Strengthening Torah Life. Advocating for the Community. Serving Each Individual. | | March 11, 2021 - 27 Adar 5781 News from the Agudah:
- Agudath Israel urges the Supreme Court to uphold the religious liberty of all students. "Excluding religious school students from a state aid program that benefits other private school students is discriminatory and unconstitutional," said Agudah's Executive Vice President Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel. See below for more details.
- Video Update from the Agudah. Rabbi Yitz Frank, Director of Agudath Israel of Ohio gives a video update on the expansion of EdChoice in OH, and Governor Mike DeWine's proposed state budget and two year spending plan. See below to watch.
- In the Capitol on Zoom: See below for more details on Tuesday's virtual Albany Day meetings that focused on the Hudson Valley, encompassing Westchester, Rockland, Orange and Sullivan Counties.
- In honor of the 12th yahrtzeit of Rabbi Chaim Pinchos Scheinberg zt"l, we are sharing a great story about the time he promised someone a cheilek in the mitzvah for allowing a cat into her living room. See below for the article from a 1998 Jewish Observer by Sarah Shapiro.
- We were pleased to receive a beautiful email from Scott Shamai Whitman, one of the attorneys involved in the Amicus Brief filed by Agudath Israel earlier this week, urging federal court to allow a lawsuit against a bank that financed terrorism. See below to read the letter.
- New classes for Agudah's COPE Division Junior Accounting Course are starting soon. Classes are available in person and on Zoom. See below for more info and how to register.
- Pirchei will be hosting a Siyum HaMishnayos program for yeshivos this Sunday - Remembering the Giants: A Tribute to the Novominsker Rebbe zt"l and Harav Dovid Feinstein zt"l, and will feature Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetsky and Rabbi Reuven Feinstein. See below for more details and to sign up your Yeshiva or Shul.
- Bnos and Pirchei Newsletters: Download this week's Pirchei newsletters by clicking here for the Pirchei Pages and here for the Pirchei Weekly. Download the Bnos Agudath Israel newsletter for this Shabbos here.
- And lastly, close to 200 rabbanim from around the country joined in a virtual shiur today with Rabbi Shlomo Eliyahu Miller, Rosh Kollel and Av Beis Din of Kollel Avreichim Toronto and Chaver Moetzes Gedolei Haorah, on the subject of Erev Pesach shechal lihyos b'Shabbos. Any rabbanim who missed it, and would like to hear the recording, should please email torahprojects@agudah.org to have it sent to them.
| | Agudath Israel Urges the Supreme Court to Uphold the Religious Liberty of All Students | | Agudath Israel of America has joined an "amicus curiae" (friend of the court) brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case of Carson v. Makin, which was brought by parents with children attending religious schools in Maine. Although many private school students in Maine are eligible for state tuition funding, a state law says that the state will not pay tuition for students who attend a religious school.
Agudath Israel argues that the law, which was upheld by the federal district court and the First Circuit Court of Appeals, violates the Free Exercise Clause of the U.S. Constitution, under several recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions, because it prohibits students from accessing an otherwise available student aid program solely because of the religious nature of their school.
Agudath Israel joins the Christian Legal Society and a number of other religious organizations on the amicus curiae brief, which was drafted principally by law professors Douglas Laycock and Thomas Berg.
Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Agudath Israel's Executive Vice President, stated that "Excluding religious school students from a state aid program that benefits other private school students is discriminatory and unconstitutional. We hope that the Supreme Court agrees to hear this case." | | Click here or on the image below to watch. | | In the Capitol on Zoom Agudath Israel of America's Albany Day Series: Different Venue Same Value | | By Miri Szpilzinger
Navigating the mute and video buttons on Zoom, rather than the halls of the Capitol Building in Albany, was a new experience for those participating in the third and final installment of the Agudah's virtual Albany Day series on Tuesday, with meetings focusing on the Hudson Valley, encompassing Westchester, Rockland, Orange and Sullivan Counties.
Tuesday's virtual Albany Day, conducted by the Agudah over Zoom, had Hudson Valley legislators meet with their constituents and community activists to discuss the issues that matter to them. One such issue was the Orthodox community's deep concern regarding the dangerous inflammatory public rhetoric emanating from opponents of the East Ramapo School Board who falsely accuse the Board - consisting primarily of Orthodox Jewish members - of 'Jim Crow' style racial animus.
