College Students Strengthen Orthodox Political Muscle:
OU Pioneering Program Grooms Future Generation of Political Leaders
June 11, 1998 - After serving in the Israeli Army for a year, Yishai Fleisher knew what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. "My experience made me aware that it is the people in politics who ultimately control whether the army will advance or retreat," said Fleisher who is fluent in three languages and headed for a career in diplomacy and international relations.
A 21-year-old junior at Yeshiva University, Fleisher, who lives in Wayne, NJ, is among 38 select college students who will spend six weeks this summer immersed in the day-to-day realities of political life through the Orthodox Union’s Institute for Public Affairs (IPA) Internship Program. The students, sophomores and juniors who were chosen from hundreds of applicants for their superior intellect, talents and commitment to Jewish causes, are from universities around the country including Yale, Columbia, the University of Michigan and the University of Pennsylvania.
Established nine years ago, the rigorous internship -- the only such program on Capitol Hill run by any Jewish organization -- takes students into the trenches of political life, placing them in offices of Congressional members, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the National Jewish Democratic Council, the Library of Congress and other political settings in Washington, D.C. Exposing college students to the inner machinations of the political process, the program grooms the next generation of political leaders to represent Jewish interests in the political arena.
"I am looking forward to getting a deeper understanding of the political machine," said Fleisher who will intern at AIPAC. Laura Worenklein, a 20-year-old from New York who attends Columbia, aims at "getting an inside look into politics." "I hope to add energy to the Congressman’s office," said Worenklein who will work for Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY).
The public policy, advocacy planning and program arm of the nation’s largest representative Jewish organization, the IPA maintains ongoing contact with the White House, Cabinet officials, the Senate, the House of Representatives and other government officials. Serving as a powerful and effective political voice for American Jewry, the IPA works to protect Jewish interests and freedoms by providing government officials with informative policy briefings, advocating legislative and regulatory initiatives, and coordinating grass-roots political activities.
The Orthodox Union, celebrating 100 years of service to the Jewish community of the United States and countries throughout the world, is a world leader in youth work, advocacy for the disabled, synagogue services, adult education and political action. Its kosher supervision label, the OU, is the world’s most recognized kosher symbol and can be found on over 200,000 products in 56 countries around the globe.
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