Agudath Israel of America Celebrates Universal Voucher Expansion in Indiana
In the early hours of Friday morning, the Indiana General Assembly voted in favor a budget that provides school vouchers to all students in the state regardless of their income. This victory for families comes sixteen years after Indiana passed its first school choice program in 2009. The happy ending came after the Senate ultimately went along with the expansion supported by the House and Governor, albeit delaying the start [...]
Agudath Israel: Harvard Should Have Combated Antisemitism as Vehemently as It Now Wars With the Feds
Agudath Israel of America, an over 100-year-old organization representing American Orthodox Jewry, is disappointed that Harvard University has chosen to sue the Trump administration rather than address – or, according to media reports, even discuss – requests by the federal government that Harvard make significant reforms to rectify the endemic antisemitism that has been allowed to fester on its campuses. In its annual Audit of Antisemitic Incidents: 2024, released on [...]
Attention NY Residents: Take Action to Stop Assisted Suicide
The New York State Legislature is currently contemplating a bill that will legalize the dangerous policy of Assisted Suicide. As Torah Jews we believe that all human life is sacred and laws that undermine the sanctity of human life send a message that is profoundly dangerous for all of society. Agudath Israel has long advocated on behalf of terminally ill patients, particularly through its Chayim Aruchim division, and notes that [...]
Supreme Court Hears Argument on Important Parental Rights Case
On Tuesday, April 22, the Supreme Court heard arguments in Mahmoud, et. al. v. Taylor, et. al., a case about public school parents' right to have their children “opt out” of certain curriculum that does not comport with the parents' religious beliefs. Legal experts note that the case could have important implications for yeshivos and other nonpublic schools as well. The Mahmoud case was filed by parents of public school [...]
School Choice Finally Comes to Texas: Agudath Israel of America Applauds Passage of Universal School Choice Bill
Agudath Israel of America proudly celebrates a historic victory for parents and students across the Lone Star State as the Texas Legislature passes a landmark universal school choice bill. On Thursday, the Texas Senate voted to concur with the House and pass SB2, finally giving families the educational freedom they have been asking for. SB2 is an Education Savings Account (ESA) program that would provide parents with approximately $10,000 per [...]
Attention Indiana Residents- Take Action Now for School Choice
Dear families, Indiana was very close to passing universal school choice this year, but now that is up in the air. We need you to speak up today. Indiana Governor Mike Braun and House leaders included language in their budget bill, HB 1001, to expand the Choice Scholarship Program to all students, however, the Senate removed it and the bill now sits in a conference committee to hash out the differences. [...]
Agudath Israel of America Launches New “Initiative for Parnasah Connection” to Tackle Lakewood’s Job Crisis
Last month, Agudath Israel of America’s New Jersey office launched the Initiative for Parnasah Connection, a groundbreaking effort aimed at addressing the growing job crisis within the Lakewood community. The initiative is designed to help job seekers find meaningful employment that aligns with their skills and needs, while also offering hands-on mentorship throughout the job search and application process. Under the leadership of Program Director Mordechai Pressburger, the initiative boasts [...]
Agudath Israel of America Applauds Texas House Committee on Public Education for Passing Universal School Choice Bill
Agudath Israel of America applauds the Texas House Committee on public education for passing a Universal school choice bill. On Tuesday, March 11, Agudath Israel of America led a group of parents, school leaders, and community leaders to Austin in support of House Bill 3 (HB3), which was being considered by the Education Committee. HB3 was later replaced with the Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 2 (CSSB2). CSSB2 is a [...]
TAKE ACTION NOW!
Tuition scholarships can become a reality in ALL 50 States this year April 7, 2025 Dear Principals and Administrators, Please share the following important message with your parent body and direct them to https://agudah.org/tuition-scholarships-can-become-a-reality-in-all-50-states-this-year-take-action-now: Congress is currently considering a game-changing school choice proposal that will support K-12 scholarships in all 50 states, but we need your help to make it a reality. In the last session of [...]
Pirchei Mishna Rishona Pesach Program 5785
CLICK HERE for a printable version of the flyer for the current Mishna Rishona Pesach Program. CLICK HERE for the printable version of the form & flyer for the current Pirchei Hasmadah Challenge for Pesach 5785.
Summer EBT 4/3/25
April 3, 2025 Summer EBT Dear Principals and Administrators, Schools participating in the National School Lunch Program School must complete the 2025 Summer EBT data collection in order for the Office of Temporary Disability Assistance (OTDA) to issue Summer electronic benefits (SEBT) for their students. See the NYSED website here for more information. Please carefully read through the guidance document linked at the bottom of that page which shows you [...]
Pirchei Hasmadah Challenge 5785
CLICK HERE for a printable version of the flyer for the current Mishna Rishona Pesach Program. CLICK HERE for the printable version of the form & flyer for the current Pirchei Hasmadah Challenge for Pesach 5785.
April and May Deadlines 4/1/25
April 1, 2025 April and May Deadlines Dear Principals and Administrators, Please see below for important deadline reminders. With Pesach rapidly approaching, we wanted to ensure that schools are adequately prepared to meet deadlines. Please click on the blue highlighted text for more information about the deadline. April 1- all schools- deadline for the updated Child Abuse Identification and Reporting (Mandated Reporter Training). If you haven’t done it yet, [...]
Agudath Israel Testifies Before The New Jersey Senate Budget Committee in Support of Nonpublic School Students
Earlier this week, Shlomo Schorr, Director of Legislative Affairs for Agudath Israel of America’s New Jersey office, testified before the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee to ask for an increase in the amount of funds allocated for the nonpublic school nursing program, as well as other priorities. In his testimony, Schorr highlighted the critical need for adequate nursing services in nonpublic schools. “The ultimate goal of the law is to [...]
Memorandum of Opposition: S.138 Hoylman-Sigal/A.136 Paulin
Date: March 26, 2025 This is to express our strong opposition to S138 / A136 the Medical Aid in Dying Act. The bill allows terminally ill patients to obtain medication that the patient can self-administer in order to bring about the patient’s death, in other words, it makes suicide legal. Informed by classical Jewish tradition which teaches that all human life is sacred and possessed of the firm view that [...]
Watch: Submitting the June 1 Letter
Download PowerPoint here!
Attention NY Residents: Take Action Now to Support the Mask Ban
Currently, New York State is considering a bill to make it a separate crime to hide one's face for the purpose of menacing or threatening another. Agudath Israel strongly supports this bill. Recently, there has been a resurgence of masked intimidation targeting Jewish communities. Hate groups have hidden behind masks to conceal their identities. Masked harassment has been a crime in NY for over a hundred years to head off the actions of the [...]
Kol Korei Regarding the Elections for the WZO
Below is a Kol Korei from the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of America regarding the elections for the WZO. Click here to download.
Rockland County Transportation Forms
New York State education law, section 3635, mandates that a written request be filed each year, no later than April 1st, requesting transportation to a non-public school for the following school year. The school for which the student requests transportation must be within 15 miles of the student’s residence. If your child is graduating 8th grade and has not yet finalized where they will be going for high school/Mesivta, send [...]
Agudath Israel Commends Justice Department Statement of Interest Against Forestburgh’s Discrimination of Orthodox Jews
Earlier this month, the Unites States Justice Department filed a Statement of Interest in Lost Lake Holdings, LLC v. Town of Forestburgh (S.D.N.Y.), a private lawsuit alleging discrimination under the Fair Housing Act. The lawsuit alleges that the Town of Forestburgh and other municipal defendants engaged in a series of discriminatory acts to prevent an Orthodox Jewish developer from building a subdivision in Forestburgh because the defendants worried that it would attract Orthodox [...]
Agudath Israel of America’s California Office Leads Advocacy Mission to Sacramento, Highlighting Key Education and Community Priorities
Agudath Israel of America’s California Office brought a delegation of community members, rabbonim, school leaders, and parents to the State Capitol for an impactful advocacy mission focused on critical issues affecting California’s Jewish community. This followed a prior day in which the National Agudah staff met with LA community leaders to discuss special education services, federal school choice, and the new Yahalom CA office. The day’s agenda centered around several [...]
Hundreds of Legislators, Community Advocates and Leaders Join Agudath Israel New Jersey Legislative Dinner
Monday night, Agudath Israel of America’s New Jersey Office hosted a legislative dinner at Bell Works in Holmdel, New Jersey. The event brought together over 250 elected officials and the communities they represent, providing both with a unique opportunity to meet face to face. Shlomo Schorr, who serves as Director of Legislative Affairs for Agudath Israel of America’s New Jersey office, opened the evening by speaking about the crucial work [...]
Preparing for the Upcoming Security Grants 3/19/25
webinar tomorrow March 19, 2025 Preparing for the Upcoming Security Grants Dear Principals and Administrators, The federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program and NY State Hate Crimes Grant will most likely be opening in May. Now is the time to prepare for these grants so that you are ready to apply as soon as they open. You must be prequalified before applying for the grants, and it’s a process that [...]
Memorandum of Support Dialogue and Decorum Act A196 Berger
DATE: March 19, 2025 Agudath Israel of America strongly supports the passage of this bill, which ensures the preservation of freedom of speech and assembly against any attempts to silence those rights through harassment, disruption or any other means. Recently, and especially since October 7th, when the terrorist group Hamas infiltrated Israel and committed horrific atrocities, there has been a large uptick in the suppression of ideas and expression both [...]
Memorandum of Support S.1325 Hoylman-Sigal
Date: March 17, 2025 Agudath Israel of America supports this bill which restores services that were inappropriately denied to private school students at the start of the 24–25 school year. In September 2024, private school parents were informed that a previously unenforced rule would be retroactively enforced, resulting in the denial of special education services for their children. This rule required parents of private school students with IESPs to request [...]
Agudath Israel Supports Bill to Reverse East Ramapo Tax Hike, Citing Surplus and Transparency Needs
Agudath Israel commends Assemblymember Aron Wieder on the introduction of Assembly Bill A 6313, calling on the East Ramapo Central School Board to refund the unjust 2024-25 school tax increase imposed on the taxpayers by Commissioner Betty Rosa of the New York State Education Department. Last August, citing deficits of $20 million among other reasons, Commissioner Rosa relied on a century-old largely unrelated precedent to impose a tax increase of [...]
How Daylight Saving Time Affects You as an Orthodox Jew
Imagine if sunrise was at 8 or 9 AM? How would that affect the daily minyan in your shul? How would it effect Orthodox Jews who need to daven before going to work or school? If Daylight Saving Time (DST) were made permanent that would be the case for many Jewish communities across the United States. As we “spring forward” tonight it is important to know how the implications of [...]
Agudath Israel Delegation Meets with New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Dozens of Legislators to Advocate for Families, Security, and Yeshiva Education
On Tuesday, Agudath Israel of America held its third 2025 Albany Advocacy Day, with community advocates joining Agudah staff and board members to meet with legislators and push for key initiatives on behalf of New York’s Orthodox Jewish community. One key issue the group repeatedly raised was supporting families. The Agudah has been instrumental in advocating, over decades, for hundreds of millions of dollars in support for yeshivas, security, and [...]
Memorandum of Support S.3070 Skoufis / A.3133 Dinowitz
DATE: March 6, 2025 Agudath Israel strongly supports S.3070/A. 3133 which would establish the crime of masked harassment as a violation. New York’s anti-mask law was first enacted in 1845 in response to tenant uprisings in which protesters used masks to evade identification while resisting law enforcement. In the 20th century, the law became an important tool in combating the Ku Klux Klan and other hate groups that used face [...]
Agudath Israel Contests YAFFED’s Bid to Deny Rights of Children with Special Needs
Last week, YAFFED, a group ostensibly concerned with improving education, filed a motion to submit an amicus brief supporting the New York State Board of Regents’ new amendment limiting the rights of nonpublic school children with special needs and their ability to obtain services. In July 2024, the Board of Regents passed an amendment to limit parents’ right to due process hearings. For decades, due process hearings have been the way most [...]
Attention New Yorkers: Ask the State Legislature to Increase Security Funding TODAY
Over the past four years, largely due to advocacy by Agudath Israel and our coalition partners, the primary source of security funding for yeshivas, the NPSE (Non-Public School Safety and Equipment) program has increased significantly from $15 million to $70 million. However, the need for increased funding remains even greater than before. Antisemitism and hate crimes are unfortunately still on the rise, forcing yeshivas to allocate more and more resources [...]
The Agudah Yarchei Kallah: A Transformative Week of Intense Torah Learning in Yerushalayim
The 25th Annual Agudah Yarchei Kallah in Yerushalayim was an extraordinary week of intense limud haTorah, high-level shiurim, and uplifting chizuk. This landmark event gathered dedicated participants from across the world, immersing them in limud haTorah at the highest level and connecting them with gedolei Yisroel in Eretz Yisroel. The Yarchei Kallah opened on Sunday, February 16th, at the Ramada Hotel in Yerushalayim. The program began with a trip to [...]
June 2025 Regents 2/27/25
February 27, 2025 June 2025 Regents Dear Principals and Administrators, The online ordering portal for June 2025 Regents Exams is now open. Orders can be placed on the Business Portal here. The deadline to place your orders is Friday, April 11, 2025. Please note that the deadline is erev Pesach, so make sure to place your orders in advance. Instructions and guidance can be found here under [...]
Agudath Israel Announces Impending Retirement of Rabbi Abba Cohen, Longstanding Washington Office Director
It is with deep regret that Agudath Israel of America announces the impending retirement of Rabbi Abba Cohen, long-time director of Agudath Israel’s Washington Office and its Vice President for Government Affairs. During his 36-year tenure as head of Agudath Israel’s Washington Office, Rabbi Cohen worked with seven presidential administrations and 19 Congresses. He is universally respected in the nation’s capital as a skilled spokesman and tireless advocate for the [...]
Chizuk from Limud HaTorah: Agudath Israel of America Yerushalayim Yarchei Kallah 5785
Day One: The 25th Annual Agudah Yarchei Kallah in Yerushalayim kicked off on Sunday at the Ramada Hotel in Yerushalayim, setting the stage for a week filled with limud haTorah, high-level shiurim, and non-stop chizuk and hisorerus. Following registration, the attendees embarked on a journey to Bnei Brak, where they visited Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Rashbi, at his home. In a deeply moving gathering, Rav Bergman shared heartfelt divrei chizuk and personal stories, drawing on his [...]
Agudath Israel Statement
Agudath Israel joins our brothers and sisters in pain and anger as we witnessed the return of the bodies of Kfir Bibas, a mere 9 months old, his brother Ariel, 4, and Oded Lifshitz, 84, who were brutally kidnapped and murdered by Hamas. We are shocked by the unspeakable depravity of Hamas in sending back a body claiming to be Shiri Bibas only to learn later that it was not. [...]
MEMORANDUM OF OPPOSITION S1965/A.4774 -Restores Medical Futility as a Basis for DNR
DATE: February19, 2025 This is to express our strong opposition to S1965 an Act to amend the public health law and the surrogate’s court procedure act, in relation to restoring medical futility as a basis for both surrogate consent to a do not resuscitate order and for a do not resuscitate order for a patient without a surrogate. Informed by classical Jewish tradition which teaches that all human life is [...]
MEMORANDUM OF SUPPORT A.2139 Berger: The Honoring Our Pledge to Eliminate Anti-Semitism (HOPE) Act
February 18, 2025 The above bill requires state agencies and courts to consider the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism when investigating whether an alleged act was motivated by discriminatory, antisemitic intent. It is difficult to combat that which is not defined. Agudath Israel of America, a leading national nonprofit that advocates for and represents American Orthodox Jewry, supports Assembly Bill A.2139, the Honoring Our Pledge to Eliminate [...]
ACTION ALERT: Take Action Texas! Support ESA’s for all!
Imagine if the state provided parents with direct funding per child to use on educational expenses including tuition? That may become a reality for Texas parents, but we need your help. HB3 includes a robust ESA program that all Texas children would be eligible to participate in with priority given to low income and special needs students. Please contact your House Representative and urge them to support HB3!
Agudath Israel of America Statement on Antisemitic Protests in Boro Park
Agudath Israel of America condemns the antisemitic violence in the streets of Brooklyn last night. What was billed as a pro-Palestinian “rally", in the heart of heavily Jewish Boro Park, became a hatefest filled with crude and threatening rhetoric, coarse insults and assaults. We appreciate the efforts of the NYPD in ensuring the safety of the residents, and we look to our criminal justice system to prosecute the perpetrators of [...]
TAKE ACTION: Protect Jewish Students from Antisemitism!
Dear Agudah Activist: Following the October 7th Hamas massacre, Americans have watched our country’s college campuses devolve into cesspools of unabashed antisemitism. Antisemitic and anti-Israel vitriol from students and professors; praise for Hamas and its butchery; threats, assaults, and violence against Jewish students have all become a regular occurrence that is often met with only a tepid response from officials of even the most elite universities. Jewish students are rightfully [...]
Agudah’s Advocacy Mission to Albany Begins with Queens and Long Island Delegation
Agudath Israel of America began its three-part advocacy mission to Albany this Tuesday, bringing together delegates from Queens and Long Island to meet with legislators and address critical issues affecting their communities. The alarming surge in antisemitic hate crimes has placed Jewish communities under unprecedented threat. In New York City alone, over half of all reported hate crimes specifically target Jews, making it clear that stronger protective measures are not [...]
MSA-CAP System Now Open for 23/24 Claims- 2/10/25
February 10, 2025 MSA-CAP System Now Open for 23/24 Claims Dear Principals and Administrators, The Mandated Services Aid & Comprehensive Attendance Policy (MSA/CAP) system is now open for schools to file their 2023/24 claims. All the guidance and documents can be found here. The MSA/CAP workbook found on the link above is a new tool to help you prepare all the work before logging into the portal. It [...]
Agudath Israel of America Supports Victims of Terrorism with Supreme Court Amicus Brief Filing in Miriam Fuld et al. v. Palestine Liberation Organization et al.
Agudath Israel of America, alongside a coalition of Jewish organizations, has filed an amicus curiae “friend of the court” brief in the United States Supreme Court in support of the petitioners in Miriam Fuld, et al. v. Palestine Liberation Organization, et al. (U.S.) This critical petition seeks to reverse rulings of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals that the Promoting Security and Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act of 2019 (PSJVTA) [...]
Agudath Israel Commends President Trump for Executive Order Combatting Antisemitism
Agudath Israel of America welcomes President Donald Trump's decisive action to address the alarming rise of antisemitism on college campuses and in public spaces across the country. The executive order titled "Additional Measures to Combat Antisemitism", aims to protect Jewish students and ensure that universities uphold their legal responsibility to provide a safe learning environment. This step is seen as necessary and urgent in response to the escalating hostility against [...]
Agudath Israel Welcomes Educational Freedom Executive Order
Agudath Israel of America welcomes yesterday’s executive order titled “Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for Families.” We are encouraged that President Trump and his administration are focused on policies that promote school choice and we look forward to working with the relevant federal agencies to maximize how existing government funds can help families choose the best educational setting for their children.
Agudath Israel Applauds Passage of Tennessee Education Freedom Act of 2025
Agudath Israel of America proudly celebrates the passage of the Education Freedom Act of 2025 by the Tennessee General Assembly today, just one day after its delegation visited the State Capitol to advocate for the landmark school choice bill. Led by Rabbi Ari Weisenfeld, Agudath Israel’s Director of State Relations, the group of community leaders and advocates engaged lawmakers across the political spectrum. Throughout the day, the delegation expressed gratitude [...]
