The American Jewish Committee (AJC) and the Latino Coalition (TLC) have announced today a cooperative agreement to jointly deepen and strengthen relations between the Jewish and Latino communities in the United States.

“We have certainly come a long way,” said Tom Kahn, chair of AJC’s Latino and Latin American Institute, referring to decades of interactions between the two communities.

“Today, there seems to be common conviction that a more solid and effective Latino-Jewish coalition can certainly help advance shared visions and goals at home and abroad.”

The agreement between AJC, the global Jewish advocacy organization, and The Latino Coalition, a national group of Hispanic business owners, follows the recent National Conversation on the State of Latino-Jewish Relations, sponsored by AJC. TLC leaders participated, and also attended the first Latino-Jewish Summit in 2001, which AJC co-sponsored.

“I want to acknowledge AJC for this incredible opportunity to partner together,” said Hector Barreto, TLC Chairman. “We are very proud of the relationship we have and are looking forward to growing this friendship for many years to come so that we can benefit both of our great communities, the Jewish community and the Latino community, in the United States.”

The first Latino-Jewish Summit in 2001, Kahn said, “established the foundation for a process through which leaders and organizations, representing each group, would publicly support key aspects of our common and individual agendas.”

The National Conversation, in March 2013, produced a Statement of Latino-Jewish Joint Purpose and Action that is a blueprint for cooperation on key policy issues and has been widely endorsed in both communities.

“From immigration reform to foreign policy, from education to philanthropic endeavors, from economic to political empowerment, there is much that both communities can achieve for the benefit of our communities and U.S. society as a whole,” said Kahn.