Strengthening Torah Life. Advocating for the Community. Serving Each Individual. | | February 28, 2022 - 27 Adar 1 5782 News from the Agudah:
- "Thousands of nonpublic school children throughout the state should not be denied transportation to and from school on days when public schools are closed, when the plain language of the State's Education Law requires such transportation to be provided." Agudath Israel files an amicus brief calling on New York court to uphold a lower court decision and allow nonpublic school students their due transportation rights. See below for more details.
- Learning with a Bren, as Agudah Yarchei Kallah Returns to Yerushalayim. See below for a recap of last week's Yerushalayim Yarchei Kallah.
- Countering the Narrative: Am Echad delegation to Israel brings a message from Diaspora Jewry. See below to read more about the Am Echad mission to Israel.
- Thank you to the many who have already donated to help the Jews in Ukraine. You can donate by going to agudah.org/Ukraine, or calling 917-795-4414. You can mail a check to Agudath Israel, attn: Ukraine Fund, 42 Broadway, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10004. We are working with trusted partners "on the ground" to make sure that all donations goes to this pressing need, including such items as additional security, and evacuation and housing costs. Please contribute generously. Thank you. Click here to donate.
| | Allow Nonpublic School Students Their Due Transportation Rights: Agudath Israel Files Brief Calling on New York Court to Uphold Lower Court Decision | | Today, Agudath Israel of America filed an amicus curiae "friend of the court" brief in a case that could expand transportation services for many nonpublic school students across New York State. The case examines whether school districts in New York State must provide transportation to nonpublic school students on all days that their schools are in session, even if public schools are closed. Brought by the United Jewish Community of Blooming Grove on behalf of students and their parents against the Washingtonville Central School District and the New York State Education Department, the case challenges the existing policy of only providing nonpublic school transportation when public schools are open.
In November, New York State Supreme Court Judge Peter Lynch ruled that under New York Education Law, the school district must provide transportation to nonpublic school students on all days that their schools are in session. He stated that the State Education Department's guidance document, which is contrary to that, is null and void as it violates New York State Education Law.
The Washingtonville School District and the New York State Education Department appealed Judge Lynch's decision to the Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court (Third Department), where the case is currently being argued. Note that a favorable decision in this case will not affect New York City schoolchildren, as New York City is governed by a different section of the State's Education Law.
Agudath Israel of America's brief carefully analyzes the language of the Education Law and argues forcefully that the law requires that school districts "shall provide" transportation that is sufficient to transport "all the children in the district," and that Judge Lynch was correct in ruling that the state must provide transportation to nonpublic school children on all days that school is in session, irrespective of public school services. The brief was researched and written by Martin Bienstock, a former Assistant Attorney General of New York State, who now runs his own law firm, Bienstock PLLC.
"We thank Martin Bienstock for his excellent work on this amicus brief and hope that the Appellate Division will uphold Judge Lynch's decision," said Mordechai Biser, Special Counsel of Agudath Israel of America, who helped arrange for Mr. Bienstock to draft the brief and assisted with the brief. "Thousands of nonpublic school children throughout the state should not be denied transportation to and from school on days when public schools are closed, when the plain language of the State's Education Law requires such transportation to be provided," said Avrohom Weinstock, Agudah's Chief of Staff, who contributed to the brief. "If successful, this lawsuit could impact thousands of Jewish and other nonpublic school children in New York State."
Agudath Israel thanks the United Jewish Communities of Blooming Grove, and especially Isaac Eckstein and Joel Stern, for their leadership in arranging for this important case to be brought.
Blooming Grove, a growing Chasidic community in Orange County, NY, has been an area of active engagement for Agudah Israel of late. Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, Agudah's director of New York government relations, recently led a successful lobbying effort on behalf of Agudath Israel with Mr. Eckstein and Mr. Stern, opposing a bill which could have greatly hampered the growth of the Orthodox Jewish community of Blooming Grove. The effort culminated in a veto of the bill by Governor Hochul due to its discriminatory intent. | | Learning with a Bren, as Agudah Yarchei Kallah Returns to Yerushalayim | | By: Sandy Eller If only walls could talk.
When the Yerushalayim Yarchei Kallah bais medrash closed its doors in the winter of 2020, no one could have dreamed that it would be 731 days until they reopened once again, exactly two years later. While 2021's virtual Yarchei Kallah was a welcome respite from a pandemic that had long overstayed its welcome, being able to return to the Ramada Jerusalem Hotel was a dream come true, the bais medrash walls eagerly soaking up the sweet sounds of Torah after a 17,544 hours-long silence.
