OJBA Expo Draws Thousands from Community Wishing to ‘Build to Build’

By: Yehuda Alter

 

Shortly before the days of Chanukah dawned, thousands of members of the orthodox community participated in the Orthodox Jewish Builders Association (OJBA) Expo, at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey. Reb Meilech Weber, founder and CEO of OJBA, spoke with BoroPark24 regarding his immense zechus of bringing together so many thousands of Yidden—all for the purpose of helping each other support their families.

 

“The most common phrase we hear coming away from the expo is ‘mi k’amcha Yisroel…' This is an exposition with over three hundred booths, with numerous competitors among them, yet, all we see is Yidden seeking to help one another bring parnassah to the community." said Reb Meilich.  

 

An annual sponsor of the expo is Lucida Surfaces, a manufacturer of a wide array of flooring. “The OJBA Expo is a time for us to show gratitude to the community for believing in us way back when we established Lucida over one decade ago", said Eli Steinmetz, CEO of Lucida.

 

“It's also a great opportunity for us to showcase new products, meet potential customers and have a moment to chat with our existing customers in a more relaxed environment.”

 

R' Meilech explains that this event takes an entire year to coordinate, and he carries a whole team working to ensure a flawless process focused on maximizing the company experience. “As a matter of policy, we do not give awards for companies with bigger and more extravagant booths—because this is a matter of what a company can afford to invest in. We care about the goods and services that you can offer your clients,” he says.

 

The exception to this is the awards that OJBA gives to its sponsors which help make this incredible event a reality.

 

Mr. Weber explains that the construction industry is fascinating and in many ways a world of its own—meriting a conference of its own. “Heimishe companies are putting up enormous ‘mid-rise’ buildings in 18-24 months. This is only possible because of technological advances that enable them to know every piece of material that will be used in the entire project and to have the entire construction schedule known before there is a shovel in the ground. Also, due to good partnerships with subcontractors, which is another reason the OJBA is such a vital resource to everyone involved,” he said.