Agudath Israel Applauds Introduction of “Game Changing” 50-State Federal School Choice Proposal
Photo: Senate sponsor, Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) speaking about school choice at Agudath Israel's National Leadership Mission to Washington DC in 2023. Agudath Israel of America is applauding Senators Bill Cassidy (R- LA) and Tim Scott (R-SC) and Representatives Adrian Smith (R-NE) and Burgess Owens (R-UT), for once again leading the effort to enact a federal scholarship tax credit program. The Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA) unveiled today as part of National [...]
Tuition Scholarships Can Become a Reality in ALL 50 States this year- TAKE ACTION NOW
Congress is currently considering a game-changing school choice proposal that will support K-12 scholarships in all 50 states, but we need your help to make it a reality. In the last session of Congress, Agudath Israel and its coalition partners supported a national school choice proposal and worked with the bill sponsors to garner the support of more than 180 co-sponsors. The bill [...]
Take Action: Tell Maryland’s US Senators to Vote YES on the Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act
In a recent shocking decision, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for key Israeli leaders based on false charges of “war crimes” and “crimes against humanity” in Israel’s post October 7th war against Hamas. Israel is not a member state of the ICC, and as a nation with an independent judicial system, according to the ICC’s own “principle of complementarity” Israel should be immune from ICC prosecution. The [...]
Tennessee Residents Take Action: Contact Your Legislators To Expand Education Savings Accounts
Urgent: Support the School Choice Bill (SB6001/HB6004) Gov. Lee called a special session on multiple items including school choice. The Education Freedom Scholarship Act could be voted on as early as today Wednesday, January 29th. Action Needed: See below to urge your Representatives to support the bill! The current bill includes: 20,000 scholarships for the 2025-26 school year Approximately $7,000 per scholarship for tuition & other education expenses Potential for [...]
Texas Residents Take Action: Contact Your Senator to Ensure All Students are Prioritized for School Choice
On Friday, the Senate introduced SB2, a $1 billion Education Savings Account (ESA) proposal. What’s Included: All students, regardless of income, can apply for $11,500 ESA for educational expenses including private school tuition. How Funds Are Allocated: If fewer applicants than funds: Everyone gets an ESA. If more applicants than funds: 80% of funds go to low-income students who attended public school the previous year. The remaining $200 million goes [...]
Yahalom NY Hosts Special Chanukah Parties for Families of Children with Special Needs in Monsey and the Five Towns
This Chanukah, YahalomNY organized two heartwarming and inclusive celebrations for families with children with special needs in Monsey and Five Towns. These events, attended by over 1,000 guests each from Brooklyn, Staten Island, Queens, Monroe, Monsey, Great Neck, West Hempstead, White Plains, Far Rockaway, and Five Towns brought joy to families who often face unique challenges in participating in parties and celebrations. Children with special needs often encounter difficulties attending [...]
Eligibility for ECCA Chart For Communities Across the Country
To find your county, if not listed in the chart above, please visit https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/il/il2024/select_Geography.odn
Local Law 97 Reporting Deadline 1/20/25
January 20, 2025 Local Law 97 Reporting Deadline Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, The first compliance reports under Local Law 97 (LL97) for buildings over 25,000 SF are due May 1, 2025, for 2024. Non-compliance or late filing can result in significant penalties. A 25,000 SF could face a penalty of $12,500 PER MONTH! Extensions to the deadline may be available. See below for important dates and details. For a [...]
Agudah Commends Governor Hochul’s Child Tax Credit Proposal, a Longtime Agudah Priority
Agudath Israel of America commends Governor Kathy Hochul for her announcement, ahead of the State of the State address on January 14th, that she intends to significantly enhance the Empire State Child Tax Credit. It is becoming increasingly difficult to make ends meet in New York and around the country for many families today. This is especially true for larger and younger families. The prices of groceries and many essentials [...]
Kosher Bill Passes in Illinois After Over Two Years of Advocacy
L-R: Moshe Siegal, Senator Ram Villivalam, Representative Kevin Olickal, Rabbi Shlomo Soroka and Rabbi Heshy Forster at Yeshiva Ohr Boruch The Veitzner Cheder in Chicago After more than two years of dedicated advocacy, Agudath Israel of Illinois (AIOI) has successfully championed the passage of SB457, a significant piece of legislation now awaiting the governor's approval. The bill mandates that schools, correctional facilities, and state hospitals provide kosher and halal food [...]
The Heart of it All: Bnos Convention 5785
What do you get when you combine hundreds of talented girls, loads of ruach, and unbeatable Midwest hospitality? An unforgettable National Bnos Agudas Yisroel Leader’s Convention! The warm, welcoming Cincinnati, OH community hosted over 300 Bnos Leaders from 30 cities and 280 branches this past Shabbos. Our theme was “Ahavti Eschem Amar Hashem: Bnos Leaders are the Heart of it All.” Led by the Director of Cincinnati Bnos, Rebbetzin Ayala [...]
Registration Opens for Yerushalayim Yarchei Kallah 5785!
Dear Friends, We are thrilled to announce that registration is now open for Yarchei Kallah 5785 in Yerushalayim! This is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in Torah learning, with shiurim from renowned gedolei Torah, alongside chizuk and a powerful program that will enrich and inspire you. The Yarchei Kallah will take place from Sunday through Thursday, February 16 to February 20, 2025. Take advantage of this incredible learning opportunity [...]
Agudath Israel Hosts Third Annual Rockland Legislative Meet and Greet
Agudath Israel of America proudly hosted its third annual Rockland legislative meet and greet, bringing together a bipartisan mix of elected officials with close to 150 members of the Rockland Jewish community. The event provided a unique opportunity for community members to connect face-to-face with federal, state, and local lawmakers and address pressing issues affecting the Orthodox community. The gathering served as a platform to discuss topics such as yeshiva [...]
More Security for More Yeshivas: New York City Expands Security Guard Reimbursement Program
Over 15 thousand additional Yeshiva students in New York City will now be eligible for city funded security guards at their schools following a new bill passed by the New York City Council today. The bill, Intro 532, expands upon a 2016 law that reimbursed nonpublic schools for the cost of security guards, recognizing that all students deserve a safe school environment, whether they attend public or nonpublic school. However, [...]
Agudah Ohio Hosts Impactful Frum Finance Event and Financial Services Expo
On December 9th, the ballroom and lobby of Green Road Synagogue buzzed with energy as over 300 community members gathered for the Frum Finance Event and Financial Services Expo, organized by Agudah Ohio. This event was part of the AKA series, which stands for Awareness, Knowledge, Action — creating awareness, providing knowledge, and offering the opportunity to take action. Attendees received valuable financial insights through expert presentations and had the [...]
Watch: Agudah Convention 2024: #Asking for a Friend
Parental discretion advised, as some questions are of a sensitive nature.
Emergency NYC Special Ed Update Webinar
PowerPoint Presentation:
Photos: Agudah Convention 2024 Friday and Motzei Shabbos
More Pictures from the Agudah Convention: Photo Credits: Agudath Israel/ Moshe Gershbaum/ Moshe Bitton
Photos: Thursday Night at the Agudah Convention 2024
Other Pictures from Around Convention Photo Credits: Agudath Israel of America/Moshe Gershbaum/ Moshe Bitton
Agudath Israel’s New Jersey Office Welcomes Busing Agreement to Help Howell Families
Agudath Israel’s New Jersey office welcomes the news that the Howell Board of Education has approved a contract with the Lakewood Student Transportation Authority (LSTA), potentially allowing busing services to be provided for hundreds of additional children beginning with the 2025-2026 school year who have not been receiving busing until now. The commitment demonstrated by the Board in reaching this agreement underscores a dedication to ensuring the safety of students [...]
Agudath Israel of America to Host 2024 National Convention This Thursday
Agudath Israel of America is thrilled to announce its much-anticipated 2024 National Convention, set to commence this Thursday, December 7, 2024. This year’s theme, “Believers,” will serve as a powerful focal point for the gathering, reflecting the steadfast faith and commitment that unite our community in times of challenge and triumph. Held at the Armon Hotel in Stamford, CT, the convention will bring together leading rabbinic figures, community activists, educators, [...]
Agudah Convention 2024 Embed Codes
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Tell your city council member to support expanding security guards to all of our yeshivas
As we are now almost 14 months since the horrific Hamas terrorist attack of last October 7th, our security situation locally has become even more dire. Anti-semitism in the United States was rising even before the Hamas attack, but in the year since, it has risen to unprecedented levels. Current New York City law allows the city to reimburse non-public schools for the cost of security guards. However, this [...]
WATCH NOW: Agudath Israel of America’s National Daf Yomi Siyum on Yerushalmi Seder Zeraim
Agudath Israel of America celebrated the completion of Daf Yomi Yerushalmi Seder Zeraim with an inspiring siyum event, a special gathering that included uplifting divrei chizuk. Speakers at this momentous event included Rabbi Yosef Frankel, Chaver, Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, and Vyelipoler Rav; Rabbi Aharon Kahn, Rav of Knesses Beis Avigdor; Rabbi Chaim Aryeh Zev Ginzberg, Rav of Chofetz Chaim Torah Center; and Rabbi Shmuel Bloom, Executive Vice President Emeritus of [...]
Take Action Now: Voice Your Disapproval Over MA Senators Voting to Block Aid to Israel
Dear Community Members, Yesterday 19 Senators including both Senator Markey and Senator Warren from Massachusetts voted to block United States aid to Israel amidst the ongoing war. Israel is our closest ally in the Middle East and this proposal is both irresponsible and dangerous. Please use the action alert below to express your disappointment and to let our Senators know that this vote does not represent our values. Thank you [...]
From Severe Deficit to $30M Surplus: Agudath Israel Questions Next Move in East Ramapo
Agudath Israel of America is bewildered at the release of an audit report indicating that the East Ramapo Central School District (ERCSD) has a budgetary surplus of approximately $30 million. This finding, presented yesterday at the ERCSD Board meeting by independent auditing firm EFPR Group, LLP, diverges wildly from the $20-40 million deficit expected this summer by state-appointed monitors. The severe projected deficit had prompted the State Education Department (SED) [...]
Agudath Israel Gathering Joined by Congressman Ritchie Torres Supports Kosher D.C. Restaurant Char Bar Following Vandalism
Agudath Israel of America organized a solidarity event at Char Bar to show support for D.C.’s longtime kosher restaurant after it was vandalized on the 86th anniversary of Kristallnacht. Community leaders who gathered in support of the restaurant were joined by Congressman Ritchie Torres (D-NY), who had publicly condemned the hateful act. Agudath Israel commended Torres for his prompt response and ongoing commitment to standing against antisemitism. “Since being elected [...]
A Kol Korei from The Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of America
At a time when the troubles facing Klal Yisroel seem to multiply by the day, the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of America have issued a call for Klal Yisroel in the Diaspora to unite with our brethren in Eretz Yisroel and around the world in heartfelt prayer and outcry. We are urged to join together in a tefillah on Monday, the first Monday of Behab, this week, the week of Parshas [...]
Join Us for Agudath Israel’s Post-Election Webinar – What the Results Mean for You
You have seen the results and heard the pundits, but what does the election mean for you, your school, and your community? We invite you to join Agudath Israel’s post-election webinar, on Thursday, November 7, at 1:00 PM. This webinar will feature discussions about the key outcomes of this election and what they mean for the issues that matter most to our community. From religious freedom and education policy to [...]
Agudath Israel of America Congratulates President-Elect Trump
Agudath Israel of America sent the letter above to President-Elect Donald Trump. You can download a PDF of the letter by clicking here.
Why Your Vote Matters – 2024 Election
Rabbi Moshe Matz Rabbi Ari Weisenfeld Rabbi Shlomo Schorr Rabbi Yeruchim Silber Rabbi Moshe Matz Rabbi Ari Weisenfeld Rabbi Shlomo Schorr Rabbi Yeruchim Silber
Inspiring Dina D’malchusa Dina Event in Lakewood
On Wednesday night, a large crowd gathered at the Lakewood High School auditorium in Lakewood, NJ for a Dina D’malchusa Dina event organized by Agudath Israel of America’s KnowUs division. The event aimed to raise awareness among Torah Jews about upholding the highest standards of ethical and financial rectitude, particularly in interactions with secular society. The program underscored Agudah’s longstanding priority to cultivate a culture of vigilance and integrity within [...]
Agudath Israel Statement on Terror and Hate Crime Charges Being Brought Against Assailant Who Shot Jewish Man in Chicago
Agudath Israel is pleased that felony terrorism and hate crime charges are being brought against the suspect in the horrific shooting of an Orthodox Jewish man on his way to shul on Shabbos (Saturday) morning. “This brutal and unprovoked attack on a visibly Jewish man on his way to shul has left our community shaken over the past few days,” said Rabbi Shlomo Soroka, director of government affairs at Agudath [...]
“Every Jew Should Participate in and Vote in the Elections in the United States” A Kol Korei from The Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of America
In this crucial time for Klal Yisroel, the Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah has issued a call regarding our duty to participate in the democratic process. As the Moetzes statement below explains, participating in the election process is not merely a civic responsibility, but a profound expression of our commitment to the well-being of our fellow Jews wherever they reside. May our collective efforts be mekadeish Sheim Shomayim and bring about bracha [...]
Agudath Israel Calls for Action Following the Shooting of A Jewish Man in Chicago
Following the heinous shooting of a community member on his way to shul on Saturday morning, Agudath Israel of Illinois (AIOI) hosted a press conference calling upon the appropriate parties to address community concerns, to be transparent, and to prosecute the offender to the fullest extent. The community has been justifiably frustrated over how the attack was covered by the media as well, and as such, another goal was to [...]
Agudath Israel Applauds California Special Ed Court Decision
Yesterday, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals issued an important decision in Loffman v. California Department of Education, a case involving special education funding to students in religious schools. Under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and state laws in California, special needs students specially-certified nonpublic schools. However, California restricts this certification to non-religious schools, thereby preventing students from being placed by the district at a religious school [...]
Torah Perspectives: Guidance On How to Approach Simchas Torah in Light of Last Year’s Tragedy
As we navigate the days of Chol Hamoed Sukkos, a time of joy and reflection, many are grappling with how to properly mark the first year since the devastating tragedy that unfolded on Simchas Torah last year. The massacre that claimed the lives of so many Jews left an indelible mark on Klal Yisroel, and the pain is still deeply felt. To provide clarity and direction during this challenging time, [...]
Agudath Israel Presents: Torah Perspectives
Episode Three: Guidance On How to Approach Simchas Torah in Light of Last Year's Tragedy As we navigate the days of Chol Hamoed Sukkos, a time of joy and reflection, many are grappling with how to properly mark the first year since the devastating tragedy that unfolded on Simchas Torah last year. The massacre that claimed the lives of so many Jews left an indelible mark on Klal Yisroel, and [...]
Agudath Israel: Vote No on Prop 1
Early Voting in New York State begins right after Sukkos with Election Day on November 5th. The role of the Jewish and particularly the Orthodox vote has received much attention in the media and will be watched carefully. We urge all of our friends and constituents to exercise your rights and vote. This Election Day, New Yorkers will be voting on Proposal One, an amendment to the New York State Constitution, referred [...]
Agudath Israel New Jersey Mission to Washington
Shortly before Congress entered its current six-week recess, Agudath Israel of America’s New Jersey office led a group of delegates from across the state for a day of advocacy in Washington, D.C. The delegation met with their elected officials on Capitol Hill to discuss issues of vital importance to the community, particularly as the nation nears the November elections. As the congressional visits approached the one-year anniversary of the atrocities [...]
Lmaancha Event
Recently, the Jewish people has found itself in the global spotlight. We are being scrutinized, judged, and discussed in the public arena. This heightened attention—coupled with the rise in antisemitism—is unsettling, even frightening. But within this challenge lies a profound opportunity and responsibility. Within this crucible lies an opportunity to rededicate ourselves toward living lives of Kiddush Hashem. Irrespective of what is done or said about us, we can demonstrate [...]
Agudath Israel Advocacy Continues to Ease Way for Arba Minim
For the TSA notice, click here. For the CBP notice, click here. For the Canadian Travel Guidelines, click here. For the Agudah Handout, click here. As in past years, Agudath Israel of America's Washington Office has worked closely with agencies of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to help avoid potential problems for travelers carrying arba minim. Both the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and U.S. Customs and Border [...]
Agudath Israel Scores Major Win in Lawsuit for Children with Special Needs
In a significant victory for children with special needs in New York and a blow to the New York State Education Department, NY Supreme Court Justice Kimberly A. O’Connor granted a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) against an amendment that has been wreaking havoc on the provision of services to children with special needs who attend nonpublic school. Agudath Israel of America and 10 parental plaintiffs filed an Article 78 lawsuit against the New York [...]
Watch: Agudath Israel Sues New York State Education Department on Behalf of Children With Special Needs
Albany, NY, October 1, 2024 — Today, Agudath Israel of America filed a lawsuit against the New York State Education Department in Albany Supreme Court. The lawsuit challenges a recently adopted state regulation which Agudath Israel argues is both illegal and devastatingly harmful to thousands of children with special needs. Under New York State law, all children have the right to receive special education services when a need is demonstrated. [...]
Agudath Israel Sues New York State Education Department on Behalf of Children With Special Needs
Albany, NY, October 1, 2024 — Today, Agudath Israel of America filed a lawsuit against the New York State Education Department in Albany Supreme Court. The lawsuit challenges a recently adopted state regulation which Agudath Israel argues is both illegal and devastatingly harmful to thousands of children with special needs. Under New York State law, all children have the right to receive special education services when a need is demonstrated. The needs [...]
Agudath Israel 5785/2024-2025 Calendars Are in The Mail
As we approach Rosh Hashanah, we just wanted to let you know that your Agudah calendar is in the mail! May you fill it with many simchos this coming year! To request a calendar, go to agudah.org/calendar, or call 212-797-9000, extension 200. If you received a calendar last year, you will automatically receive one this year.
“Come, Let Us Return to Hashem” A Kol Korei from The Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of America
In these turbulent times, as Klal Yisroel grapples with ongoing suffering and uncertainty, we stand together, united, turning our hearts and minds to Avinu ShebaShomayim. The past year has been marked by relentless challenges—tragedies, loss, and hardships that have impacted all segments of our people. With the Yemei Harachamim V’haSelichos upon us, the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah have issued the following kol korei, urging every member of Klal Yisroel to strengthen [...]
Inside the Agudah: Rabbi Ari Strulowitz
In this episode of Inside the Agudah, Rabbi Ari Strulowitz, Director of Operations of Agudath Israel of Illinois, sits with Rabbi Yitzchok Hisiger, Agudath Israel’s Director of Torah Initiatives, to discuss his work on behalf of the Agudah. Rabbi Strulowitz first got involved in Agudath Israel of Illinois in 2013 with Camp Nageela Midwest, then a project of Agudath Israel of Illinois. In 2016, Rabbi Strulowitz began as Executive Director [...]
