The White House announced on July 28, 2014 that Rabbi David Nathan Saperstein would be nominated to serve as Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, a religious freedom advocacy position at the U.S. Department of State, a post that has been vacant since October.
Saperstein was the first chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, beginning in 1999, and the director and counsel of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, where he has served since 1974. He is also an adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C.
Dwayne Leslie, legislative affairs director for Seventh-day Adventists said "We're glad the State Department will again have leadership to help address religious freedom abuses that are happening throughout the world on a daily basis," Leslie said. "Rabbi Saperstein is someone who brings a wealth of experience to the table, and we've worked with him over the years on a number of religious liberty issues." Leslie believes the post is a key position for monitoring religious freedom persecution and discrimination worldwide
Saperstein would succeed Suzan Johnson Cook, who resigned last year. His appointment hinges on confirmation by the U.S. Senate. The job was created by Congress in 1998.
