Strengthening Torah Life. Advocating for the Community. Serving Each Individual. | | October 12, 2021 - 6 Cheshvan 5782 News from the Agudah:
- As lomdei hadaf are getting their feet wet in Meseches Rosh Hashanah, the joy of the siyum on Meseches Beitzah is still with us. If you missed one (or both!) of the Agudah's celebrations of the siyum on Beitzah you can watch the recordings now. For Agudah's Ki Heim Chayeinu's Division's siyum celebration - hosted by R' Yisroel Besser and featuring the music of Sruly Williger - see here. And for Agudah's Daf Yomi Commission's siyum - including a special astronomy presentation to help you understand Meseches Rosh Hashsanah - click here.
- Just hours before Shabbos, scores of yeshivas and other nonprofit organizations in New York received confirmatory emails announcing $50,000 grants for security and target hardening for their facilities. And - for the first time in state history - as advocated for by the Agudah and others, among those awardees were many Orthodox Jewish summer camps. See below for more details.
- Bnos Agudas Yisroel is seeing unprecedented growth, with over 20 new branches opening up this season! See below to read more and how you can get involved in Bnos.
- While financial compensation cannot repair the harm done by terrorists, there are laws in place to ensure that victims and their families can at least receive some measure of justice. See below to read about a brief the Agudah and other Jewish organizations filed in the Supreme Court in a case involving a bank which helped finance Hamas.
- Attention Massachusetts residents: Agudah's New England office would like you to know that tomorrow (October 13) is the last day to register to vote in the Municipal Elections. In addition to the closely watched Boston mayoral race, many other Massachusetts towns and cities, including Cambridge, Newton and Somerville, are holding municipal elections on November 2nd. If you are not sure if you are registered to vote, you can check your status here. To register to vote click here.
- Yarchei Kallah continues this week with a new topic: Iyunim B'hilchos Sheviis. See below for this week's schedule and how to join for this timely topic!
| | Agudath Israel Applauds Governor Hochul as New York State Awards Security Grants for Jewish Institutions | | Just hours before Shabbos, scores of yeshivas and other nonprofit organizations received confirmatory emails from the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) announcing $50,000 grants for security and target hardening for their facilities. And - for the first time in New York state history - as advocated for by Agudath Israel of America and others, among those awardees were many Orthodox Jewish summer camps. Summer camps and yeshivas alike need to protect their children and faculty from hate, and ought to be given the wherewithal to do so. Agudath Israel of America would like to thank Governor Kathy Hochul for prioritizing and expediently delivering these much needed funds, which will help secure 362 at-risk nonprofits in NY. Many enjoy basking in pronouncements and press conferences for idealistic new programs. We applaud Governor Hochul, however, for announcing the release of these funds so shortly after taking office, and for following through on that promise just days after her announcement on Wednesday, as described here. Moreover, Agudath Israel of America thanks Assembly Member Simcha Eichenstein for leading the cause of the inclusion of summer camps in state security funding. The Agudah also thanks Bobov activist, Rabbi Joel Rosenfeld, for dedicating his time and expertise toward this endeavor; and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and other members of the legislature for pressing for the passage of availability of these funds and their inclusion of summer camps. Governor Kathy Hochul also announced the availability of an additional $25 million to help nonprofit organizations improve the security of their facilities to better protect those at risk of hate crimes because of their ideology or beliefs. It will be available to those organizations that have not previously received state funding for this purpose. Many yeshivas, Jewish summer camps, and other nonprofits have successfully obtained prior such grants. Given the acute need for security and target hardening today, the Agudah recommends that organizations that have not previously received state funding for this purpose apply for them when the request for proposal opens. Details to follow when available. | | From Lakewood to Las Vegas: Off to a Super-charged Start | | Can you feel the excitement? Yom tov is over, and Bnos branches are welcoming girls for a new year of fun with a purpose. We're seeing unprecedented numbers and growth, with twenty new Bnos branches opening this season in locations across the U.S., from Los Angeles to Las Vegas to Lakewood. We also have branches in England and even one in Eretz Yisroel.
Bnos' success is always thanks to our fantastic high school leaders and post-high school advisors. We don't recruit these girls as babysitters for parents' Shabbos afternoon naps. (Although we're happy for parents to get a break.) Our volunteers are role models and inspirations for the younger girls, and we actively develop our leaders' strengths and talents. We're training tomorrow's leaders to make an impact today.
In that spirit, we held an incredible national Leadership Training event last Wednesday night. The Bnos leaders learned about their role, their influence, and how to access a support system for their important work. Over 1000 girls joined!
Mrs. Toby Teller spoke first, inspiring the leaders to recognize their enormous zechus. With small actions such as smiles and compliments, they're changing the lives of their Bnosers. And for themselves, true happiness comes from giving. Committing to Bnos can be hard, but it's worth it.
Mrs. Yael Kaisman was next. She focused on hands-on leadership tips: how to stay positive, accept girls for who they are, find the compliments, and successfully run a group.
Our leaders are fired up and ready for the new season!
Would you like to volunteer for your local Bnos? Do you want to start a new branch? Email us at bnos@adudah.org. | | Agudath Israel: Supreme Court Should Hear Case Involving Bank That Financed Terrorism | | Agudath Israel of America, along with several other Jewish organizations, have asked the United States Supreme Court to hear Weiss v. National Westminster Bank (NatWest). The case, brought by victims of Hamas terrorism, argues that the bank should be liable for its role in financing Hamas's terrorist activities.
The terror victims claim that NatWest, the bank, facilitated financial transactions to a supposed charitable organization called Interpal that helped fund Hamas and its terrorist activities. In an surprising decision, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the bank's facilitation of financial transactions with an entity that the bank knew to be affiliated with a terrorist organization was not sufficient as a matter of law to move the case forward and require a jury trial to determine the bank's liability to the terror victims.
In their amicus curiae brief, Agudath Israel and the other Jewish organizations argue that the Second Circuit Court was incorrect in not allowing the case to proceed by forbidding the victims from amending their lawsuit to allege that NatWest knew about Interpal's role in assisting Hamas. The organizations' brief states that, in doing so, the Second Circuit not only ignored evidence that NatWest knew of Interpal's role in financing Hamas, but also ignored other court decisions that indicated that NatWest knew of Interpal's role in financing Hamas.
"While financial compensation cannot repair the harm done by terrorists, we hope that the Supreme Court will hear this case, and allow the case to be heard by a jury so that the victims and their families can receive some measure of justice," said Rabbi Mordechai Biser, special counsel to Agudath Israel. "A ruling against NatWest would send a strong message to banks that they will be responsible if they facilitate terrorist activities."
Agudath Israel thanks Justin C. Danilewitz and his colleagues at Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr for volunteering to research, draft, and submit this important amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court on a pro bono basis. | | The shiurim will continue this week with the access information as follows: | | | | | | |
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