OJPAC Annual Dinner Honors Defenders of Orthodox Community

By Reuvain Borchardt

TARRYTOWN, N.Y. — The Orthodox Jewish Public Affairs Council (OJPAC) on Thursday hosted its annual “Policy Conference and Appreciation Event” dinner, honoring those who publicly defend the religious liberties of the orthodox community.

OJPAC was founded by askanim Aron Spielman, Mayer Berger, and Yossi Gestetner for the purpose of countering disparaging media coverage of the Orthodox Jewish Community, and promoting civil liberties impacting the community. It has released data-driven reports and conducted media and advocacy campaigns in defense of the community, and Gestetner in particular has become an influential and ubiquitous presence on traditional and social media rebuffing negative narratives of the community.

“The way Orthodox Jews are reported on and spoken about in the public arena has a direct impact on the number of hate attacks in the streets, discrimination in the private sector, and abuses by governments,” said Gestetner. “OJPAC utilizes a wide range of tools such as data research, studies, reports, op-eds, press releases, videos, social media activity, and paid ads to steer the conversation in a productive matter. The efforts are impactful only because so many people in their respective roles join in the efforts or take the initiative when they see unfair reporting and commentary regarding the Orthodox Jewish community.”

The single-evening conference, held for community leaders, activists, politicians, media and the organization’s supporters at the Sleepy Hollow Hotel and Conference Center in Tarrytown in Westchester County, has in just its third year become a premier event for Orthodox Jewish leadership, bringing together officials from throughout the Northeast to meet and discuss policy and issues affecting the community.

A highlight of the evening is the presentation of awards to five categories of askanim, each of whom is recognized “for helping in the battle against bigotry and for championing civil rights and civil liberties.” A unique feature of OJPAC’s awards program is that the names of recipients are not announced beforehand. In the weeks prior to the event, OJPAC leadership solicits suggestions for awardees from the registered attendees, but the identities of the awardees are not revealed — even to the awardees themselves — until the moment they are announced at the dinner.

This year’s awards went to Rabbi Yeruchim Silber of Agudath Israel and to Rabbi Yaakov Menken of the Coalition for Jewish Values (Senior Askan Awards); Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein and Rockland County Legislator Aron Wieder (Askan in Government Awards); Shimon Rolnitzky of Kol Mavaser and Der Gluck (Askan in Media Awards); Rabbi Yisroel Kahan of Oyzrim and of the Anti-Defamation League (Organizational Askan Award); Jeff Ballabon and Lee Brewer (Independent Askan Awards).

Photos courtesy of ABB/Reuvain Borchardt/Hamodia/OJPAC

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rborchardt@hamodia.com

Awardees below: Simcha Eichenstein (2nd L); Rabbi Yeruchim Silber (2nd R); Rabbi Yaakov Menken (2nd R); Shimon Rolnitzky (2nd R); Jeff Ballabon (R); Jeff Ballabon; Zalman Leib “Lee” Brewer (2nd R); Aron Wieder (2nd L); ADL officials accept an award on behalf of Rabbi Yisroel Kahan.