The Treasury Building, home of the US Department of the Treasury. Image by wikipedia

Reb Moyshe (Mitchell) Silk is not only the first Hasidic Jew to hold a US Administration senior slot, but is key to ongoing trade negotiations between the US and China, a new profile in Mishpacha reports.

Silk, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, is an expert in Chinese law and finance. Before assuming his current role, he served as a senior partner at international law firm Allen & Overy, spending a decade in their Hong Kong office.

In October, Silk was sworn in on his ancient Tikkun Korim; it originally belonged to Rebbe Mordechai of Nadvorna, and came from the ancestral town of Silk’s grandfather, Mishpacha reported.

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In his work overseeing the Treasury’s Office of Investment, Energy, and Infrastructure, Silk is responsible for creating and implementing international investment policy for America. Additionally, he designs international programs for the export of U.S. infrastructure and energy.

Under President Trump, the United States has sought to to address the U.S. trade deficit with China, broaden market access for American firms in China, and protect intellectual property.

“Addressing these issues will ensure a fair and reciprocal trade relationship, benefit the global economy, create more jobs for US workers, provide greater access to US investors to capitalize on opportunities in the China market, and protect US innovation and creativity,” Silk told Mishpacha.

Juliana Kaplan is a news intern at The Forward. Email her at [email protected]

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