Adela Cojab

Adela Cojab Moadeb (born November 12, 1996) is an Israel activist, public speaker, and author. Adela Cojab is best known for her fight for Israel and fight against anti-Semitism on college campuses throughout the United States, and has frequently been recognized as a leading voice on these issues.[1][2]

Adela Cojab
Cojab speaking alongside President Trump in 2019
Born
Adela Cojab Moadeb

(1996-11-12) November 12, 1996
Mexico City, Mexico
NationalityMexican, Canadian
Alma materNew York University
OccupationActivist, Public Speaker, Author

Early life

Cojab was born in Mexico City, Mexico. In 2001, her family moved to Deal, New Jersey, where she attended Hillel Yeshiva. Her family immigrated from Syria and Lebanon to Mexico City, Mexico, where there is a large Sephardic Jewish community. Adela Cojab’s immediate family left Mexico due to the rise in organized crime of 1998-2002.[3][4][1]

Cojab attended New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study, where she built a concentration in Sephardic Diaspora Structures. At NYU, she served as President of Realize Israel, an internationally recognized Israel advocacy group, Senator for Jewish and International Students on NYU’s University Senate, and Vice President of Alpha Epsilon Phi. She was also the official representative for Jewish Students at the United Nations' ECOSOC Youth forum.[1][2]

Political Activism

Cojab is a noted speaker on Jewish rights and equality under the law. She frequently speaks at conferences and college campuses about anti-Semitism, Zionism, and human rights. Cojab believes that all students are entitled to learn in a harassment-free environment and works to advocate on their behalf. She has also authored and contributed to a number of published pieces about Judaism, activism, and anti-Semitism.[5][6]

Cojab’s activism began with her work as a student at NYU, where she presided over Realize Israel during a string of controversial occurrences. In March 2018, the group was boycotted by 53 student organizations at New York University as part of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.[7] In April of the same year, the group’s Israel celebration titled Rave in the Park was disrupted by anti-Israel activists, two of whom were arrested for assault and reckless endangerment.[8] Following NYU’s decision to honor the group associated with the arrests, Cojab filed a Title VI complaint with the Department of Education against NYU for failing to protect Jewish students from harassment. The complaint gained the attention of the media, sparking similar legal complaints from Jewish students in universities nationwide.[9][10]

In December 2019, Cojab was invited by President Donald J. Trump to speak about her legal complaint at the Israel American Committee’s National Summit. Three days after the summit, President Trump addressed her concerns and signed an executive order officially recognizing Judaism as a protected class under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.[11][12]

Cojab has won many awards for her activism, including her designation as one of the most influential Jewish of the world.[13]

Personal life

Cojab is fluent in four languages, Spanish, English, Hebrew, and Portuguese.[5][13]

References
  1. Cojab, Adela (May 29, 2020). An Alumna’s Fight Against Antisemitism at NYU (Speech). Alums for Campus Fairness. Online.
  2. "30 Under Thirty - Women Who Inspire". PROPEL. New York: PROPEL NETWORK. June 17, 2020.
  3. "Police say Giuliani helps cut Mexico City crime". web.archive.org. 2004-06-09. Retrieved 2020-07-05.
  4. "Mexican Jews: Stop kidnapping". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 2004-06-30. Retrieved 2020-07-05.
  5. Cojab, Adela (March 2, 2020). Engaging the Next Generation of Sephardic Leaders. AIPAC Policy Conference. Washington, D.C.
  6. Cojab, Adela. (2017). Confronting Terror: The Buenos Aires Bombings. In M. Z. Rosensaft, The World Jewish Congress: 1936-2016 (pp.234-243#). World Jewish Congress LLC.
  7. "51 NYU student groups pledge to boycott Israel and its backers". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 2018-04-13. Retrieved 2020-07-05.
  8. "Anti-Zionist NYU Students Arrested at Israel Independence Day Party, Charged With Reckless Endangerment, Assault". Algemeiner.com. Retrieved 2020-07-05.
  9. "Education Dept. probing alleged anti-Semitism at NYU | Fox News". www.foxnews.com. Retrieved 2020-07-05.
  10. Green, Erica L. (2019-12-11). "Wider Definition of Judaism Is Likely to Aid Crackdown on Colleges". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-07-05.
  11. "Remarks by President Trump at the Israeli American Council National Summit 2019". The White House. Retrieved 2020-07-05.
  12. Press, Associated. "Trump to sign order using broader definition to target anti-Semitism at colleges". MarketWatch. Retrieved 2020-07-05.
  13. Dreyfus, Hannah. "Adela Cojab Moadeb, 21". jewishweek.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2020-07-05.


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