Strengthening Torah Life. Advocating for the Community. Serving Each Individual. | | December 15, 2021 - 11 Teves 5782 News from the Agudah:
- On Monday, New York Lt. Governor Brian Benjamin came to Agudah headquarters to meet with Agudah and community leaders, and discuss issues of concern to the Orthodox Jewish community in New York. See below for more details and pictures.
- Earlier this week there was a big victory for religious liberty in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. See below for more details about the case.
- Last week, Ami Magazine interviewed Agudah's executive vice president Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, about New York City's vaccination mandate for nonpublic schools. Click here to read.
- Attention South Florida residents: Agudah of Florida will be holding a night of chizuk tonight, with Rabbi Aharon Feldman, Rosh HaYeshiva, Ner Yisroel Baltimore and Chaver Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah. See below for more details and how to send in questions.
- Mrs. Leah Aharoni director for Am Echad Israel's office, spoke to Hamodia about the crisis in Israel with regard to the Kosel deal. Click here to read.
- Agudah's Ki Heim Chayeinu division held a siyum on meseches Taanis earlier this week. Click here to watch a recording.
- Yarchei Kallah will continue this week on Iyunim B'hilchos Shabbos. See below for this week's schedule and how to join.
| | Lt. Governor Brian Benjamin Visits Agudah Headquarters | | Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Executive Vice President, Agudath Israel, Lieutenant Governor Brian Benjamin and Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, Director, NY Government Relations, Agudath Israel | | | Agudath Israel of America was honored to host Lt. Governor Brian Benjamin on Monday, for a meeting with Agudah and community leaders. The discussion at the meeting covered a slew of important topics, including antisemitism, zoning issues, and yeshiva education.
Councilmember and incoming Manhattan Boro President Mark Levine also attended, expressing that he is looking forward to continuing his friendship with Agudath Israel and the Orthodox Jewish community. Agudath Israel looks forward to continuing its relationship with Governor Kathy Hochul, and was excited to be able to meet with Eva Wyner, deputy director of Jewish affairs for the governor, who will be working alongside Jake Adler, director for Jewish affairs.
Over the course of the meeting, Lt. Governor Benjamin reaffirmed his commitment to fighting antisemitism. A specific issue of concern in this regard was addressing a bill passed by the New York legislature earlier this year. The bill established a Community Preservation Fund in Blooming Grove, a town adjacent to Kiryas Yoel in Orange County, but which in reality is aimed at restricting Orthodox Jews from living there. Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, director for New York affairs of Agudath Israel, introduced Joel Stern of the United Jewish Communities of Blooming Grove, who explained the history of the issue and what solutions might be implemented.
Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, executive vice president of Agudath Israel, went on to discuss the importance of yeshiva education, how parental choice and autonomy is a factor in this, and the highly effective outcomes a yeshiva program produces.
"Lt. Governor Benjamin showed his commitment to working with us and to helping our communities continue to grow and thrive in New York. I was singularly impressed by how well he grasped all of the issues at hand," said Rabbi Zwiebel.
"It was an honor to have the Lt. Governor come and visit us," said Rabbi Yeruchim Silber. "I look forward to continuing to work with him and Governor Hochul in benefitting the Orthodox Jewish community in New York."
For more pictures click here. | | Victory for Religious Liberty: Agudath Israel Hails Ninth Circuit Decision | | Agudath Israel welcomed a ruling, yesterday, by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in the case of Maxon and Brittsan v. Fuller Theological Seminary. The case involved students who sued Fuller Theological Seminary, after they were expelled for having same-sex marriages.
The students contended that they were discriminated against under Title IX, a federal law that prohibits discrimination based on sex in educational programs that receive federal financial assistance. Although Title IX includes a religious exemption clause, the students argued that the exemption did not apply to the seminary, because it was governed by its own board of trustees and not directly by a religious organization.
In yesterday's ruling, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed with the students, stating that Title IX does not require an educational institution to be controlled by a religious organization for it to fall under the religious exemption.
Agudath Israel of America welcomed the ruling as a victory for religious liberty. Rabbi Abba Cohen, Agudath Israel's Vice-President for Government Affairs and Washington Counsel, stated, "today's court decision upholds the U.S. Department of Education's position that the religious exemption in Title IX applies broadly to religious educational institutions, whether they are controlled by a separate religious organization or not. "
Agudath Israel had joined an amicus curiae ("friend of the court") brief submitted to the Court on behalf of a number of major religious organizations and religious educational institutions, including the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities ("CCCU"), which represents some 140 faith-based institutions in the United States, the Coalition for Jewish Values, the International Alliance for Christian Education, and 32 religious colleges. Agudath Israel thanks the Washington law firm of Schaerr Jaffe for being the primary drafter of the amicus brief.
The brief argued that the First Amendment protects the right of religious institutions to be free from judicial and governmental interference, and that the religious exemption in Title IX is constitutionally required. The brief also stated that a victory for the students in this case would force many religious educational institutions to choose between either foregoing federal funding or abandoning their deeply held religious beliefs and tenets.
Rabbi Cohen thanked Gene Schaerr, Counsel of Record on the brief, and his colleagues at Schaerr Jaffe, Nicholas Miller, Riddhi Dasgupta, and Joshua Prince, for their excellent work on this historic brief supporting the religious exemption in Title IX and religious autonomy for religious educational institutions in general. | | Agudath Israel of Florida will be hosting a night of chizuk with Rabbi Aharon Feldman, Rosh HaYeshiva, Ner Yisroel Baltimore and Chaver Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, tonight at Torah Ve'Emunah 1000 NE 175th Street North Miami Beach.
Doors open at 8:00 PM EST, and the program will begin at 8:15 PM EST.
| | The shiurim will continue this week with the access information as follows: | | | | | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment