Agudath Israel of America has appointed New Jersey Assemblyman Avi Schnall as the organization’s new Chief Operating Officer.

The appointment was first shared at a meeting of the Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah held last Thursday in Boro Park, Brooklyn. The news was later conveyed to Agudah staff members during a meeting on Taanis Esther. The public announcement was made today by Shlomo Werdiger, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Agudath Israel of America.

“Avi is a longtime employee of Agudas Yisroel, an effective advocate for both his home state of New Jersey as [previously] the state director, and more recently for yeshiva children across the country as our Director of Federal Education Affairs in Washington, D.C. Avi also has the Agudah in his DNA as the grandson of the beloved, longtime Agudah activist Mr. Loychie Gluck. Avi’s infectious enthusiasm, his dedication to Klal Yisroel, and his ability to form personal connections and relationships, will certainly serve him in good stead as he moves forward on this more important national role in Agudas Yisroel,” Mr. Werdiger said.

In his new capacity as Chief Operating Officer, Assemblyman Schnall will oversee the day-to-day operations of Agudath Israel of America.

A Brooklyn native who now resides in Lakewood, New Jersey, Schnall currently serves in the New Jersey State Assembly representing the 30th legislative district. The district includes Lakewood and Point Pleasant, as well as several Monmouth County municipalities including Avon-by-the-Sea, Belmar, Bradley Beach, Brielle, Farmingdale, Howell Township, Lake Como, Manasquan, Sea Girt, Spring Lake, Spring Lake Heights, and Wall Township.

Schnall first assumed a role with Agudah of New Jersey in 2014. In that position, he advocated for the Orthodox Jewish community on both the state and local levels and developed working relationships with officials across the political spectrum. During that time, he earned the confidence of both the Christie and Murphy administrations.

He has also served on the New Jersey Department of Education’s Nonpublic School Committee, where he was appointed chairman in 2018. In 2020, Governor Phil Murphy selected Schnall to serve on the Social Services and Faith Committee of the Restart and Recovery Advice Council.

Schnall grew up in Flatbush and pursued his Torah studies at Yeshiva Torah Temimah and Yeshiva of Philadelphia before continuing his learning at Lakewood East and the Yeshiva of Rav Dovid Soloveitchik in Eretz Yisroel. He later learned at Bais Medrash Govoah in Lakewood.

Before entering the field of public advocacy, Schnall spent more than seven years working for Oorah, where he served as National Director of Learn n’ Chill Zone and as head counselor of the organization’s boys division summer camp.

The spirit of communal leadership and askonus was instilled in Schnall from a young age. His grandfather, Reb Louis (Loychie) Glueck z”l, was a devoted Agudah activist and a close confidant of Rabbi Moshe Sherer zt”l. Known as a proud bearer of the Agudah banner, he worked tirelessly on behalf of the organization and ensured that those values were passed on to the next generation.

{Matzav.com}