These days, the battle to deny the history of the Bais Hamikdash and the Divine connection between Eretz Yisroel and Klal Yisroel and the Torah has taken on multiple fronts.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) just passed a resolution, supported by twenty-two nations, which calls Israeli sovereignty over Yerushalayim “null and void,” effectively denying the millennia-old Jewish connection to the Land. This comes on the heels of the infamous UN Resolution 2334, which makes a similar historically dubious claim and passed in December.

At the same time, the cherished status of Yerushalayim is unfortunately under assault internally as well. There has been a highly publicized battle waged by Women of the Wall and other non-Orthodox groups to change the religious “status quo” at the Kosel Hamaaravi, which welcomes all visitors but adheres to Torah true decorum and halachos.

These developments greatly pain Reb Duvi Honig, a Lakewood resident and Founder and Director of the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce. Reb Duvi is determined to utilize the public policy clout of the Chamber to not only boost economic opportunity for Jewish community businesses around the world and fight the BDS movement, but also to battle on behalf of the religious character of Eretz Yisroel, such as the status of the Kosel and shmiras Shabbos across Eretz Yisroel. “Preserving kedushas Eretz Yisroel is paramount to meriting the siyatta dishmaya to succeed in parnassah,” he explains.

Earlier this year, during the Chamber’s “U.S.-Israel Business Alliance” mission to Israel, Reb Duvi delivered a resounding measure to those in power. At a Knesset symposium with a dozen MKs, as well as at a roundtable with Yerushalayim Mayor Nir Barakat, and other mission events, Reb Duvi spoke with visible emotion regarding the need to preserve the religious character of Yerushalayim and its mekomos hakedoshim. “If we don’t respect our own heritage, how can we expect the UN and world nations to respect it?,” he cried out. Reb Duvi’s words clearly left their mark, and actually encouraged various MKs to take a pro-Shabbos stance in the political battle over allowing Tel Aviv businesses to remain open on Shabbos.

In this effort, Reb Duvi has joined forces with the Ateret Cohanim organization in order to make a real difference. Ateret Cohanim is a world renowned powerhouse, with a strong membership base and political clout.

Among other initiatives, the organization arranges for thousands of Yeshiva Bochurim and seminary girls to daven at the Kosel on Rosh Chodesh and other days that the anti-Orthodox forces arrange their “services.” This show of force has been reported upon extensively in the secular media as well as charedi outlets such as Hamodia. These efforts have actually stopped many non-Orthodox “services’ from taking place and is a major long term hindrance to the anti-Orthodox movement. The organization’s longtime focus has also been to preserve and boost the historical Jewish character of Yerushalayim and surrounding neighborhoods, including in the historically Jewish areas referred to by the world as “East Jerusalem” and the “Muslim Quarter” of the Old City. Well over 1000 frum families live and learn Torah in these areas, serving as a thumb in the eye for the UN and others who seek to deny their Jewish history and status.

Reb Duvi has fought shoulder-to-shoulder with Mati Dan, Founder and Chairman of Ateret Cohanim in Israel; Dr. Joseph Frager, Chairman of the Executive Council of American Friends of Ateret Cohanim and member of the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce’s Executive Public Policy Committee; and other Ateret Cohanim leaders and supporters – many of whom participated in the recent Chamber mission in Israel. Mati Dan has been particularly active in the battle on behalf of the Kosel status quo, and Reb Duvi has lent him meaningful support.

American Friends of Ateret Cohanim will iy”H be hosting a historical “Jerusalem Chai” dinner on Monday, June 5th, at Terrace on the Park in Queens. This dinner marks the 50th anniversary of the unification of Yerushalayim under Israeli control, which enabled yidden from around the world to visit previously Jordanian occupied areas, daven at the Kosel, and build Jewish homes and Yeshivos throughout the area.

In recognition of Reb Duvi’s unique partnership in Ateret Cohanim’s work, the “Bonei Yerushalayim Award” will be presented to Reb Duvi and his wife Esther at the event. “I am humbled at having been selected for this award; it is important that frum yidden of all backgrounds work together in this mission,” says Reb Duvi. “May we be zoche to see Yerushalayim and the Bais Hamikdash fully rebuilt bimheira b’yameinu.”

For more information about the Jerusalem Chai dinner and placing an ad in the journal, please call 212-216-9270 or visit http://jerusalemchai.org/dinner