President Richard M. Joel Reflects on his Recent Visit to the White House

Last week, I had a wonderful opportunity to meet with President Barack Obama and his Chief of Staff Jack Lew in the White House as part of a delegation of the Orthodox community convened by the Orthodox Union.

We enjoyed a full and frank discussion with the president on a range of issues of concern to us as Jews and as Americans. We were, of course, treated cordially, and the conversation was nuanced. We discussed issues that included the balances between rights in a pluralistic society and religious liberties, the role of values in American society, affordability of education, Israel and Iran. The president and chief of staff were articulate, forthright and engaging. I’ll leave the policy discussions to others.

I have a few personal reflections to share. Read the rest of this entry…

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