OU Advocacy Center

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OU Advocacy Center The OU Advocacy Center is the non-partisan public policy arm of the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish organization.

The OU Advocacy Center is the nonpartisan public policy arm of the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish organization‚ representing nearly 1,000 congregations nationwide, and leads the OU’s advocacy efforts in Washington, DC, and state capitals. Formerly known as the Institute for Public Affairs, OU Advocacy engages leaders at all levels of government as well as the broader public to promote and protect the Orthodox Jewish community’s interests and values in the public policy arena. The OU Advocacy Center:

Protects and strengthens the Orthodox Jewish community by ensuring that government laws and programs (federal and state) support the life of the Orthodox Jewish individuals and our institutions. Addresses the challenge of the affordability of Jewish day school education through securing public sector support and funding. Serves as the voice of Orthodox Judaism regarding the concerns and interests of our community in the media. Trains community leaders to be advocates on critical issues. Convenes Orthodox Jewish community leaders to discuss critical issues and develop strategies to address them. Serves as the Orthodox community’s link to the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, the World Jewish Congress, and other umbrella entities. The OU Advocacy center has:
Worked to garner support for tuition affordability measures and build politically active communities in Texas and Florida; created a new partnership in South Florida to support Jewish schools and advocate for tuition affordability with Florida legislators. Enhanced Israel’s security through our engagement with the President of the United States and senior Administration officials. Enacted workplace religious freedom laws in New York and New Jersey. Expanded legal protections for synagogues, day schools and other religious institutions from zoning law discrimination. In addition to its day-to-day activities, OU Advocacy sponsors an annual National Leadership Mission to Washington, D.C., and the Legislative Fellowship Program, training the next generation of Orthodox Jewish policymakers and activists. Become an active participant in our programs and a partner in working for the advancement of our community and our values.

Our mission with American Catholic policy leaders continues in Jerusalem. We met with Ambassador George Deek, Israel's f...
10/22/2026

Our mission with American Catholic policy leaders continues in Jerusalem.

We met with Ambassador George Deek, Israel's first Special Envoy to the Christian World, to discuss faith, religious freedom, and the bonds between Israel and Christian communities around the world.

We then visited Yad Vashem, Israels World Holocaust Remembrance Center.

Remembering the past is a sacred obligation. So is confronting antisemitism today, and its a responsibility Jews and Catholics share.

Jews in Ontario marked Yom Kippur on the floor of their shul as gunfire erupted outside. Our shuls need protection at th...
09/22/2026

Jews in Ontario marked Yom Kippur on the floor of their shul as gunfire erupted outside. Our shuls need protection at the door and space around them.

OUA is fighting for more NSGP funding to secure the building, and for the Right to Worship Act to protect the ground families walk to get inside.

Send a letter and tell Congress to pass the buffer zone bill:
https://advocacy.ou.org/take-action/2396/

America already tried permanent Daylight Saving Time in the 1970s. It was so unpopular that Congress repealed it less th...
07/16/2026

America already tried permanent Daylight Saving Time in the 1970s. It was so unpopular that Congress repealed it less than a year later.

Let's not make the same mistake twice.

Tell your Senators to oppose the Sunshine Protection Act.

Permanent Daylight Saving Time just passed the House, and it would mean pitch-dark winter mornings that put school children at risk and force observant Jews to choose between morning prayer and getting to work on time. Take action now: send a letter to your Senators opposing the Sunshine Protection....

Government should never force religious schools to choose between their faith and equal access to public programs.That's...
07/07/2026

Government should never force religious schools to choose between their faith and equal access to public programs.

That's why OU Advocacy filed an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to uphold this fundamental First Amendment principle in St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy.

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear Grand v. University Heights, a major religious liberty case involving the right to hold...
07/01/2026

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear Grand v. University Heights, a major religious liberty case involving the right to hold prayer gatherings in one's home.

The OU filed an amicus brief urging the Court to take the case, and we welcome their decision.

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed on June 30 to hear the case of Daniel Grand, a University Heights resident who is suing the city of University Heights, former Mayor Michael

Three days, one mission. From Sunday through Tuesday, we were in Washington, D.C., doing what matters most: showing up a...
06/26/2026

Three days, one mission. From Sunday through Tuesday, we were in Washington, D.C., doing what matters most: showing up and making our voices heard.

We kicked off with our second annual Attorneys Conference, where some of the sharpest legal minds in the country gathered together to talk strategy in the ongoing fight against antisemitism. Then on Tuesday, we took it to Capitol Hill for our Mission to Washington, where more than 100 leaders joined to personally lobby for policies and legislation that would protect our community and defend our values.

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

06/25/2026

What a couple of days. This week, attorneys and legal professionals gathered in Washington, D.C. for the OU Advocacy Attorneys Conference. Over two days, we dug into strategies for using the law to combat antisemitism and protect religious liberty, and we heard from an incredible lineup of speakers.

We look forward to seeing you back in Washington, D.C. next year!

Sen. Jacky Rosen spoke about her pride in being a Jewish senator (and past president of her synagogue) and her longstand...
06/23/2026

Sen. Jacky Rosen spoke about her pride in being a Jewish senator (and past president of her synagogue) and her longstanding relationship with the Orthodox Union. She spoke beautifully about her friendship with Rabbi Moshe Hauer A”H and her commitment to combating antisemitism as a lead sponsor of the Jewish American Security Act.

“Strong communities don’t happen by accident, they are built through institutions… and that’s why the Orthodox Union is such a respected voice, not only in the Jewish community, but throughout the community.”

06/23/2026

Day 2 of OUA Mission to Washington is underway.

Packed room this morning for a panel with Former Iran Envoy Elliott Abrams and former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro on the Iran deal.

We were grateful to have the Hon. Harmeet K. Dhillon speak at the OU Advocacy Attorneys Conference.Dhillon spoke about t...
06/22/2026

We were grateful to have the Hon. Harmeet K. Dhillon speak at the OU Advocacy Attorneys Conference.

Dhillon spoke about the work her division has undertaken, the cases she has brought, and the challenges of pursuing even more. She took questions from attendees and offered a clear charge: keep fighting, keep filing, and keep the pressure on institutions to do what's right.

"As long as I serve as Assistant Attorney General, the fight against antisemitism will remain front and center at the Civil Rights Division."

Thank you, Harmeet K. Dhillon, for your commitment to this fight and for standing with our community.

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Washington D.C., DC

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+12025136484

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