vital information: Fwd: News From Agudah 7 Nisan 5784, April 15, 2024

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From: The Agudah <news@agudah.org>
Date: Mon, Apr 15, 2024, 6:07 PM
Subject: News From Agudah 7 Nisan 5784, April 15, 2024
To: <agentemes4@gmail.com>

April 15, 2024 - 7 Nisan 5784

In today's News from Agudah: Last week thousands of bochurim gathered in multiple locations last week to hear divrei hisorerus before the upcoming Pesach bein hazmanim; 100 people gathered at an event jointly sponsored by Agudah's Zahav Division and the Business Halacha Institute, intended to give people without halachically valid wills; Agudath Israel of Illinois held their annual Pesach food distribution program in partnership with Maot Chitim of Greater Chicago; Did you get new keilim for Pesach or have Chometz keilim that need to be Kashered? See below to download free printable PDF guides on Hilchos Tevilas and Hechsher Keilim and, an update from Bnos on their Pre-Pesach programming.

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Talmidim Gather by the Thousands in Advance of Bein Hazmanim

Thousands of bochurim gathered in multiple locations last week to hear divrei hisorerus before the upcoming Pesach bein hazmanim. The gatherings, sponsored by Agudas Yisroel and arranged with the help of dedicated askanim in the respective locations, included close to 3,000 talmidim in Lakewood, 1,000 in Monsey, and a hookup to Montreal, and were directed at bochurim from Bais Medrash and 11th 12th grades.

The asifos, called to prepare bochurim for bein hazmanim in the shadow of the war in Eretz Yisroel, and in light of the threat to bnei yeshiva in Eretz Yisroel, were addressed by many of the Gedolei Yisroel.

In Lakewood, Chaver Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Rabbi Aryeh Malkiel Kotler, Rosh HaYeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha, and Chaver Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Rabbi Elya Brudny, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Mir, addressed the bochurim, with Rabbi Nochum Binder, Rav of Hampshire Hills, giving divrei chizuk and introducing the speakers. In Monsey, Rabbi Uren Reich, Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshivas Ohr Zechariah and HaRav Dovid Breslauer shlit"a, Rosh Kollel of Yeshiva Gedolah Zichron Moshe, addressed the bochurim, with Rabbi Avrohom Yeshaya Rosenman of Yeshivas Bais Binyomin introducing the speakers and giving divrei chizuk.

In addition, to the speakers at each location, two of the Gedolei Eretz Yisrael, Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch, Rosh Yeshivas Slabodka, and Rabbi Dovid Cohen shlit"a, Rosh Yeshivas Chevron, spoke to the bochurim via video.

The ruach in both halls, filled to capacity with the "Ligyono shel Melech" – the Ribono Shel Olam's special forces – was truly electric, with each bachur leaving the evening inspired by the Gedolei Yisrael with a mission for this Bein Hazmanim.

Agudas Yisroel is pleased to be able to share videos of the divrei chizuk at the event, available by clicking here. Other locations for asifos are being explored over the next few days before bein hazmanim, and communities wishing to participate should email yehrman@agudah.org.

Where There's a Will There's a Way: Lakewood Residents Complete Halachic Wills With Zahav

Last week one hundred people gathered at an event jointly sponsored by Agudah's Zahav Division and the Business Halacha Institute, intended to give people without halachically valid wills the tools they need to complete one. The event was made after Zahav received feedback from people whose parents had passed away without having made halachically valid wills, who conveyed that the discord and dispute this sometimes engendered among the deceased's descendants was tearing families apart.

Click here or see below to continue reading.

Agudath Israel of Illinois Holds Annual Pesach Food Distribution Program in Partnership with Maot Chitim of Greater Chicago

This past Sunday, Agudath Israel of Illinois held its annual Pesach food distribution program in partnership with Maot Chitim of Greater Chicago. Over 600 families in our community benefited from this program, which includes assisting with their Yom Tov preparation and alleviating some of the financial costs associated with Pesach. Even through challenging and difficult weather conditions, It was a huge success as families were able to easily drive through our pick-up system and orders were placed in their cars, the whole process taking less than 30 minutes. We extend a big thank you to all of the volunteers, community members and office staff who helped make this event run so smoothly. We once again thank Maot Chitim of Greater Chicago for partnering with us in offering this helpful program to so many families in our community.

The Halachos of Tevilas Keilim and Hechsher Keilim

Click here or on the image above to download Safa Berura on Tevilas Keilim.

Click here or on the image above to download Safa Berura on Hechsher Keilim.

Congratulations to Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, our director for New York government relations, for being included in City & State NY's Who's Who in Government Relations. It is a testament to the important Rabbi Silber does advocating for New York's Orthodox Jewish communities.

Chesed with Dignity from Bnos Bikur Cholim

Just in time for Pesach, Bnos Bikur Cholim (BBC) provided over 100 Holocaust survivors in New York with much needed food and clothing vouchers. The project was made possible through a generous grant from the Elie Wiesel Holocaust Survivors Initiative, sponsored by City Council of New York.

"The food vouchers were back by popular demand," explained Mrs. Chana Baila Hass, National Director of Bnos Agudath Israel. "We had seniors inquiring about it already six weeks ago."

The hallmark of the BBC system is the way it preserves the survivors' dignity. The intake process is smooth and streamlined. And the food vouchers allowed the seniors to shop as normal, choosing their own groceries. "We believe survivors should be treated with utmost respect," said Mrs. Hass. "And we're so grateful for the partnership with the Elie Wiesel Holocaust Survivor's Initiative."

BBC also partners with The Elie Wiesel Holocaust Survivor's Initiative for its other popular senior programs. For more information or to volunteer please reach out to Mrs. Hass at cbhass@agudah.org.

Bnos Agudas Yisroel Tehillim Initiative

How: Each day call into the hotline and hear an inspiring story from Mrs. Leiser

Then say the yom lachodesh
Each day that you check off earns you one raffle ticket
On Shabbos and Yom Tov there is no hotline and of course fill in the boxes for Shabbos and Yom Tov after
Send in your filled in charts with the amount of raffle tickets you earned on the bottom to bnos@agudah.org or call in and state your name and information clearly 212-797-9000 ext: 353.

For: Girls in grades 7-8

Click here to download the form.

Call in: 641-715-3800 Access code: 937120#

Where There's a Will There's a Way: Lakewood Residents Complete Halachic Wills With Zahav, continued:

Legal and Halachic Advisors on site at the Zahav Halachic Will Event

Zahav Senior Guidebooks

Using the Business Halacha Institute's new online tool to create a Halachic Will, Zahav was able to arrange for experts in all pertinent areas to be present, to make a one-stop-shop for people taking care of this urgent need. At the event, in addition to Agudah staff, the attendees were able to consult with Rabbi Mendel Weinberger, Sgan Rosh Bais Din of Bais Din Maysharim; Rabbi Naftuli Lerner, Director, Business Halacha Institute; and Joseph Klein Esq., CPA, Partner, Korsinsky & Klein, LLP, Elder Law Attorney.

Chayim Aruchim is Agudah's division that takes care of end-of-life issues. Agudah staff also helped the attendees fill out Chayim Aruchim's Halachic Medical Directives, which were signed and witnessed as well.

Agudas Yisroel is grateful to Madison Title Agency for hosting the event.

This event is the first in a series; if you would like to bring this to your community please email zahav@agudah.org.