Orthodox Union Advocacy Center Ramps Up Post–October 7 Advocacy With New Hire And Growing National Networks

The Orthodox Union Advocacy Center (OUA) is significantly expanding and deepening its advocacy portfolio in the wake of October 7, including the continued growth of its national attorney network to combat antisemitism, expanded interfaith partnerships, and the scaling up of its LIAT (Leaders in Advocacy Training) Fellowship for college students.

To lead this work, OUA has brought on Elie Buechler, previously Director of JLIC at Columbia University and Barnard College, as Director of Programs & Associate Director for Interfaith Engagement. The new role is part of a broader effort to build out new programs, strengthen faith-based coalitions, and equip students and legal professionals to proactively fight antisemitism.

The new initiatives on paper are already making a difference:

Attorney Network. A national coalition of lawyers ready to respond at a moment’s notice, in courtrooms, on campuses, and wherever Jewish rights are under threat.

LIAT Fellowship. Recently wrapped its inaugural class of Jewish student leaders from across the country, culminating in a week of high-level training and advocacy meetings in D.C. Fellows met with lawmakers, Israeli diplomats, and senior federal officials to press for stronger action against antisemitism. They also presented capstone projects that have already led to real campus impact: from launching legal literacy workshops at Columbia and Barnard, to securing Title VI protections and mandatory civil rights training for staff at Binghamton, to successfully pressuring Cornell to cancel an artist with a history of antisemitic remarks. These students are returning to campus this fall equipped not just with passion, but with policy tools, legal knowledge, and a network of support to lead the fight against antisemitism where it’s most urgent.

Interfaith. OUA is building powerful coalitions with faith-based allies to confront rising threats and protect religious freedom. That effort delivered a major national victory with the recent passage of the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA), the most significant federal school choice legislation in a generation, made possible through strategic partnerships with Catholic and other religious communities.

This expansion comes at a time when OUA, long known for its bipartisan work in Washington, sees growing demand for grassroots training, professional networks, and multifaith partnerships to address rising antisemitism and campus hostility since October 7. n

{Yachad and Camp Morasha Celebrate 25 Years of Unity with Shiria Event

{IMG Jeremy Joszef_ Director of Camp Morasha, addresses the crowd

{Caption Jeremy Joszef, Director of Camp Morasha, addresses the crowd

{IMG Over a thousand campers participated in this year’s Shiria at Camp Morasha

{Caption Over a thousand campers participated in this year’s Shiria at Camp Morasha

Camp Morasha pulled out all the stops to mark a significant milestone: 25 years of Yachad being an integral part of the camp’s community. The celebration was highlighted by their beloved annual event, a camp-wide sing-off called Shiria. The event’s slogan, “We can all sing!” perfectly captured the essence of unity and inclusion that defined Yachad’s presence at Morasha.

“Hosting our Yachad campers each summer is the privilege of a lifetime. Celebrating the program’s 25th summer reminded all of us how blessed we are to partner with such an incredible organization,” said Jeremy Joszef, Director of Camp Morasha.

Yachad, an international organization under the umbrella of the Orthodox Union, is dedicated to enriching the lives of Jewish individuals with disabilities. Through a wide range of social, recreational, educational, and vocational programs, Yachad serves communities in 10 regions across the United States, Israel, and Canada.

For more than three decades, Camp Morasha, located in Lakewood, Pennsylvania, provides a place where campers thrive. From exciting sports and arts projects to waterfront adventures and drama, Morasha offers a full summer camp experience for all. Since their partnership with Yachad began in 2000, the camp has hosted Yachad campers aged 12 to 21 in their own supportive bunks, enabling them to participate fully in camp alongside their mainstream peers.

Camp Morasha is the first camp to have a dedicated bunk and staff built specifically to accommodate Yachad Summer’s boys and girls divisions. “This concept of an inclusion program at a mainstream summer camp did not exist until Morasha transformed this landscape,” explains Nechama Braun, Associate Director of Yachad Summer Programs.

Over the years, the program at Morasha has grown significantly, now featuring vocational opportunities within camp, where you’ll find Yachad members at work in the dining hall, lakeside, and beyond, with dedicated staff coaching and training them toward working independently.

Shiria, a much-anticipated annual highlight at Camp Morasha, is a lively event that is livestreamed and anchored in realtime, where the boys’ and girls’ divisions compete in a judged contest to celebrate the spirit of the entire community. Among the judges were Dr. Eliana Korn, Program Director at Morasha Yachad, and Rabbi Dr. Benjy Leibowitz, Clinical Supervisor of Morasha Yachad. This year’s theme centered around Yachad, emphasizing unity, inclusion and belonging. Campers even rerecorded Mordechai Shapiro’s hit song, B’Yachad, in Morasha’s music studio which was shared live during the Shiria.

Over a thousand campers took part in Shiria this summer. The event featured a musical recording by campers created in Morasha’s very own professional recording studio, capturing the chorus of voices, joy, and camaraderie. The Shiria contest involved each team presenting three songs aligned with themes of togetherness, with judges who were all deeply involved with Yachad events and values, to truly celebrate the camp community.

During Shiria, leaders from the Orthodox Union and Yachad joined the festivities, underscoring the significance of this milestone. The event was not only a celebration of the past 25 years, but also a powerful reminder of how everyone’s camp experience is enriched by Yachad’s presence.

“There was so much nachas at this event,” shares Joe Goldfarb, PhD, Director of Yachad Summer, “With over 1,000 people in attendance, the impact of Yachad was loud and clear.”

The 25th summer of Yachad at Camp Morasha is a testament to how far inclusion efforts have come. “Celebrating this milestone with Shiria,” says camp director Jeremy Joszef, “with its songs, joy, and purpose, reminds us that inclusion and community belong at the core of everything we do.”

View the livestream of the full event at youtu.be/OX81huMHW1U?si=1mOGr32H7G5mv7Ft n

{Orthodox Jewish Community Fundraises For Druze Relief

{IMG OU President Mitch Aeder met with Sheikh Mowafak Tarif in Julis, a Druze village in northern Israel

{Caption OU President Mitch Aeder met with Sheikh Mowafak Tarif in Julis, a Druze village in northern Israel

Following a series of violent attacks targeting the Syrian Druze community, reminiscent of the horrors of October 7, the Orthodox Union has launched a fundraising drive in support of urgent humanitarian relief efforts at ou.org/druze.

Tens of thousands of Syrian Druze have been driven from their homes, with supply routes cut off and a growing need for food, medicine, clothing, and shelter. The OU, through its JLIC-TLV team, is coordinating with trusted partners in the Israeli Druze community and the IDF to ensure critical aid reaches those affected.

Rabbi Moshe Hauer, Executive Vice President of the OU, has met with Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Muwafaq Tarif and other community leaders. The Sheikh described how the images of soldiers humiliating Druze elders by shaving their beards were eerily like pictures we’re familiar with of Nazis abusing rabbis.

“The Druze did not stand by when Israel was attacked. We must not stand by when they are attacked,” Rabbi Hauer said. “Every dollar raised will go directly to food and medicine, and every donation will show Israel’s Druze community that the Jewish people are standing by them as they have stood by us.” n