Friday, July 26, 2024

Fwd: News From Agudah 19 Tammuz 5784, July 26, 2024


---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: The Agudah <news@agudah.org>
Date: Fri, Jul 26, 2024, 2:01 PM
Subject: News From Agudah 19 Tammuz 5784, July 26, 2024
To: <agentemes4@gmail.com>


July 26, 2024 - 19 Tammuz 5784

In today's News from Agudah: Agudah advocates travel to DC; Why was Agudah at the RNC; A personal relationship with Senator JD Vance; Getting out the vote in Missouri; YahalomNY releases a guide to applying for OPWDD; Bnos 3 weeks Tehillim; And, Don't miss this week's Bnos and Pirchei newsletters.


Did you get this email as a forward? You can subscribe to the Agudah's updates by clicking here.

Three Days, Three States, Thirty-Five Members of Congress: Agudath Israel Delegates from Indiana, Ohio, and New York Advocate in D.C.

As Congress resumed after the July 4th break, Agudath Israel of America delegates from Indiana, New York, and Ohio, gathered in Washington, D.C. for a three-day advocacy mission as part of Agudah's series of regional advocacy missions to D.C. These "mini-missions" come on the heels of Agudah's National Leadership Mission that took place in April. The delegations held meetings with 35 members of Congress and senior staff to discuss issues of import to their communities.


The meetings started on Monday afternoon, when a delegate from Ohio sat next to a senator during the hour-and-a-half flight to Washington and continued through planned meetings and unplanned – yet important – hallway conversations with New York representatives on Wednesday.


"Many meetings began by thanking the elected officials for their support of Israel in the aftermath of the October 7th terrorist attack by Hamas and the need to release all the hostages. Only then did the discussion move on to other policy agenda items," said Rabbi A. D. Motzen, Agudah's national director of government affairs.


Click here or see below to continue reading.


Agudah at the RNC

Last week, Rabbi A.D. Motzen, National Director of Government Affairs at Agudath Israel of America, along with other Agudah representatives, attended the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.


The national conventions are a great way to meet with lawmakers and policymakers, hear from the candidates about their priorities, to make sure that our communities' priorities are known. 


Notable parts included speeches that addressed combatting antisemitism, the war in Gaza, including a moving presentation from the parents of hostages, and many mentions of universal school choice - an Agudah priority.


As a 501c3, the Agudah can neither endorse nor oppose any candidate or party, and will be attending the upcoming Democratic National Convention as well.

What was the Agudah doing at the RNC?

Click here or on the image above to watch.

A Personal Relationship with Senator JD Vance


Rabbi Yitz Frank, director of Agudath Israel of Ohio was interviewed by the Yated about his personal relationship with Senator JD Vance, the Republican nominee for Vice President.


Click here to read the article.

Senator JD Vance meeting with Agudath Israel virtually in November 2023.

Getting Out The Vote ... Agudath Israel is pushing Jews to go to the polls.

Rabbi Ari Weisenfeld, Agudah's associate director of state relations, was interviewed by Ami Magazine about the Agudah's Get Out the Vote effort in Missouri and around the country.


Agudah is currently involved in a get out the vote campaign in Missouri for the August 6 primary election.


To read the article click here.


For more information about the MO election click here.


To watch a video from Rabbonim click here or on the image below.

YahalomNY is proud to release a Guide to Applying for OPWDD. 


The Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) is the government office responsible for coordinating home and community-based services for individuals with special needs, which are provided through a network of nonprofit agencies.

The guide walks parents of people with special needs step by step through the process of applying for OPWDD Services (also called Medicaid Waiver) and is full of useful information, tips, and definitions, including what other parents wish they'd known about OPWDD. 


Yahalom's guide aims to support the hundreds of parents across New York State who are going through this process how they and their families can access the services and funding available to them through the State.


Click here to access the guide.


As always, Yahalom is here to help you and your family.


