(Courtesy of NORPAC) On Sunday afternoon, Drs. Esther and Mort Fridman hosted Senator Robert Menendez (D-NY) at their home for the final NORPAC Teaneck event of the 2017-2018 political cycle.

Robert Menendez is chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the first New Jersey Democrat to oppose the Iran deal (JCPOA) in 2015 and has been a co-sponsor or co-author of most major bipartisan bills on American security funding to Israel and Iran sanctions.

When asked about the future of the Democratic party and support for Israel, Menendez expressed optimism during the event. The handful of new Democratic lawmakers who have either negative or weak stances on Israel, he stated, did not represent the party as a whole. He believes that the minority of these new members will not influence the American dialogue on Israel and that there is much that both fellow members of Congress and the pro-Israel community can do to educate these congressional freshmen.

Senator Robert Menendez has served for over 20 years in Congress, in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, and will be seeking re-election to his Senate post this November.