Another issue discussed with legislators was a budget cut and a change in the language of New York State law regarding Mandated Services Aid (MSA) in this year's executive budget. MSA is a law that was passed in the mid 1970's that allocated funds to reimburse nonpublic schools in New York State for services that schools are mandated to provide by the State. The proposed change in language would enable future budgetary cuts to reduce the allocation of funds to nonpublic schools. Other issues discussed included substantial equivalency, busing cost reimbursements, immunization recordkeeping reimbursements, and STEM funding.
Tuesday's Albany Day meetings were attended by Senators Pete Harckham, Mike Martucci, Shelly Mayer, Elijah Reichlin–Melnick, and Assemblymembers Chris Burdick, Aileen Gunther, Mike Lawler, Amy Paulin, Nader Sayegh, as well as a staff member from Senator James Skoufis's office.
Though the formal group Albany Days have concluded, Agudah staff and activists will be continuing to advocate with legislators and their staff following up on the issues discussed up until the final budget is adopted at the end of March.
"The pandemic canceled a lot over the past year, but the need for advocacy has only grown. That is why it is extremely important that we meet with our legislators to discuss important issues facing the community. Holding Albany Day over Zoom was a unique challenge and a new experience for us, but the legislators were just as engaged and involved as if we were meeting in person in Albany. We thank them and their staff for making themselves available and look forward to continuing our relationships with them and I hope by the time it comes around to next year's meetings, we will be able to meet in the Capitol in Albany," Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, Agudah's director of New York government relations, said. | | Rabbi Scheinberg's Laughter | | Click here or on the image below to read the full article. | | Thank you again for the opportunity to help all of you in your important work serving Klal Yisroel! We have a nightly routine in our house where we say thank you to Hashem with our kids every night before they go to sleep. Sometimes I resort to mundane things that occurred during the day that was. However, just yesterday, I was struck by how incredible it is to have organizations like the Agudah that makes living in galus just a little bit easier. So, I thanked Hashem that we have the Agudah and that I have had the zchus, on a few occasions now, to play a small role in the vital work that you do. -Shamai | | New Classes for Agudah's COPE Division Junior Accounting Course Starting Soon | | Are you entering the work force? Are you trying to update your business and professional skills? Are you trying to increase your capabilities? You can go to a regular college program, but that will take you four years. Instead, choose Agudah's COPE division Junior Accounting Course.
COPE's three-and-a-half months long intensive junior accounting course is custom designed for individuals with little or no experience in business or accounting. Students will thoroughly learn the accounting cycle as well as accounting for all types of business. Classes are taught by a staff of instructors who are hand-picked for their real-world experience and dedication to helping students learn. In addition, this course provides the skills and knowledge for immediate job entry. To help students become more marketable, popular accounting software such as QuickBooks is taught. The starting salaries for COPE Institute's graduates are between $45,000 and $55,000 with excellent advancement opportunities. Also, over 90% of graduates have been successfully placed in jobs. Upon completion of the junior accounting course students can continue with a 22 month evening program that will earn students a Bachelor Degree and enable them to sit for the CPA exam.
The next cohorts of junior accounting students will begin on March 15th for men's day classes. Women's night classes will be starting April 6, and will be available both in person and by Zoom. To find out more, call 718-506-0500, extension 208; email info@copeeducation.com; or text COPE to 718-578-4558.
COPE, a division of Agudas Yisroel, has, for years, been providing education and job skills to men and women in our communities. | | Remembering the Giants: 39th Annual Siyum HaMishnayos | | Pirchei Montreal is holding a virtual event for the 39th Annual Siyum HaMishnayos for yeshivos. Remembering the Giants will be a tribute to the Novominsker Rebbe and Harav Dovid Feinsten zt"l.
The program will be shown this coming Sunday, March 14th, at 12 PM EST, and will feature Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetsky, and Rabbi Reuven Feinstein. Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, executive vice president of Agudas Yisroel, and Rabbi Ephraim Levi, national director of Pirchei Agudas Yisroel, will deliver special messages. Boruch Levine will participate as a musical guest, and Rebbe Hill will deliver a story. | | | | | | |
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