Friday, August 9, 2024

Fwd: News From Agudah 5 Av 5784, August 9, 2024


---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: The Agudah <news@agudah.org>
Date: Fri, Aug 9, 2024, 3:22 PM
Subject: News From Agudah 5 Av 5784, August 9, 2024
To: <agentemes4@gmail.com>


August 9 2024 - 5 Av 5784

In today's News from Agudah: Free downloads of the Halachos of Tisha B'Av and the Halachos of waiting for Mashiach; Dina D'malchusa Dina Event Inspires and Informs Huge Crowd in Boro Park; Ensuring Availability of Special Ed Services for NY Children; Bnos and Pirchei newsletters; and, Bnos Tisha B'Av programming.


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The Halachos of the Three Weeks and Tisha B'Av

Click here to download.

The Halachos of Waiting for Mashiach

Click here to download.

Dina D'malchusa Dina Event Inspires and Informs Huge Crowd in Boro Park

Last night, some 1,300 men and women converged upon Ateres Chaya Hall in Borough Park to attend an event sponsored by Agudath Israel's KnowUs division. The goal of the event, titled Dina D'malchusa Dina, was to raise awareness of how, as Torah Jews, we can uphold the highest standards of ethical and financial rectitude, especially when interacting with secular society. 


It is a longstanding priority of the Agudah to attune the community to areas where extra vigilance and ehrlichkeit can be exercised. In fact, yesterday's event was modeled after similar asifos that took place years ago, also preceding Tisha B'av, a time reserved for introspection of our place in golus


The standing-room only crowd was riveted by addresses by Rabbi Avrohom Schorr, Rav of Bais Medrash Nezer Gedalyahu; Rabbi Binyomin Eisenberger, Rav of Bais Medrash Heichal Hatfilla; as well as by Rabbi Aaron Lipskar, Chief Executive Officer of the Aleph Institute; and renowned criminal defense attorney Mr. Benjamin Brafman. The evening was chaired by the Agudah's Executive Vice President, Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel.  


Harav Schorr implored the large gathering to strengthen the quality of living with histapkus and acceptance of Hashem's adnus, and exposed how underlying weaknesses in these areas can lie at the root of challenges in the implementation of dina d'malchusa dina


Harav Eisenberger, through an odyssey of ma'amorei Chazal, explicated the singular midah of Klal Yisroel's ne'emus: where we are pleasant not only in our own eyes, but also in the eyes of those who behold us.  


Rabbi Aaron Lipskar described the "preventative pidyan shvuyin" that we can undertake, and recounted, employing moving anecdotes, various legal and psychological checks that can help one avoid legal disaster.  


Finally, Mr. Ben Brafman closed the remarkable evening by weaving wit and deep legal wisdom to instruct how one can avoid trouble that may not present itself as such, and the amazing impact that seemingly small positive actions can have.  


The event also featured audiovisual presentations by the Aleph Institute, an organization which supports incarcerated, military, and institutionalized persons and their families and by the Living Kiddush Hashem foundation, an organization dedicated to bringing every Jew to their mission of creating a kiddush Hashem in every interaction.  


R' Chaim Gross was a visionary who helped spearhead the original asifos decades ago, entreating us to act in consonance with v'asisa hayashar v' hatov, a movement now reenacted and grown.  


In an amazing stroke of hashgocha pratis, which the organizers only recently became aware of, last night's event occurred precisely on R' Chaim's 13th yartzeit.  


Ensuring Availability of Special Ed Services for NY Children

In May, the New York State Board of Regents proposed an amendment that would have severely curtailed the ability of children to receive necessary special education services. The amendment would have eliminated the right of parents to obtain a due process hearing and potentially subjected parents to the financial burden of litigation. 


As soon as the proposed amendment was announced, Agudath Israel engaged extensively with New York State Education Department (SED) officials, the Board of Regents, and numerous New York legislators, explaining the drastic effects such an amendment would have on children across New York State. Additionally, Agudah mobilized thousands of parents of children with special needs and other stakeholders to submit comments to the Board of Regents explaining how devastating the proposed amendment would be. 


Thanks to Agudah's advocacy and the public outcry, the regulation was revised in July to include the right to due process hearings for the scope and provision of special education services. Agudath Israel appreciates the opportunity for meaningful dialogue with SED officers and counsel, many concerned Regents, and key legislators that led to this revised amendment. 


However, the amendment still denies parents the right to due process to contest the rate of reimbursement. Additionally, the Department utilized an emergency rule to bypass the required 60-day comment period and implement the updated amendment immediately, mere weeks before the start of the upcoming school year, negating any subsequent input from the public and stakeholders. 


While this regulation applies across New York State, its effects will be acutely felt in New York City, as thousands of NYC children with special needs receive services as a result of due process hearings and would potentially be disenfranchised. Therefore, Agudath Israel, together with its colleagues on the Standing Committe for Religious and Independent Schools, has been engaging with NYC DOE officials regarding the special education crisis for many months. In a positive development, to fill the gaps left by the abrupt removal of due process for reimbursement, the NYC DOE significantly increased the reimbursement rates for independent Special Education Teacher Support Services (SETSS) providers – which previously had remained stagnant for decades. They also hired more itinerant SETSS providers who, as employees of the DOE, will provide in-school services. 


But taking away the statutory right to due process remains a problem. The measures DOE has put into place, while welcome and long overdue, do not negate the need to preserve the rights of parents under the law. To this end, Agudath Israel is continuing to advocate for the Board of Regents to reject the amendment and reinstate the right to due process for reimbursement. And, as with Agudah's previous advocacy regarding the proposed amendment, the public's participation is critical to inform the Board of Regents, NYSED, and New York legislators how the absence of due process will affect children who require special education services to succeed. 


"We are very appreciative of the Board of Regents for their consideration of the serious issues presented by the amendment, and we are grateful for the much-improved revised amendment," said Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, director of New York Government Relations at Agudath Israel. "We look forward to further dialogue with the Regents and the Department of Education as we work to resolve this issue completely." 


"As the amendment is currently written, much work is still needed with the NYC DOE and NYSED to clarify the processes by which children will receive the special education services they need. Unfortunately, in many cases, it may still be a costly and lengthy process," said Rabbi Yehoshua Pinkus, director of Agudah's Yeshiva Services division. "Delaying these necessary services would hinder the educational development of our most vulnerable children. Agudah will continue advocating until the needs of every child requiring special education are met." 


Click here for this week's Pirchei newsletter.


Click here for this weeks Bnos newsletter.


Click here for the Bnos Tisha B'Av newsletter.

Bnos Tisha B'Av Programming

For Girls Grades 2-6

Join Bnos Agudas Yisroel to hear an inspiring story for Tisha B'Av from master storyteller, Rabbi Mayer Erps!


Tuesday, August 13


Call in all day.


Call in: 641.715.3800; Access Code: 937120#; Prompt 4

For Women & High School Girls

Join Bnos Agudahs Yisroel for an inspiring event featuring Mrs. Nechama Denbo and Mrs. Tobie Teller, on how to elevate and add meaning to your Tisha B'Av.


Tuesday, August 13, at 12:00 PM EST

Call in: 641.715.3800; Access Code: 937120#; Prompt 5

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. 

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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