Inside the Agudah: Rabbi Moshe Simcha Levine
In this episode of Inside the Agudah, Rabbi Moshe Simcha Levine, Director of Development at Agudath Israel of America, sits with Rabbi Yitzchok Hisiger, Agudath Israel’s Director of Torah Initiatives, to discuss his work on behalf of the Agudah.
Inside the Agudah: Rabbi Ariel Sadwin
In this episode of Inside the Agudah, Rabbi Ariel Sadwin, the executive director of the Mid-Atlantic region of Agudath Israel of America, sits with Rabbi Yitzchok Hisiger, Agudath Israel’s Director of Torah Initiatives, to discuss his work on behalf of the frum community. Rabbi Sadwin has held his current position since 2007. Rabbi Sadwin learned at Yeshivas Ner Yisroel in Baltimore and Yeshivas Mir Yerushalayim, receiving semicha at Ner Yisroel [...]
Inside the Agudah: Rabbi Labish Becker
In this episode of Inside the Agudah, Rabbi Labish Becker, Executive Director of Agudath Israel of America, sits with Rabbi Yitzchok Hisiger, Agudath Israel’s Director of Torah Initiatives, to discuss his work on behalf of the frum community. As one of the longest tenured Agudath Israel staff members, Rabbi Becker has seen and accomplished so much over his almost five decades of service to Klal Yisroel. He shares his insights [...]
Inside the Agudah: Mr. Moshe Davis
In this episode of Inside the Agudah, Mr. Moshe Davis, Executive Vice President of Agudath Israel of Illinois, sits with Rabbi Yitzchok Hisiger, Agudath Israel’s Director of Torah Initiatives, to discuss his work on behalf of the frum community. R’ Moshe comes from three generations of community leaders. His grandfather, Rabbi Shlomo Davis, was one of the founders of Telshe Yeshiva in Cleveland and Telshe High School, serving as a [...]
Your Voice Made a Difference: Five Billion Dollar School Choice Bill Heads to the Floor
Yesterday, the House Ways and Means Committee passed a five billion dollar education tax credit proposal entitled the “Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA)” (H.R. 9462). ECCA has received support from more than 150 members of the House and is the fastest and surest way to expand school choice to all 50 states. To the thousands of you who filled out our action alert to contact your representatives, your voice [...]
$5 Billion National Scholarship Tax Credit Bill Passes Key Committee 23-16
Agudath Israel celebrates the favorable vote earlier today of The Educational Choice for Children Act of 2024 (ECCA). Following a model already operating successfully in more than twenty states, H.R. 9462 will provide $5 billion in scholarships to cover expenses facing public and private school children. It does this by allowing a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit for taxpayers who contribute to Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGO). These SGOs would then provide [...]
Agudah’s NJ Office Launches Small Business Consulting Initiative
As every business owner can testify, sometimes talking to someone who has done it all before can launch you to new heights. Agudath Israel of America’s New Jersey Office is pleased to announce the launch of their new Small Business Consulting (SBC) initiative, where New Jersey-based small business owners can meet with experienced businessmen to ask questions and receive personalized guidance to grow their companies. Business owners will meet an [...]
Inside the Agudah: Rabbi Shlomo Schorr
In a community known for its exponential growth and vibrant Jewish life, Shlomo Schorr, Director of Legislative Affairs, Agudath Israel of America, NJ Office, succeeded Avi Schnall in the role of legislative advocacy, quietly navigating the complexities of New Jersey’s political landscape. From his unique vantage point—shaped by years in the media, where he reported on and built relationships with the very people he now collaborates with—Rabbi Schorr offers a [...]
Tuition Assistance Can Become a Reality in ALL 50 States- TAKE ACTION NOW
Dear Agudah Activists: We need your help! The first step in our community’s current struggle to obtain tuition and other educational relief for our families is scheduled for this Wednesday, September 11, when the House Ways and Means Committee will consider a multi-billion-dollar tax credit proposal entitled the “Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA)” (H.R. 9462). This bill has gained momentum in Congress and is the fastest [...]
Inside the Agudah: Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel
In this interview, Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Executive Vice President, Agudath Israel of America sat down with Rabbi Yitzchok Hisiger, who posed a thought-provoking question. Without hesitation, Rabbi Zwiebel responded with conviction, sharing a poignant story that illustrates how The Agudah’s views have always been shaped by the guiding principles of the gedolei Yisroel and their directives.
Inside the Agudah: Rabbi Yossie Charner
In this episode of “Inside the Agudah,” Rabbi Yossie Charner, Agudath Israel’s Director of Congressional Affairs, sits with Rabbi Yitzchok Hisiger, Agudath Israel's Director of Torah Initiatives, to discuss his work on behalf of the frum community. Rabbi Charner is responsible for representing the interests of the Orthodox Jewish community in Washington, D.C. His role includes advocating for policies that align with the values and needs of the Torah community, [...]
ACTION NEEDED BY THIS FRIDAY: Tell New York State to fix the broken school funding formula
Dear New York Residents, A few weeks ago, New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa significantly and unilaterally raised the tax levy upon the predominantly Jewish district of East Ramapo, New York. In her order she blamed many people, but ignored the true culprit, a faulty state funding formula. Instead of appreciating parents who, at great personal sacrifice, self-fund their children’s education, saving the state nearly a half [...]
Agudath Israel Mourns the Loss of Six Hostages
Agudath Israel is devastated beyond words by the heart-wrenching news that Israeli forces have recovered the bodies of six hostages cruelly held by Hamas terrorists in a tunnel beneath the city of Rafah. The hostages were reportedly murdered shortly before the arrival of the Israeli forces. The hostages have been identified as: Master Sgt. Ori Danilo, Carmel Gat, Alexander Lebanon, Hersh Polin-Goldberg, Almog Sarusi, and Eden Yerushalmi. Hashem yinkom domom. [...]
Inside the Agudah: Rabbi Abba Cohen
In this episode of “Inside the Agudah,” Rabbi Abba Cohen, vice president for government affairs and Washington director and counsel at Agudath Israel of America, sits with Rabbi Yitzchok Hisiger, Agudath Israel's Director of Torah Initiatives, to discuss his work on behalf of the frum community. Appointed to the Agudah’s fledgling office in Washington D.C. decades ago by Rabbi Moshe Sherer, Rabbi Cohen has distinguished himself as an exemplary and [...]
Inside the Agudah: Rabbi Shlomo Soroka
In the following episode of “Inside the Agudah,” Rabbi Shlomo Soroka, Director of Government Affairs at Agudath Israel of America, sits with Rabbi Yitzchok Hisiger, Director of Torah Initiatives at Agudath Israel of America, to discuss his work on behalf of the frum community. Rabbi Soroka studied at Yeshivas Toras Moshe in Israel, Mirrer Yeshiva in Brooklyn, Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, and Yeshivas Mir in Yerushalayim before moving to [...]
The Unreported Story
Dear Friends, Headlines were ablaze with news of a disturbing incident that unfolded at an Agudath Israel of America event held on the sidelines of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Anti-Israel protestors forcibly interrupted our gathering, which was intended to raise awareness about the growing menace of antisemitism faced by Jews in America, particularly Orthodox Jews. The scenes broadcasted—masked agitators shouting slogans like “brick by brick, wall by wall, [...]
We Will Not Be Silenced: Agudath Israel Event at DNC Focuses on Rising Antisemitism
Yesterday, Pro-Hamas agitators attempted to disrupt an Agudath Israel event on the sidelines of the Democratic National Convention. The gathering was intended in part to bring awareness to growing antisemitism in the U.S., in particular aimed at Orthodox Jews. The irony of the fact that the mindless slogan-chanters chose to trail Orthodox Jews and try to disrupt a gathering about antisemitism cannot be understated. It demonstrates the societal evil better [...]
Inside the Agudah: Rabbi Yeruchim Silber
In this episode of “Inside the Agudah,” Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, Director of New York Government Relations at Agudath Israel of America, sits with Rabbi Yitzchok Hisiger, Director of Torah Initiatives at Agudath Israel of America, to discuss his work on behalf of the frum community. Prior to joining Agudath Israel, Rabbi Silber served in various roles, including as Executive Director of the Boro Park Jewish Community Council (BPJCC), Vice President [...]
Indiana, New York, and Ohio Missions to Washington – July 8 – 10, 2024 – Photo Gallery
Indiana Delegation New York Delegation Ohio Delegation
The Wrong Solution in East Ramapo: Agudath Israel Opposes A Unilateral, Tax Levy Band-Aid to a Deeper Problem
Agudath Israel of America expresses deep concern regarding the recent decision by Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa to significantly and unilaterally raise the tax levy upon the predominantly Orthodox Jewish district of East Ramapo, New York. The tax levy -- the highest increase in memory -- raises East Ramapo’s already high property taxes by a whopping 5.38% instead of 1%, the increase legitimately decided by the voters of East [...]
Agudath Israel Condemns Biased UN Tribute to Terror Victims
The omission of any mention of Israeli victims of terrorism from an International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism display at the visitors’ hall of United Nations headquarters is nothing short of despicable. The U.N. informs us that “Acts of terrorism propagating a wide-range of hateful ideologies continue to injure, harm and kill thousands of innocent people each year,” and that the international body “has [...]
Inside the Agudah: Rabbi Yitz Frank
In this episode of “Inside the Agudah,” Rabbi Yitz Frank, the executive director of Agudath Israel of Ohio, sits with Rabbi Yitzchok Hisiger, Director of Torah Initiatives at Agudath Israel of America, to provide a unique inside look at his activities at the Agudah. He is engaged in multiple projects to advance legislation, educates community organizations about governmental programs and funding opportunities, and serves as a liaison to the Ohio [...]
Agudath Israel of Illinois Legislative Breakfast with Senator Ram Villivalam and Representative Kevin Olickal
On Sunday morning, Agudath Israel of Illinois hosted a legislative event at Mikor for its community’s state legislators in West Roger Park. The breakfast began with opening remarks by Senator Ram Villivalam and Representative Kevin Olickal followed by a candid Q & A. These events typically offer an opportunity to hear from legislators regarding their plans for the upcoming session, accomplishments for our community, and to ask questions on relevant [...]
Annual Midwest Rabbanim Conference Hosts Record Crowd
Over 75 Rabbanim and Rebbetzins from across the Midwest gathered at the 14th Annual Midwest Rabbanim Conference on July 30th and 31st, hosted by the Midwest Agudas Yisroel Council of Synagogue Rabbanim, under the auspices of Agudath Israel of Illinois. In what has become a highlight on the annual calendar for many veteran Rabbanim, the consensus was that this may have been the best conference to date. Guest speakers included [...]
Tisha B’Av 5784: Guidance from the Gedolim
As we approach Tisha B’Av during these tumultuous times, we spoke to members of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah for guidance on properly observing and mourning on this important day. The gedolim were asked: We are living in perhaps unprecedented times, with Klal Yisroel and Eretz Yisroel facing challenges seemingly all around us. If, chas v'shalom, this year’s Tisha B'Av must once again be observed as a solemn taanis, what is [...]
Inside the Agudah: Rabbi A.D. Motzen
In this episode of “Inside the Agudah,” Rabbi A. D. Motzen, National Director of Government Affairs at Agudath Israel of America, sits with Rabbi Yitzchok Hisiger, Director of Torah Initiatives at Agudath Israel of America, to discuss the nature of his work on behalf of the klal. Rabbi Motzen provides a unique inside look at the vital activities of his department at the Agudah, overseeing wide-ranging government advocacy across the [...]
Ensuring Availability of Special Ed Services for NY Children
In May, the New York State Board of Regents proposed an amendment that would have severely curtailed the ability of children to receive necessary special education services. The amendment would have eliminated the right of parents to obtain a due process hearing and potentially subjected parents to the financial burden of litigation. As soon as the proposed amendment was announced, Agudath Israel engaged extensively with New York State Education Department [...]
Dina D’malchusa Dina Event Inspires and Informs Huge Crowd in Boro Park
Last night, some 1,300 men and women converged upon Ateres Chaya Hall in Borough Park to attend an event sponsored by Agudath Israel’s KnowUs division. The goal of the event, titled Dina D’malchusa Dina, was to raise awareness of how, as Torah Jews, we can uphold the highest standards of ethical and financial rectitude, especially when interacting with secular society. It is a longstanding priority of the Agudah to attune [...]
Record-breaking Attendance at H3 London!
The second annual H3 UK Business Halocho Summit took place this past Wednesday at Ditton Manor in the heart of London. After the tremendous success of last year’s inaugural H3 London Business Halocho Summit, which was produced in conjunction with Agudath Israel of Illinois, a record-breaking crowd of over 700 Bnei Torah in the business world signed up this year. The event committee assumed the venue would need to be [...]
Rabbi Ari Weisenfeld: What We Learned From Our Early Voting Campaign
If you are not yet registered to vote, register to vote TODAY! To get involved or for more information, visit www.agudah.org/vote
Agudath Israel Helps Drive Historic Orthodox Voter Turnout in Missouri
On Tuesday, August 6th, the eyes of the country were on the 1st Congressional District of Missouri to see if Wesley Bell could beat incumbent Congresswoman Cori Bush in the Democratic primary election. Agudath Israel of America and its staff were also closely watching the Missouri election results. Their focus, however, was not on who won (Bell did), but on voter turnout. An historically high Orthodox turnout. Agudath Israel of [...]
A Letter from Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel
Dear Friends: Tomorrow night, Wednesday, 3 Menachem Av / August 7, there will be an important gathering in Ateres Chaya, 1415 54th Street in Brooklyn (Boro Park). The asifa, which is being sponsored by Agudas Yisroel’s “KnowUs” division, will be focusing on the timeless (but also all too timely) theme of “Dina D’malchusa Dina.” It will feature addresses by Harav Avrohom Schorr, shlita, Rav of Bais Medrash Nezer Gedalyahu; Harav [...]
“Inside the Agudah,” Mr. Daniel Kaminetsky
In this episode of “Inside the Agudah,” Mr. Daniel Kaminetsky, General Counsel at Agudath Israel of America, sits with Rabbi Yitzchok Hisiger, Director of Torah Initiatives at Agudath Israel of America, to discuss the nature of his work on behalf of the klal. Mr. Kaminetsky provides a unique inside look at the vital activities of his department at the Agudah, making reference during the discussion to his legendary grandfather, Dr. [...]
Agudah Provides Thousands of Free Kosher Meals this Summer
Campers race into the Camp Rina gym each day after davening and are greeted by the sight of colorfully adorned tables set with an array of mini cereal cups, milk, fresh fruit, and a choice of yogurt or string cheese for each child, compliments of Agudah of Colorado and Food Bank of the Rockies. In the afternoon, the children are again treated to a yummy and healthy snack from a [...]
Agudath Israel Submits Amicus Curiae Brief in Support of Jewish Students at UCLA; Judge Orders UCLA to Craft a Plan Ensuring Their Protection
Agudath Israel of America, along with The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, submitted an amicus “friend of the court” brief in a case seeking to hold UCLA accountable for failing to address antisemitic activity on campus. The lawsuit, Frankel, et al. v. Regents of the University of California, et al., was brought by three Jewish students attending UCLA, Yitzchok Frenkel, Joshua Ghayoum, and Eden Shemulian, and describes how [...]
Agudath Israel of America Joins More Than 50 Elected Officials and Distinguished Signatories in Calling on Congress to Pass Universal School Choice
“Bring education freedom to millions of students across America who desperately need it!” That was the message of a letter signed by Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel of Agudath Israel of America and more than fifty current and former elected officials and prominent school choice supporters. The signatories included nine sitting governors and three former secretaries of education among many others. The letter to Congressional leaders highlighted the support for universal [...]
Yahalom NY Releases OPWDD Guide
YahalomNY is proud to release a Guide to Applying for OPWDD (available here). The Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) is the government office responsible for coordinating home and community-based services for individuals with special needs. These services are provided through a network of nonprofit agencies. The guide walks parents of people with special needs step by step through the process of applying for OPWDD Services (also called Medicaid [...]
Early Voting – A Message from St. Louis Rabbonim
Rabbi Moshe Winter, Tpheris Israel Chevra Kadisha Rabbi Menachem Greenblatt, Agudath Israel of St. Louis Rabbi Moshe Shulman, Young Israel of St. Louis Rabbi Yosef Landa, Chabad of Greater St. Louis Rabbi Menachem Tendler, U. City Shul Rabbi Moshe Winter, Tpheris Israel Chevra Kadisha Rabbi Menachem Greenblatt, Agudath Israel of St. Louis Rabbi Moshe Shulman, Young Israel of St. Louis Rabbi Yosef Landa, Chabad of Greater St. Louis Rabbi Menachem [...]
Three Days, Three States, Thirty-Five Members of Congress: Agudath Israel Delegates from Indiana, Ohio, and New York Advocate in D.C.
As Congress resumed after the July 4th break, Agudath Israel of America delegates from Indiana, New York, and Ohio, gathered in Washington, D.C. for a three-day advocacy mission as part of Agudah's series of regional advocacy missions to D.C. These “mini-missions” come on the heels of Agudah’s National Leadership Mission that took place in April. The delegations held meetings with 35 members of Congress and senior staff to discuss issues of import [...]
Ensuring Safety and Security: Agudath Israel’s Connecticut Office Meets with State Attorney General
On Wednesday, Rabbi Ari Weisenfeld, director of the Connecticut Office of Agudath Israel of America, brought community leaders from across Connecticut to meet with Attorney General William Tong to discuss concerns about community safety. In the months since October 7, antisemitism and hate crimes have been at a record high across America. Connecticut has seen this manifest in record numbers of recorded incidents against Jewish communities and individuals, including during [...]
New Fingerprinting Rule 7/10/24
July 10, 2024 New Fingerprinting Rule Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, The following update applies to Article 47 programs. As of July 3rd, new childcare staff will need to receive the results from their fingerprinting process, with no negative implications, before they can start working in the childcare program. They can’t begin working with just a fingerprinting receipt, as was allowed in the past. New and prospective staff and [...]
NYS Loan Programs Now Open 7/9/24
July 9, 2024 NYS Loan Programs Now Open Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, The ordering period for the 2024-2025 New York State loan programs (NYSTL, NYSLIB, NYSSL, and NYSCH) is now open. The allocation levels remain the same as last year: Orders are placed through the FAMIS portal here. The preliminary NYSTL allocation levels are based on the 2023-24 BEDS data with adjustments made later in the fall, if applicable based on [...]
A Letter from the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah
The Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of America has released a Kol Korei emphasizing the significance of the Erev Shabbos of the week of Parshas Chukas, which has been established for generations as a day of fasting due to historical calamities. In light of the numerous challenges facing Klal Yisroel today, the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah is calling upon all kehillos to designate this Friday as a yom tefillah, with specific chapters of [...]
Special Ed Crisis: Webinar Recording 7/8/24
We Need Your Help! July 8, 2024 Dear Parents and Educators of Children with Special Needs, Thank you to those of us who joined us at our recent webinar, entitled, "Proposed Amendment to Regulation 200.5: What It Is and What YOU Can Do To Help." We are pleased to share with you the following materials: Recording of the webinar Presentation slides Q&A document If you are a school [...]
New Grant Opportunity 7/8/24
July 8, 2024 New Grant Opportunity Dear Principals and Administrators, The Art & Music Teacher Salary (AMTS) Reimbursement Grant Portal is now open for Year 1 applications. The AMTS grant provides $5 million to reimburse religious and independent schools for art and music teachers' salaries. See here for more information about the grant. The submission deadline is August 1, 2024. We would like to thank TeachNYS for their leadership [...]