Please reach out to our YahalomNY office at 212-747-8763.


To contact another Yahalom office:

Florida: trichmond@agudah.org, 305.532.2500 ext. 2

Illinois: fkark@agudahil.org, 773.279.8400 ext. 266

Maryland: yahalom@agudahmd.org, 667.430.0901

New Jersey: yahalomnj@agudah.org, 732.456.6322

Ohio: yahalom@agudahohio.org, 216.455.1111 ext. 1

Have You Experienced Antisemitism?


Agudath Israel has created a portal for individuals to reach out to Agudah Legal with cases of discrimination. Cases will be directed to experienced lawyers and professionals who will provide guidance as the situation warrants.


Agudath Israel is working with The Lawfare Project, the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, and several law firms, including Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP; Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP; and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. In most instances, services can be provided on a pro bono basis.


To contact Agudah Legal with a case of school or workplace antisemitic discrimination, email discrimination@agudah.org, or call 646-254-1678. 

Click here for this week's Pirchei newsletter.


Click here for this weeks Bnos newsletter.


Join Bnos Agudas Yisroel's Tehillim Together

Attention all girls in grades 3-6!


Come join Bnos Agudas Yisroel's Tehillim Together


Each day of the 3 weeks say the perakim of tehillim and check off the box.

When you finish please email in your completed chart or call in with your name and number!


Click here to download the chart.

Three Days, Three States, Thirty-Five Members of Congress: Agudath Israel Delegates from Indiana, Ohio, and New York Advocate in D.C.; continued...


Chief among the agenda items was the fight against antisemitism. The delegates urged each member of Congress they met with to continue speaking up against the unrelenting rise in antisemitism. They commended those who have already lent their support to several proposed bills that would combat the hateful discrimination and encouraged all their Representatives and Senators to do the same.


They also brought attention to the fact that the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) allocation was reduced last year even though nearly 60% of applicants are turned down due to lack of funding. The Agudah and other allies are looking for an increase to $400 million for the next fiscal year.


Another issue that came up at many meetings is the importance of education to the Orthodox community and the federal proposal that will bring school choice to all 50 states. Delegates met with some of the sponsors of the Educational Choice for Children Act and urged others to support the scholarship tax credit bill. Agudath Israel was a founding member of the coalition supporting the effort to advance this legislation


"The mission was an eye-opener to seeing how Agudah's presence in Washington is making sure our voices are heard at this critical time," said Binyomin Schwartz, President of Agudath Israel of Ohio, and a member of the delegation from Ohio.


"Coming to Washington shows elected officials that our community is watching. They know that we will thank them for their friendship and hold them accountable if they don't live up to their promises," said Mrs. Sorolle Idels, a prominent community activist and member of the New York delegation.


"For so many of us, this was our first interaction with our members of Congress. Now, we are making plans to host many of the officials for a visit to our communities," said Eli Wax, a South Bend attorney and a member of the delegation from Indiana.


"Conducting meetings with thirty-five members of Congress and senior staff from three states is only possible when there are constituents at those meetings," said Rabbi Yossie Charner, Agudath Israel's director of congressional affairs. "When elected officials see that we represent an engaged constituency it helps our advocacy efforts in Washington."


To that point, Rabbi Yitz Frank of Agudath Israel of Ohio, added, "Congressman Greg Landsman told us directly that community visits such as Agudath Israel's advocacy missions have an impact on Capitol Hill and his sentiment was echoed by other members of Congress throughout the three mission days who urged us to keep coming back."


"This week's incredibly successful mission marked just one piece of Agudath Israel's ongoing advocacy on behalf of American Orthodoxy," said Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, Agudath Israel's director of New York government relations. "And we look forward to continuing to work with our elected representatives to bring about positive change."

May Hashem heed our tefillos- and may we sharebesuros tovos.

Agudath Israel of America | 42 Broadway 14th floor | New York, NY 10004 US

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