Monday, January 2, 2023

Fwd: News From Agudas Yisroel 9 Teves 5783/January 2, 2023

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Agudath Israel of America <news@agudah.org>
Date: Mon, Jan 2, 2023, 4:45 PM
Subject: News From Agudas Yisroel 9 Teves 5783/January 2, 2023
To: <agentemes4@gmail.com>

Strengthening Torah Life. Advocating for the Community. Serving Each Individual.

January 2, 2022 - 9 Teves 5783

News from the Agudah:

We welcome the inclusion of security funding and other community priorities in the $1.7 trillion Omnibus Bill signed by President Biden last week. See below for more details.

Agudah's Rockland County office hosted its first Legislative Reception, an opportunity for government officials and community members to come together. See below for pictures and details of the event.

Agudas Yisroel is hiring! Do you want to help Klal Yisroel while you work? There are multiple entry-level positions available in Agudas Yisroel. See below for where to send your resume.

Agudath Israel Welcomes the Inclusion of Many Community Priorities in Omnibus Bill

Agudath Israel of America is welcoming the inclusion of security funding and other community priorities in the $1.7 trillion omnibus bill signed last week by President Biden.

The bill included $305 million for the federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program (a top priority for Agudah discussed in more detail here) and funds many other programs of interest to Jewish families and institutions. Unfortunately, despite a push by the Agudah to extend the enhanced child tax credit benefit and provide incentives for increased charitable giving, those measures were not included in the final bill.

The bill increases funding for various programs that help day school and yeshiva students including Title I remedial education program ($850 million increase), and special education programs ($934 million increase) while the maximum Pell Grant for low-income yeshiva and college students increases by $500 per student, raising the total a student can receive per year to $7,395.

As part of a nearly $3 billion increase in early learning and childcare, the bill includes a $254 million increase in the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program which subsidizes child care for low-income families. Almost thirty years ago, Agudath Israel, working with the late Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA), played a central role in ensuring that the program would allow parents to use the funding to send their children to the child care provider of their choice – including religious providers.

The omnibus package also provides an increase of $1.66 billion in funding for child nutrition programs. This includes $30 million in kitchen equipment grants and making permanent the summer EBT cards distributed to children receiving free or reduced meals through the National School Lunch Program. Beginning in 2024, the EBT cards will provide $40 per child in grocery benefits for each month that schools are closed during the summer. It also permits "grab-and-go" free summer meals to be distributed in rural communities as part of the nationwide Summer Food Service Program.

The bill doubles the funding for programs that were supported by the Agudah to fight hate crimes. This will enhance how law enforcement tracks and combats hate crimes against the Jewish and other communities.

The package also provides $3.3 billion in security assistance to Israel, $500 million for missile defense programs like Iron Dome, and creates a new program which will increase air defense cooperation between the US, Israel, and Arab nations against the Iranian threat of attack.

"Agudath Israel has been involved in the legislation, regulation, and implementation of many of these programs for decades and welcomes these increases," said Rabbi Abba Cohen, Agudath Israel's Vice President for Government Affairs and Washington Director. "While we were hoping for a higher funding level for the security grant program and the inclusion of other priorities, we will continue to mobilize our constituents and work with the next Congress on these and other priorities."

Agudath Israel's Rockland Office Brings Community Activists, Government and Elected Officials Together

Congressman-elect Mike Lawler

Rockland County DA Tom Walsh

Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, Director, New York Government Relations, Agudath Israel of America

State Senator Elijah Reichlin-Melnick

Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum, Director, Rockland Regional Office, Agudath Israel of America

Assemblyman Elect John McGowan

Senator-Elect Bill Weber

Spencer Chiimbwe, Human Rights Commissioner Rockland County, Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum

County Legislator Aron Wieder

Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum, State Senator Elijah Reichlin-Melnick, Rabbi Yeruchim Silber

Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, Congressman-elect Mike Lawler, Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum

Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum, New Square Mayor Izzy Spitzer, Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, Paul Adler

Rabbi Avi Kahan Rov New City, DA Tom Walsh, Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum, Yossi Gestetner,Judge Chris Exias Spring Valley

Town of Ramapo Supervisor Michael Specht, Paul Adler, Rabbi Yeruchim Silber

Town of Clarkstown Supervisor George Hoehman, Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, DA Tom Walsh, Sam Neimitz Chairman /Rockland Conservative Party, Chief Assistant DA Pat Frawley

Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum, County Legislator Aron Wieder, Rabbi Yeruchim Silber

Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, Town of Clarkstown Supervisor George Hoehman, County Legislator Aron Wieder

Rockland County's Orthodox community contains many distinct constituencies, each with their own needs and priorities. Agudath Israel's Rockland Office brought them together this week, to celebrate Chanukah together with government officials, elected representatives, and organizational leaders.

This was the first annual legislative reception for Agudath Israel of America's Rockland County office which has been operating in the community for the past year.

"It is a privilege for Agudath Israel to be the venue at which the community unites," said Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum, director of the Rockland County office of the Agudah. "The 150 people who came represented almost every community, branch of government, and municipality in the area."

Elected officials shared remarks with the attendees. Among the speakers were District Attorney Thomas Walsh (D) incoming Congressman Mike Lawler, (R), outgoing State Senator Elijah Reichlin-Melnick, (D) incoming State Senator Bill Weber, (R) incoming Assemblyman John McGowan, (R) and County Legislator Aron Wieder (D).

"Education is the most important issue to all communities," said Senator-Elect Bill Weber, in his address. "Religious education is under attack in New York State. We've seen it – we've seen what the Board of Regents did. They ignored 350,000 emails, messages, concerns from people within the community." He concluded, "We need to have someone in Albany who will fight for our values."

Talking about Yeshiva education, Congressman-Elect Mike Lawler said, "I see a curriculum and an education that most definitely produces a substantially equivalent outcome, and most definitely produces members of our society who are productive." He concluded, "As we move forward, we need to ensure that when people have these discussions, that they're being honest, that they're being fair, and that they're being sincere in wanting to ensure that every child receives a quality education."

In his remarks County Legislator Aron Wieder spoke about the important work of Agudath Israel and welcomed the opening of an office in Rockland County.

Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, Agudah's director of New York Government Relations, said, "This event shows that the Rockland community works together no matter their background or political affiliation. The Rockland office of Agudas Yisroel looks forward to making more such events."

Mosif V'holich Initiative

Agudah is Hiring

Agudah is hiring! If you are looking for an incredible work environment and an opportunity to spend your day involved in work that directly helps the klal, this might be the position for you.

Please send your resume to careers@agudah.org if you are interested.