Agudath Israel of America, founded in 1922, is the arm and voice of American Orthodox Jewry. With national offices in both New York and Washington D.C., and 10 regional branches, Agudath Israel – also called Agudas Yisroel or the Agudah – advocates for its constituents at federal, state, and local levels. The Agudah and its many divisions provide social, educational, and youth services to its constituents, continuing a century-long tradition of championing the evolving needs of Orthodox Jewish life in America.
Since its inception, the Agudah has operated under the guidance and ongoing involvement of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of America, the Council of Torah Sages. The Agudah is keenly attuned to the American Jewish community’s challenges and triumphs, and has helped our communities grow, thrive, and advance through changing times.
Our many divisions, branches, and activities include:
Advocacy
- Agudah Legal – leverages Agudah’s lawyers’ network to protect the collective and individual rights, and further the interests of, Orthodox Jews in America. The Legal network also hosts workshops and training events for lawyers and law students , often for CLE credit.
- Disaster Relief Fund – supplies much needed aid when disaster or tragedy strikes Jewish communities around the world.
- KnowUs – corrects the record about yeshiva education and the Hasidic & Orthodox Jewish communities.
- The Office of Public Affairs – ensures that authentic Torah viewpoints are faithfully and fairly represented in the media.
- Washington Office – the Jewish community’s voice in the nation’s capital, the office advocates for religious liberty, security for communal schools and institutions and the general welfare of the Orthodox Jewish community.
- Regional Offices:
- Yeshiva Services – liaises with government for, advocates on behalf of, and provides support to, Orthodox Jewish schools.
- Agudath Israel World Organization (American Office) – represents Orthodox Jewry and Jewish interests throughout the world, including preservation and protection of Jewish sacred sites, advocacy for the interests of Holocaust survivors and safeguarding of Torah values.
Community Involvement:
- Lefkowitz Leadership Initiative – encourages community involvement and leadership development for up-and-coming community activists,
- N’shei Agudath Israel – Agudah’s women’s division, which publishes the annual Tehillim calendar and coordinates programs for women.
Employment, Education, and Training
COPE Education Services – provides culturally sensitive business and technical training in bookkeeping, accounting, and related fields.
The Fresh Start Program – is an employment readiness program for displaced homemakers who, due to changing family circumstances, require training to re-enter the workforce.
Professional Career Services (PCS) – is a job placement and education organization. The education arm offers courses and degree programs in accounting, software and web development, real estate, property management, Amazon sales, online marketing, and IT and networking. It has graduated close to 2,000 CPA candidates over the past 15 years.
Events:
- Agudah Convention – an annual gathering hosted by the Agudah to address contemporary issues and challenges and give direction for Orthodox Jewish life.
- Siyum HaShas – the Agudah hosts the global celebration of the completion of the Daf Yomi cycle every 7 ½ years. In the 13th Global Siyum Hashas, in 2020, over half a million people in 200 locations participated worldwide.
- Yerushalayim Yarchei Kallah – Torah Initiatives runs an intense week of learning in Jerusalem annually, providing a space for spiritual growth for hundreds of men and women.
- Yeshiva Services Summit: The Yeshiva Services department hosts a professional summit for yeshiva administrators, providing training, networking and focused information for Yeshiva professionals.
- H3: This series of conferences on Jewish law and business are held in different locations, several times during the year.
Historical Documentation/Publications
- The National Orthodox Jewish Archives – is a unique repository of close to 1,000,000 documents, publications and photographs relating to the history of Orthodox Jewry and Agudath Israel in the United States. A substantial portion of its collection can now be accessed through a vibrant website.
- Zichron Kedoshim – memorializes the names of Jews who perished in the Holocaust.
Social Services:
- Agudist Benevolent Society – a burial society providing for the needs of bereaved families as well as helping them financially.
- Chayim Aruchim – guides the community in making culturally sensitive health care decisions, advocates for critically ill patients in hospitals and health care facilities, and advocates for culturally sensitive legislation.
- Constituent Services – aids individuals in need of guidance, especially in the areas of social services and navigating government bureaucracy.
- SBCO – the Southern Brooklyn Community Organization provides housing for low- and moderate-income residents in Brooklyn neighborhoods. It also provides an array of mortgage and rental counseling services.
- Senior Citizens Programs – the Commission on Senior Citizens maintains three senior centers that offer meals, social services, recreational activities, and cultural events.
- The Overseas Passover Campaign – provides matzos and kosher for Pesach food to needy Jews in numerous Eastern European countries
- Yahalom- helps parents of special needs children obtain ppropriate resources by guiding, educating, and empowering them to ensure they have the support they need.
- Zahav – Zahav aims to help seniors and their families, answer their questions, and guide them to ensure they are equipped with all the necessary information they need to access life-enhancing services and programs.
Spreading Torah
- Conference of Synagogue Rabbonim- organizes conferences and other professional training activities for synagogue rabbis across the continent; provides a forum for rabbis to consult with each other on critical issues of the day.
- Daf Yomi Commission – supports Daf Yomi study and teaching and hosts the Global Siyum HaShas of Daf Yomi (see events section).
- Ki Heim Chayeinu – promotes Torah learning and values in the day-to-day life of the Orthodox Jew.
- Torah Initiatives – heads the Agudah’s efforts strengthening and spreading Torah learning. Puts on the Yerushalayim Yarchei Kallah annually (see events section)
Youth Services
- Bnos – unites school-age girls on the local and national levels through group events and programs such as Bnos Bikur Cholim, in which girls visit homebound senior citizens, and Bnos One-on-One, a big sister program for high school girls.
- Pirchei – inspires and educates school-age boys with programming and positive role models.
- Masmidei HaSiyum – uses the Siyum HaShas celebration as an impetus for greater engagement in Torah studies for school-age boys.
- Jewish Education Program (JEP) – brings basic Judaic knowledge to children and adults.
- Summer Camps – the Agudah family of camps serves more than 10,000 children each summer with ten camps across North America.