Agudas Yisroel of America’s New Jersey Office Presents: Kinnus Hisorerus
Agudas Yisroel of America’s New Jersey Office Presents KINNUS HISORERUS TONIGHT in light of the various tragedies that have struck כלל ישראל Tonight, at 8:30 P.M. at Bais Medrash Lutzk 520 New Egypt Road, Lakewood, NJ. דִּבְרֵי הִתְעוֹרְרוּת will be delivered by: Rav Aryeh Malkiel Kotler Rav Uri Deutsch Rav Yitzchok Sorotzkin All דְּרָשׁוֹת will be delivered in English. There will be a live video and audio hookup of the [...]
A Letter from The Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of America
In light of recent tragic incidents and terrible losses in our community, and in light of the deeply concerning matzav in Eretz Yisroel, the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of America has put out the following statement calling for Klal Yisroel to observe today, Yom Kippur Katan, as a special Yom Tefila U'ze'aka. [Free Translation] “Nachpesa Deracheinu Venachkorah Venashuvah Ad Hashem” "Let Us Search and Examine Our Ways and Return to Hashem" [...]
Agudath Israel Presents: Torah Perspectives
Episode Three: Guidance On How to Approach Simchas Torah in Light of Last Year's Tragedy As we navigate the days of Chol Hamoed Sukkos, a time of joy and reflection, many are grappling with how to properly mark the first year since the devastating tragedy that unfolded on Simchas Torah last year. The massacre that claimed the lives of so many Jews left an indelible mark on Klal Yisroel, and [...]
Westside Meet and Greet with Denver District Attorney Candidate
As the June 25th election grew closer, Agudah held a second community Meet & Greet with Denver District Attorney candidate Leora Joseph. Hosted at the Steinharter's home, community members had the opportunity to learn about Leora and her vision for the city. Even more importantly, participants learned how important their voice can be in fighting antisemitism and crime. While candidate John Walsh won the primary election and we look forward [...]
Agudath Israel Welcomes Inclusion of Community Priorities in New Jersey 2025 State Budget
Following a months-long budget process, the New Jersey Legislature has now passed the $56.7 billion state budget for Fiscal Year 2025. The budget, which Governor Phil Murphy signed into law late Friday evening, contains a $2.1 billion deficit and includes over $380 million in cuts. However, Agudath Israel of America’s New Jersey office is pleased to share that Agudath Israel and its coalition partners have successfully secured several funding increases [...]
YahalomOH Launched by Agudath Israel of Ohio
Agudath Israel of Ohio is pleased to announce the launch of Yahalom Ohio! Parents of children with special needs are often thrust into an unfamiliar world. An avalanche of new financial, medical, educational and emotional concerns must be tended to. Trying to navigate that new world on one’s own can be overwhelming. It’s a daunting task and lonely journey. Just three years ago, Yahalom opened its doors in New Jersey, [...]
Agudath Israel Statement on Court Ruling in Substantial Equivalency Regulations Case
Agudath Israel of America was disappointed to receive this morning what we trust will be a temporary legal setback for yeshivas and nonpublic schools. The majority of a split Appellate Division court in New York overturned a lower court decision and upheld the 2022 substantial equivalency regulations. After quickly dismissing the state’s claim that yeshivas have no standing to sue, the Appellate Division ruled that the Supreme Court should not [...]
Ordering August 2024 Regents Examinations
June 27, 2024 Ordering August 2024 Regents Examinations Dear Principals and Administrators, The following information applies to schools who will be administering August Regents Exams. Online requests for August 2024 Regents Examinations can be submitted here. The system closes July 12, 2024. Important Documents: Procedures for Requesting and Storing the August 2024 Regents Examinations School Record of Examinations Requested - August 2024 Instructions for Submitting Your Examination [...]
Summer EBT Reminder
June 26, 2024 Summer EBT Reminder Dear Principals and Administrators, Reminder: The deadline to complete a Summer EBT enrollment on behalf of your NSLP-eligible students is June 28. If this deadline is not met, eligible students enrolled at a religious or independent NSLP approved RA school location will not be able to apply for or receive 2024 Summer EBT benefits. For more information, please see our prior memo. Please also see some [...]
Substantial Equivalency Update
June 25, 2024 Substantial Equivalency Update Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, As part of our ongoing commitment to support our schools through the New York State Education Department (NYSED) Substantial Equivalency process, we would like to provide you with some important updates for the NYC DOE implementation of Substantial Equivalency. For more information, please see our prior memo. NYC Yeshivas Chose These Pathways Of the 343 Yeshivas in [...]
NPSE FAQ
June 25, 2024 NPSE FAQ Dear Principals and Administrators, Reminder: The deadline to submit your NPSE application is this Thursday, June 27, 2024. You can access the application here. For general information about NPSE, please see our prior memo. Please find a link to our webinar recording here. Click here for the accompanying slides. See below for frequently asked questions (FAQ) we have received: Q. There is [...]
Action Alert: Oppose An Amendment Proposed that Erodes Special Education Rights for New York Children
Thousands of children receiving special education services in New York state are now at risk of losing those services, due to an amendment proposed by the New York Board of Regents. Currently, New York requires school districts to provide children – including those attending nonpublic school – with the services outlined in their Individual Education Service Plans (IESPs). Often, especially in districts like New York City, the district cannot provide [...]
California Doubles Nonprofit Security Grant Program to $80 Million
Agudath Israel of America commends California Governor Gavin Newsom and state legislative leaders for providing a record $80 million per year to protect Jewish and other at risk nonprofits in the 2024-2025 budget bill that will be passed later this week. Since its inception in 2015, the California State Nonprofit Security Grant Program has proven to be a crucial tool in securing hundreds of institutions and community organizations that face [...]
Agudath Israel Statement on Yesterday’s Antisemitic Attack in Los Angeles
Yesterday the world saw terrifying images of an antisemitic mob violently attacking a large crowd of Jews in front of a synagogue in Los Angeles. Agudath Israel of America appreciates that many elected officials including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, California Governor Gavin Newsom, and even President Biden spoke out unequivocally to condemn the actions of the rioters and called out the antisemitism by name. However, identifying the incident correctly is [...]
NPSE Reminder
June 24, 2024 NPSE Reminder Dear Principals and Administrators, Reminder: The deadline to submit your NPSE application is this Thursday, June 27, 2024. You can access the application here. For general information about NPSE, please see our prior memo. Please find a link to our webinar recording here. Click here for the accompanying slides. See below for common questions we have received: Q. How do I claim my [...]
Inspired by Pirchei Shabbos: Savannah Boys Make Milestone Siyum
On Wednesday night, a group of dedicated boys in Savannah, Georgia, celebrated a remarkable accomplishment: the completion of Mishnayos Seder Moed. The mesaymim were inspired by the Pirchei Shabbos of Achdus they attended in April at Camp Agudah Midwest in South Haven, Michigan. This uplifting shabbaton brought together many boys from 14 different cities across the Midwest. While still in the airport on their way home, they committed to encouraging [...]
Special Ed Crisis Webinar
This Tuesday June 21, 2024 Special Ed Crisis Webinar Dear Parents and Educators of Children with Special Needs, As per our prior memo, the New York State Board of Regents has proposed an amendment to the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education which will fundamentally change the process of receiving special education services by eliminating the right of children with IESPs to receive a due process hearing. This would [...]
A Musical Evening for YahalomNJ Mothers
On Tuesday evening, YahalomNJ hosted a beautiful & moving event in Estreia for mothers of children with special needs. Over 150 dedicated women were treated to an inspiring evening out, full of chizuk, singing, and dancing, and a delicious milchig buffet. The Yahalom mothers were serenaded by acclaimed singer and songwriter Malky Giniger, as they sang and danced along with her spirited music, and later, joined together in a heartfelt [...]
New Jersey Residents: Take Action Against Antisemitism
Dear community member, The NJ Senate State Government, Wagering, and Tourism committee will be holding a second day of testimony on Thursday for a bill which proposes the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism within the state of New Jersey. The IHRA definition of antisemitism provides a clear framework for identifying and addressing acts of hatred and discrimination against Jewish people and serves as an [...]
Summer EBT Updates and Reminder
June 19, 2024 Summer EBT Updates and Reminder Dear Principals and Administrators, Reminder: The deadline to complete a Summer EBT enrollment on behalf of your NSLP-eligible students is June 28. If this deadline is not met, eligible students enrolled at a religious or independent NSLP approved RA school location will not be able to apply for or receive 2024 Summer EBT benefits. For more information, please see our prior memo. Please see [...]
Agudath Israel’s New Jersey Office Welcomes Busing Agreement to Help Toms River Families
Agudath Israel’s New Jersey office welcomes the news that the Toms River Board of Education has approved a contract with the Lakewood Student Transportation Authority (LSTA), potentially allowing busing services to be provided for thousands of children during the 2024-2025 school year who have not been receiving busing until now. The commitment demonstrated by the Board in reaching this agreement underscores a dedication to ensuring the safety of students within [...]
Chizuk for Yahalom Families
The following recording by Rebbetzin Aviva Feiner was made in honor of Shavuos 5784, to be mechazek Yahalom families. Rebbetzin Feiner is the Rebbetzin of the White Shul in Far Rockaway. She has been teaching and lecturing girls and women for almost three decades and is currently a teacher at Stern College and Tag High School. Rebbetzein Feiner lectures all over the United States, writes for the Mishpacha magazine, and [...]
Attention Massachusetts Residents: Take Action to Support Senate Amendment Combatting Antisemitism
Dear Community Members, Last month the Massachusetts Senate unanimously voted to adopt an amendment to address the rising levels of antisemitism in our Commonwealth. Agudah New England is deeply grateful to Senator John Velis, Senator Cindy Creem and Senator Becca Rausch for sponsoring this amendment and to the entire Senate for voting in support. The Senate amendment seeks to address antisemitism in K-12 schools and would create a statewide [...]
Agudath Israel of America’s Florida Office Leads Delegation to Washington D.C. to Address Rising Antisemitism and Security Needs
Days after the Memorial Day recess, Agudath Israel of America’s Florida Office led a delegation to Washington D.C as part of a series of state missions following Agudah’s National Leadership Mission in April. The Florida group, representing many areas from across the state—including Surfside, Miami, Hollywood, Boca Raton, Delray Beach, West Palm, Orlando, and Jacksonville—gathered in Washington for a highly productive one-day mission. Some meetings were held directly with the [...]
Summer EBT Webinar
June 17, 2024 Summer EBT Webinar Dear Principals and Administrators, The deadline to complete a Summer EBT enrollment on behalf of your NSLP-eligible students is June 28. For more information, please see our prior memo. We are pleased to share that School Management Solutions will be hosting a webinar this Wednesday, June 19 at 3 PM entitled "Summer EBT Enrollment: Clarifying the Process". Click here to register [...]
Summer Professional Learning Portal Opening
June 17, 2024 Summer Professional Learning Portal Opening Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, The Professional Learning Portal (PLP) opened today to accept work plans for the summer months until Friday, July 19. Work plans will be processed in early July when funding is received. Until funding is received, ONPCS staff will review submitted summer work plans for completeness. We recommend you enter your work plans for goods and services [...]
Pirchei’s Mishna Rishona Major Milestone: Lakewood Cheder Class Completes Shisha Sidrei Mishna
Pirchei Agudas Yisroel is thrilled to share a beautiful story that recently unfolded through its Mishna Rishona Mishnayos program. Rabbi Eli Finkelman’s 5th-grade class from The Lakewood Cheder embarked on the ambitious task of collectively completing all of Shisha Sidrei Mishna through Pirchei’s Mishna Rishona program before the end of the school year. The boys worked tirelessly and, baruch Hashem, successfully completed this impressive endeavor in just four months. To [...]
Agudath Israel Brings Inspiration West
Los Angeles was host to an extraordinary event that left a profound impact on its many attendees. The H3West Business Halacha Summit, held on Tuesday, June 3, at the Hilton Los Angeles in Universal City, CA, was an unprecedented display of chizuk, camaraderie, and growth. Many locals declared that the West Coast had never seen anything like it before. The H3 concept, a groundbreaking initiative designed to enhance business practices [...]
Agudath Israel of America’s Florida Office Applauds Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature for Allocating $3.5 Million for Jewish School Transportation Through Agudath Israel Appropriation
Agudath Israel of America’s Florida Office commends Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature for including a new $3.5 million grant to support busing for Jewish day school and yeshiva students during the 2024-2025 school year in the state budget. The grant will be administered by Agudath Israel and will help cover the cost of transportation for hundreds of students including many who have not been able to access transportation [...]
June Deadlines
June 10, 2024 June Deadlines Dear Principals and Administrators, We would like to draw your attention to a series of crucial upcoming deadlines. Please review the following information carefully: June 11: NYC OPT Session Times: This is the deadline to submit session times for bussing for the fall. You can access the application here. For more information, please see our prior memo. June 18: NYC Title Intent to Participate: This [...]
Title Process Overview
June 10, 2024 Title Process Overview Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, We are pleased to share the projected timeline for the Title Process for the upcoming 2024-25 School Year. Please adhere to this timeline to confirm your participation in the program and ensure that services will start as early as possible in the coming school year. June 10 – By this date you should have received an email from [...]
Hundreds Gather to Strengthen Workplace Halacha at H3 Mid-Atlantic Summit
Following in the footsteps of the inaugural Mid-Atlantic Business Halacha Conference in 2022 and modeled after the numerous H3 Business Halacha Summit events in Chicago and in a growing number of other cities, over 450 men and women gathered at Martin’s West in Baltimore for Agudah Maryland’s second all-day summit focused on strengthening halacha in the workplace. The H3 Mid-Atlantic Business Halacha Summit convened on May 22nd and offered a [...]
MST Year 7 Application Now Open on Business Portal
June 6, 2024 MST Year 7 Application Now Open on Business Portal Dear Principals and Administrators, The Mathematics, Science, and Technology (MST) Teacher Reimbursement Grant Portal is now live. The MST program reimburses schools for the cost of eligible teachers teaching science, math, or technology in any grade from grades 3-12. Teachers are eligible if: They are certified teachers, OR hold a master's degree in Math, Science, Technology, or Education, [...]
Agudath Israel Condemns Linden Mayor for Antisemitic Comments
Like all people of good conscience, we are appalled at the recent antisemitic comments made by Linden Mayor Derek Armstead. The growth of the Jewish community in Linden and surrounding areas should be celebrated and encouraged, not disparaged behind closed doors. Describing the Chasidic community by their choice of headdress and hairstyles is offensive, but most concerning was his apparent desire to discriminate against the Orthodox community in hiring decisions. [...]
OPT Updates and Deadlines
June 5, 2024 OPT Updates and Deadlines Dear Principals and Administrators, As the school year is coming to a close, we would like to share important information and deadlines to prepare for busing in the fall. Click here for additional general information about bussing. For additional support, please click here to find the transportation liaisons associated with your district. General Education (stop-to-school): June 11: Session time [...]
National School Lunch Program Application Deadlines
June 4, 2024 National School Lunch Program Application Deadlines Dear Principals and Administrators, Please see below for important deadlines related to the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). For additional information about these deadlines, please click here. For new programs: June 30: This is the absolute deadline for New School Food Authorities (SFAs) and New Recipient Agencies (RAs). This can be a lengthy process so we recommend you begin early. The [...]
Annual Yeshiva Consultation Meeting Slides
June 4, 2024 Annual Yeshiva Consultation Meeting Slides Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, Thank you to those who joined us at the annual consultation meeting in preparation for the 2024-25 school year. We are pleased to share with you the slides from the meeting. You can find contact information for the Jewish Representatives to the NYCDOE Committee of Religious and Independent Schools (Standing Committee) on slides 33-34. Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel [...]
Please Update Your SEDREF Contact Information
June 4, 2024 Please Update Your SEDREF Contact Information Dear Principals and Administrators, You should have received an email from NYSED with your school's current SEDREF contact information, together with a memo. It is important to make sure you are receiving NYSED communications and that you regularly log on to the business portal. Please update your contact information and return the document to NYSED by no later than [...]
Summer EBT Program
June 3, 2024 Summer EBT Program Dear Principals and Administrators, New York State is launching Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT). This program provides low-income families with benefits to help cover their food costs during the summer school break. Families with eligible school-age children will receive $120 in Summer EBT food benefits per child. Only schools who participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) can join the Summer EBT Program. In [...]
Title I End-of-School-Year Inventory Certification
June 3, 2024 Title I End-of-School-Year Inventory Certification Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, Please see below for a message from the Office of Nonpublic Schools (ONPS) regarding the Title I end-of-school-year inventory certification. ONPS has collaborated with Third-Party Providers (TPP) to complete the Title I end-of-school-year inventory certification process in your school. This partnership aims to streamline the certification process and ensure comprehensive and accurate inventory records for Title I [...]
Travel Advisory Israel – May 31, 2024
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Agudah Yahalom Albany Day Focuses on Helping the Special Needs Community
Last week Agudath Israel’s Yahalom Division convened a special advocacy trip to Albany on behalf of the special needs community. The group comprised more than 25 parents, professionals, and advocates who spent the day in the Capitol meeting with lawmakers and government officials. Throughout the day parents shared their personal experiences with lawmakers who were clearly moved by the challenges faced by the special needs community. Many issues were discussed [...]
Take Action: Urge Your Member of Congress to Co-Sponsor the Countering Antisemitism Act
Dear Agudah Activists: Antisemitism is skyrocketing in the U.S.! And perhaps the most vile manifestation of this hate is what we are seeing on our college and university campuses! Over the past two years, Agudath Israel has been actively involved in high level discussions at the White House and federal agencies, and on Capitol Hill, to support measures that will help address this scourge. We have reached out to you, [...]
MSA/CAP Shortfall
May 29, 2024 MSA/CAP Shortfall Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, We received notice this morning, see here, that the New York State Education Department is starting to release MSA/CAP funds for the 2022-23 school year. We anticipated a shortfall, as insufficient funds were allocated for it in the 2023-24 budget enacted last May; however, we were successful in having the allocation increased significantly in the 2024-25 budget to $241 [...]
“Misguided and Counterproductive”: Agudath Israel of America’s Rockland Regional Office Statement on Proposed East Ramapo Takeover
Last week, outgoing New York Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski introduced a draconian bill (A10407) essentially calling for a state takeover of the East Ramapo Central School District (ERSCD). The proposal includes the installation of a fiscal control board among other drastic measures. This bill is a misguided effort which would completely overturn the will of the voters of the district as reflected through their democratically-elected school board. Every child in ERSCD, [...]
MSA/CAP Amendments Deadline
May 27, 2024 MSA/CAP Amendments Deadline Dear Principals and Administrators, Next Friday, May 31, 2024, is the absolute last day to submit any necessary amendments for the MSA-CAP 2022-23. For more information, please refer to our prior memo. As always, feel free to reach out to [email protected] with any questions. Sign up for our mailing list here! Sign up for our WhatsApp broadcast list by scanning this QR code: Rabbi Yehoshua Pinkus Director [...]
