As Trump Administration officials, Cabinet Secretaries and Congress acclimate to the levers of power in Washington, members of Agudath Israel of America’s Board of Trustees, Executive Staff, Regional Directors and key activists from across the country arrived in the nation’s capitol on Tuesday evening, March 7th, to take part in the organization’s annual Leadership Mission to Washington.
With the political landscape dramatically altered this past November, the over-arching agenda according to Chairman of the Board Mr. Shlomo Werdiger is for Agudah leaders to build new bridges and further relationships with key government officials and influential decision makers in Congress.
Numerous issues including the alarming rise in anti-Semitic incidents, religious liberties, school choice possibilities and Israel’s safety and security are front and center on the Jewish communal list of concerns.
Agudath Israel’s Executive Vice President Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel says that missions of this scope give Agudah advocates a platform to advance issues that are of great importance to its constituencies and provide lawmakers and decision makers a firsthand report and view from the front lines of Jewish communal life.
Chaskel Bennett, Agudah Trustee, concurred. “New policy and legislation is being negotiated now, so we are here to share our perspective and make sure those decisions take into account the unique needs of the Orthodox community.”
Rabbi Abba Cohen, Agudath Israel’s Vice President for Federal Affairs and Washington Director and Counsel, agreed that the mission comes at a crucial moment for the broader American Jewish community currently experiencing a dangerous rise in threats against Jewish targets. He pointed out that that very same day, here in Washington, all 100 US Senators signed a letter urging the Trump administration to step up security at Jewish community centers, day schools and synagogues which was co-authored by Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL).
The Mission kicked off Tuesday evening with a dinner in the historic LBJ Room situated off the floor of the Senate in the Capitol.
Leaders and activists were joined by House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD), who was warmly introduced by well known community leader and Agudah Trustee Howard Tzvi Freedman. Additionally Jason Dov Greenblatt, assistant to the President, Special Representative for International Negotiations joined the delagates for dinner and was warmly received.
Highlighting the evening was featured guest Senator Rubio, powerfully introduced by Mr. Bennett. Senator Rubio in his trademark style touched on nearly every issue of importance to the Agudath Israel constituency including the rise of anti-semitism and the BDS movement, School Choice, and Israel’s security. He was interrupted several times with thunderous applause.
The evening concluded with reports from the front lines by several Agudah regional directors led by Rabbi AD Motzen, Agudah’s national director of state relations.
The Agudah Washington mission continues this morning with a historic meeting at the U.S. Department of Education with newly confirmed Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. This will be followed by a late morning meeting at the White House with White House policy advisors, the first such meeting with a Jewish advocacy group.
The Mission will culminate with a highly anticipated luncheon with influential U.S. senators on the hill.
A full report on the day’s activities will follow.
001: Mincha in the Senate
002: Rabbi Abba Cohen, Agudath Israel’s Vice President for Federal Affairs and Washington Director and Counsel, opening the Agudah’s National Board of Trustees Leadership Mission to Washington, DC
003: Howard Tzvi Friedman introducing House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer.
004: House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer speaking to the Agudath Israel of America National Board of Trustees Leadership Mission to Washington DC. Seated L to R: Jason Dov Greenblatt, Assistant to the President, Special Representative for International Negotiations at Executive Office of the President; Shlomo Werdiger, Chairman of Agudath Israel’s Board of Trustees; Howard Tzvi Friedman, member of the Board of Trustees; Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Executive Vice President, Agudath Israel; Rabbi Abba Cohen, Vice President for Federal Affairs and Washington Director and Counsel, Agudath Israel, Rabbi Labish Becker, Executive Director, Agudath Israel.
005: Shlomo Werdiger greets Jason Greenblatt.
006: Chaskel Bennett, member of the Board of Trustees and one of the leaders of the organization’s government affairs committee, and Rabbi Shai Markowitz, director of the Lefkowitz Leadership Initiative, recall Mr. Greenblatt’s visit to the Agudah Convention.
007: Chaskel Bennett introducing Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL)
008: Senator Rubio speaks to the Board of Trustees
009: Member of the Board of Trustees, Ali Scharf, greeting Senator Rubio
010: the dais
011: Chaskel Bennett presents Senator Rubio with ‘Daring to Dream’, Profiles in the Growth of the American Torah Community, published by Agudath Israel of America.
012: joined by other members of the mission
013: Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel introduces the National network
014: Rabbi A.D. Motzen, national director for state relations, reporting.
015: Rabbi Ariel Sadwin, director, Agudath Israel mid-atlantic region
016: Rabbi Avi Schnall, Agudath Israel of America’s New Jersey director
017: Rabbi Moshe Matz, director, Agudath Israel of Florida
018: Rabbi Shlomo Soroka, director of Government Affairs, Agudath Israel of Illinois
019 Dr. Irving Lebovics, president, Agudath Israel of California
020 – 030: Participants
