Rockland County Legislator Aron Wieder Receives 'Askan in Government Award' at OJPAC Appreciation Event

This past Thursday, June 9, 2022, the Orthodox Jewish Public Affairs Council (OJPAC) hosted its Annual Policy Conference and Appreciation Event in Westchester, NY.

The mission of OJPAC is to counter the defamation of the Orthodox Jewish Community and to champion civil rights and civil liberties. The annual event gives an opportunity for community leaders, activists, elected officials, and organization supporters to meet and greet for policy discussions and an evening of appreciation. Guests came from Sullivan, Orange, and Rockland counties; Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island, and Bergen and Ocean, New Jersey.

The event was led by OJPAC co-founders Aron Spielman, Mayer Berger, and Yossi Gestetner. The event honored people in five categories: Senior Askan Award; given this year to Rabbi Yeruchim Silber of Agudas Israel and to Rabbi Yakov Menken of the Coalition for Jewish Values. Askan in Government Award; Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein and Rockland County Legislator Aron Wieder. Askan in Media; Shimon Rolnitzky of Kol Mavaser and Der Gluck. Organizational Askan Award; Rabbi Israel Kahan of Oyzrim and of the Anti-Defamation League. Independent Askan Award; Jeff Ballabon and Lee Brewer.

The event’s sponsor was Wit Strategies, led by philanthropists Binyomin Weisz of Monsey and Benjamin (Volvi) Silberstein of Kiryas Joel.

OJPAC co-founder and Executive Director Yossi Gestetner said, “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. 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.”