In coordination with the highest echelons of the Trump White House, the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce held a series of meetings in the nation’s capital on Monday to collaborate on economic development projects and other issues of importance.

The most extensive meeting of the day was held with Mark Zelden, Special Assistant to the Secretary of Labor and John Pughe, Manager of the Center for Faith and Opportunity Partnerships at the Department of Commerce – a rare level of collaboration between the two federal departments.

Duvi Honig, Founder and CEO of the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce, delivered an extensive presentation to these high-ranking cabinet officials regarding the present day economic realities of the American Jewish community and the millennial generation as a whole. He explained how both the challenges and opportunities that young men and women face today are drastically different than they were in previous years, yet the governmental economic development infrastructure and safety net have not kept up.

The officials discussed various forward thinking initiatives and grants that could effectively empower families to achieve economic success, and are working with the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce to implement them. In particular, the officials discussed partnering with the Chamber to implement an official Economic Development Day at the Federal level, similar to what the New Jersey Legislature unanimously implemented at the State level.

Other high ranking personalities that the Chamber met in DC included Vice President Mike Pence’s Deputy Chief of Staff; Michael Walsh Jr., Chief of Staff to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross; Bernardo Rico, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Latin America and the Caribbean at USAID; a top aide to Congressman Chris Smith; and Enver Yucel, Founder and Chairman of Bay Atlantic University.

The discussions touched upon a wide range of pertinent issues, including economic and diplomatic relations between world nations; the rise of anti-Semitism, both globally and, with Rise Up Ocean County, on the local level; the BDS movement, and how it harms both Israelis and Palestinians; and the urgent need for public awareness regarding Lyme and related diseases. To these ends, the Chamber will be hosting its second annual Anglo-Israeli Business Expo and Conference in Yerushalayim in May; and its Life for Lyme division will host a major Lyme awareness event in Lakewood that month. Just last week, Life for Lyme hosted an awareness event for women in Lakewood, which attracted widespread participation.

“I would like to thank the White House and other officials who have coordinated this historic collaboration, so that the needs of our community and entrepreneurs off all stripes have an effective voice in national policy discussions,” says Mr. Honig. “The Chamber is excited to continue serving as the vehicle to build bridges and achieve major accomplishments through the highest echelons of government, diplomacy and the business world.”