Agudah Fights Rising Antisemitism by Getting Out the Vote
With the proliferation of antisemitism on campuses, on the streets, through social media, and shockingly even by elected officials, our only choice is to speak up. With voting season around the corner, Agudah's voting project has never been more important. This month, Agudah met with HD4 candidate Cecelia Espenoza representing Denver's westside community to discuss antisemitism, affordable housing, and other issues important to the community. In a separate meeting, Agudah [...]
2024-25 School Consultation Form
May 23, 2024 2024-25 School Consultation Form Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, Under federal law, school districts must consult with private schools or their representatives regarding implementing the various federal education programs. Schools need to fill out a consultation form to officially confirm their designation of the six groups that serve as the Jewish representatives on the Standing Committee as their official representatives for purposes of consultation. Title funds [...]
May and June Deadlines
May 21, 2024 May and June Deadlines Dear Principals and Administrators, We would like to draw your attention to a series of crucial upcoming deadlines. Please review the following information carefully: May 21: For All Schools Nonprofit Security Grant: The deadline to submit the application is 5 pm. The RFA and other required documents can be found here. May 24: NYC D-20 Certificate of Fitness Training: The deadline to [...]
Annual Yeshiva Consultation Meeting
May 20, 2024 Annual Yeshiva Consultation Meeting Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, The Jewish Representatives to the NYCDOE Committee of Religious and Independent Schools (Standing Committee) are pleased to invite you to the annual consultation meeting in preparation for the 2024-25 school year. We will share and discuss changes and updates to various Federal and State funded programs and policies. We look forward to hearing your feedback and suggestions. The meeting [...]
June 2024 Regents Information
May 20, 2024 June 2024 Regents Information Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, Please see below for important information regarding the June 2024 regents. Please note that the June 14 exams (English and Living Environment) fall out on Isru Chag Shavuos. However, this should not pose a problem with delivery as the delivery is scheduled to take place on June 6, June 7, or June 10. There is no need to [...]
MSA/CAP Payments Update
May 20, 2024 MSA/CAP Payments Update Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, As we have communicated in the past, the amount allocated in the state budget for the 21-22 school year was insufficient to cover the costs, so you had only received 96% of your 21/22 MSA/CAP claims. We are excited to announce that NYSED has just informed us that they have started the process of issuing the 4% payment for [...]
H3 Heads West
Join the H3 West Business Halacha Summit on Tuesday, June 4th at the Hilton Los Angeles in Universal City. If your'e in Business, you belong at H3 West because Halacha is everyone’s business! A full day conference to elevate your business, network with other business professionals from the West Coast and learn from leaders and Rabbonim in your industry. Speakers to include Dayan Aharon Dovid Dunner, Rabbi Shragi Malinowitz, Rabbi [...]
Advocacy in its Prime: Agudath Israel of Illinois Executes Successful Springfield Mission
By: Beth Perkel In the pre-dawn hours on Wednesday May 8th, Agudath Israel of Illinois embarked on its annual full-day mission to the Illinois State Capitol. With almost 50 participants, this year’s mission led by Rabbi Shlomo Soroka, Director of Government Affairs, was one of the largest ever. The mission’s delegates reflected a broad cross section of Illinois’ Orthodox Jewish population: community and lay leaders, rabbis, and representatives of the [...]
Upcoming DOE Webinars and Title Resources
May 16, 2024 Upcoming DOE Webinars and Title Resources Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, The Office of Nonpublic and Charter Schools (ONPCS) is offering webinars regarding Funding Streams and Title Funding. The webinars will be recorded and made available on the ONPCS Webinar Page for school leaders to view using their DOE external user account. The agendas for the two webinars are as follows: Wednesday, May 22 Webinar [...]
Agudath Israel’s New Jersey Office Statement on Cancellation of IHRA Committee Hearing
Agudath Israel of America’s New Jersey’s office is shocked to learn that bill S1292, which proposes the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism within the state of New Jersey, will not be heard in committee due to “safety concerns.” While we acknowledge the importance of ensuring the safety and well-being of all individuals involved in the legislative process, this decision impedes crucial discourse during a [...]
Statement on Board of Regents Proposal
May 13, 2024 Statement on Board of Regents Proposal Dear Special Education Professionals, Agudath Israel of America Yeshiva Services is deeply concerned to have learned of a recent regulatory proposal by the New York State Board of Regents (link) that can disenfranchise tens of thousands of vulnerable children with special needs and roll back decades of progress in this arena. The Agudath Israel team is carefully analyzing the proposed [...]
CEP Updates
May 13, 2024 CEP Updates Dear Principals and Administrators, As we previously shared, the USDA expanded access to the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) by lowering the minimum identified student percentage (ISP) participation threshold from 40% to 25%. This means that schools who participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), and have at least 25% low-income students, will receive the full reimbursement rates between the federal reimbursement and the [...]
Agudath Israel of America Statement on the White House’s Unprecedented Decision to Cease Supplying Certain Arms to Israel
Agudath Israel of America is deeply troubled by the White House’s unprecedented decision to cease supplying certain arms to a country whose security the President has reiterated his ironclad commitment to, especially amidst Israel’s multifront war against its mortal enemies. Nor is this arms embargo limited to large bombs, but, according to sources, could include smart bombs designed to hit targets with precision and artillery – in other words exactly [...]
Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program
May 8, 2024 Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Dear Principals and Administrators, We were just informed of the upcoming deadline for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP). The application is due Friday, May 10. For your convenience, we are sharing these links: FFVP General Information FFVP Guidance FFVP Application FFVP Agreement FFVP Initial Budget Form As always, feel free to reach out to [email protected] with any questions. Sign [...]
May Deadlines
May 8, 2024 May Deadlines Dear Principals and Administrators, We would like to draw your attention to a series of crucial upcoming deadlines. Please review the following information carefully: May 13: NYC Summer Busing for IEP Students: This is the deadline to apply for summer busing for students with an IEP. For more information on summer busing, please see our prior memo. May 15: NYC NYC Nonpublic School Security [...]
Upcoming ONPCS Webinars
May 8, 2024 Upcoming ONPCS Webinars Dear Principals and Administrators, The Office of Nonpublic and Charter Schools (ONPCS) is offering webinars regarding Funding Streams and Title Funding. The webinars will be recorded and made available on the ONPCS Webinar Page for school leaders to view using their DOE external user account. The agendas for the two webinars are as follows: Wednesday, May 22 Webinar at 12 PM: [...]
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 [...]
Working Papers
May 7, 2024 Working Papers Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, With the summer season upon us, we've been asked about Employment Certificate (commonly known as "working paper") requirements for students who wish to be employed during the summer. A few quick rules: With few exceptions, minors under 14 may not legally be employed. Minors ages 14-17 must obtain working papers to submit to employers prior to working and be returned [...]
Fingerprinting and Comprehensive Background Checks
May 7, 2024 Fingerprinting and Comprehensive Background Checks Dear Article 47 School Leaders, The following only applies to Article 47 programs: The first five-year renewal of Comprehensive Background Checks (CBC) for childcare staff and volunteers will expire later this year. The federally mandated CBC process was initiated on September 25, 2019; clearances that were processed at that time will expire beginning September 25, 2024. This means all staff reaching the [...]
D-20 Certificate of Fitness Training Course
May 6, 2024 D-20 Certificate of Fitness Training Course Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, New York City requires all nonpublic schools to have a Fire and Emergency Drill Conductor who holds a Certificate of Fitness. Until recently, this meant that yeshiva principals needed to obtain the F-07 Certificate of Fitness, which was geared towards general building safety. Upon the request of Agudath Israel and other nonpublic school representatives, the FDNY [...]
Eighteen Denver Boys Join the Annual Pirchei Shabbos of Achdus
"Pirchei empowers our boys with a strong Jewish identity," says one of the Pirchei Denver founders, Mr. Dov Ort, when asked why he believes strongly in Pirchei. "By choosing to pursue their studies beyond the classroom, they gain conviction. By connecting with a network of other Jewish boys across the world, they learn what it means to take an active role in something larger than the world of their youth." Dov's statement [...]
Agudah Advocacy in Washington DC
The annual Agudah Washington mission could not have come at a more crucial time this year. Amid the war in Israel and the skyrocketing antisemitism around the country, it was vital for the Agudah leadership and supporters to speak with legislators and advocate for the Jewish People. Rabbi Yossi Kaplan, Director of Agudah of Colorado, joined almost seventy delegates in Washington, D.C. for a two-day advocacy trip to the Capitol. [...]
Letter of Intent for Special Ed Services
May 6, 2024 Letter of Intent for Special Ed Services Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, Services must be requested by June 1, 2024 for any children that would like to receive special education services while enrolled in a New York City non-public school next school year. These services include PT, OT, Speech Therapy, Counseling, paraprofessionals, P3, SETSS, etc. If the letter of intent is not submitted, the student may not receive [...]
NYS Budget and NPSE Year 10 Update and Webinar
May 6, 2024 NYS Budget and NPSE Year 10 Update and Webinar Dear Principals and Administrators, Update: The NPSE (Nonpublic School Safety Equipment) Grant Year 10 application and allocations have been released and posted on the NYSED website. We are pleased to announce that we will be hosting a webinar on Tuesday, May 14 at 10:30 am. NPSE Y10 Grant: Understanding and Maximizing the $45 Million in Increased Allocations Click here [...]
SFSP Updates
May 3, 2024 SFSP Updates Dear NYS SFSP (Summer Food Service Program) Camp Operators and Site Supervisors, Thank you to the many camps and SFSP sites that joined us for the live training with the New York State Education Department, Office of Child Nutrition (OCN) at Bnos Zion on April 16. If you missed it, there are trainings available HERE. The training was a direct result of Agudath [...]
Take Action: Ask your Senators to support the Antisemitism Awareness Act
Your voice made a difference! Yesterday the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Antisemitism Awareness Act by a vote of 320-91. Passing the bill with a bipartisan vote, and by such a wide margin, sends a strong message that Congress, like most Americans, rejects the vitriolic antisemitism we are seeing on college campuses. It also sends an important message to college and university leaders that such behavior will not be [...]
Homeland Security Grant Update and Reminder
May 2, 2024 Homeland Security Grant Update and Reminder Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, The Nonprofit Security Grant Program provides support for target hardening and other physical security enhancements and activities to nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of terrorist attack. In NYS, the program is administered by the NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. Update: Shortly before Pesach, the Homeland Security Grant opened. The application deadline [...]
WATCH: Rep. Lawler mentions Agudah in powerful floor speech
WATCH: Rep. Mike Lawler mentions Agudah's support of his Antisemitism Awareness Act in a powerful speech on the House floor May 1st, 2024.
WATCH: Congressman Mike Lawler speaking about ways Congress can combat antisemitism
WATCH: Congressman Mike Lawler speaking at Agudath Israel’s Rockland County Legislative Event December 19th 2023 about ways Congress can combat antisemitism including the now just-passed Antisemitism Awareness Act.
Agudath Israel Applauds the House Passage of the Antisemitism Awareness Act to Combat Campus Antisemitism
Following the October 7th Hamas massacre, Americans have watched our country’s college campuses devolve into cesspools of naked, unabashed antisemitism. Antisemitic and anti-Israel vitriol from students and professors; praise for Hamas and its butchery; threats, assaults, and violence against Jewish students have all become a daily occurrence that is met only with a tepid response from officials of even the most elite universities. Agudath Israel of America applauds the U.S. [...]
Action Alert: Support Jewish Students on Campus!
Dear Agudah Activist: We have all been stunned and outraged by what we have been hearing and seeing on America’s college campuses: Antisemitic and anti-Israel vitriol from students and professors; praise for Hamas and its butchery; threats, assaults, and violence against Jewish students; tepid response from university officials. Jewish students are rightfully scared for their safety. And we must support them! Representative Mike Lawler (R-NY) and Representative Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) [...]
Unbridled Antisemitism and Violence at Columbia: Agudath Israel Calls on Leaders to Act
Agudath Israel of America calls upon officials at all levels of government, law enforcement, and Columbia University leadership to immediately quell the raging antisemitism and violence that has been allowed to overtake the university. The "protestors" for peace and cease-fire -- at Columbia and other universities -- have unmasked themselves as faithful agents of the terror organizations whose cause they now champion thousands of miles away. The charade is over. [...]
Agudath Israel Applauds Expansion of School Choice Program in Missouri
Agudath Israel of America celebrates the passage of Missouri Senate Bill 727, a legislative victory that expands educational opportunities for families across the state. The bill, which expands the state's school choice program, is a significant step forward in empowering students and ensuring access to quality education for all Missouri children. SB727 received 82 votes in the Missouri House of Representatives, the exact number of votes needed for the law [...]
New York State Budget-Gains for Yeshivas and Parents
Earlier today the New York State Legislature came to an agreement with Governor Hochul on a budget for 2024-25. The budget contains several significant gains for the families of New York’s yeshivas and other non-public schools, including major legislative priorities of Agudah. In light of the horrific terrorist attack by Hamas last October 7th in Israel and the corresponding increase in antisemitism in the United States, security became the number [...]
Pirchei Agudas Yisroel Second Annual ‘Shabbos of Achdus’ Highlights
On Shabbos, Parshas Shemini, Pirchei Agudah Yisroel hosted the 2nd annual ‘Shabbos of Achdus’ at Camp Agudah Midwest in South Haven, Michigan. This unique, life-altering event brought boys together from 15 different cities across the United States. Participating cities including Cincinnati, Columbus, Denver, Indianapolis, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, North Miami Beach, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Savannah, South Bend, St. Louis, and more, gathered together for an unforgettable and uplifting Shabbos filled with nonstop [...]
Summer Busing
April 18, 2024 Summer Busing Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, As the summer season approaches, it is now time to sign up your students with IEPs for busing during the summer. The application opens today. Important notes: Busing for the summer session begins on Tuesday, July 1, 2024. The deadline to apply for summer busing for your students is May 13. Entries made between May 13 and May 19 [...]
H3 Florida Business Halacha Summit
Over 400 businessmen and rabbanim from across South Florida gathered at the JW Marriot Tunberry in Aventura, Florida on April 4th for the inaugural H3 Florida Business Halacha Summit. This project of Agudath Israel of Illinois is quickly becoming one of the most popular destinations for bnei Torah in the business world, where they can gain knowledge of halacha, clarity in hashkafa and chizuk in hanhagah for elevated excellence in [...]
Urgent: Tell Your Representatives to Increase Funding for Israel and for Security Grants in Emergency Bill!
Dear Agudah Activists: As Israel continues to fight Hamas and other terrorist groups, the threat of war with Iran now looms! And, as Iran is the greatest sponsor of state-run terrorism, the dangers facing Jews in the U.S. and abroad are now intensified! The House must provide emergency security assistance to Israel and for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) without delay and without unnecessary conditions that will just bog [...]
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 [...]
Talmidim Gather by the Thousands in Advance of Bein Hazmanim
Thousands of bochurim gathered in multiple locations last night 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 [...]
May 1 Benchmarking Deadline
Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, If you have not yet submitted your energy and water consumption to the city for the 2023 calendar year, the final deadline to do so is May 1, 2024. The NYC Benchmarking Law requires owners of buildings that meet the criteria outlined in the law to annually measure their energy and water consumption through a process called benchmarking. There are specific criteria for which [...]
Agudah National Leadership Mission Advocates in Washington at Critical Time
By: Sandy Eller In a year like no other, Agudath Israel of America’s National Leadership Mission to Washington took on a heightened sense of urgency, with a diverse group of close to 70 delegates coming together in the nation’s capital to press their views regarding Israel’s war against Hamas and the unprecedented surge of antisemitism in America and around the world. Having communal representatives from all over the country sharing [...]
Ask the House to expand School Choice in Missouri!
Dear Missouri residents, An expansion of the ESA program is heading to the floor of the Missouri House in the upcoming days and we need your help to ask your representative to vote YES on SB 727. Senate Bill 727 will expand the current MO Scholars Scholarship tax credit program. It will significantly expand eligibility (see chart below), increase the overall tax credit cap, make the tax credit refundable, and [...]
April and May Deadlines
Dear Principals and Administrators, We would like to draw your attention to a series of crucial upcoming deadlines. Please review the following information carefully: April 12: For All Schools June 2024 Regents Exams Ordering Deadline: This is the last day to place your order for the June 2024 Regents exams. More information is available HERE. April 15: NYC Extended Year Program Overview Template Due. For updated [...]
Local Law 97 and NYC Benchmarking Deadline: Act Now to Avoid Significant Fines!
Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, If you have not yet submitted your energy and water consumption to the city for the 2023 calendar year, the final deadline to do so is May 1, 2024. To get started on benchmarking, click here. The new NYC Local Law 97 (LL97) has gone into effect, and it applies to all buildings over 25,000 square feet. It is one of the most [...]
Important for Camp Operators and Site Supervisors: SFSP Training next week
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, Over the course of the winter, Agudath Israel and camp representatives engaged in meetings and communications with NYSED CNS in an effort to streamline operations for the coming 2024 summer season. We are pleased to share with you that at our request, CNS has scheduled an IN-PERSON TRAINING for camp operators and site supervisors on April 16, 2024 10:00 AM - [...]
Statement of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of America
Agudath Israel of America, today, shared this statement from the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of America.
Extended Year Summer Programs Updated Guidance and Reminder
Dear NYC School Principals and Administrators, Reminder: EY 24 Program Overview Document due April 19. NYC DOE has shared an updated guidance document and program overview template. Please see below for the updated guidance document and overview template, as well as other important information. School leader webinar including information on the EY program (starting at 28:00) PowerPoint overview of EY 24 (as shared on the webinar) EY [...]
National Agudah Directors Professional Development Conference
Rabbi Yossi Kaplan, Director of Agudah of Colorado, joined Agudah Directors and Staff from all over the country at the Rabbi Moshe Sherer National Headquarters of Agudath Israel of America in Manhattan this month for RISE, a two-day in-service. This acronym encapsulated the participants' collective aspiration: to amass Resources, draw Inspiration, receive Support, and depart feeling Empowered. Over two days, the regional directors engaged in meetings, professional development sessions, and [...]
Women’s Networking Nite for Therapists
This month, LinkedUp, Agudah's recently launched program that builds community through business, held its first-ever event, a women's Networking Nite for therapists. Chaired by Adina Krausz LCSW and Shoshana Ort LCSW, and generously hosted at the home of Ruth (Hyman) Levine, the group of community therapists was treated to a presentation by the renowned psychiatrist and expert on ADHD, Dr. Bill Dodson, LF-APA. Throughout his presentation, attendees eagerly took notes [...]
Take Action: Advocate for the New Jersey Student Support Act
Dear Friends, We need your voice. As you may know, a new tax credit scholarship bill, which has the potential to significantly impact the education landscape in our state, has been introduced in the New Jersey Legislature. The “New Jersey Student Support Act” (A4144/S3035) aims to help alleviate the high cost of private school tuition by providing scholarships to students from low- and middle-income families, enabling them to attend the [...]
Reminder: Important Workshop for Parents of Children with Special Needs Tomorrow
Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, The Agudath Israel Parent Navigator Program is proud to present: Workshops For Parents of Children with Special Needs How To Effectively Advocate for Your Children with the CSE The final workshop is taking place tomorrow, Wednesday, April 3, at 8:00pm on Zoom. Click HERE to register. Please share this information and the flyer with your parent body as soon as possible. As [...]
