The annual Agudah convention in the US just finished. This seminal event is attended by a who’s who in the U.S. chareidi community including heads of yeshivahs, magnates, and community leader. During the convention, a number of topics are discussed affecting the American chareidi community’s life.
One of the participants who was welcomed with enthusiastic applause was Jason Greenblatt, the Orthodox Jewish advisor of President-elect Donald Trump. Greenblatt has held a senior role in Trump’s business affairs in the past 30 years and is considered a person with considerable influence on Trump.
At a personal meeting he held with the rosh yeshiva of the Philadelphia yeshiva, Rav Shmuel Kamenetzky, he mentioned that he was working on a major real estate purchase for Trump on the eve of a festival. It was getting close to the festival, and the negotiations were still going on and the festival was fast approaching. Despite the vast sums involved and Trump’s desire to conclude the deal, he told Greenblatt without hesitation to leave it all and go celebrate his holiday with his family, and put the deal on hold until after the festival.
When Greenblatt asked for a blessing for the new administration, Rav Kamenetzky gave his blessing to the President-elect. He mentioned he had voted for him personally and had instructed his students to do likewise.