Strengthening Torah Life. Advocating for the Community. Serving Each Individual. | | February 8, 2022 - 7 Adar 1 5782 News from the Agudah:
- We are very pleased to share that over 125,000 people joined Agudah's affiliate, Am Echad's One Kosel campaign! That's 125,000 people telling the Israeli government: "No, don't undermine halachah and the religious standards that we've kept for centuries!" We encourage you to sign the petition at OneKosel.org, and share with your friends and family. If you don't have web access, you can call 917-284-8144 to sign up.
- Yesterday, Lohud, a popular newspaper in Rockland County, shared an advertisement about an upcoming article with antisemitic imagery. See below for Agudath Israel's statement calling on Lohud to apologize and condemning Lohud, for the use of antisemitic tropes.
- We recently shared that the White House was arranging for a phone option through which one can order free COVID-19 tests, for those without internet. The number was not yet available then, and White House just shared the number with us now. The number is. 1-800-232-0233 (TTY 1-888-720-7489).
- Last week, Rabbi Ami Bazov, Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum, and Rabbi Yehoshua Pinkus, met with the Superintendents of Schools for the Suffern Central School District and East Ramapo Central School District. See below for a message Rabbi Pinkus shared about the meeting.
- Attention New York State residents: Important voter registration deadline upcoming! Next Monday, February 14th, is the last day to enroll in or switch party registration for the June 2022 primary. Only voters registered in a party may vote in that party's primary. If you are currently registered in the party of your choice, you do not need to do anything. If you would like to change party registration and are a New York City resident, please click here. Out of New York City please click here.
- Yarchei Kallah will continue this week on Iyunim B'hilchos Shabbos. See below for this weeks schedule and how to join.
| | Agudath Israel Protests Bigoted Rockland Journal News Imagery | | Agudath Israel of America viewed with alarm an incendiary promotional advertisement published today for an upcoming article in Journal News (Lohud), a popular newspaper in Rockland County. The caption, "Rabbi holds the strings on $76M for East Ramapo School District... Coming Feb. 9," appears above a puppet master using pencils and string to manipulate what appears to be children atop a pile of cash. While the article, or even the identity of the "rabbi" (as though his "rabbihood" is somehow germane) are unknown, the caricature evokes the worst antisemitic tropes, and is categorically unacceptable. The concept of the Jew as a conspiratorial puppet master, covertly manipulating the world economy and events, harks back to at least the 1700's, as further amplified upon in the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Its imagery and underlying implications have stoked pogroms for hundreds of years, and was employed as recently as by the Pittsburgh synagogue shooter, who killed 11 worshippers in the largest modern mass shooting against Jews in America, at Tree of Life in 2018. We wonder how any article which emerges from an editorial board that approved such a hateful cartoon can pretend to be free from bias. Agudath Israel calls for a full apology, and actionable commitment by Lohud to avoid bigoted imagery and coverage of the Jewish community in Rockland County in the future. | | Agudah Officials Meet with Superintendents of Schools for the Suffern Central School District and East Ramapo Central School District | | Communication. Collaboration. Understanding.
Often, school districts and non-public schools have difficult relationships. However, when you actually sit around the table and talk, you realize that you really share goals. Everybody wants to see children from every background, in public schools or non-public schools, to be safe, successful, and well-educated.
Last week, Rabbi Ami Bazov, coordinator of education affairs at the Agudah, Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum, director of the Agudah's Rockland Regional office, and Rabbi Yehoshua Pinkus, director of Yeshiva Services at the Agudah, met with P. Erik Gundersen Ed.D., superintendent of schools in the district of Suffern Central, formerly known as Ramapo Central School District as well as Dr. Clarence G. Ellis, superintendent of schools in the great district of East Ramapo Central School District.
"We really enjoyed the meetings and came away with a mutual commitment to communicate well and work together for the betterment of all children in the district," said Rabbi Pinkus. | | The shiurim will continue this week with the access information as follows: | | | | | | |
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