NJ Jewish Business Alliance Annual Luncheon Fills Ballroom, Attracts VIPs - The Jewish Link
Standing in the ballroom of the Robert Treat Hotel in Newark, New Jersey for the 12th Annual Legislative and Business Luncheon of the New Jersey Jewish Business Alliance (NJJBA) on Wednesday August 5, three facts become evident quite quickly. NJJBA has become a widely respected entity in both the legislative and business spheres in New […]
Nachum Segal speaks at the NJJBA luncheon. Standing in the ballroom of the Robert Treat Hotel in Newark, New Jersey for the 12th Annual Legislative and Business Luncheon of the New Jersey Jewish Business Alliance (NJJBA) on Wednesday August 5, three facts become evident quite quickly. NJJBA has become a widely respected entity in both the legislative and business spheres in New Jersey. According to the organizers, 250 people signed up to attend the luncheon, which was held midday, midweek, in Newark. They signed up because the networking opportunities and the program were really that good. NJ Department of Community Affairs Commissioner Jacquelyn Suarez speaks at the NJJBA luncheon. NJJBA’s annual luncheon regularly features prominent people in their fields. At the Aug. 5 event the commissioner of the New Jersey State Department of Community Affairs, Jacquelyn Suarez, accepted an Excellence in Leadership Award from NJJBA, and the closing speaker was New Jersey Assemblywoman Rosaura “Rosy” Bagolie (D, 27th District). In between the two talks, attendees heard from Jim Hughes, CEO of Unity Bank; Amy Herbold, president and CEO of Choose NJ; and Joel Epstein, CEO of Fabuwood, a kitchen cabinet manufacturer in Newark that has experienced phenomenal growth and was a corporate sponsor of the NJJBA luncheon. Epstein accepted NJJBA’s Corporate Excellence Award. Attendees also heard from Maksim Sheyn, chief banking officer of Alma Bank; and Ted Zangari, chair of the real estate department of Sills, Cummins, & Gross. The master of ceremonies was Nachum Segal of Nachum Segal Networks. And perhaps most significantly, the luncheon attracts business and legislative leaders from across the state and beyond its borders. Many of these attendees will readily tell you what they admire about NJJBA. David Rosenberg speaks at the NJJBA luncheon. Afraim Katzir, the director of Sephardic Heritage International DC (SHIN-DC) and its project the Multicultural Jewish Arts Museum (MJAM), in Washington, D. C. , told The Jewish Link: “I came up from Washington because New Jersey is home to the vibrant Sephardic and broader Jewish communities that SHIN-DC/MJAM serves through its cultural diplomacy mission; as such NJJBA provides valuable opportunities to connect with businesses that serve those communities and keep growing our national and international membership, as well as partnerships across the state. ”Katzir explained: “SHIN-DC is a nonprofit that raises awareness of Sephardic and other underrepresented Jewish communities, tells the full story of the Jewish people and Israel, and brings Jewish and non-Jewish communities together to fight antisemitism and build peace through the arts and culture. We work closely with the diplomatic community, including the Embassy of Israel, and also members of Congress, such as New Jersey Congressman Thomas Kean Jr. , who has supported our annual Congressional Holocaust Commemoration, now in its ninth year. ”New Jersey Assemblyman Avi Schnall (D, 30th District), who represents Lakewood and its environs, stated that he attended the luncheon because of “the incredible work that David Rosenberg [executive director of NJJBA] is doing with NJJBA. He unites the Jewish business community across the state. ”A view of the crowd at the luncheon. Jill Hirsch, the president and CEO of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority in Lyndhurst, shared that she came to represent New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill and said: “This is an important annual event and the governor or someone from her office attends every year. ”Aaron Klein, the president of the Teaneck Chamber of Commerce, told The Jewish Link: “I know David [Rosenberg] and he is the reason why everyone is here. ”Rob Zuckerman, the economic development director of East Brunswick, New Jersey, said that the luncheon is a valuable opportunity because NJJBA brings together leaders of both the statewide Jewish community and the statewide business community. He relishes the opportunity to build larger networks in both groups. Jonah Bern, as associate of Catal Capital in New York City, attended the luncheon because “a lot is happening in New Jersey and it is important for us to foster business and legislative relationships. NJJBA is growing every year and they are a great network for us. ”Attendees at the NJJBA luncheon—Assemblywoman Lisa Swaine; Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez; Assemblywoman Rosie Bagolie; Jill Hirsch, president and CEO of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority; Assemblywoman Melinda Kane; and Assemblyman Larry Wainstein. Speaking at the beginning of the formal program, NJJBA Chairman Miles Berger noted that Newark was at one time (1880s-1920s) the largest Jewish city in New Jersey and now is the site of many large development programs that involve Jewish-owned companies. David Rosenberg told attendees that NJJBA had a very successful year; the group launched a new women’s initiative, conducted a productive mission to Washington, and held their first event in Ocean County. For more information on NJJBA, and to get involved, visit their website at:www. njjba. com. Harry Glazer is the Middlesex County editor of The Jewish Link. He can be reached at[email protected]and he welcomes reader feedback. Harry won the second place award for Best Coverage of Municipal Government (Division GSI) in 2022 from the New Jersey Society of Professional Journalists but he has not let that distinction go to his head. Leave a Comment