Regular readers of The Jewish Link are well aware of the many political and communal benefits of the annual NORPAC mission to Washington. These missions mobilize hundreds of citizen-activists, who spend a full day in the nation’s capital to engage with many members of Congress, urge their support of vital legislation supporting a strong U.S./Israel alliance, and bring critical concerns to their attention.

But as Anne Gontownik of Englewood pointed out, these benefits may be overshadowed by a powerful byproduct of the missions: forging of bonds of activism between different generations of the same family and developing sharp leadership skills in high school and college students.

Anne and Jerry Gontownik have participated in NORPAC missions for over two decades, having brought their sons during their high school years. In keeping with family tradition — Anne’s parents previously attended the mission with their grandchildren — this year marked the first time Anne and Jerry brought their granddaughter, Ruthie.

In a statement in a NORPAC ad in The Jewish Link on May 1, Anne noted that Ruthie, a 10th grader at Yeshivat Frisch, had started recruiting her friends and their parents to attend the mission. Anne shared statements from other high school students who participated in the NORPAC 2025 mission, who raved about the impact of their experiences in Washington.

Abie Choake, a student of MTA, stated: “Three of my great-grandparents were Holocaust survivors, and participating in the NORPAC mission made me reflect on how different our times are today. During the Holocaust, American Jews didn’t have access to members of Congress the way we do now to advocate for the Jewish people. My grandfather, Dr. Ben Choake, president of NORPAC, has dedicated his life to NORPAC, and seeing the impact of these meetings helped me understand why building those relationships matters so much. I’m always proud of what my grandfather does, but personally being in Washington with him and both of my grandmothers took that pride to another level.”

“It felt powerful that we were being recognized and supported by the representatives in the capital,” reflected Nelly Sebrow of Teaneck, a 10th grader at Yeshivat Frisch.

Ruthie Gontownik added, “Seeing Rep. Moskowitz take the lead in putting up an Israeli flag, and knowing others followed, showed us how one action can inspire many. It made me realize that what we do and say matters — especially in places of influence like Congress.”

Juliette Flamholz, an 11th grader at Yeshivat Frisch, shared: “Lobbying senators about the American-Israel relationship was such an incredible experience. I honestly didn’t realize how much impact I could have just by speaking up. It was really powerful to sit in those rooms and share what mattered to me and to see that our voices were actually being heard. It opened my eyes to how government really works and made me realize how important it is to stay engaged. That’s why I want to create a vision board of what Congress does at my school — to help other students understand what Congress does and to show that members of Congress welcome meeting with students.”

Eli Lauer, a ninth grader attending Yeshivat Frisch, commented: “Spending the day in D.C. on the NORPAC mission reminded me of a lesson from Parshat Matos [which will be read in a few weeks]: Three shevatim — Reuven, Gad and half of Menashe — asked Moshe if they can remain outside of Israel, while the rest of the shevatim were preparing to fight to inhabit the land. Moshe agreed to allow them to live outside of the borders of Israel on condition that they promise to help their brethren inside of Israel fight for the land and secure its borders. That lesson helps me understand that while I may not live in Israel, I still can play a role in ensuring the safety of Israel. Being part of ‘Team NORPAC’ showed me that I can be part of the battle to protect Israel by helping strengthen U.S. support through Congress.”

Layla Davis, a 10th grader at Yeshivat Frisch, shared: “The NORPAC mission opened my eyes to how urgently today’s legislation matters for my generation. I often struggle to know when social media posts about Israel — sometimes framed as jokes — become dangerous hate speech. The Antisemitism Awareness Act provides essential guidelines to help protect Jewish students on campus by holding platforms and institutions accountable. That’s why it’s so important for young people like me to stay engaged and support these efforts.”

Adley Ulmer, a 12th grader at SAR, said: “At NORPAC, I met with members of Congress to discuss U.S.-Israel security policy. Before each meeting, I studied their voting history, committee roles and district dynamics to understand how the issue intersected with their priorities. I tailored each argument accordingly — not by
emphasizing what felt most important to me, but by framing it in terms that aligned with their incentives. What moved the conversation wasn’t volume or emotion — it was preparation, timing and clarity.”

For more information on NORPAC, visit norpac.net.

Harry Glazer is the Middlesex County editor of The Jewish Link. He can be reached at harryglazer615@gmail.com and he welcomes constructive criticism, unalloyed praise and story suggestions.