Nonpublic School Security Guard Reimbursement Program
Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, Schools that would like to participate in the Nonpublic School Security Guard Reimbursement Program that haven’t previously participated can now submit an application for the 2024-25 school year. Schools are eligible if they have 300 or more students. Click here for more information on eligibility, and to sign up for an information webinar. The program will be administered by the Department of [...]
Homeland Security Grant Update and Reminder
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, Last week, after many delays, Congress passed, and the President signed, the bills that include $274.5 million for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. The NSGP provides support for target hardening and other physical security enhancements and activities to nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of terrorist attack. In NYS, the program is administered by the NYS Division of Homeland [...]
Hate Crimes Grant Update and Reminder
Dear Principals and Administrators, Reminder: The application deadline for the Hate Crimes Grant program is Friday, May 17 at 12 pm. The Request for Proposal (RFP) for the 2023-24 Hate Crimes Grant program has been released. There is $25 to $60 million in funding available this round. This program is available to nonprofit, community-based organizations, such as nonpublic schools and day care centers, throughout the state to [...]
Bnos BBC Brings Mishloach Manos to Over 4,000 Seniors
Bnos Bikur Cholim (BBC), Bnos Agudas Yisroel’s program that provides visits to over 100 seniors weekly, once again packaged hundreds of mishloach manos for seniors across the country. Schools who participated in the mishloach manos campaign had sugar-free hamentaschen and chocolates delivered to their schools, where the girls dedicated time to assembling each individual package and writing personal notes to the seniors they planned to visit. Once the packages were [...]
Putting Dollars Back Into Families’ Pockets: Agudah Advocacy Helps Expand Empire State Child Tax Credit
After years of research and advocacy, Agudath Israel of America is pleased to announce that New York State has, beginning this (2023) tax year, expanded its Empire State Child Tax Credit to include children under age four. With tax preparation season in full swing, what this change means in practical terms is that many Jewish and other families will, for the first time now, receive an additional, refundable tax credit [...]
Final MSA Reminder: Deadline is April 1
Dear Principals and Administrators, This Monday, April 1, 2024, is the absolute last day to submit your claims for the MSA-CAP 2022-23. After this date, no submissions will be accepted. If you are unable to submit a complete and accurate application by this deadline, we recommend submitting an incomplete one. You will have until May 31st to make any necessary amendments. For more information, please refer to [...]
Reminder: Important Workshops for Parents of Children with Special Needs on Tuesday, Wednesday next week
Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, The Agudath Israel Parent Navigator Program is proud to present: Workshops For Parents of Children with Special Needs How To Effectively Advocate for Your Children with the CSE There are several remote and in-person options to choose from. Tuesday, April 2 at 10:30am on Zoom Tuesday, April 2 at 8:00pm in the COPE Building, 4006 18th Avenue Wednesday, April 3 [...]
Statement From Agudath Israel of America on the Passing of Senator Joe Lieberman
Agudath Israel of America notes with sadness the passing of Joseph “Joe” Lieberman, former senator from Connecticut and vice-presidential nominee, at the age of 82. Joe Lieberman, an Orthodox Jew himself, was a friend of Agudath Israel and the Orthodox Jewish community, participating in Agudath Israel events and championing the needs of the community. Senator Lieberman, dubbed the “conscience of the Senate,” was a strong supporter of Israel, and worked [...]
Important Information for Extended Year Summer Programs
Dear NYC School Principals and Administrators, Please see this important information regarding Title-funded Extended year (EY) summer programs School leader webinar including information on the EY program (starting at 28:00) PowerPoint overview of EY 24 (as shared on the webinar) EY 24 Guidance Document Please take note of the deadlines on the last page EY 24 Program Overview Template (budget and program planning) Please work with your vendor [...]
IMPORTANT: You will need this to access NPSIS!
Dear Principals and Administrators, The NYC DOE has shared with us that your school has either not yet created an External User (EU) account or only has one EU account. You will need this account to access NPSIS after Wednesday March 27, 2024, and other New York City Public School applications will also soon require an EU account. Please create at least two EU accounts for your [...]
Take a Bite Out of Hunger: We need YOUR help! Act Now for Free School Meals!
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, Please send the following important action alert to your staff and parent body: The importance of school meals cannot be overstated. Children who are properly fed focus better in school and have higher attendance rates. Agudath Israel is part of a coalition fighting for universal, free school meals. Boruch Hashem, over the past year, significant progress has [...]
Important NPSE and AIS update
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, Many schools have reached out to us for clarification regarding the upcoming NPSE and AIS grant deadlines. NYSED has informed us that the grants have been delayed. Projected Timelines: NPSE Purchase deadline – April 30, 2024 Application submission - May 31, 2024 AIS – after NPSE (specific date TBD). We recommend that schools prepare for the NPSE submission now: Review your expenses and the eligibility [...]
Important Workshops for Parents of Children with Special Needs
Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, The Agudath Israel Parent Navigator Program is proud to present: Workshops For Parents of Children with Special Needs How To Effectively Advocate for Your Children with the CSE There are several remote and in-person options to choose from. Click HERE to register. Please share this information and the flyer with your parent body as soon as possible as the first workshop is next week. [...]
Zahav Halachic Will Event in Lakewood
Zahav, a division of Agudas Yisroel of America, in conjunction with the Business Halacha Institute, invites all seniors to a Halachic Will Event on Wednesday, April 10th, 6:00-8:30 PM in Lakewood, NJ. Step-by-step one-on-one guidance to fill out a Halachic Will, guided by the Zahav team and with consultation available from an elder law attorney and members of the Business Halacha Institute, using the Business Halacha Institute’s groundbreaking new easy [...]
Important: Absolute Deadline for Busing Applications
Dear Rockland County Yeshiva principals and administrators,As you are certainly aware, April 1 is the deadline to submit transportation applications for the coming 2024-25 school year. For your convenience, the Agudath Israel Rockland Regional office has consolidated instructions and all the information for all the Rockland districts on one webpage, Rockland Busing - Agudath Israel of America (agudah.org). Please share this flyer with your parent body and encourage them to [...]
April Deadlines
Dear Principals and Administrators, We would like to draw your attention to a series of crucial upcoming deadlines. Please review the following information carefully: March 26: For NYC Schools NYSTL and NYSLIB Final Deadline: The second round of allocations for these loan programs has been completed. There is a possibility that your school has received additional funds. Keep an eye out for an email from [...]
Action Alert: Take Action, Increase Security for our Yeshivas!
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, Last week, both the NYS Senate and Assembly released their budget proposals (also called One House budgets), laying out their priorities for the final budget ahead of negotiations with the governor and a final budget to be passed by the end of this month. The budget framework included several items of importance to yeshivas and their families, but [...]
Important EANS Update
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, This message is only relevant to schools that received EANS II allocations. You should have received the attached letter from NYSED regarding EANS II purchasing requests. In summary, for the remaining 7 months of the EANS II purchasing period, NYSED will focus on the following purchasing requests: Laptops, tablets and Chromebooks Digital pens Headsets and webcams Wireless keyboards and wireless mouse No-touch [...]
Take Action: Contact Governor Hochul and Legislators to Fund Universal Free Meals in Schools
Hungry children have difficulty focusing in school, have lower attendance rates than their peers, and are at greater risk of mental and physical health problems. School meals are one of the farthest-reaching anti-hunger programs for school-aged children, ensuring that, irrespective of a family’s financial or social condition, all children receive a nutritious meal in school. Yet, the current free and reduced-price payment structure leaves many students behind. Additionally, our yeshivas [...]
Georgia Votes to Expand School Choice
Photo: Shlomo Storch, President of Torah Day School Atlanta, Miriam Cann, Executive Director Torah Day School Atlanta, Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns, Rabbi Ari Weisenfeld, associate director of Agudath Israel of America’s Office of State Relations, Terry England, Chief of Staff to Speaker Burns. Today, in the final weeks of the 2024 legislative session, the Georgia General Assembly voted to pass SB 233, a major expansion of school choice in [...]
Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Releases Kol Korei Before Taanis Esther 5784
Agudath Israel of America, today, shared a Kol Korei from the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of America: A LETTER FROM THE MOETZES GEDOLEI HATORAH OF AMERICA (Free translation) 9 Adar II, 5784 It is a time of suffering for the Jewish people, may we be saved from it – and we can only rely on our Father in heaven. With this knowledge, we approach Hashem to pray for our lives: “For [...]
Agudath Israel Urges New Jersey Budget Committee to Support Nonpublic School Students
Today, Rabbi Shlomo Schorr, Director of Legislative Affairs for Agudath Israel of America’s New Jersey office, testified before the Senate Budget and appropriations Committee to ask for an increase in the amount of funds allocated for nonpublic school remedial services and busing. Rabbi Schorr explained that although the Legislature increased the overall funding for the remedial services program for nonpublic school students (known as “Chapter 192”), due to various factors, [...]
Agudath Israel Welcomes Introduction of the New Jersey Student Support Act
Agudath Israel of America's New Jersey office enthusiastically welcomes the introduction of the New Jersey Student Support Act in the New Jersey legislature. Under the proposed bill, donors to a nonprofit scholarship organization chosen by the state will receive a dollar for dollar state tax credit and the money raised will be distributed to eligible children to attend the private school of their choice. Agudath Israel of America has long [...]
Take Action Today!! Support Expansion of Hate Crimes Prosecution in New York!!
Earlier this year, Governor Kathy Hochul proposed to expand the list of charges eligible to be prosecuted as hate crimes to include making graffiti, arson, gang assault, criminal possession of a weapon among others. Governor Hochul also included this expansion in her budget proposal that was presented to the Legislature in January. Since the brutal Hamas terrorist attack of October 7th, antisemitism has increased exponentially. The concern and fear of [...]
Agudath Israel Statement on Senate Majority Leader Schumer’s Remarks
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has a long and distinguished record of strongly supporting the security and welfare of the State of Israel and its citizens. Understanding the millennia-old plight and oppression of the Jewish people, his love and devotion toward Israel are intense and deeply personal. He feels the existential threat that Israel faces and the hate and viciousness that surround her. The pain of Israel, as experienced before [...]
For the Success of All Students: Connecticut Community Advocates for Scholarship Tax Credit Bill
Last Wednesday, middle school students from Yeshiva Ktana of Waterbury traveled to the Connecticut statehouse in Hartford. The purpose of their visit, however, was more than just a school trip; the sixth, seventh, and eighth graders attended the Joint Finance Committee hearing to show their support of HB 5101, a bill that would establish a tax credit scholarship program in the state of Connecticut. Scholarship tax credit programs allow donors [...]
Memorandum of Opposition S2894
MEMORANDUM OF OPPOSITION S.2894/A.7178-Restores Medical Futility as a Basis for DNR DATE: February 27,2024 This is to express our strong opposition to S2894, An Act to amend the public health law and the surrogate’s court procedure act, in relation to restoring medical futility as a basis for both surrogate consent to a do not resuscitate order and for a do not resuscitate order for a patient without a surrogate. Informed [...]
Agudath Israel Launches Special Education Navigator Program for NYC
Obtaining special education services can be a confusing, draining, and overwhelming process. With hundreds of Jewish schools within the borders of New York City, the Jewish representatives on the Committee of NYC Religious and Independent School Officials recognized the need to help parents and schools navigate the complicated steps of applying for and receiving special education services. The New York City Department of Education (DOE) Office of Non-Public and Charter [...]
Pirchei Agudas Yisroel Siyum Celebration – In Honor of Boys Who Finished ALL of Mishnayos
Pirchei Agudas Yisroel of America wishes mazel tov and a tremendous yasher koach to the many boys across America who completed learning all of shishah sidrei mishnah in honor of their bar mitzvahs. Pirchei’s Mishnayos program encourages boys to learn mishnayos on their own during their out-of-school or vacation time. These boys took the initiative and ran with it, finishing all of shishah sidrei mishnah before their bar mitzvahs. Some [...]
In the Face of Antisemitism: Agudath Israel Albany Day Focuses on School Security
In the third session of Agudath Israel of America’s 2024 Albany Days, Agudath Israel brought together a group of yeshiva leaders and community advocates to share the community’s concerns with New York State elected officials. Following the October 7 Hamas massacre, antisemitism has risen at an alarming rate. New York State, the home to the largest Jewish population outside of Israel, has unfortunately borne the brunt of such attacks, with [...]
Community Meet & Greet with Denver DA Candidate
This month, Agudah of Colorado held a Meet & Greet for the community with Leora Joseph, one of the Denver District Attorney candidates up for election in June. Hosted at the Katz residence, a crowd of interested community members attended to engage with Leora. The District Attorney oversees law enforcement and criminal action throughout the city, issues that greatly affect and concern the Jewish community. Strengthening the relationship between candidates for influential [...]
School Choice Advocacy with Colorado Senate Minority Leader Lundeen and Senator Kirkmeyer
In a direct follow-up to last month's School Choice Awareness Event at the Colorado Capitol, Agudah met with Senate Minority Leader Paul Lundeen along with Mr. Mordechai Hoffman, Executive Director of Hillel Academy of Denver. At the meeting, Senator Lundeen expressed his strong support for School Choice and committed to working with the community to further School Choice and other important issues. That same day, a hearing took place in the [...]
Voting Centers in Shul Increase Engagement Across Denver
During the weeks leading up to the March 5th Presidential Primary Election, Agudah of Colorado has been working to expand its voter engagement campaign across the community. For the first time, Voting Centers were scheduled in three different shuls to increase awareness and interest in the upcoming election. At the Voting Centers, community members were invited to register to vote on the spot, bring their ballot and vote, drop off [...]
Caring-for-the-Klal Education Series in Yeshiva Toras Chaim
In a series of classes for the bochurim at Yeshiva Toras Chaim, Rabbi Yossi Kaplan, Director of Agudah of Colorado, spoke to the boys about working on behalf of the klal. They discussed how one person can only achieve so much by themselves, but by working together, a group has endless potential. The idea of Agudah, which means a group, is that when multiple individuals in the community come together [...]
Denver Pirchei NIBS Prizewinners Announced
Agudas Yisroel’s Colorado office is thrilled to announce the winners of the Pirchei NIBS program. NIBS is a learning program that incentivizes boys in grades 3-8 to learn during their spare time and school vacation. Boys who participated last year logged their time spent learning and received points, which were exchanged for prizes. Fourteen boys chose to spend their out-of-school time learning Mishnayos or Gemara, time they could have spent [...]
“Public Morals” and Religious Rights
A High EU Court Allows Effective Bans on Shechita By Rabbi Avi Shafran A legal challenge to two Belgian regions’ effective outlawing of shechita has been rejected by the European Court of Human Rights. That decision, which is final, ruled that requirements that animals be stunned before slaughter do not breach the European Convention on Human Rights. Stunning involves either gassing, administering a strong electric shock or shooting an iron [...]
Connecticut Tax Credit Scholarship Program – HB 5101
Tax Credit Scholarships: What they are, talking points and sample testimony What is a Tax Credit Scholarship? Tax-credit scholarships allow taxpayers to receive full or partial tax credits when they donate to nonprofits that provide private school scholarships. Eligible taxpayers can include both individuals and businesses. Currently, if an individual or business donates to a scholarship granting organization (SGO), they would receive a standard charitable deduction for their [...]
MEMORANDUM OF SUPPORT S.6871 Harckham/A.243 Eichenstein
DATE: February 15,2024 Agudath Israel of America supports the passage of S.6871/ A.243, a bill that would require hate crime awareness be added to school curriculums. This bill would require schools to add hate crime awareness to the curriculum, educating students about what discrimination looks like and positive actions they can take to combat it. In light of the recent uptick in antisemitic violence after the October 7th attack [...]
MEMORANDUM OF SUPPORT S.5302 Fernandez/A.8849 Sayegh
DATE: February 15, 2024 Agudath Israel of America supports this bill, which would designate the removal or threat of removal of religious articles as aggravated harassment in the second degree. Across the country and specifically in New York State, there has been a drastic rise in antisemitism and other religious hate. Many of the hate incidents involved harassment by forcefully removing religious articles of clothing. Orthodox Jews, both male and [...]
Photos: 23rd Agudah Yerushalayim Yarchei Kallah Gathers Hundreds for Limud Torah in the Shadow of War
When over 200 balebatim gather in Yerushalayim with one unified purpose – Torah! - what else can come from it but an extraordinary level of hasmadah and havanah? Indeed, that was the atmosphere at Agudas Yisroel of America’s 23rd annual Yerushalayim Yarchei Kallah: one of unbridled love of Torah and enthusiasm for learning, learning, and more learning. As in previous years, hundreds of baalebatim dedicated a week of their busy [...]
Agudah’s Zahav Division Releases Expanded Edition of Senior Guidebook – Now for NJ and NY
Zahav, Agudas Yisroel’s resource and referral center for seniors, is excited to announce the release of an updated and expanded Senior Guidebook. The 2024 edition of the guidebook features an updated list of providers, services, and programs available to seniors and includes information that will benefit Seniors in both New Jersey and New York. New Jersey and New York are home to some of America’s largest Orthodox Jewish communities. As [...]
Portraits of Gedolim – Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach
Tomorrow, 20 Adar I, is the yahrtzeit of Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach. Rav Shlomo Zalman zt”l lived his whole life in the city of Yerushalayim. While he spent most of his years as Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Kol Torah virtually unknown, towards the end of his life yidden from all over flocked to hear Rav Shlomo Zalman’s wisdom. A brilliant posek with expertise in every area of halachah, Rav Shlomo [...]
Ensuring Student Safety: Agudath Israel Queens/Long Island Albany Day Focuses on School Security Grants
This Tuesday was the second installment in Agudah’s three-part advocacy mission to Albany. This week’s mission consisted of delegates from Queens and Long Island who traveled to meet with their legislators and discuss issues facing their communities. Since the October 7 Hamas attacks, antisemitism has been increasing rapidly. This unfortunate uptick is especially apparent in New York State, which is home to thousands of Jews and hundreds of Jewish schools. [...]
WIC Ohio Expanded! Now Includes More Kosher Options
Agudath Israel of Ohio is pleased to announce that WIC Ohio expanded the list of available foods to include a variety of Cholov Yisroel cheeses and yogurts, Pas Yisroel bread, Bishul Yisroel tuna, and grape juice. The foods will begin appearing on WIC-approved store shelves in the coming weeks. Gesher, a branch of Agudath Israel of Ohio which assists the Cleveland community with government programs, resources, and referrals, reached out [...]
Education Freedom Scholarship Act One Step Closer in Tennessee
Agudath Israel of America applauds Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-27) and Representative William Lamberth (R-44) for sponsoring legislation to expand the current Education Savings Account (ESA) program. ESAs empower parents to make educational decisions that are in the best interest of their child regardless of their family’s finances, by providing families with funds that can be spent on on a wide range of educational expenses, including private school [...]
Agudath Israel’s New Jersey Office Welcomes Busing Agreement to Help Jackson Families
Agudath Israel’s New Jersey office welcomes the news that the Jackson Township Board of Education has approved a contract with the Lakewood Student Transportation Authority (LSTA), potentially allowing busing services to be provided for thousands of children during the 2024-2025 school year who have not been receiving busing until now. The commitment demonstrated by the Board in reaching this agreement underscores a dedication to ensuring the safety of students within [...]
