(Courtesy of NJJBA) The New Jersey Jewish Business Alliance (NJJBA) sent a delegation to the nation’s capital last week, meeting with congressional representatives and other high level officials to share information and advocate for the value and importance of their individual businesses and the state’s Jewish community at large.
“We had great meetings in Congress and with significant agency representatives,” said David Rosenberg, executive director of NJJBA, “and were able to carry and return messages of support to Washington friends of the Jewish business community and of our members and partners.”
He continued, “We also had the opportunity to express concerns about the growing threat of antisemitism, which has profoundly affected our businesses as well as threatening Jewish students around the state.”
The alliance delegation of 10 met with a senator, four congressional representatives and senior staff of five other representatives, including the Speaker of the House.
“We are proud to say that Jewish-owned businesses, which are almost uncountable in the state, employ upwards of 35,000 New Jerseyans of every background and faith,” Rosenberg said. “We believe it is crucial to go visit Washington at least once a year, both to reinforce in our legislators’ minds our important role in the state and the national economy, and to express our ideas and concerns about issues relevant to the Jewish people, our businesses and our families.”
“Many other Jewish groups visit Washington,” Rosenberg added, “but no one else focuses specifically on business; in the current climate, many of us have faced challenges from haters of Israel and anti-Semites; our congresspersons have now heard about it directly from the business people most affected.”
The delegation met in person with: Reps. Josh Gotheimer (D-5); Tom Kean Jr. (R-7); Andy Kim (D-3); and Chris Smith (R-4).
In addition to the face-to-face meetings with the congressmen, the delegation also met with high-ranking staff members of Sen. Cory Booker; Reps. Frank Pallone (D-6); Bill Pascrell (D-9); Mikie Sherrill (D-11); Jefferson Van Drew (R-2); and the staff of Speaker of the House Mike Johnson.
Rosenberg noted with pleasure that “the Speaker’s staff took us up to the Speaker’s Balcony; that was a nice treat in the beautiful weather.”
Part of the day was spent with officials from the Small Business Administration. “It was a pleasure to meet with significant operatives at the SBA, where so many NJJBA members get support of various kinds,” said Joseph Krausz, Chief Administrative Officer at Schiff Food. The SBA provides loans, disaster assistance, counseling, and training to small businesses throughout the U.S. A team comprised of Jessica Reeves, the SBA Director of Public Engagement, Chelsea Goldinger, Senior Advisor in the Office of Field Operations, and David Brown, Director of Policy and Planning, met with the Alliance delegation.
Nathan Herzog, a Board Member of the Alliance and President of Royal Wine Corp., based in Bayonne, said, “Going with the NJJBA to Washington is always an eye opener; it’s important to have our voices heard in the halls of Congress. With every trip, we meet important dignitaries and staff, and we know those meetings are beneficial to both sides.”
