As Congressman Josh Gottheimer walked down the hallway at Yavneh Academy in Paramus, the students slapped him five, giddy with excitement. After all, it’s not every day New Jersey elementary school students get to spend time with their local congressman. One entrepreneurial boy could not let the opportunity go to waste. He simply had to know.
“Are you Donald Trump?” he asked.
As Rep. Gottheimer joined Yavneh’s seventh-grade class for an in-depth discussion, the questions grew more serious. The students peppered the congressman with an array of questions, from how he spends his time, to his position on Israel, to his thoughts on security for nonpublic schools.
Rep. Gottheimer’s visit was part of Yavneh Academy’s Advisory program, which seeks to teach students about political activism. This year, the Advisory program is focusing on an apt theme for young adults: “Prepare yourself to change the world.” The theme is meant to introduce students to the power of political action and the belief that even teens can be involved in the political process.
“We appreciate Cong. Gottheimer taking time out of his busy schedule to meet with our students,” said Rabbi Jonathan Knapp, Yavneh’s principal and head of school. “We encourage our students to stand up for their beliefs and take an active role in shaping public policy. Talking to elected officials and understanding how their decisions affect our lives is an important part of that process.”
Only elected to Congress this past November in a closely contested battle in which he unseated long-time Congressman Scott Garrett, Democrat Rep. Gottheimer is still getting to know the Fifth Congressional District that spreads across northern New Jersey, including Bergen, Passaic, Sussex and Warren counties.
Rep. Gottheimer was accompanied by Teach NJS staff who helped coordinate the logistics of the visit. A project of the Orthodox Union, Teach NJS works at the state level to increase funding for nonpublic schools, and has highlighted security funding as a key priority for the 2017-2018 budget.
The importance of this visit was not lost on Yavneh’s seventh graders or Rep. Gottheimer.
“In March, I took the lead in writing a bipartisan letter to Speaker Ryan and Senate Majority Leader McConnell demanding much-needed resources to protect religiously affiliated institutions,” Rep. Gottheimer said. “DHS and DOJ provide desperately needed support, preparedness planning and resources for law enforcement to address the outbreak of anti-Semitic threats directed towards these organizations. We can’t allow partisan gimmicks to get in the way of the safety of our children and families. Terrorism and extremism have no place in our communities or in our country.”
“We’re honored to help arrange Congressman Gottheimer’s visit to Yavneh Academy,” said Ariella Noveck, director of field operations for Teach NJS. “It was encouraging to hear the congressman’s support for security in Jewish schools. Every child should be able to go to school in a safe environment.”
The Yavneh students presented Rep. Gottheimer with a token of their appreciation and a reminder of the issue closest to their hearts—a mezuzah made from Jerusalem stone with the words, “If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill.”
The children also chose the mezuzah “as it is a perfect metaphor for the job of being a congressman,” the Yavneh students explained. In Jewish legal tradition, the mezuzah is hung slanted on the doorpost, a compromise between two great Rabbis, one who believed the mezuzah should hang vertically and one who argued it should hang horizontally.
The students explained further: “As a congressman you face many issues and situations where there are differences of opinion in congress—whether between Democrats and Republicans, or between those in your own party. But, the only way real business can get done, and Americans can be supported, is through compromise. As we give you this gift, we wish you the blessing of success in achieving this compromise and bringing people together to help the American people.”
By Aliza Warshavchik
