By Kevin Deutsch
Rep. Ted Deutch, who has represented Coral Springs and Parkland in Congress since 2010, is giving up his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives to take the top job at the American Jewish Committee, he announced Monday.
Deutch, a lifelong Jewish and pro-Israel activist, will become the organization’s next Chief Executive Officer on October 1, 2022, AJC said in a written announcement.
In a Facebook post Monday, Deutch told his followers that “after serving the public for more than 15 years, I have decided I will not seek re-election this November.”
“Public service was instilled in me by my father, who earned a Purple Heart in the Battle of the Bulge, and it has been a tremendous privilege to serve the people of Palm Beach and Broward Counties in Congress since 2010” Deutch wrote. “I am incredibly grateful to my constituents for their support and friendship.”
“In my seven terms in Congress, I have worked hard and tried to find common ground. I’m proud of my work to make our communities safer from gun violence, strengthen social security and protect our most vulnerable seniors, and ensure Holocaust survivors can live in dignity.”
“I have been touched and inspired by so many people I have been privileged to meet…Serving as your representative has been the greatest honor of my life.”
Deutch was unanimously selected by AJC’s 28-member Executive Council, the organization’s most senior lay body, following an extensive national search for a successor to AJC CEO David Harris.
Deutsch said he has worked closely with AJC throughout his Congressional career and is “deeply honored” to have been chosen for its top job.
Deutch did not say precisely when he would give up his seat in Congress, saying only he looked “forward to continuing to fulfill my obligations in Washington until Congress recesses for the next election.”
In his Facebook post, the congressman referenced several major developments during his time in office, including the abduction of Robert Levinson of Coral Springs, who had been missing in Iran for three years when Deutch took office.
He also mentioned the February 14, 2018, killings of 17 students and teachers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, as well as the death of his nephew, Eli, who died from an accidental fentanyl ingestion one year ago this week.
Deutch currently holds some of the most important roles in Congress regarding Israel and antisemitism.
He is a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, on which he serves as Chairman of the Middle East, North Africa, and Global Counterterrorism Subcommittee.
He is also a founding Co-Chair of the House Bipartisan Taskforce for Combating Antisemitism and has authored legislation strengthening Israel’s security, advancing U.S.-Israel cooperation in energy, agriculture, technology, and trade.
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