Telling Its Own Story: KnowUs Billboard Campaign Celebrates Jewish Education
Not content to have others tell their story, KnowUs, a project of Agudath Israel of America, has erected large billboards across the Manhattan skyline. The billboards, depicting a yarmulke-wearing teen and the words “Our boys will not be educated to hate America,” celebrate how American Orthodox Jewish children are taught to be upright, peaceful, and patriotic to their country. “Before every bite they take, and from the moment they open [...]
YahalomNJ First Ever Brothers’ Event!
Last week, YahalomNJ hosted an event at SkyZone in Lakewood, New Jersey, for boys who have a sibling with special needs. The event was organized in response to a need expressed by many Yahalom parents of children with special needs: the impact of the child with special needs on their siblings. Brothers of children with special needs were invited to SkyZone for an hour of jumping, climbing, and playing. The [...]
Take Action Now: Tell Your Representative to Pass Emergency Funding for Israel and for Security Grants!
Dear Agudah Activist: The Senate has now passed its supplemental national security package, which Includes $14 billion for aid to Israel to help them in the war against Hamas and $400 million for the Non-Profit Security Grant Program to help secure nonprofits at risk of violence. We now have to work hard to ensure that the House includes this funding in its supplemental bill and urge the House to choose [...]
Rabbi Labish Becker on Mishna Rishona
Donate at https://agudah.org/sponsor-mishna-rishona/.
Fun with a Purpose: Bnos Convention Focuses on Leadership and Individuality
Four hundred Bnos leaders from across the country gathered in the Lakehouse Hotel in Woodridge, New York last Shabbos for the 2024/5784 annual Bnos Agudas Yisroel Convention, a jam-packed Shabbos full of networking with other Bnos leaders, practical tips, chizuk, and of course, fun! The hundreds of girls who attended represent hundreds more who lead Bnos groups in their 39 hometowns across America, from Lakewood to Las Vegas to LA. [...]
Safe Schooling for All: Agudah’s Hudson Valley Regional Albany Day Focuses on Issues Facing Yeshivas and Their Families
Tuesday marked the beginning of Agudath Israel of America’s Albany advocacy day series with a delegation from the Hudson Valley region visiting the State Capitol. Constituents traveled from Orange, Rockland, and Sullivan Counties to meet with their legislators and discuss issues of importance for the upcoming legislative session. New York, as home to the largest population of Jews in the United States, and with over 500 Jewish schools, is unfortunately [...]
Tell Your Senators to Pass Emergency Funding for Israel and for Security Grants!
Over the weekend, leaders in the Senate introduced funding proposals of utmost importance to the Jewish community. As part of an overall multi-part appropriations package, the emergency supplemental provides $14 billion in extra security assistance for Israel and $400 million in extra funding for the Non-Profit Security Grant Program (NSGP). This it is vital to our brothers and sisters in Israel and to our fellow Jews at home. We must [...]
Colorado Jewish Community Recognized at the State of the State Address by Governor Polis
On Thursday, January 11, Colorado Governor Jared Polis delivered his State of the State address in a joint House and Senate session at the State Capitol. In his address, the Governor recognized Beth Jacob High School of Denver for the nonprofit security grant they received from the state of Colorado. Rabbi Yossi Kaplan, Director of Agudath Israel of Colorado, joined Rabbi Aron Yehuda Schwab, Associate Dean of Beth Jacob, in [...]
School Choice Awareness Event at the Colorado Capitol
This January, Agudah held a School Choice Awareness Event at the State Capitol in conjunction with the National School Choice rally, organized in partnership with the Colorado Association of Private Schools, Parents United, Parents Challenge, and Colorado Parent Advocacy Network. The participating group, led by Agudah and comprising of representation from Beth Jacob High School, Yeshiva Toras Chaim, and Hillel Academy, began the day with a personal tour of the [...]
Agudath Israel of Illinois Statement on Chicago City Council Passing Anti-Israel Resolution
Today, Mayor Brandon Johnson cast the tie-breaking vote to pass a city resolution that undermines the United States’ support of Israel and attempts to take away Israel’s autonomy to choose the most effective way to keep its citizens safe. Agudath Israel of Illinois is deeply disappointed with this development, as Chicago is the largest city in the US to pass such a one-sided divisive resolution. The resolution does not put [...]
Cambridge Residents Take Action to Oppose Ceasefire Resolution
Dear All, Tonight the Cambridge City Council will consider Policy Order 2024 #10, “Calling for an Immediate Negotiated Ceasefire in Gaza.” Agudath Israel of New England believes that municipalities should not wade into foreign affairs and that doing so will exacerbate feelings of isolation and fear for Jewish and Israeli community members living in Cambridge. Please see the attached letter sent to the City Council this morning. We ask all [...]
Chicago Residents: Take Action Now to Oppose Anti-Israel City Council Resolution
Dear Chicago Agudah Activists: The Chicago City Council is set to vote this Wednesday on a resolution that undermines the United States’ support of Israel and attempts to take away Israel’s autonomy to choose the most effective way to keep its citizens safe. The resolution, if passed as currently formulated, supports an earlier anti-Israel United Nations decision that the United States opposed. It also doesn’t call for an unconditional [...]
Agudath Israel Statement on the U.S. Suspension of Funding to UNRWA
Agudath Israel of America hails the United States' bold decision to suspend funding to UNRWA over allegations that employees were involved in the brutal massacre of October 7. These charges must be fully investigated and a full legal and criminal accounting must be made, in regard to both the employees and the agency itself. UNRWA’s anti-Israel bias has long been evident. The agency’s unlawfully exceeding its mandate has also been a [...]
Agudath Israel Applauds the Georgia Legislature for Passing HB 30 Adopting the IHRA Definition of Antisemitism
Agudath Israel of America applauds the Georgia State Legislature for passing HB30, a bill which defines antisemitism according to the IHRA working definition. The bill, which was spearheaded by Representative Esther Panitch (D-51) and Representative John Carson (R-46), passed both the Georgia State Senate and House today and now awaits the Governor's signature. The IHRA working definition of antisemitism gives organizations and governments a baseline for identifying antisemitism. Notably, it [...]
Agudath Israel Meets with ZAKA Representatives
Agudath Israel hosts leaders of ZAKA, whose Chesed Shel Emes activities during the war have become world renowned.
Urgent Atzeres Chizuk U’Tefillah Tonight: Statement of Agudath Israel of America
We are devastated over the escalating numbers of Israeli soldiers who have lost their lives in the ongoing war in Gaza. Yesterday’s attack from Hamas, which killed 24 soldiers, marked the deadliest day since Israel began its invasion of Gaza. We mourn the loss of these soldiers, and all the others who have perished in the war. We extend our broken-hearted nichum aveilim to their grieving families, HaMokom yenacheim osam [...]
Ask the Senate to expand School Choice in Missouri!
Two bills are heading to the floor of the Missouri Senate and we need your help to ask your Senator to vote YES on both bills. Senate Bill 727 will expand the current MO Scholars Scholarship tax credit program. It will significantly expand eligibility (see chart below), increase the overall tax credit cap, make the tax credit refundable, and increase the maximum scholarship amounts for lower income students and those [...]
Action Alert: Urge Your Member of Congress to Support the Educational Choice for Children Act!
Congress is considering a $10 billion school choice proposal and we need you to urge your senators and representatives to support the bill as co-sponsors. This bill is gathering momentum in Congress and is the fastest and surest way to bring school choice to all 50 states. The “Educational Choice for Children Act” (S.120/H.R.531) will encourage individual and corporate taxpayers to invest in education and cover expenses facing public and private school [...]
Take Action to Save Arizona STO and ESA program!
Please fill out the form below to urge your Representatives to support Arizona School Tuition Organization (STO) and Education Savings Account (ESA) programs.
Stop Hate in LA: Agudath Israel’s California Office Partners with LAPD to Ease Hate Crime Reporting Process
Over the last few years, the frequency of hate crime in Los Angeles has been staggering. Shootings, vandalism, verbal abuse, and other forms of antisemitic crimes have unfortunately become all too common. Following the events of October 7, the number of incidents in Los Angeles has risen even further. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has encouraged the reporting of all incidents of antisemitism, even those that do not amount [...]
Immediate Action Item: Pass Israel Aid Package ASAP, Without Conditions!
Dear Agudah Activist: We need you to promptly convey the following message to members of the U.S. Senate: Pass the $14 billion security assistance package to Israel as soon as possible Do not include additional requirements and conditions on the aid The Senate will soon take up emergency legislation to provide $14 billion in security assistance to Israel. This is a desperately needed appropriation as Israel’s war against Hamas enters [...]
After Years of Agudah Advocacy NJ Legislature Enacts Major Busing Reform
New Jersey Governor Murphy signed a bill on Tuesday (A5412/S3850) that will greatly improve the busing provided to thousands of schoolchildren across New Jersey. New Jersey law mandates that school districts provide busing to eligible students within the district. But as communities continue to grow and expand beyond district borders, parents of students who do not meet eligibility criteria are forced to spend hours in the car every day transporting [...]
Urge your Senator to Vote “NO” on Bernie Sanders’ Resolution!
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) is scheduled today to force a vote on his Senate Resolution 504 that will use a provision in the Foreign Assistance Act (FAA) to require the U.S. State Department to report within 30 days on Israel’s “human rights abuses” during its conduct of the war against Hamas. Failure to do so would result in the freezing of aid to Israel. This FAA tactic has never before [...]
Business as a Ben Torah: H3 Summit Provides Inspiration, Motivation, Information
Over 700 businessmen and rabbanim from across the country gathered at the Westin Hotel in Lombard, Illinois on December 27-28 for the 5th annual H3 National Business Halacha Summit for an opportunity to improve business hanhagos while networking in a Torahdik environment. This project of Agudath Israel of Illinois is quickly becoming one of the most popular destinations for bnei torah in the business world, where they can gain knowledge [...]
Awareness, Knowledge, Action: Gesher Ohio Document Event
Mrs. Chana Barrett and her husband were traveling, having left some of their children at home. Realizing they had no formal documents in place, Mrs. Barrett wondered: “What would happen to our children if something happened to us right now, lo aleinu?” Mrs. Barrett asked her friends and neighbors what plans they had for such a predicament, but nobody had anything in place in case of crisis. Mrs. Barrett is [...]
Photos: Chavrei Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of America Meet at the Home of Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetsky in Philadelphia
This past week Chavrei Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah held a meeting at the home of Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetsky, Rosh HaYeshiva of Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia.
New Jersey Legislature Passes Expanded Free Lunch Program Advocated for by Agudath Israel
Yesterday, the New Jersey Senate passed legislation which will expand access to free school meals in both public and nonpublic schools that participate in the federal National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. However, the bill as introduced would have excluded children who attend nonpublic schools from being included in the expansion. As a result of the advocacy of Agudath Israel’s New Jersey office, the bill’s sponsors have now amended [...]
OnPoint: Fifth Yeshiva Summit Offers Focused and Fundamental Guidance to NY Administrators
Close to 500 attendees representing 160 schools across New York State gathered last week for the 5th annual Yeshiva Summit. The Yeshiva Summit, a project of Agudath Israel of America’s Yeshiva Services department, is part of Agudah’s mission of advocating for schools across the spectrum of Torah Jewry. Participants spent a full day hearing from community leaders, elected officials, and experts in their respective fields about a variety of topics [...]
Denver Residents Take Action Now: Urge Denver Council Members to Vote No to Resolution
Dear friend, I am writing to you today about an urgent matter in our city of Denver. A proclamation titled “A Proclamation Affirming Denver’s Commitment to Human Rights and Support for an Immediate Ceasefire in Israel and Gaza” has been put forth on the agenda in the Finance and Governance Committee meeting, one of the sub-committees of the Denver City Council, for tomorrow, Tuesday, January 9th. If it passes, as [...]
Rav Matisyahu Salomon ZTVKL at the 10th Siyum HaShas of Daf Yomi
https://vimeo.com/681923024?share=copy
Rav Matisyahu Salomon ZTVKL at the 11th Siyum HaShas of Daf Yomi
https://vimeo.com/681925800?share=copy
Agudath Israel Files Amicus Brief in Favor of Terror Victims and Their Families
Agudath Israel of America filed an amicus curiae (friend of the court) brief last week requesting that the Supreme Court of the United States hear the case of Bartlett, et al., v. Baasiri and Jamal Trust Bank Sal. The case was filed by terror attack victims and their family members who are suing several banks that financed terrorist acts perpetrated by Hezbollah during the Iraq war. The victims (or their [...]
Pirchei Year in Review 2023
Download the Pirchei Year in Review 2023.
Colorado Businessmen Attend the H3 Summit
"It’s not just a conference about business, and it’s not just a conference about halacha. It’s a conference about purpose that's catered to frum businessmen," says Ari Aragon, referring to the annual H3 Business Halacha Summit that was held this month in Illinois. A LinkedUp business member with AAA Lion Real Estate, Ari attended the Summit with a Colorado group together with Rabbi Yossi Kaplan, Director of Agudah of Colorado, [...]
Agudah of Colorado Meets with Members of Congress
As the war in Israel continues, Agudah of Colorado arranged a series of meetings with senators and members of Congress with the participation of local community leaders to urge Congress to support Israel and condemn the rising antisemitism. The meetings addressed some of the current major concerns surrounding the war including emphasizing Israel's right to defend itself, requesting support for the wellbeing and immediate release of the hostages, voicing concerns [...]
Agudath Israel Congratulates COPE Accounting Graduates
Last Sunday and Monday, Agudath Israel of America’s COPE division celebrated the graduation of fifty students in separate men’s and women’s cohorts of the CPA track. For nearly fifty years, COPE has been the home for yeshiva and Bais Yaakov graduates who bring the skills they learned throughout their school years to the table, securing success as they continue into the professional field. COPE is known for its academic excellence, [...]
YahalomNJ Night Out Provides Mothers with Relaxation, Rejuvenation, and Relationships
On Monday, YahalomNJ hosted its biggest event thus far, drawing an overflow crowd of mothers of children with special needs to a special night out. Mothers gained valuable connections, meeting other mothers of children with the same diagnoses as their child and establishing relationships – an opportunity that only a Yahalom event can provide. Attendees heard from Mrs. Shaindy Schorr, the principal of Bnos Esther Malka, who also has a [...]
Agudath Israel Rockland Legislative Meet and Greet Enables Community Members, Elected Officials to Connect on a Personal Level
Last night, Agudath Israel of America’s Rockland Regional Office hosted their second annual legislative meet and greet for elected officials on federal, state, and local levels and the entire Rockland Jewish community. The event brings together elected officials and their communities, providing both with a unique opportunity to meet face to face. This year’s meet and greet was attended by over 150 community members, and elected officials from all levels [...]
Agudath Israel Statement on Hateful Rhetoric at Jackson Township Council Meeting
This week the Jackson Township Council voted to approve two ordinances agreed to as part of its settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, and Agudath Israel of America. The council’s commitment to the religious freedom of all residents reflects a dedication to the values of fairness and inclusivity that contribute to the well-being of the Jackson community. However, while Agudath Israel appreciates the [...]
Take Action: Urge Congress Now to Pass Emergency Aid for Israel and Nonprofit Security Grants!
Dear Agudah Activist: This is the final week of the congressional session to pass emergency funding for vital appropriations. If it is not completed this week, Congress will not take up the issue again until it returns in January. Critical time will be lost. We must, therefore, contact our senators and representatives right away to include within the emergency legislation (aka the “supplemental”) being worked on now, two items of [...]
Watch: Agudah Convention 2023 – Live! with Pirchei
Speakers: Rabbi Yehuda Kohn Rabbi Yaacov Shalom
Watch: Agudah Convention 2023: Dispatches From The Front: Eretz Yisroel at War
Speakers: Rabbi Shmuel Bloom Rabbi Yonoson Rosenblum
Watch: Agudah Convention 2023: Motzei Shabbos Keynote: Call to Action
Speakers: Rabbi Yitzchok Kolodetsky Rabbi Yosef Elefant Rabbi Menashe Frankel Rabbi Elya Brudny Adopt-A-Kollel Presentation Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel Rabbi Binyomin Eisenberger Ari Stern (Chairman)
Watch: Agudah Convention 2023: Kashrus: Maintaining Kedushah in a Starbucks World
Speakers: Rabbi Sholem Fishbane Rabbi Ari Senter
Watch: Agudah Convention 2023: Torah Magna Umatzla: Increasing our Limud in an Eis Tzoroh
Speakers: Rabbi Shrage Malinowitz Rabbi Yosef Sonnenshein
Watch: Agudah Convention 2023: Living in Eretz Yisroel and You: Why it Matters
Speakers: Rabbi Yerachmiel Fried Rabbi Yonoson Rosenblum
Watch: Agudah Convention 2023 -#askingforafriend
Speakers: Rabbi Yosef Elefant Rabbi Aaron Lopiansky
Watch: Agudah Convention 2023: Agudah Live: Post Thursday Night Keynote
Hosts: Rabbi Shai Markowitz Rabbi Ari Strulowitz
Watch: Agudah Convention 2023: Complete Thursday Keynote: Reb Yisroel Ben Ha’Amim – Challenges, Opportunities, Issues and Solutions
Speakers: Rabbi Yosef Frankel Rabbi Gershon Miller Rabbi Shmuel Dishon Reb Chaim Rajchenbach Rabbi Naftali Miller
Watch: Agudah Convention 2023: Brothers Reawakening: Our Call to Action
Panelists: Shmuli Dembitzer Eitan Pfeiffer Rabbi Shlomo Landau Shmuel Sherman Mayer Gold
Yahalom Maryland Draws Large Crowd for Inspiring Launch Event
Recently, Yahalom MD, a division of Agudah Maryland, held its Baltimore kickoff event at Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation. Hosted by a committee of parents and professionals, the event drew nearly 100 people and was a night of inspiration and connection, opening up a platform of communication with Yahalom MD and giving chizuk to parents with special children. The program began with brief words of welcome from Mrs. Meira Burkom, [...]
Klal Yisroel Heeding the Call to Action: 2023 Agudah Convention
Attendees of the 2023 Agudah Convention this weekend have walked away with a tangible feeling of purpose, a sense of duty, and clear guidance: a “Call to Action.” Members of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, along with Rabbanim, Roshei Yeshiva, and lay leaders, presented at the convention to provide direction to the attendees. Walking the hallways at the convention, or sitting around the table at the Shabbos seudos, one heard a [...]
Portraits of Gedolim We Knew: Rav Sholom Schwadron
Rav Sholom Schwadron, known as the Maggid of Yerushalayim, lived in the Shaarei Chessed neighborhood of Yerushalayim. He traveled to America frequently to raise money for various institutions in Eretz Yisroel, during which time he established a close relationship with the Krohn family. At the 2022 Agudah Convention, Rabbi Paysach Krohn shared personal vignettes about Rav Sholom. Please enjoy this adaptation of his remarks. Torah The first time Rav Sholom [...]