An initiative of the Agudah's Torah Projects Commission, the 2022 annual Yerushalayim Yarchei Kallah was sponsored by the Lefkowitz family in memory of their parents and imbued with a combination of reverence and enthusiasm from its opening moments on February 20th. Even before they made their way to their home base at the Ramada, a large number of participants enjoyed pre-Yarchei Kallah programming that provided an additional element of familiarity to the sugya d'kallah - the halachos of kriyas haTorah and haftorah. A tour of the Noferstock parchment factory in Beit Shemesh was a golden opportunity to delve deeper into the world of klaf, while a visit to Machon Ot demonstrated how sifrei Torah are refurbished and how each one's k'sav acts as a unique "fingerprint" that can be used for identification purposes. The seeds of connection - to the Torah, to the gedolim and to Eretz Yisroel - were further sown with a trip to a shomer shevi'is farm and by divrei chizuk in Bnei Brak from HaRav Gershon Edelstein, Rosh HaYeshiva Ponovezh; HaRav Dov Landau, Rosh HaYeshiva Slobodka and HaRavTanchum Becker, the Ozurover Rebbe, all of whom spoke about the chashivus of limud haTorah.
This year's Yarchei Kallah was different in some ways than previous programs, with those in attendance feeling a powerful need to rekindle flames of limud Torah in Yerushalayim that remained unlit in 2021 because of the pandemic. The absence of certain Yarchei Kallah regulars who were lost to COVID added a layer of emotion to the learning, but more than casting a shadow on the Yarchei Kallah, the pandemic's realities added an extra dose of chizuk that had participants old and new throwing themselves into the program with a fiery intensity. The Yarchei Kallah bais medrash came to life like never before over the next four days, with more than 200 men immersing themselves deeply into the full yeshiva experience, even as the women's program provided participants with a wealth of inspiration through thoughtful shiurim and excursions.
Among those who graced the Yarchei Kallah podium were HaRav Tzvi Kushelevsky, Rosh HaYeshiva, Heichal HaTorah; HaRav Nissan Kaplan, Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshiva Daas Aaron; HaRav Asher Weiss, Av Beis Din, Darchei Hora'ah and Rosh HaYeshiva Yeshiva Darchei Torah; HaRav Dovid Cohen, Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshivas Chevron; HaRav Meir Tzvi Spitzer, R'M Yeshivas Mir; HaRav Boruch Mordechai Ezrachi, Rosh HaYesiva, Yeshiva Ateres Yisroel - Yerushalayim; HaRav Mordechai Fishman, Rav Zeirei Agudah Yisroel of Passaic/Clifton; HaRav Dovid Feinstein, Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshiva Beis Yehuda - Bnei Brak; HaRav Avraham Scheiner - Rosh Yeshivas Kaminetz; HaRav Shraga Kallus, Rav of K'Hal Imri Pi - Ramat Shlomo and Kollel Machon L'Horaah L'Rabbonim, HaRav Yosef Elefant, R'M Yeshivas Mir - Yerushalayim; HaRav Yosef Chevroni, Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshivas Chevron and HaRav Chaim Mordechai Ausband, Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshiva Ateres Shlomo. As always, the Yarchei Kallah program included daily hachana shiurim by Rabbi Shlomo Gottesman, editor of Yeshurun and co-chair of the Yarchei Kallah, and chazara shiurim offered by Rabbi Shlomo Cynamon, Rav, Khal Bnai Torah, Flatbush. And while HaRav Yitzchok Zilberstein, Rosh Kollel, Bais Dovid - Cholon and Rav, Ramat Elchanan - Bnai Brak was unable to grace the Yarchei Kallah with his physical presence this year, a special video feed was shown of his weekly halacha shiur, which was dedicated to the participants of the Yarchei Kallah.
While the day's schedule was packed with shiurim, the men and women of the Yarchei Kallah had opportunities to spend time at two special mekomos, with a full bus leaving the Ramada each morning at 5:15 for a vasikin minyan at the Kosel and a Monday afternoon trip to Kever Rochel. The program also included two siyumim - one on Maseches Megilla and another on Maseches Moed Koton and Rabbi Ausband used the final moments of the Yarchei Kallah to inspire participants to treasure the gift of Shabbos, a weekly opportunity for those who cannot spend their full week in the beis medrash to devote extra hours to their limudim as well as to connect with the Ribono Shel Olam.
Watching the unbridled enthusiasm in the Yarchei Kallah bais medrash grow with each day left an indelible mark on participants, who are returning to their homes on various continents inspired and with a renewed commitment to their learning. The hislahavus that was on display in the Yarchei Kallah bais medrash as attendees dove into the sugya d'kallah was an incredible experience, one that surpassed its organizers' expectations.
