January 30, 2019

Attendees: Gershon Albert, Daniel Alter, David Asher, Shalom Axelord, Binyamin Blau, Michael Davies, Mark Dratch, Joshua Flug, Yaakov Gibber, Aaron Glatt, Zev Goldberg, Seth Grauer, David Hellman, Yisrael Isaacs, Moshe Kletenik, Ariel Konstantyn, Doniel Kramer, Ira Kronenberg, Andrwe Markowitz, Leonard Matanky, Yechiel Morris, Jonathan Muskat, Elazar Muskin, Yechiel Shaffer, Chaiim Strauchler, Reuven Tradburks, Michael Whitman, Michoel Zylberman

At a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Rabbinical Council of America, held by conference call, on Wed., Jan. 30, 2019, President Elazar Muskin in the chair, and Reuven Tradburks acting on behalf of the secretary, the following items were decided:

The minutes of the Executive Committee meeting of Dec. 19, 2018 were approved.

Rabbi Muskin, President, reported on:

• Jeffrey Saks has been appointed as the new editor of Tradition. Chaim Strrauchler has been appointed as the associate editor.

• A series of conference calls with major Jewish leaders continues, including recent ones with Dr. Ari Berman of YU, Jerry Silverman of Jewish Federations of North America, Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel of Agudath Israel, Alan Fagin of the OU, Malcolm Hoenlein of the Conference of Presidents, and upcoming sessions with Rabbi Kenny Brander of Ohr Torah Stone, Moishe Bain of the OU, and Rabbi Doron Perez of Mizrachi.

• The RCA Convention will take place May 20-22, 2019, and will be chaired by Noah Cheses and Yaakov Trump. The Convention theme will be “THe Healthy Rabbi.” Executive Committee members are expected to attend. Corporate sponsors of the Convention are being pursued.

Mark Dratch reported on:

• The new website of the RCA with the new format is hoped to be launched next week, and input is welcome once it is launched to make it optimal.
• The GPS Sponsoring Rabbi’s Handbook has been released, along with an FAQ

A motion to recommend accepting Semicha of Kollel Darkei Hora’ah under the leadership of Rav Yossi Eliyahu passed unanimously.

A motion to accept Rabbi Daniel Roselaar and Rabbi Ron Wittenstein as RCA members passed unanimously.

A special presentation to the Executive Committee was made by Briefing from Ed Miller, AIPAC.

Ed Miller has been with AIPAC for over eight years as its National Deputy Political Director in which capacity he travels the country meeting with candidates for federal office. This past election cycle, Ed was responsible for tracking all 435 House races and 35 Senate races, ensuring every candidate for federal office was briefed on the importance of the US-Israel relationship and the shared threats we face. Ed is also responsible for keeping the pro-Israel community informed on all political updates across the country.

The meeting was adjourned.