By Ashley Hefner, Photographer and Staff Writer
120 students attended the Yeshiva University Political Action Club’s (YUPAC) annual lobbying trip to DC on Wednesday, March 26. Students went to the nation’s capital to meet with almost 40 political offices and hear from members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Students spoke to the different offices about pressing issues, including antisemitism on college campuses, funding for the Iron Dome and Israel’s ultimate goal of eliminating Hamas.
YUPAC’s annual trip is much more important than many may realize. Students loaded the buses at 5:00 AM and traveled to the nation’s capital with a critical mission: to advocate for the Jewish state. What many YU students may not know is that although none of the offices lobbied were explicitly anti-Israel, some were not completely pro-Israel either.
“We did not go to any explicitly anti-Israel politicians because A. That would be a waste of our time and B. Mostly A,” Shoshana Fisher (SCW ‘26), President of YUPAC on the Beren campus, told the YU Observer.
Although most members of Congress are generally pro-Israel, some have a varied voting record. “A vast majority of the hill itself is pro-Israel, which is a very encouraging thing, so a lot of the trip was hakarat hatov (showing thanks),” she said. “But a lot of the politicians that we met with or whose offices we met with had a mixed record, so there were some things we were thanking them for and some things we were asking them about.”
Students heard from officials like Ritchie Torres, Democratic US Representative for New York’s 15th congressional district, George Latimer, Representative of New York’s 16th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives, Michael Baumgardner who is currently serving as the U.S. Representative from Washington’s 5th congressional district, and Nathan Diamond, the Executive Director of Public Policy for the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America.
For YUPAC, talking to politicians in person makes all the difference, leaving a lasting impression on our policymakers. “While signing letters and advocating online is important, it’s not comparable to the difference that it makes to talk face to face to the person making the decisions and sharing your personal story with them,” Fisher said.
Students found it incredibly meaningful to meet with the many different offices on Capitol Hill. “Everyone’s able to meet with someone who they identify with personally and to be able to see all different sides of the spectrum,” Hannah Wasserman (SCW ‘25) told the YU Observer.
Eliyahu Zylberberg (YC ‘26) told the YU Observer that even if politicians are supportive of Israel, YUPAC’s trip is crucial because it allows the people who make decisions in government to meet real life voters who support Israel. Seeing students gather together and fight for something they’re passionate about is a very powerful thing and makes a lasting impact.
Sam Weinberg (YC ‘25), President of YUPAC on the Wilf Campus, echoed these sentiments, and said that students can have a big influence on politicians and that there’s much value in attending the lobbying trip. “Firstly, there’s a major practical gain to be had – offices note where the public’s opinion lands, and experience indicates that conversations they have with students genuinely impact future policy,” Weinberg told the YU Observer. “Also, being able to build relationships with congressional offices is a huge gain for students getting experience in lobbying and maintaining connections with those who will continue to serve as policymakers.”
This trip showed that it’s vital for American Jews to place themselves in environments that allow their voices to be heard if they want to yield positive change for the future of Israeli and American relations and combat rising antisemitism. “It’s important for us to understand the political climate of America around us and how the government views Jews,” Wasserman said.
Attending YUPAC’s trip instills skills and values within the students that attend, ones they can carry with them in the future.
“It’s crucial for students to build a foundation of advocacy work to enable them to continue to engage in the democratic process throughout their lives,” Fisher said. “It is only when people get involved and take an active role in advocating for their community that they can make a real impact on policy.”
Photo Caption: Students outside Capitol Hill on YUPAC’s lobbying trip
Photo Credit: YUPAC