancestral connection to Israel — and live openly, freely and safely as Jews in this country. For centuries Jews have utilized their talents, creativity and resources to enhance and enrich the vibrant tapestry of America. Jews must be able to continue to fully engage in society without fear of being targeted, shunned, marginalized, assaulted, or even killed, purely on the basis of their Jewishness.”
“At CAM, I hope to strengthen alliances, empower communities, and educate decision makers, to ensure that the promise of civil rights in America truly includes the Jewish people,” she added.
Lewin is in Israel this week with three separate CAM delegations of elected officials from the United States. These include a mission of six state attorneys general, a delegation of 19 state legislators, and a trade mission with Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen. CAM is also hosting a delegation of leaders of the New York State, City, and Port Authority police forces. They follow a delegation of U.S. governors’ chiefs of staff who visited Israel last week.
Upcoming CAM domestic events include a summit of 250 Christian pastors in Florida next month and the 2025 North American Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism in New Orleans, Louisiana, in December, where more than 300 cities will be represented. CAM also regularly holds law enforcement training sessions to teach police officers how to recognize and prevent hate crimes targeting Jews.
Kenneth L. Marcus — Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law and former Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the United States Department of Education under two presidential administrations — stated, “We express our gratitude to Alyza for her dedication, passion, and tireless efforts during her time at the Brandeis Center. CAM has made great progress in the fight against antisemitism and have served as such valuable partners to the Brandeis Center.”
Lewin’s full bio:
Alyza D. Lewin brings over 30 years of experience in the legal profession to the new, key role of President of U.S. Affairs for CAM. Immediately prior to joining CAM, Alyza served as president of The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law where she spearheaded legal and advocacy efforts to protect the civil rights of Jewish students, employees and other individuals who have experienced antisemitism. While at the Brandeis Center, Lewin led the litigation team that represented Avi Zinger, the Israeli licensee of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, and negotiated the successful resolution of Zinger’s lawsuit that prevented Ben & Jerry’s boycott of Israel.
Lewin is also a co-founder and partner in Lewin & Lewin, LLP. In 2014, Lewin argued Zivotofsky v. Kerry (the “Jerusalem Passport” case) before the U.S. Supreme Court, a case involving the constitutionality of a law granting any American citizen born in Jerusalem the right to list “Israel” as the place of birth on his/her U.S. passport. In Zivotofsky, the Supreme Court held that the president of the United States has the exclusive authority to recognize foreign sovereigns. The case paved the way for President Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and recognition of Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights. After 18 years, Lewin brought this pro-bono case to a successful resolution in October 2020, when Secretary of State Pompeo revised the US passport regulations and Ambassador David Friedman presented her client with the very first U.S. passport to list Israel as place of birth for an American citizen born in Jerusalem.
Lewin, together with her father Nathan Lewin, also successfully represented the Boim family in its landmark civil tort litigation, initiated in May 2000, which established the right of American victims of terror to obtain damages under American law against organizations that knowingly provide financial support to international terrorist groups.
Lewin began her law career in Israel where she clerked on the Supreme Court for Deputy President Justice Menachem Elon. She received her B.A. from Princeton University and a J.D. from New York University School of Law.
Lewin served as President of the American Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists (“AAJLJ”) from 2012-2017. In January 2020, she was awarded the AAJLJ’s distinguished Pursuit of Justice Award.
Lewin can be reached at: alyza@combatantisemitism.org
