Strengthening Torah Life. Advocating for the Community. Serving Each Individual. | | March 16, 2021 - 3 Nisan 5781 News from the Agudah:
- "Spain is no longer a world empire, and its contributions to civilization have faded over time. But the Sephardic Jews remain a strong force in Jewish life. Their legacy of Torah greatness, vitality, creativity and wisdom proved to be eternal. In all of the Jewish world, their scholars are remembered and revered, their words analyzed and studied, and their lives memorialized. Through this Torah legacy, Spanish Jewry lives till today." On this Day in History: 3 Nisan 5252 - 529 years ago - the Alhambra Decree, the edict expelling all Jews from Spain was signed, starting one of the darkest periods of Jewish history. See below to read this article on the greatness and expulsion of Spanish Jewry, written in the Jewish Observer in 1992 by Rabbi Berel Wein.
- Agudath Israel urges Federal Court to protect religious institutions from discrimination in land use decisions. See below for more details.
- See below for a statement from the Agudah on the NYC school chancellorship.
- Lomdei Daf Yomi worldwide will complete Maseches Pesachim, just days before Pesach: Throughout this week there will be Halacha L'Maaseh shiurim given at 9:00 PM EST. Tonight's shiur will be given by Rabbi Noach Isaac Oelbaum, and will be on Mitzvas Sipor Yetzias Mitzraim. See below for how to watch and listen.
- Between now and Pesach, we will be having special shiurim in honor of Pesach - please see below for this weeks full schedule, and we hope you'll join! The Pesach series of shiurim will be archived here: https://agudah.org/iyunim-bhilchos-pesach/
- Mazel Tov to Judith Dinowitz on the marriage, last night, of her daughter Hinda to Yosef Leibowitz!
| | Spain: Its Jewish Greatness | | Click here or on the image below to read the full article. | | Agudath Israel Urges Federal Court to Protect Religious Institutions From Discrimination in Land Use Decisions | | Agudath Israel of America has submitted an amicus curiae ("friend of the court") brief in a case in the United States Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals: Canaan Christian Church v. Montgomery County, Maryland. The case involves a church that had entered into a contract to purchase land that was properly zoned for a place of worship, only to then be denied a zoning variance for water and sewage usage by the county, making the land effectively unusable. The church challenged the denial of the variance in federal court, arguing that by allowing secular entities this same variance that they were denying the church, the County violated the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) which prohibits such discrimination. The federal court rejected the church's claims, accepting the County's supposed distinctions between the church's proposed use of the land and those of secular entities. The court also said that claims made under RLUIPA would not be accepted if the institution that brings the lawsuit should have had a "reasonable expectation" that its proposal would be rejected.
The Agudah's brief argues that allowing a municipality to offer minor differences between religious and nonreligious land uses would contradict the plain text of RLUIPA. Further, the court's "reasonable expectation" standard through which it rejected the church's claims was too strict and would lead to further unjustified land use denials to religious institutions.
The amicus curiae brief, drafted by the Yale Law School Free Exercise Clinic under the direction of Christopher Pagliarella, Visiting Clinical Lecturer, and with the law firm of Sidley and Austin serving as counsel of record, was also signed onto by the Jewish Coalition for Religious Liberty.
Agudath Israel thanks the Yale Free Exercise Clinic for producing this important brief, and we hope that the Fourth Circuit will agree that the decision by the district court was at variance with RLUIPA. | | Agudath Israel Statement on NYC School Chancellorship | | As Richard Carranza departs his position as Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, and Meisha Ross Porter assumes the Chancellorship as his successor, Agudath Israel of America thanks Dr. Carranza for his service as chancellor over the last three years, and welcomes Ms. Porter as the new chancellor.
Agudath Israel has been privileged over many years to work closely with the New York City Department of Education and its Office of Nonpublic Schools on behalf of the approximately 350 yeshivos in the city. In addition, Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Agudah's executive vice president, chairs the Committee of New York City Religious and Independent School Officials, which meets regularly with the Department of Education to discuss such matters as funding, remedial services, special education, and transportation, and to advance the interests of the city's entire nonpublic school community.
"The DOE under Chancellor Carranza's leadership has engaged the city's religious and independent schools in ongoing dialogue," said Rabbi Zwiebel. "It has been obvious that we share the common goal of the well-being of all the students of New York City. The DOE's good faith and responsibility during these challenging times, especially, are noted and appreciated. We wish Dr. Carranza well in his future endeavors.
"Ms. Porter's reputation is as an educator who takes on tough challenges successfully. While we have not yet had occasion to interact with her, we look forward to working with Ms. Porter and continuing our partnership with the Department of Education and the Office of Non-Public Schools for New York City. | | On Monday, March 22nd/9 Nisan lomdei Daf Yomi worldwide will complete Maseches Pesachim. Agudas Yisroel's Daf Yomi Commission will sponsor a Worldwide Siyum Broadcast in conjunction with the first yahrzeit, l'zecher nishmas the Rosh Agudas Yisroel, HaRav Yaakov Perlow, Novominsker Rebbe ZT"L. The Siyum program will feature speakers who will share their memories and impart some of the most important lessons to be learned from the life and achievements of the beloved Novominsker Rebbe. Throughout the week preceding the Siyum, (Monday evening, March 15th through Thursday, March 18th), the Agudah will host a 4-part Halachah L'Maseh series on topics relating to maseches Pesachim and the upcoming Yom Tov of Pesach, given by Rabbi Doniel Neustadt (Hilchos Bedikas and Biur Chometz), Rabbi Noach Issac Oelbaum (Mitzvas Sippur Yetzias Mitzrayim), Rabbi Dovid Heber (Shiurei Leil HaSeder: Daled Kosos, Matzo, Marror), and Rabbi Simcha Bunim Londionsky (Erev Pesach on Shabbos). With Pesach around the corner, these audio/video presentations covering Pesach topics should be especially relevant.
| | The shiurim will continue this week with the access information as follows: | | | | | | |
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