November 26, 2020 - 10 Kislev 5781 News from the Agudah: - In a landmark vindication of religious rights, the Supreme Court of the United States issued an injunction against New York State's arbitrary limit of 10 or 25 individuals in houses of worship with capacity for hundreds in Red and Orange zones. See below for more details and a video message from Board of Trustees Chairman Shlomo Werdiger and Executive Vice President Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel.
- Registration is still open! The Time is Now as the Agudah Convention starts tonight, Thursday, November 26, at 6:30 pm EST. See below for more details, access to the full convention schedule and call in numbers, and registration information.
| | High Court Victory for Religious Liberty | | In a landmark vindication of religious rights, the Supreme Court of the United States issued an injunction, just minutes before midnight late Wednesday, against New York State's arbitrary limit of 10 or 25 individuals in houses of worship with capacity for hundreds in Red and Orange zones. In so doing, the High Court sided with Agudath Israel of America and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn in their legal challenge against such limitations.
In its 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court reasoned that imposing such limitations on houses of worship and not "to 'essential' businesses such as acupuncture facilities... strikes at the very heart of the First Amendment's guarantee of religious liberty."
The Court's ruling is important because it will allow individuals of all faiths in New York to immediately pray utilizing the same occupancy restrictions and safety procedures that govern similar secular activities.
But this ruling is truly historic because the nation's highest court issued an "extraordinary remedy," enacting an emergency preliminary injunction to nullify an executive order - during a pandemic - to reaffirm the bedrock American principle that religious freedom shall not be a second class right in the United States. This ruling is certain to have nationwide legal impact on the status of religious freedom for years to come.
Justice Gorsuch's concurring opinion was particularly impassioned. The Justice lamented, "Even if the Constitution has taken a holiday, during this pandemic, it cannot become a sabbatical," concluding, "It is time—past time—to make plain that, while the pandemic poses many grave challenges, there is no world in which the Constitution tolerates color-coded executive edicts that reopen liquor stores and bike shops but shutter churches, synagogues, and mosques." Even the four dissenting Justices based much of their argument not on disagreement with the legal principles set forth by the majority, but on the timing of weighing in at this point.
"This is an historic victory," said Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Executive Vice President of Agudath Israel, "This landmark decision will ensure that religious practices and religious institutions will be protected from government edicts that do not treat religion with the respect demanded by the Constitution."
"We are grateful to the High Court for this foundational ruling," said Avrohom Weinstock, Esq., Agudah's Chief of Staff. "We also would like to thank the indefatigable Avi Schick and his legal team at Troutman Pepper, and the attorneys at the Becket Fund, for their powerful legal briefs.
"Most importantly, we are deeply grateful to G-d, the true Judge, and to our rabbinic leaders whose repeated encouragement and insistence on the importance of this matter spurred us to persist in this battle towards the Supreme Court."
Concluded Shlomo Werdiger, chairman of Agudath Israel's Board of Trustees, "It was not an easy decision for Agudath Israel to go to court over this matter. That is not our preferred means of advocacy. However, the principle at stake was of such monumental importance that we felt impelled to fight to uphold our religious freedom.
"The Agudah has prioritized health since the onset of this pandemic, and we continue to encourage sound health practices. With the legal parameters clarified, we look forward to continuing to work hand in hand with our elected officials to ensure the well-being of our community with a single standard of safety for religious and secular activities." | | Keynote Sessions Schedule | | The keynote sessions at the Agudah Convention set the tone for the entire convention. This year, the convention's theme is "Davka Achshav: The Time is Now," recognizing the achrayus we have to perpetuate the vision of the Novominsker Rebbe, ZT"L, in this time when nothing is the same as it was a year ago.
The Thursday night keynote session will address these issues, beginning with a message from the gedolim delivered by Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetsky, Rosh HaYeshiva of Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia and Chaver Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah.
Rabbi Reuven Feinstein, Rosh HaYeshiva, Yeshiva of Staten Island, will talk to us about the legacy of his brother, Rabbi Dovid Feinstein, ZTL, and the obligation of perpetuating the chessed he exemplified.
Rabbi Shlomo Soroka, Director of Government Affairs for Agudath Israel of Illinois, will introduce Mr. Shlomo Werdiger, Chairman of Agudath Israel's Board of Trustees, who will explain the Agudah board's perspective on the current situation.
We will be privileged to receive special hadrachah from our distinguished guest from Yerushalayim, Rabbi Yitzchak Berkovits, Rosh Kollel of The Jerusalem Kollel, and Rosh Yeshiva of Aish HaTorah.
The keynote sessions – but not the evening – will close with lessons for us from the COVID era from Rabbi Meyer Yedid, Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshiva Darchei Erez. Motzei Shabbos's keynote session will be chaired by Rabbi Moshe Matz, executive director of Agudath Israel of Florida, and Rav of the Aventura Shul.
Rabbi Matz will introduce Rabbi Aharon Feldman, Rosh HaYeshiva, Yeshivas Ner Yisroel, Chaver Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, who will give divrei hadrachah to the convention attendees.
Rabbi Todros Miller, the menahel of the Gateshead Seminary, will be our special overseas guest for the evening. He will be followed by Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, executive vice president of Agudas Yisroel, who, as he does every year, will share his perspective on the past year and his vision for the coming year.
Rabbi Lipa Geldwerth, Rav of Kol Torah, will close out the keynote session with a timely message.
As in every year, the keynote sessions will be both preceded and followed by concurrent sessions addressing important issues facing Klal Yisroel – see here for the full schedule.
The live call-in number for the convention is 718-298-2077 (in Canada, 647-797-0056). The full list of extensions is also available by calling 212-797-9000, extension 105. The convention livestream can be accessed by clicking here. | | | | | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment