House Speaker Kevin McCarthy along with Rep. Mike Lawler visited various communities in the area of Rockland County on Sunday, fulfilling a promise made to the Orthodox Jewish community to return to their communities as Speaker. The trip was McCarthy’s first of the new Congress to benefit a GOP congressman; in this case, to benefit Rep. Mike Lawler, who is up for reelection in 2024. McCarthy and Lawler first attended an event in Forshay, with Rabbi Rottenberg of Forshay, Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel of Agudath Israel, and many other community leaders and askanim in attendance. At the event, McCarthy and Lawler were shown a short video from Agudath Israel which spelled out the statistics of Jewish education across the country. Rabbi Rottenberg hailed McCarthy and Lawler as brave representatives who are willing to take on difficult challenges that many other politicians avoid at all costs. McCarthy then spoke at length about freedom of education and school, his work to combat antisemitism, his support for Israel, and announced his plans to visit the Jewish State and address the Knesset in May in celebration of the anniversary of Israel’s founding. The Speaker also addressed the need for a united front to ensure the reelection of Rep. Lawler, and committed himself to doing all that is within his power to keep Lawler in the House of Representatives beyond 2024. McCarthy was then presented with a megillah which he deeply appreciated and promised to place in the Speaker’s office. At the conclusion of the Forshay event, McCarthy and Lawler traveled to New Square, where a massive crowd numbering in the thousands were gathered to greet them. McCarthy addressed the kehilla on a specially built outdoor stage, flanked by leaders from the village and kehillah. The two congressmen then visited Rav Aharon of Satmar’s home, where they met with the roshei kehilla and then privately with the rebbe, before departing for another fundraiser in Westchester benefitting Rep. Lawler. Just prior to departing the rebbe’s home, McCarthy was shown a 3-D model of the new grand shul being built by Satmar. The Speaker expressed amazement at the beauty of the building and said he would like to return to see it himself once construction is completed, which is expected to conclude in approximately a year. THIS STORY WAS FIRST PUBLISHED ON THE MONSEY SCOOP STATUS CLICK HERE SIGN UP TO THE MONSEY SCOOP WHATSAPP STATUS TO BE INFORMED OF MONSEY NEWS IN LIVE TIME (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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