Arielle Roth, U.S. assistant secretary of commerce for communications and information, cited the weekly Torah portion during a May 14 talk in Ogallala, Neb., about broadband internet.
“On a personal level, it feels especially fitting to celebrate the first BEAD-funded connection in the open plains of western Nebraska,” Roth said, of the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program.
Roth spoke at the event alongside Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, a Republican, marking the occasion of the first household in the state connecting via the BEAD program.
“This week, Jews across the world are reading the opening portion of the book of Numbers, which describes the organization of the tribes of Israel in the desert before the nation moves forward to the land of Israel,” said Roth, who is administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, a U.S. executive branch agency that advises the president on communications and internet policy.
One of the themes in the beginning of the book of Numbers, Bamidbar, is “that a shared mission doesn’t require uniformity of roles,” Roth said. “Each tribe contributed in different ways based on their strengths and circumstances.”
“The same principle applies to broadband deployment. BEAD’s mission is universal connectivity, but different terrains and communities require different solutions,” she said. “The mistake is when government insists that only one approach is legitimate regardless of the realities on the ground.”
“By restoring technology neutrality in BEAD, we enabled providers to contribute according to their strengths, in service of a shared national goal,” she said.
The Torah portion read in synagogues on May 16, on Saturday, ran from Numbers 1:1 to 4:20.
Her husband, Yaakov Roth, is principal U.S. deputy assistant attorney general of the Civil Division.
In a March 27, 2025, statement before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation for her nomination to the assistant secretary role, Roth said that she has “experienced firsthand the incredible opportunities America has to offer.”
“This country has given me, and countless others, the freedom to pursue our dreams and build a better country for the next generation,” she told the Senate panel.
“As a person of deep Jewish faith, it is moving to me to offer my testimony on the eve of Passover—the holiday in which we celebrate the triumph of freedom over tyranny,” she said. “Our rabbis teach us that true liberation comes not just from physical freedom, but from spiritual freedom achieved through the pursuit of wisdom, education and ethical action.”
“It is in this spirit that I dedicate myself to the service of our country and ensuring opportunity is accessible to all Americans,” she said.
She told the committee that her parents “Dr. Mark and Peggi Rabinovitch, who are here today, instilled in me values of compassion, gratitude, humility and perseverance,” and that her “husband and soul mate, Yaakov, is the most incredible husband and father. Our children— Samson, Nina, Gefen, Rory, and Judah—are my life’s greatest blessings, and I thank God every day for the privilege of being their mother.”
