(Courtesy of OJCC) The Orthodox Jewish Chamber and its leadership were honored to be a part of the historic national Jewish-American leaders roundtable which included the most influential 40 Jewish business leaders in the U.S. prior to the chamber’s upcoming annual J-BIZ EXPO on Dec. 19. The U.S. Department of Commerce roundtable was hosted by Deputy U.S. Secretary of Commerce Don Graves and Tom Perez., senior advisor to President Joe Biden.
The event brought together leaders from various commerce bureaus and interagency partners with the goal of uplifting the Jewish American community, facilitating the timely allocation of resources, and empowering the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce and the Jewish community to have a voice and cut red tape for their businesses.
The exclusive roundtable had a clear goal of establishing, growing and promoting impactful partnerships between businesses, faith leaders, and community-based organizations across the U.S. The intention was to provide commercial and governmental resources to these communities through regional stakeholder working groups. The convening also aimed to provide an opportunity for the Jewish-American communities to engage face-to- face with bureau leadership and for Commerce staff to hear their most pressing concerns. It also sought to foster traditional and nontraditional stakeholder engagement to help underserved and minority communities access the Department of Commerce’s intellectual and monetary resources, and to provide access to commerce science and data by making it more searchable, accessible and usable.
Key representatives from commerce bureaus and interagency partners were invited to participate in the roundtable to discuss various initiatives, opportunities and resources. The roundtable sessions were conducted on focus areas such as business development and resources, kosher food economy/infrastructure, access to data and innovation, climate resilience, and equity and mental health.
The program also included breakout sessions with commerce bureaus and interagency partners to delve deeper into specific topics. Some of the breakout session themes included U.S.-Israel trade relations, grants and pilot programs, capital readiness programs, community development toolkits and demographics, climate resilience resources and grants, high-speed internet and digital equity programs, patents and trademarks, combating antisemitism, mental health resources, and kosher food infrastructure and economy, among others.
The event was made possible by the coordination efforts of Andres Chong-Qui Torres, who played a vital role in organizing such a powerful and impactful gathering. The presence of leaders from various commerce bureaus and interagency partners, as well as the productive discussions that took place during the roundtable sessions, underscored the recognition of the Jewish-American community’s needs at the highest levels of government and the Biden administration.
Moving forward from the gathering, it is evident that there is a commitment to addressing the concerns and needs of the Jewish-American community. The roundtable provided a platform for meaningful dialogue, collaboration and the potential for impactful partnerships between government agencies and the Jewish-American community. The convening also demonstrated a proactive approach to empowering Jewish-American businesses and addressing the challenges they face.
The roundtable was a significant and commendable effort to uplift and empower the Jewish- American community. Yeshiva University representatives and Cannon VP, who is an Orthodox Jew, were in attendance as well. The event has set the stage for continued engagement, support and collaboration between the Department of Commerce, interagency partners, and the Jewish-American community, and it has the potential to lead to positive outcomes for businesses, organizations and individuals within the community.
