(Courtesy of OU) From its beginnings as a kosher certification agency to its ongoing enrichment of Jewish life, advancement of community-driven solutions, and building a growing, religiously vibrant and caring community, the OU’s remarkable achievements were showcased at a recent gala celebrating its 125-year legacy and honoring the people behind its success.
“The Sinai vision for the Jewish people was that we be uplifted and uplifting, a ‘mamlechet kohanim v’goy kadosh,’” said OU Executive Vice President Rabbi Moshe Hauer. “At the OU, we are blessed to be part of a remarkable group of professionals and lay leaders working together passionately, creatively and effectively toward that shared vision for our community, ensuring that our connection to God, klal Yisrael, and Torah impacts our values and choices. The work is ongoing and rewarding, and we are truly just getting started.”
About 275 OU supporters, board members and their families, lay leaders, shul representatives, NCSY participants and OU professionals gathered at Cipriani Wall Street for “An Evening of Appreciation: Beyond the OU Symbol.” The evening included recorded brachot for the OU’s continued success by OU Kosher Chief Executive Officer Rabbi Menachem Genack and OU Kosher Chief Operating Officer Rabbi Moshe Elefant, and a keynote address by prominent Israeli media personality Sivan Rahav Meir, who spoke about the positive evolution of Jewish identity since Oct. 7, and touched upon her personal connection to the OU, particularly as a speaker for the OU Women’s Initiative. Rabbi Hauer and OU Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Rabbi Dr. Josh Joseph shared the OU’s strategy and vision for addressing the Jewish community’s ongoing needs and advancing communal solutions, and beneficiaries of OU programs introduced videos highlighting the origins and growth of the OU and OU Kosher, sharing how these initiatives have profoundly impacted their lives.
“From our humble beginnings at the OU with advocacy efforts and launching OU Kosher, to the over 20 programs we proudly offer today, the OU’s impact on the community has only strengthened over time,” says Rabbi Dr. Joseph. “We take pride in having identified and met communal needs for over a century through the creation of renowned programs such as NCSY, Yachad, JLIC, All Daf, and so many others. More recently, we are looking to strategically meet the needs of emerging career professionals and Anglo communities in Israel. We are incredibly grateful to our lay leadership, supporters, professional team, and participants whose dedication has made this growth and impact possible. B’Ezrat Hashem, we look forward to accomplishing even more in the years to come.”
The gala followed the OU’s biennial convention, which saw the election and installation of the 2025-2026 OU board of directors and board of governors, including 10 new board members: Ari Adlerstein of Merion Station, Pennsylvania; Natan Bane of Far Rockaway, New York; Ahuva Basch of Montreal; Aliza Bixon of Miami Beach; Jeff Eisenberg of Lawrence, New York; Josh Goldberg of Englewood; Miriam Greenspan of Teaneck; Stuart Hershkowitz of Jerusalem; Morris Massel of New York City; and Jeffery Silver of Toronto.
Basch cited the value of tzarchei tzibbur as a key motivation for joining the OU board.
“Chesed and ahavat Yisrael are values that I grew up with and that my husband and I aim to instill in our children,” said Basch, CEO of Logix ITS, a company that creates innovative traffic safety, speed enforcement and parking lot solutions. “What better way to teach our children than to lead by example?”
A national board member of JWE (Jewish Women Entrepreneur), which mentors female entrepreneurs and executives, Basch is eager to begin her new role.
Fellow new board member Silver was inspired by his parents who were both heavily involved in community organizations. “They impressed upon us the importance of giving not just dollars but time,” said Silver, whose family business invests in real estate, Israeli technology, sports and food, among other sectors. “I’m driven by strategic, big picture thinking, and the idea of leaving a better future.”
“OU Israel Executive Director Rabbi Avi Berman has been a longstanding friend and a force behind the Avrom Silver Jerusalem College for Adults, named in memory of my father,” he said. “Our relationship certainly influenced my decision to serve on the board. The OU represents a vision with which our family is aligned.”
Bixon, another new board member, felt energized after meeting and learning from her fellow board members at the convention. The international health coach and co-owner of Pilates on the Beach and Absolute Collagen — an OU Kosher certified product — first met various OU professionals through OU Kosher. After witnessing firsthand the OU’s dedication to Israeli citizens post-Oct. 7, Bixon led two women’s missions in support of OU Israel and the OU, and ran subsequent fundraisers for the OU’s war efforts and international programming.
“Many mission participants were surprised at the depth of the OU’s reach and initiatives,” she reflected. “They thought of the OU exclusively in terms of kosher certification. Yet the OU also fills the spiritual and educational needs of the entire Jewish community, serving every demographic from children to seniors.