"The ability to be in a yeshiva setting is a unique and rare opportunity, one that most people don't have during the year," said Rabbi Avrohom Nisan Perl, national director of the Agudah's Commission on Torah Projects. "Those who came to the Yarchei Kallah were grateful to have a chance to get back to learning b'iyun and getting to the real depth of the sugya,"
"Participants tell us that the Yarchei Kallah gives them chizuk all year long," added Rabbi Bamberger. "We look forward to seeing this flagship program of Agudas Israel of America expanding and attracting new participants in the coming months." | | Countering the Narrative: Am Echad Delegation to Israel Brings a Message from Diaspora Jewry | | Last week, some fifty delegates from Orthodox Jewish communities around the world traveled to Israel to communicate Diaspora Orthodox Jewry's voices with the highest levels of Israeli leadership and government. The goal of this mission was to relay that the Orthodox Jewish community is a strong, vibrant community that deserves input into matters which concern Diaspora Jews. As it is now, the government's dialogue is limited, mostly, to being with Reform and Conservative representatives, who obviously do not share the same opinions as Orthodox Jews.
Of particular concern for the Orthodox communities is retaining the status quo of the religious nature of the State, in particular as it relates to the status of the Kosel and conversion (giyur), and that when the Israeli Government turns to Diaspora Jewry for their input on these issues, Am Echad – which represents a broad array of Orthodox individuals and organizations internationally – deserves a seat at the table.
In the six weeks leading up to the mission, over 150,000 members of Diaspora Jewry sent a simple, yet powerful, message to Prime Minister Bennett through Am Echad's One Kosel campaign. They said, "Reject the Kotel Compromise which profanes our holy places. Keep one Kosel for one nation." The delegation, led by co-chairmen Mr. Sol Werdiger and Dr. Irving Lebovics, carried this message forward. "When we opened the OneKosel portal, we heard from so many people who really cared about this issue but felt they had no way of making their voices heard. Orthodox Jews care about kedushas haKosel. They care even more about the integrity of personal status and the need for giyur k'halachah. And Orthodox Jews in chutz la'aretz certainly don't appreciate others speaking in their name," Ms. Leah Zagelbaum, coordinator of the OneKosel campaign.
After an overview and orientation to the current state of these issues with the participation of MK Aryeh Deri and MK Yaakov Litzman, the delegates embarked on a whirlwind schedule, meeting with both government and religious dignitaries.
Highlights of the mission included meetings with President Isaac Herzog and with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. At the meeting with President Herzog, the delegation presented him with a photo of his grandparents - Chief Rabbi Isaac Halevi Herzog and Rabbanit Sarah Herzog – mounted together with a letter from the Chief Rabbi to the American community, and a letter from Rabbanit Herzog asking religious women to vote in Israeli elections. The president was extremely positive about Am Echad, and receptive to the message being relayed.
In a meeting with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, together with Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked, the delegation members discussed a series of issues of concern, including the authority of the Chief Rabbi to regulate conversion guidelines, and the Kotel Compromise. Mrs. Leah Aharoni, Am Echad's Israel director, explained that removing the Rabbanut from the decision making process for conversion will generate confusion and create divisiveness among Jewish communities in the Diaspora. The meeting also included discussions on the major challenges facing the State of Israel in the political and security arenas, with a special focus on the Iranian nuclear issue.
The mission delegates also met and had vibrant discussions with Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion; MK Nir Barkat, Minister of Jerusalem Affairs; Minister of Housing and Construction Zeev Elkin; Defense Minister Benny Gantz; MK Israel Katz; MK Yariv Levin; leader of the opposition former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Gideon Saar; leader of the coalition Idit Silman; and MK Bezalel Smotrich.
The delegates also met with organizational representatives, such as the leadership of Galei Israel Radio, and with staff from the Jewish Agency, who explained to the delegates their activities aimed at improving their outreach to the chareidi community. U.S. Ambassador Tom Nides met with the delegation to offer his thoughts, especially on such concerns as Iran and the Ukraine situation.
The delegation hosted Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau, who spoke about the critical need for t the Chief Rabbinate to maintain its authority, and the issues that are currently a danger. Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, Chief Rabbi of Tzfat, also addressed the delegation, and led them in saying Tehillim for the Jews of Ukraine.
A highlight for the delegation was visiting the Kotel Plaza, hosted by Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, Rav of the Kotel. They were able to review the government's plans for dividing the Kosel, and see for themselves how the platform under Robinson's arch, set aside for egalitarian prayer, was deserted – as it usually is.
"It was inspiring to see people take off from work and travel to Eretz Yisroel to participate in this mission for no reason other than defending Hashem and his Torah. May Hashem bless their efforts with success," said Dr. Irving Lebovics, co-chair of Am Echad.
"It was important that Israeli politicians hear our message, whether or not they agree with it. It is also crucial that they know that not only is Diaspora Jewry not a monolith made up of only the Reform and Conservative movements, but that Orthodox Jewry is the most vibrant and fastest growing part of Diaspora Jewry," said Mr. Shlomo Werdiger, co-chair of Am Echad. | | | | | | |
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