One hundred national lay and rabbinic leaders of the Orthodox Union (OU) traveled to the nation’s capital just days before Rosh Hashanah for the OU’s annual Leadership Mission to Washington. The two-day mission was organized by the OU’s Institute for Public Affairs (IPA).
The event opened with a gala dinner at which former Deputy National Security Advisor Elliott Abrams was honored for his years of public service. OU leaders then spent a day meeting with senior advisors to President Barack Obama and key members of Congress. During visits to the White House and the US Capitol, participants discussed critical issues with officials, such as support for Jewish day schools, US-Israel relations, the threat of Iran and homeland security funding for community institutions.