More than 125 lay and rabbinic leaders of Orthodox Jewish communities from across the country convened on Capitol Hill and at the White House June 15 for the Orthodox Union Advocacy Center’s annual Leadership Mission to Washington, D.C.
Orthodox Union President Mark Bane stated: “The Orthodox Union Advocacy Center works year-round to advocate for the values and interests of the Orthodox Jewish community, and coming to Washington is a very visible reminder of our commitment to those we represent and our appreciation for this country’s leaders who work tirelessly on behalf of the Jewish people and Israel.”
Throughout the day-long mission, the delegates focused on advocating for three issues critical to the Orthodox Jewish community:
OU Advocacy Center Executive Director Nathan Diament stated: “We are grateful that so many prominent leaders of our community came to Washington and successfully advanced the critical policy priorities of security for Israel, security for American Jewish schools and synagogues and school choice.”
The day’s events kicked off with an opening session featuring Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), chair of the Education Committee. Chairwoman Foxx spoke of her deep commitment to school choice policies. Rep. Engel spoke of his commitment to pass bipartisan legislation—like the Taylor Force Act—to put an end to the Palestinian Authority’s terrorist stipends.
Orthodox Union delegates then met with their congressional representatives in smaller groups to discuss the policy agenda. After those meetings, the entire group reconvened for a luncheon with U.S. senators.
Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) announced the 98-2 vote that had just occurred in favor of new sanctions on Iran, for which he received a standing ovation.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said the United States must make sure Iran is held accountable for its actions. “They haven’t moderated a bit,” Schumer said. “They’re still exporting terrorism.”
Schumer was also among several senators who spoke about the need to pass legislation like the Taylor Force Act, saying, “Abbas has to stop making payments to terrorists and their families, and all elected officials should call them out” for this practice. He further stated he will support legislation like the Taylor Force Act if the Trump administration cannot get the Palestinians to end the stipends.
The ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), said, “We’re going to find a way to pass the Taylor Force Act.”
Making the cause bipartisan, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) addressed the OU delegates, noting he was one of the original sponsors of the legislation, and that Congress must take action immediately to stop funding Palestinian terrorism.
Sen. Cruz also spoke about his support to relocate the U.S. Embassy in Israel. “Now is the time to recognize Jerusalem as the one eternal, indivisible capital of Israel,” Cruz said. “It is long past time to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, where it belongs.”
Other senators who spoke during the luncheon were Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Bill Nelson (R-Fla.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), all of whom voiced their strong support for the OU Advocacy’s work and their ongoing efforts on behalf of Israel and the Jewish people.
The OU leaders then traveled to the White House. There, they met with Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to discuss school choice initiatives; Special Representative for International Negotiations Jason Greenblatt, who spoke about advancing the Israeli-Palestinian peace process; and Deputy Assistant to the President Sebastian Gorka, who provided insights into national security policy.
Orthodox Union Executive Vice President Allen Fagin stated, “Coming to Washington reminds all of us that we have great strength when we join together and speak with a unified voice in our nation’s capital. Our national delegation of leaders deeply appreciated the many representatives and senators who met with us and will be our partners on our policy priorities. And we were all honored to meet with such senior administration officials—Secretary DeVos, Special Rep. Greenblatt and Deputy Assistant Gorka.”
Orthodox Union Advocacy Center Chairman Jerry Wolasky said, “I am proud to be among the leaders of the OU Advocacy Center. Meeting with a Cabinet secretary, top aides to the president and a score of senators and representatives is a testament to the high regard in which the Orthodox Union is held in Washington. The OU Advocacy Center works intensively—and successfully—to leverage this access into concrete policies that benefit our community and others.”
The Orthodox Union is the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization; the OU Advocacy Center is the non-partisan public policy arm of the OU and leads its advocacy efforts in Washington, D.C., and state capitals.
