Strengthening Torah Life. Advocating for the Community. Serving Each Individual. | | September 10, 2021 - 4 Tishrei 5782 News from the Agudah:
- Are you traveling for Sukkos? Going through airports with arba minim can be very challenging. The Agudah has once again worked with with agencies of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to create guidance and help avoid potential problems for travelers carrying arba minim. See below for guidance and a one-page printout.
- Twenty years ago tomorrow our world changed with the tragedy of September 11th. Soon after, at an asifah convened to discuss the Torah Jew's response, the Novominsker Rebbe ztvk'l spoke, and his words were captured in the pages of the Jewish Observer. Reading through them, today, shows that they are as relevant as when they were said twenty years back. See below to read the article.
- Agudath Israel has filed a brief asking the Supreme Court to hear a case involving the autonomy of religious institutions. See below for more details.
- The Commission on Torah Projects of Agudath Israel's four-part live broadcast on understanding Tefillos Yom Kippur, will continue on Sunday, September 12, featuring Rabbi Gershon Ribner. See below for more details and how to join.
- 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 newsletter for this Shabbos here.
- Yarchei Kallah will continue next week on Inyanei Yom HaKippurim U'Teshuvah. See below for next week's schedule.
| | Agudath Israel Advocacy Continues to Ease Way for Arba Minim | | As in past years, Agudath Israel of America's Washington Office has worked closely with agencies of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to help avoid potential problems for travelers carrying arba minim. Both the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have notified their respective field personnel about the upcoming Sukkos holiday and the increased level of travel by persons of the Jewish faith, many of whom will be carrying arba minim. The agencies have also made this information available to the public - the TSA notice here and the CBP notice here.
The notifications, which have been sent out to federal officials at airports and border crossings, emphasize the religious significance of these items and outline the rules and procedures that would help allay possible security and health issues that are of concern to the federal government. Prior to these agency steps, lack of familiarity regarding Sukkos and the arba minim had led to numerous incidents each year of inadvertent mishandling and mistreatment -- including denial of entry -- of these ritual objects. The TSA Notice makes clear that the arba minim carried in airports, through security checkpoints or on aircraft, are not on the "prohibited items list" and provides instructions for travelers needing "special accommodations" in regard to checkpoint screening. The CBP Guidance sets forth detailed information regarding the inspection process for personal sets of arba minim brought into the United States from foreign countries at select ports of entry and points out that the agency is "committed to treating all travelers, including travelers who may be observing Sukkot, with respect and dignity at all U.S. ports of entry."
We are gratified by the ongoing sensitivity of these agencies to the religious concerns of our community," said Rabbi Abba Cohen, Agudath Israel's Vice President for Government Affairs and Washington Director. "They are taking meaningful and appropriate steps to accommodate our religious needs." He also thanked his colleague Rabbi Ariel Sadwin for serving as the main Agudah point of contact with those federal agencies related to the annual guidance. Agudath Israel of America once again produced a one-page handout that travelers can print out - or save to their phones - to familiarize themselves with the rules before traveling.
Please note that Covid-19 and Delta and other variants may impact your travel plans. Please familiarize yourself with the health precautions your destination requires before arranging any sort of travel. | | Agudath Israel Asks US Supreme Court to Protect the Autonomy of Religious Institutions | | Agudath Israel of America, together with the Jewish Coalition for Religious Liberty, has filed an amicus curiae ("friend of the court") brief asking the United States Supreme Court to hear a case involving whether a professor at a religious college, who performed religious duties, is considered a "minister." Ministers' employment falls under what is called the "ministerial exemption," which protects religious institutions from lawsuits from their ministerial employees about employment decisions. The exemption is designed to maintain the autonomy of religious institutions, and avoid government entanglement with religion, which would violate the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
The brief in this case, Gordon College v. Margaret DeWeese Boyd, argues that under the Supreme Court's definition of the ministerial exception, religious schools must have the freedom to select teachers whose beliefs and conduct conforms to the religious message the schools seek to convey to their students. But in this case, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts limited the ministerial exception to those teachers who perform "liturgical" functions, such as leading prayer services, which is a very limited definition, excluding many teachers who may teach religious subjects or convey religious messages. This definition also discriminates against those religions which define ministerial functions more broadly than just those who lead prayer services. The brief concludes that the courts should defer to a religious organization's good-faith identification of who are ministers. Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, executive vice president of Agudath Israel, stated, "We hope that the Supreme Court agrees to hear this case and rule, as it has in previous cases, that the ministerial exception should be broadly defined, thus protecting the autonomy of religious schools in their employment decisions."
Agudath Israel thanks the law firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP for researching, drafting, and submitting this brief on our behalf and on behalf of the Jewish Coalition for Religious Liberty, and in particular Blaine H. Evanson, who served as Counsel of Record, and Vince Eisinger, who also worked on the brief. | | Living Through Challenging, Awesome Days Responding to Recent Events Based on a presentation by Rabbi Yaakov Perlow, ztvk'l, the Novominsker Rebbe | | Click here or on the image below to read. | | Understanding Tefillos Yom Kippur | | The Commission on Torah Projects of Agudas Yisorel is delighted to present a four-part live broadcast video series on understanding Tefillos Yom Kippur.
The series will take place nightly, at 10:00 PM EDT from Thursday, September 9 through Tuesday, September 14, and will feature Rabbi Yosef Elefant, Rabbi Gershon Ribner, Rabbi Reuven Leuchter, and Rabbi Noach Isaac Oelbaum. | | Inyanei Yom HaKippurim U'Teshuvah | | The shiurim will continue next week with the access information as follows: | | | | | | |
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