Fwd: News From Agudah 29 Nisan 5784, May 7, 2024

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From: The Agudah <news@agudah.org>
Date: Tue, May 7, 2024, 6:10 PM
Subject: News From Agudah 29 Nisan 5784, May 7, 2024
To: <agentemes4@gmail.com>

Safeguarding Shabbos Observance in Maryland

May 7, 2024 - 29 Nisan 5784 In today's News from Agudah: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit hears a case involving the rights of religious students; Agudah Maryland's advocacy efforts have resulted in a crucial legislative change to safeguard Shabbos observance; and, join Bnos Agudas Yisroel's Sefira contest. Agudas Yisroel wishes Mazel Tov to our COO, Rabbi and Mrs. Yitzchok Ehrman, on the marriage of their son Shmuel to Chava Leah, daughter of Rabbi and Mrs. Simcha Zev Baum. Agudas Yisroel wishes Mazel Tov to our CDO, Rabbi and Mrs. Naftali Miller, on the engagement of their son Chaim Leib to Rikki Cohen, daughter of Rabbi and Mrs. Yoel Cohen. Did you get this email as a forward? You can subscribe to the Agudah's updates by clicking here. An Update on Loffman v. California Department of Education Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Pasadena, California is hearing oral arguments in "Loffman v. California Department of Education." Late last year Agudath Israel filed an amicus curiae (friend of the court) brief in favor of a coalition of Orthodox Jewish schools and parents of special needs children who are suing the California Department of Education and others for discriminating against religious individuals by preventing religious school students from receiving full funding for special education services. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal law that provides funding for special education programs in both public and private schools to enable children with disabilities to obtain the education that will help them succeed. However, the law in California mandates that IDEA funding can only be given to non-religious schools, even if the religious school is best able to meet a particular student's needs. Agudath Israel's brief argues that religious schools should be eligible to receive the services. The submission emphasizes that being in a religious setting is a vital part of meeting a child's educational needs: "[A]n Orthodox student with disabilities … can maximize her potential only if she receives an education in a religious setting—one that follows the same daily practices and routines with which she is familiar from her house and community. The entire premise of the IDEA is that children with special needs, more so than other children, require an educational setting that is appropriate for their specific circumstances. Placement in a setting ill-suited for a child could have far-reaching detrimental consequences for the healthy development of that child." Click here to read more.  Agudah Maryland Advocates Successfully for Shabbos Protection in Building Code Following a concerning situation involving a Shul in Harford County, Maryland, Agudah Maryland's advocacy efforts have resulted in a crucial legislative change to safeguard Shabbos observance in Maryland.   Last April, Agudah Maryland received a call from the rabbi of a shul in Harford County, reporting that local building officials had mandated the installation of motion sensors on all light fixtures as per regulations outlined in the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). Such a requirement would obviously present severe Shabbos-observance issues, as the act of entering any room in the building would activate the lighting (via a Psik Reisha) and thus be a serious violation of Shabbos. Rabbi Ariel Sadwin, executive director of Agudath Israel of Maryland, with Governor Wes Moore at the bill signing. The root of the issue stemmed from Maryland's compliance with the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), standards issued by the International Code Council (ICC), the body which drafts the internationally-accepted building regulations. Since its inception in 1994, states have been incentivized by the federal government to adopt IECC requirements, leading Maryland to pass a law in 2019 mandating compliance. The initial iteration of the IECC required motion sensors in any new construction, prompting local officials to insist on their installation at the shul.  Agudah Maryland representatives worked collaboratively with the shul's Rabbi to articulate the religious concerns to the building officials, emphasizing the infringement on the constitutional value of religious liberty, as Shabbos-observing Jews would be unable to utilize the shul. Through comprehensive explanation and dialogue, the Harford County building officials demonstrated understanding and receptiveness, ultimately reaching a resolution with the shul.  Recognizing the need for legislative action to prevent similar issues in the future, Agudath Israel Maryland engaged in discussions with the Maryland Commissioner of Labor. Subsequently, a decision was made to advocate for a change to state law, ensuring proper consideration of religious liberty in building regulations. During the recent legislative session, Agudah Maryland worked closely with state legislators to craft, explain, advocate, and pass the bill. With the law now amended, there is optimism that such issues will not arise in the future.  Furthermore, Agudath Israel Maryland has proactively engaged with the International Code Council (ICC) to educate them on the unintended impact of IECC regulations on religious observance. With the next iteration of the ICC code on the horizon, there is hope for accommodations to ensure religious practices are respected. Be a Part of the Bnos Agudas Yisroel Sefira Contest Attention girls in 2nd-5th grades The way it works: For the next 4 weeks, starting May 12th, check off each time you did that day's middah example. To complete the chart, you have to check off at least 4 out of 6 boxes each week. Click here to download the chart. At the end of 4 weeks, (June 7th) email your completed chart to bnos@agudah.org and you will be entered into an exciting raffle. You may be from the few lucky winners of an amazing prize! May Hashem heed our tefillos - and may we share besuros tovos. View as Webpage

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