1987
The Freedom Sunday Rally , organized by David Harris — AJC ’ s then-Washington representative and later AJC CEO from 1990-2022 — brings 250,000 people to Washington , D . C ., on the eve of a summit between Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev and U . S . President Ronald Reagan . The march to demand freedom for Soviet Jews becomes one of the largest Jewish rallies in U . S . history . In the ensuing years , more than a million Jews emigrate from the Soviet Union .
Yesterday I had 250,000 people in my backyard saying , ‘ Let my people go .’ Until you do what they want , nothing will happen .
President Reagan , speaking to Gorbachev , following the rally
1992
Japan reverses itself by ending compliance with the Arab boycott of Israel . It attributes the policy change to AJC . A top Japanese official credits “ five years of patient diplomacy by AJC ” with ending the embargo and enhancing Japan ’ s ties with Israel .
50 SHAPE A NEW FUTURE : AN OVERVIEW OF AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE