Strengthening Torah Life. Advocating for the Community. Serving Each Individual. | | December 23, 2021 - 19 Teves 5782 News from the Agudah:
- Agudah of Illinois' Midwest Convention starts tonight! The keynote session will be available to watch at 8:00 PM EST by clicking here. For more details about the Midwest Convention click here.
- The Agudah applauded New York Governor Kathy Hochul today after she vetoed a bill that would have enabled the Town of Blooming Grove to discriminate against Orthodox Jews. See below for more details.
- This Shabbos is the first day of the new cycle of Mishnah Yomi. See below for how you can receive a free copy of Mishnayos Berachos and to watch an inspiring video about the benefits of this learning cycle.
- Agudah of Illinois applauded the investment policy board of Illinois for unanimously voting to divest from Unilever, due to Ben & Jerry's, a subsidiary company of Unilever, decision to participate in the antisemitic BDS movement earlier this year. See below for more details.
- Bnos Bikur Cholim is a great program run by Bnos Agudas Yisroel, that sets up visits from high school girls with local seniors. See below for more details about a recent event they held, and how to get involved if you would like to participate in this program.
- 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.
- The Sugyos B'Daf Yomi shiur series continues this week Motzei Shabbos, Parshas Shemos with Rabbi Tzvi Basch, Maggid Shiur, Yeshivah Torah Temimah. See below for more details and full schedule.
- Yarchei Kallah will continue next week on Iyunim B'hilchos Shabbos. See below for next week's schedule and how to join.
| | Agudah Lauds New York Governor Kathy Hochul for Veto of Discriminatory Blooming Grove Bill | | Agudath Israel applauds New York Governor Kathy Hochul for vetoing Bill S1811/A5761 which would have allowed the Town of Blooming Grove in Orange County to establish a "community preservation fund."
The stated purpose of the bill is to "give the Town of Blooming Grove the authority to create Community Preservation Funds to protect its farmland and open space," and implement a "plan for the preservation of community character." It is, however, the contention of the local Jewish community, as well as Agudath Israel, that the real purpose of the bill is to buy up open land in order to keep Chasidic Jews from purchasing this land and building homes in Blooming Grove, which is on the outskirts of the village of Kiryas Joel.
The bill passed in the waning days of the 2021 legislative session last June. Since then, the Agudah, on behalf of the United Jewish Communities of Blooming Grove, has waged an intensive advocacy effort to have this bill vetoed. It was a high-priority item on the agenda of a meeting held with Governor Hochul at the home of Agudah Board of Trustees' Chairman Mr. Shlomo Werdiger, which included an impassioned plea from Board of Trustee Member Chaskel Bennett, decrying the antisemitism and discrimination implicit in the bill.
Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, Agudah's director of New York Government Relations, led and coordinated the advocacy effort. He was effusive in his praise of the veto, "We are glad that Governor Hochul saw through this façade and recognized the true intentions of this bill," he said. "This veto sends a clear message that Chassidic Jews, like any other Americans, are entitled to live anywhere in New York State." Rabbi Silber also praised Jake Adler, Governor Hochul's Director of Jewish Affairs, for his vital role in this effort.
Joel Stern and Isaac Eckstein, leaders of the Blooming Grove Orthodox Jewish community, also thanked the Governor, the Lt. Governor Brian Benjamin - with whom they recently met at the Agudah office - and Mr. Adler, saying, "We are inspired and impressed by the ability and vision of the governor, the lieutenant governor, and their respective teams to be able to see through this bill for what it really was and to act on it swiftly and decisively. This shows true leadership and representation all the way from the top and the community very much appreciates it."
Mr. Avrohom Weinstock, chief of staff at Agudath Israel of America, who played a major role in advocating for the bill to be vetoed, applauded the veto, saying, "It is extremely gratifying to see Governor Hochul veto this bill, as it was clear land use discrimination under the guise of land preservation." | | Join the New Cycle of Mishnah Yomi Beginning this Shabbos! | | Click above to watch an inspiring video about learning Mishnah Yomi | | Join Klal Yisroel in learning Mishnah Yomi as the new cycle begins this Shabbos, 21 Teves, December 25, and learn just two mishnayos a day and complete Shas in time for the next Siyum HaShas! In 1923, towards the end of the first Knessiah Gedolah of Agudas Yisroel in Vienna, Rav Meir Shapiro's groundbreaking concept of Daf Yomi, the world-wide initiative to study the same daf of Gemara each day and finish the complete cycle of Talmud Bavli in just over seven years, changed the world. An extension of the concept of Daf Yomi, made popular around the world after the first Knessiah Gedolah of Agudas Yisroel, came about in 1933 when, at a meeting of gedolim in Lublin, it was proposed that mishnah should be studied daily as well. Many gedolim of the time accepted the proposal, which was directly connected to the Daf Yomi. A Mishnah Yomi calendar with the exact dates of the learning cycle was printed and set in motion. In 1938, at the second Siyum HaShas, Rav Aryeh Tzvi Frommer, Rosh Yeshivah of Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin, discussed the importance of learning mishnayos for everyone. And the format for Mishnah Yomi that we follow today came about in 1947, when Rav Yonah Sztencl, a talmid of Rav Frommer, recommended a plan for everyone to be able to complete all of Shishah Sidrei Mishnah by learning two mishnayos each day. This plan became widely accepted and was endorsed by Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer, the Tchebiner Rov, the Gerrer Rebbe, and many others. Today, Ki Heim Chayeinu, a division of Agudas Yisroel dedicated to bringing Torah into everyone's day, carries on the legacy of Rav Meir Shapiro's Daf Yomi by leading the charge to bring the vital program of Mishnah Yomi to everyone. Mishnah Yomi is an accessible, valuable and eminently attainable goal for young and old alike. The Mishnah Yomi program allows for a siyum to be made every year! By finishing Shishah Sidrei Mishnah, we learn the entire Shas, the entire Torah sheb'al peh. Daf Yomi learns the entire Talmud Bavli, and Maseches Shekalim, which is part of Talmud Yerushalmi. However, Daf Yomi doesn't learn Seder Zera'im and Taharos, except for Maseches Brachos and Niddah. Rabbi Shalom Kamenetsky points out: "To finish Shas in its entirety by learning the mishnayos as well, is an incredible accomplishment, and the siyata d'Shmaya is unparalleled." Although some don't realize the importance of learning mishnayos, Rabbi Moshe Heinemann tells us that "saying that mishnayos is just for kids and we adults don't need to learn mishnayos is like saying chumash is for children but we just learn gemara. It is completely wrong. The whole gemara and all of that Torah is based on the mishanyos! Even Rav Moshe Feinstein zt"l used to learn two mishnayos a day while he rolled his tefillin." Because mishnayos are so accessible, they require only a minimal commitment of time. By joining now, allotting less than 10 minutes to learn just two mishnayos a day, anyone can complete mishnayos in its entirety in time for the next Global Siyum of Daf Yomi. As we approach the new Mishnah Yomi cycle, excitement is building. Many Daf Yomi maggidei shiur have already committed to making Mishnah Yomi part of their daily shiur, and dozens of schools have arranged to have their students join the learning of Mishnah Yomi for the new cycle. Ki Heim Chayeinu is sponsoring thousands of copies of pocket-size Maseches Brachos of the Schottenstein Elucidated Mishnah and Ryzman Hebrew Mishnah for those who commit to learn Mishnah Yomi. | | Agudath Israel of Illinois Applauds Illinois' Investment Policy Board for Voting Unanimously to Divest from Unilever | | The BDS movement is a manifestation of animus against Jews as a people. The State of Illinois led the country by becoming the first state to pass an anti-BDS law in 2015, recognizing that the BDS movement seeks to exclude Israel from the economic, cultural, and academic life of the rest of the world, and targets not only the Israeli government but individual Israeli citizens.
Ben & Jerry's, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Unilever, recently announced their decision to participate in BDS tactics and boycott parts of Israel, including Judea, Samaria, and East Jerusalem. Because of that, the Illinois' Investment Policy Board just voted unanimously to divest their financial stake in Unilever, per state law.
Rabbi Shlomo Soroka, Agudath Israel of Illinois' director of government affairs, said, "The Board's 7-0 vote to uphold and enforce a law combating antisemitic activity, sends a message that attempts by some to delay, distort, or disregard this law will not succeed." | | Giving is Gaining with Bnos Bikur Cholim | | What's the difference between empathy and sympathy? And does it matter?
Over 100 Bnos Bikur Cholim (BBC) volunteers now know the answer.
BBC pairs up Tri-State senior citizens with high school girls and young adult women. The young ladies visit their senior friends in person, virtually, and with phone calls. While hundreds of BBC pairs from past years still keep a lasting connection, more seniors are waiting for a friend.
So, on Tuesday night, the 3rd night of Chanukah, BBC held a virtual training for over 100 new and potential volunteers. Mrs. Chani Juravel explained the difference between sympathy and empathy. Sympathy is a feeling of pity. It has its place, but sometimes it can make the recipient feel like a "nebach case." Empathy is a shared understanding of another person's pain. You empathize by offering a respectful, listening ear.
Mrs. Juravel emphasized to the girls that the seniors have a lifetime of experience to learn from. They're not nebach cases! They want to give back. She encouraged the girls to see their senior friends as valuable resources – listen to them, ask them about their history, ask for advice, make them feel valued. When the seniors give, they're also gaining. And, of course, the volunteers gain while they give, too!
"Our volunteers are excited to begin their new relationships," says Mrs. Chana Baila Hass, National Director of Bnos Agudas Yisroel, "but we still need more! We have many seniors still waiting for a partner."
Would you like to call or visit a senior?
Do you know a senior who would appreciate a BBC phone mate or visitor?
| | Schedule:
Motzei Shabbos, Parshas Shemos, at 7:45 PM EST: Rabbi Tzvi Basch, Maggid Shiur, Yeshivah Torah Temimah.
Motzei Shabbos, Parshas Vaeyra: Rabbi Mordechai Gutdreund, Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshiva Sholom Shachne/Cheder.
Motzei Shabbos, Parshas Bo: Rabbi Hershel Zolty, Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshivas Mir. Location:
Khal Bnei Torah/Kollel Dirshu Flatbush, Rabbi Shlomo Cynamon, Mara D'asra, Avenue K and Nostrand Avenue, Brooklyn NY.
Virtual Information:
| | The shiurim will continue next week with the access information as follows: | | | | | | |
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