Agudath Israel Hosts Brooklyn Meet-and-Greet with Elected Officials

A good time was had by all at a meet-and-greet legislative reception hosted by Agudath Israel in Borough Park, Brooklyn last week. About 175 people gathered at the Brooklyn Square Rooftop on 14^th Avenue for the soirée, which was short on speeches and long on networking among the attendees. Both Jews and non-Jews attended the event.

Shoutouts were given to the only member of Congress to attend, Yvette Clarke, and the only state senator to grace the crowd with his presence, Sam Sutton. Five assemblymembers and four New York City Councilmembers were in attendance.

New York City Council President Julie Menin and New York City Comptroller Mark Levine, both Manhattan Democrats, each received a mezuzah in recognition of their friendship toward the organization.

The inscription read in part: “Just as the mezuzah is a symbol of protection, your leadership has helped strengthen and safeguard our community. With sincere gratitude for your dedicated public service. Agudas Israel of America, July 2026.”

“The mezuzah, as we all know – but for some of our friends who may not know – is placed on the doorpost of a Jewish home, a Jewish business, or a Jewish institution. It is a symbol of faith, protection, Jewish identity, and G-d’s enduring presence in our lives,” said Agudah board member Chaskel Bennett, who served as emcee for the evening. “What you may not know is that inside every mezuzah is a small piece of parchment, holy parchment, bearing the timeless words of the Shema prayer.”

After quoting and translating the words of the Shema, Bennett continued, “Those words have sustained the Jewish people through every generation. They remind us who we are, where we come from, and that G-d Almighty watches over His people through every challenge and every triumph. Dare I say – every elected official who helps G-d’s people will be rewarded by G-d himself. Especially in these challenging times, the mezuzah serves as a reminder of strength, resilience, hope, and eternal commitment to our faith, our heritage, and our people.”

Assemblyman Kalman Yeger (D - East Midwood, Brooklyn) stood apart from the crowd, near the chafing dishes filled with delicious kosher food overlooking the beautiful Brooklyn skyline. Bennett noticed.

“He’s hiding somewhere, but as my dear friend, longtime friend, Assemblymember Kalman Yeger, never forgets to remind me, if you’re not at the table, Kalman, you’re on the menu – and that is why Agudath Israel is at the table every single day making sure our community’s voice is heard,” Bennett quipped.

Then, the sharp-talking, direct-to-the-point Bennett switched gears to more serious matters.

“When Jews are portrayed as monsters, baby killers, or the embodiment of evil by the media, by podcasters, and yes, by elected officials, it becomes clear this is no longer a political debate. It is outright demonization and it’s disgusting,” he said. “What was once politically unacceptable has in far too many places become normalized. Hatred directed at one community ultimately threatens every community… Look around at those who seek to intimidate us. Let them know right here and right now: We’re not going anywhere.

“We know our history. We cherish our freedoms. We are peace-loving, peace-seeking people looking for understanding and tolerance – but there should be no misunderstanding. We will stand up for ourselves. We will stand up for our community. We will stand up for the Jewish people and for our Jewish identity. We will do it with grace, dignity, courage, and confidence. We will never, never be intimidated into silence. We will never apologize for who we are or for standing up for what’s right,” Bennett concluded.

Agudath Israel Chairman of the Board Sol Werdiger relayed a story about his recent personal encounter with antisemitism.

“Three weeks ago, I had lunch in New York City with one of the top existing commissioners of the National Hockey League. That’s an important part of our business [Werdiger is the CEO of Outerstuff, a $500 million-plus youth sports apparel company]. As I came out wearing my yarmulke from a kosher restaurant in Times Square, I was accosted and it was scary. The NHL commissioner, who happens to be Jewish, said, ‘Sol, I’m scared. Why are you wearing a yarmulke? Isn’t it time?’ I said, ‘I will never take off my yarmulke. I don’t care how many people are going to [do so].”

Werdiger is the son of Holocaust survivors. “More than 75 years ago, the American army came to liberate my father from the Buchenwald concentration camp,” he shared. “This is a country…that we’ve contributed a lot to.”

A heap of praise was given to Agudah’s director of government relations, Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, for his success this past legislative session, when he advocated holding up a bill not favoring the Jewish community and helped push important agenda items throughout the session.

“What can I say about Yeruchim Silber? This guy is a supreme talent. An absolute mensch, a very important partner for me. I truly love and adore you,” Werdiger said. “Yeruchim did a great job in the legislative session… Yeruchim is very good at meeting with people, making them understand [our] positions. He is very soft-spoken.”

Businessman Morris Oiring, a sponsor of the event, told The Jewish Press, “One of the things that I was saying to Yeruchim was that a guy like him shouldn’t leave for at least a decade. I’ve known Yeruchim for 25 years. He’s one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. He gets it and he also knows how to frame a conversation. The legislators appreciate it because their time is very valuable, too.”

Someone who sees advocates and lobbyists all the time while in Albany said Silber has what it takes to be effective. “I think the best thing they [Agudath Israel] ever did from a legislative point of view, from a lobbying point of view, is to have Yeruchim Silber go up every week,” Assemblyman David Weprin (D - Hollis, Queens) told The Jewish Press. “The reason he’s so effective is that he’s in your face, so to speak, every week when we’re in session. It’s not the same as if you just come up for an Agudah Day and then go back home on the bus and you’re not there the next week. The reason he’s effective and [Agudah’s] agenda is effective is because they have that presence every single week during the legislative session. That makes a difference.”

When Silber began to speak, he ran with the praise heaped upon him by extolling his successful efforts during the legislative session.

“In this year’s budget, we saw record amounts of funding to our yeshivas and day schools,” he noted. “The budget allocates $243 million for mandated services. The largest source of funding is for non-public schools. In the wake of the increase in antisemitism, as was spoken about, the governor and the legislature allocated more than $150 million in security programs for our schools and other institutions. We are incredibly grateful for that. The budget also establishes statewide a 50-foot buffer zone around houses of worship and educational institutions.

“The Mezuzah Protection Act sponsored by Assemblyman [Simcha] Eichenstein and Senator Shelley Mayer, which protects the rights to display religious items on residences, passed both houses and awaits the governor’s signature. Another bill sponsored by Senator [Sam] Sutton and Assemblyman Aron Weider, who couldn’t be here tonight, will help facilitate proper burial for unclaimed remains,” Silber concluded.

Although she did not receive a mezuzah, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (D - Flatbush, Brooklyn) showed her unwavering support for the Jewish community and Agudath Israel.

“As the arm and voice of American Orthodox Jewry, the work of Agudas Israel is not only appreciated but necessary at this pivot point for our city, nation, and our world. You have a storied history of standing at the front of the issues that matter most to this community, from advocating for equitable funding for non-public schools and religious liberties, to providing social education and youth services to your constituents,” Clarke said. “You are not only leading the charge to ensure Orthodox Jews can thrive in America, you are winning the battle. As we celebrate leaders from across this great city who share an unwavering commitment to uplifting our Jewish neighbors, we also recognize that there are dark days ahead of us.

“Now, more than ever, organizations such as Agudas Israel are needed. As the congressional representative of some of the nation’s oldest Jewish communities and a woman who’s been blessed to call my proud Jewish folks my beloved neighbors over my lifetime, I am keenly aware that within this political environment, the normalization of hatred against Jewish communities continues to grow. I am resolute that bigotry, violence, discrimination, and any prejudices toward the Jewish communities of America and our world will never be tolerated, never be accepted. I will continue to fight to ensure that Jewish families and communities are respected and protected. I will always be a friend of Agudas Israel,” Clarke concluded.

Oiring, a resident of Hewlett in Nassau County, said he is not worried about the Democratic Socialists of America taking a larger role in state government.

“The progressive movement will be the progressive movement, but at the end of the day you still have to balance things accordingly. I do believe that organizations like Agudah play an instrumental role. When it comes to housing and other components, people still need the same things. They still need education. I don’t think there’s a one-two solution for anything,” he said.

New York City Comptroller Mark Levine spoke about keeping New York City pension investments in Israel and the antisemitism raging in the Big Apple.

“It is my sole mission to inspire confidence and trust in city government. To ensure we have strong and sustainable finances and most importantly, to be a steward of the city’s pension fund,” Levine said. “For three quarters of a million people who have worked for the city, retirees for the city, and transit, that requires deploying a very large pension fund of a third of a trillion dollars.”

He also spoke about the shocking rise in antisemitic hate crimes.

“We just got the hate crime statistics for the first half of 2026, and at a time when major crime is dropping in New York, when murders are at the lowest in recorded history as well as shootings and robberies, one category stands out. Antisemitic hate crimes in New York City have gone up this year and have reached an astounding 322 just in the first half of 2026. This exceeds the total number of hate crimes against every other group in New York City,” Levine said. “Every other category of animus combined is less than the number of hate crimes directed to a community which is no more than 10% of the population in New York City. How is that happening? Why is that continuing to happen? This community cares deeply about New York. It’s who we are, it’s who you are, and we need the world to understand that. We are a part of the past of the city. We are a part of the present of the city. We will be a part of the future of the city. We are not going anywhere.”

Weprin agreed with Levine. “I don’t remember ever having a situation where people were afraid to wear a yarmulke in the street, but it’s a recent phenomenon. You shouldn’t give in and you should go out of your way to be strong and not be afraid,” Weprin said.

“Your presence tonight here is a testimony to the strong relationships Agudah Israel has built with our elected officials and their staffs,” Bennett said as he closed out the program.