Webinar Reviewing the NYC Substantial Equivalency Survey
This week, Yeshiva Services, together with The Jewish Education Project, held a webinar reviewing the NYC Substantial Equivalency Survey. See below for the recording of the webinar and the PowerPoint presentation: PowerPoint presentation: <iframe src="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vS7wG2dY8RUnpDZoWvVKRtJZ6xc54CKR9cFx77Im1mCfuDNNvJXRAAQIwQhKezhRdurgMtP3l3nnJ2v/embed?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000" frameborder="0" width="640" height="389" allowfullscreen="true" mozallowfullscreen="true" webkitallowfullscreen="true"></iframe>
2023 Agudah Convention: Early Highlights
With Eretz Yisroel in the midst of crisis, how does the Torah world in the United States move forward? Speakers at this year’s Agudah Convention in the Armon Hotel in Stamford, Connecticut, addressed questions pertaining to the situation in Eretz Yisroel, its effects on American Jewry, and what our response should be. The convention, ‘Call to Action,’ began Thursday, and emphasized the need for American Jews to take action in [...]
Call to Action: 2023 Agudah Convention
This year’s annual Agudah Convention begins Thursday, bringing members of Klal Yisroel from around the country together to convene with Torah leaders and community askanim to discuss and address the critical issues facing the klal today and provide guidance as to the appropriate course of action. The theme of this year’s convention is Call to Action. In times like these, when Klal Yisroel is under attack from every which way [...]
Agudath Israel Applauds Universal Scholarship Proposed by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee
Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced his plan to expand the state’s current Education Savings Account (ESA) program to 20,000 students in 2024 with the goal of universal eligibility in 2025. The Education Freedom Scholarship Act would provide parents with $7,075 per student to spend on a wide range of educational expenses, including private school tuition. Agudath Israel of America, a longtime supporter of school choice efforts in Tennessee and [...]
Unity and Chizuk at Agudah of Colorado’s Siyum Seder Nashim
On Monday, November 6, Agudas Yisroel of Colorado brought the Colorado Jewish community together. In a magnificent Siyum marking Daf Yomi’s accomplishment of completing Seder Nashim over the past one and a half years, the Jewish community came together to be inspired and to celebrate the privilege of being part of Am Yisrael and part of the Lomdei Torah. They were joined by Rabbi Eliyahu Simcha Bamberger, National Director of [...]
Urge Congress Like Never Before: A New Initiative to Help Our Brethren
KnowUs, a project of Agudath Israel of America, launched a campaign today to galvanize the sending of 100,000 letters to Congress to stand with Israel; to press for the release of all hostages; and to combat the recent, surging antisemitism on college campuses and across the country. In Agudah’s more than one hundred meetings with city, state, and federal officials since October 7, members of Agudah’s Washington office, regional offices, [...]
Agudath Israel Statement on Expected Release of Hostages
Agudath Israel of America welcomes the news that 50 women and children of the approximately 240 hostages brutally kidnapped and held by Hamas for the past six weeks are expected to be freed in the coming days. We have made their safe release an important and necessary part of our advocacy work since October 7, and the focus of our prayers beseeching the Almighty for His mercies. As Americans, we [...]
First Annual Communal Police Thanksgiving Lunch
Police officers in District 1 were thrilled when Agudah of Colorado coordinated and worked with the West Side community leadership and over 30 community members to bring a Thanksgiving lunch down to the station. The first of an annual tradition, the lunch was a way to express heartfelt gratitude to the police for their hard work and especially for being on call and away from their families on a national [...]
Aurora Advocacy: Standing Strong Against Hate
In anticipation of a large pro-Hamas demonstration before the proposed pro-Israel resolution scheduled to be voted on by the Aurora City Council on October 23, Agudah connected with Mayor Mike Coffman and Councilmember Danielle Jurinsky together with Rabbi David Arayev and Aurora community leaders to discuss safety concerns for the Jewish community. Agudah also coordinated representation from the Jewish community to join the City Hall meeting. In a room filled [...]
Agudah’s YahalomNY Partners with Chesed Mobility to Enable Homebound Family to Leave Home
The Blank family of Brooklyn, New York has four young children, two of whom have a severe disability. Neither of the children who are medically fragile can walk, eat, or breathe on their own. It is impossible for the Blanks to leave home as a family – on vacation, to attend a simchah, or even to go to the ice cream store. The Blanks are members of YahalomNY, Agudath Israel’s [...]
Agudath Israel’s Florida Office Hails Expansion to Special Needs Scholarships
Agudath Israel’s Florida applauds Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida legislature for expanding the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Unique Abilities to include all eligible students. The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Unique Abilities, originally passed in 2019, provides scholarships to students with special needs. Last year, Governor DeSantis and the Florida legislature awarded thousands of dollars per student to over 40,000 students with special needs. However, more students applied than the [...]
Agudath Israel Facilitates Assemblymember Rick Zbur Visit to the Los Angeles Orthodox Jewish Community
Last week, Assemblymember Rick Zbur (AD-51), Democratic Caucus Chair, visited the Los Angeles Jewish community. Assm. Zbur visited Tomchei LA’s distribution center where kosher food products are distributed to families in need. Assm. Zbur assisted in packaging boxes and then addressed all the volunteers, explaining that he feels a special connection with the Jewish community. He also expressed his support for Israel and sympathy for the victims of the terror [...]
Agudath Israel Discusses War in Israel with Congressman Ted Lieu
Agudath Israel met last week with Congressman Ted Lieu (CA-36) to discuss the war in Israel. The congressman spoke out very strongly against calls for a ceasefire, and strongly condemned domestic antisemitism and the killing of Paul Kessler, a Jewish man, that took place at a pro-Palestinian rally in LA. The meeting also led to tangible results - during the meeting, one of the participants suggested that Congress view the 40 minute Israeli [...]
Agudath Israel Launches Legal Portal to Combat Antisemitism on Campuses and in the Workforce
In response to the rise of antisemitic incidents on college campuses and in the workforce, Agudah Legal is collaborating with dedicated legal professionals to assist individuals facing antisemitism. The project is being spearheaded by Daniel Kaminetsky, Esq., general counsel for Agudath Israel of America. As antisemitism has erupted on college campuses and elsewhere all over the country, the number of phone calls to Agudah Legal asking for guidance on how [...]
Standing With Israel: Agudath Israel’s Virtual Washington Mission
In response to Hamas’ October 7 atrocities and Israel’s war against terrorism, Agudath Israel of America is organizing an ongoing “Virtual Washington Mission” to impress upon the nation’s elected officials the importance of their continued support for Israel and to solicit their aid in helping to address the security challenges currently facing American Jews. Agudath Israel’s Washington Office has worked closely with the organization’s nationwide regional offices to coordinate the [...]
Kol Korei From the Moatzos Gedolei HaTorah of Eretz Yisroel and America
Agudath Israel of America, today, shared a letter from the Moatzos Gedolei HaTorah of Eretz Yisroel and America: A Letter from the Moatzos Gedolei HaTorah (Free translation) It is a time of suffering for the Jewish nation – may the suffering be the source of salvation; the strength of the Jewish people is only through prayer. Because of the difficult situation now in Eretz Yisroel, where fear threatens within and [...]
Agudath Israel of Illinois Statement Regarding the Sunset of the Invest in Kids Act
Agudath Israel of Illinois is deeply disappointed in the Illinois Legislature for failing to extend the Invest in Kids Act. With over 9,600 low-income children currently on scholarship, it was shocking that some elected officials were so callous as to allow the rug to be pulled from under these students. All this transpired despite recent statewide polling conducted by Impact Research that reaffirmed that a majority of Illinois voters strongly [...]
Agudath Israel of America Advocates for Doubling NY School Safety and Security Funding
In the last month, hate crimes in the United States have increased significantly, particularly those perpetrated against Jews. In New York City alone, 51 hate crimes were committed in one week this past month. Agudath Israel of America sees this as a serious concern in need of advocacy. A key advocacy goal of Agudath Israel, at federal and state levels, has long been ensuring that our schools and community organizations [...]
Agudath Israel Dismayed by Congresswoman Schakowsky’s Letter on Scholarship Program
Agudath Israel of Illinois is disappointed by United States Representative Jan Schakowsky’s (D-IL) efforts to end Invest in Kids, an Illinois state scholarship program. Since 2018, Invest in Kids has provided scholarship funds to thousands of economically disadvantaged students in Illinois, including hundreds of Orthodox Jewish students. Agudath Israel of Illinois and its coalition partners are working to extend the program past the January 1, 2024 deadline. Representative Schakowsky, however, [...]
Agudath Israel’s Florida Office Hails Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature for an Unprecedented $45 Million in Security Funding
This week Florida Governor Ron DeSantis called a special session to address urgent concerns to Florida residents in light of the current circumstances in America and Israel. In the last month, hate crimes in the United States have increased exponentially, particularly those perpetrated against Jews. One of the session’s priority agenda items was assuring the safety of Florida citizens at risk of hate crimes; today, [...]
A Special Message About Texas School Choice
Yesterday, Governor Abbott called a 4th special session with school choice on the agenda. The House immediately filed HB1 which contains their version of an Education Savings Account program. This is the best school choice proposal to come out of the Texas House of Representatives. The bill will be heard in committee tomorrow Thursday November 9th. We are urging all Texas residents to submit a comment urging committee members [...]
Agudath Israel Congratulates Rabbi Avi Schnall on Election Victory in New Jersey
Agudath Israel of America extends its heartfelt congratulations to Rabbi Avi Schnall on his hard-fought victory in the race to represent New Jersey’s 30th Legislative District in the General Assembly. As Director of Agudath Israel’s New Jersey office for nearly a decade, Rabbi Schnall served as the respected voice of the Orthodox community in Trenton and across the state. Avi quickly earned a reputation as someone who knows how to [...]
Dear Amazon – Stop Selling Hate
Today, KnowUs, an initiative of Agudath Israel of America, sent a letter to Mr. Jeffrey Bezos and the leadership of Amazon, demanding that the company cease selling products that incite hatred and violence against Israel. The 7-page letter cataloged numerous products carried by Amazon which support the “freedom” of Palestine “from the river to the sea” or encourage violence against Jews or Zionists. By examining the history of the slogan, [...]
Protecting the Rights of Religious Students: Agudath Israel Files Amicus Brief in Loffman vs. California Department of Education
Last week, Agudath Israel of America 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 [...]
Agudath Israel Statement on Jewish Man Killed at Pro-Palestinian Protest
The animosity and incitement that has characterized “pro-Palestinian” demonstrations is abhorrent. And now it has taken the life of an elderly Jewish man, Paul Kessler, in Los Angeles. Agudath Israel is appalled, though not surprised, that the overheated, misguided emotions that have roiled many of the demonstrations ostensibly calling for a “free Palestine” but in fact advocating the destruction of Israel has resulted in the violent death of an innocent [...]
Florida: Special Needs Scholarships
Dear Community, For children with disabilities, there is a special scholarship program known as the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Unique Abilities. On average, this scholarship provides $9,700 in support, but depending on the specific disability, it can go as high as $33,000. Currently, this program is capped at 40,913 students. Unfortunately, additional students are unable to access this program and are placed on a waitlist instead. This week, both the [...]
Florida: Security Funding
Dear Community, The crisis in Israel has taken us all by surprise. Ever since October 7th, the world as we knew it has changed. The situation in Israel is dire, with our brothers and sisters facing immense danger. Unfortunately, the danger doesn't end in Israel. Throughout the world, we are witnessing a troubling rise in antisemitic activities. Here in Florida, we have recently had incidents in many of our local [...]
Siyum Nashim
Siyum on Nashim: Watch the Full Program Siyum on Nashim: One Hundred Years of Daf Yomi Siyum on Nashim: Torah and Achdus Siyum on Nashim: Timeless Messages From Our Gedolim Siyum on Nashim: Rabbi Elimelech Biderman Siyum on Nashim: Rabbi Shimon Galai Siyum on Nashim: Watch the Full Program Siyum on Nashim: 100 Years of Daf Yomi Siyum on Nashim: Torah and Achdus Siyum on Nashim: Timeless Messages From Our [...]
Agudath Israel of America’s New Jersey Office and Jackson Township Reach Resolution Regarding Restrictive Zoning Ordinances
Following seven years of litigation between Agudath Israel of America and the Jackson Township Council (the “Council”), Agudath Israel is pleased to announce that tonight the parties reached a final settlement. In 2017, Agudath Israel filed a lawsuit in the New Jersey District Court against the Council, claiming the Council had deliberately passed zoning regulations making it impossible for Orthodox Jews to build schools and dormitories and eruvs. This violated [...]
Ask Congress to Increase Security Funding for Shuls and Yeshivos During this Time of Heightened Concern!
Dear Agudah Activist: As Israel’s war against Hamas progresses, antisemitic incidents in the United States have experienced a significant uptick, and we must have a heightened awareness of the increased threats to our shuls, yeshivos and other community institutions. Of course, we trust in Hashem’s protection, but we also must do our part in helping to keep our families and community safe. To better meet the substantial need for enhanced [...]
Action Alert: Pass U.S. Aid to Israel Now!
Dear Agudah Activist: In the coming days, both House and Senate will consider emergency legislation to provide $14 billion in aid to Israel. This is a desperately needed appropriation that comes at a most critical time in Israel’s war against Hamas. We must urge our senators and representatives to pass this supplemental funding for Israel and to do so without delay. Our Congress has a responsibility to relay the assistance [...]
Agudath Israel of America Statement on Recent Antisemitism on College Campuses
Agudath Israel of America decries – in the strongest possible terms – the cesspools of naked, unabashed antisemitism that many institutions of higher learning have descended into since Hamas’ barbaric massacre on October 7th. In some, the antisemitism has manifested itself in chants endorsing the destruction of Israel. In others, in blatant support for Hamas, the murderous terrorist entity whose foundational document lists "killing Jews" as part of its mission [...]
Action Alert: Support Jewish Students on Campus!
Dear Agudah Activist: We have all been stunned and outraged by what we have been hearing and seeing on America’s college campuses: Antisemitic and anti-Israel vitriol from students and professors; praise for Hamas and its butchery; threats, assaults and violence; tepid response from university officials. Jewish students are scared for their safety. And we must support them! Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) and Representative Mike Lawler (R-NY) have introduced the Antisemitism [...]
Agudas Yisroel’s Siyum on Seder Nashim Joins Thousands in Tefillah for Eretz Yisroel and Celebration of Torah Learning
Yesterday, some 3,000 Jews gathered in Holmdel, New Jersey’s Bell Works to participate in Agudah’s Ki Heim Chayeinu’s Siyum on Daf Yomi Seder Nashim in the year which marks the 100th anniversary of Rav Meir Shapiro zt”l introducing the concept of the Daf Yomi cycle. What was originally intended to be only a celebration of the prodigious efforts of the lomdei Daf Yomi on the completion of Seder Nashim, grew [...]
Irresponsible Journalism Stokes the Flames of Antisemitism
This evening, The New York Times credited its reporting on New York State yeshivas as the impetus for this week’s passage of legislation banning corporal punishment in all classrooms. As KnowUs previously pointed out when The Times first credited itself for the bill, the bill’s very sponsor, Senator Julia Salazar, publicly debunked The Times’ portrayal on X/Twitter of why she introduced the bill, stating: “To be clear: We introduced this bill [...]
Lakewood Roshei Yeshiva on Siyum of Seder Nashim
Come and join us! Tickets here: www.thesiyum.org
Action Alert: Increase Security for Shuls, Yeshivos and Other Nonprofits!
Dear Agudah Activist: As Israel’s war against Hamas progresses, we must have a heightened awareness of the increased threats to our shuls, yeshivos and other community institutions. Of course, we trust in Hashem’s protection but we also must do our part in helping to keep our families and community safe. Agudath Israel is, therefore, urging an increase in the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) to the level of $500 million. [...]
Agudath Israel of America Hails Resolution of Airmont Lawsuit
Last week, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that a consent decree has been agreed upon with the Village of Airmont, New York, thereby ending a lawsuit filed by Orthodox Jewish residents and synagogues alleging religious discrimination against the village. Agudath Israel of America is hailing the agreement. The 2020 lawsuit called out the Airmont Board of Trustees for creating various zoning ordinances that deliberately and unlawfully placed restraints undermining [...]
Yahalom Mothers’ Chizuk and Tehilim Teleconference – Rabbi Yechiel Spero
Yahalom mothers across the country joined to say Tehillim and listen to words of chizuk from Rabbi Yechiel Spero. Listen to the recording here:
Action Alert: Release the Hostages!
Dear Agudah Activist: As the war against Hamas continues, we must continue to encourage action on Capitol Hill that supports Israel in this grave time of need. Each bill, each resolution, each letter, each statement is important. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), together with co-leads Senators Todd Young (R-IN), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Mitt Romney (R-UT) have introduced a [...]
Pirchei Tehillim Conference Call October 9, 2023
Please enjoy the recording of the Pirchei Tehillim conference call that took place October 9, 2023 at 1:30 PM EDT. Rav Yitzchok Sorotzkin, Chaver Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, provided divrei chizuk and led the boys in tehillim:
Agudath Israel of Illinois Horrified by Deadly Stabbing
Agudath Israel of Illinois was horrified to hear of a deadly stabbing that took place in Plainfield Township this weekend. Joseph Czuba attempted to kill Hanaan Shahin and Wadea Al-Fayoume, a mother and her six-year-old son, solely because they were Muslims. Shahin was seriously wounded, while Wadea’s wounds were fatal. Agudath Israel condemns this heinous crime and sends its sincere condolences to the bereaved family members and their entire community.
ACTION ALERT – URGE YOUR SENATOR TO SUPPORT CARDIN-RISCH RESOLUTION ON ISRAEL
Dear Agudah Activist: As Israel proceeds to embark on a ground invasion of Gaza, we must urge the Senate to continue its support of Israel and condemnation of Hamas. We are, therefore, calling upon our members to contact your Senators to cosponsor and vote for passage of a bipartisan resolution sponsored by Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Senator James Risch (R-ID) that will, among other things: • Express support for [...]
Pirchei Worldwide Tehillim Conference
On Wednesday and Thursday, October 11th and 12th, Pirchei Agudas Yisroel's held special live teleconferences for children with divrei chizuk and tehillim. Divrei Pesicha were given by Rabbi Nosson Muller, Mesivta Yeshiva Tiferes Tzvi, Chicago. Divrei chizuk on Wednesday were given by Rabbi Yaakov Bender, Rosh HaYeshiva, Yeshiva Darchei Torah. Click here to listen. Divrei chizuk on Thursday were given by Rabbi Moshe Tuvia Lieff, Mora D'Asra, Agudas Yisroel Bais [...]
Agudath Israel Thanks President Biden for His Support in These Difficult Times
The following letter was sent by Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Executive Vice President, Agudath Israel of America, to President Joe Biden: Dear Mr. President: Your words to the nation – and the world – on Tuesday about the murderous attack on Israel were powerful and poignant. We share your grief about the Israelis and Americans murdered in cold blood. And we pray that the Israeli and American hostages [...]
Vigilance, Not Fear: Security Update Regarding Tomorrow
The former leader of the terrorist group Hamas issued a statement calling on the international community to voice solidarity with the Palestinian people and their cause by engaging in mass gatherings tomorrow, Friday, October 13th. Other sources have called on members to engage in “uprisings.” It should be emphasized that the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, and local police forces that Agudath Israel has met with over the past [...]
Joint Statement of Agudath Israel of America and Torah Umesorah Regarding War-Related Media
With the death count over 1,200, thousands injured, over one hundred taken hostage, and soldiers on the front lines, the Israel-Hamas war is unparalleled in our generation. Horrifying pictures and videos of hostages, soldiers, victims, and those injured are circulating on social media and news sites. Much of this information is being distributed by Hamas and pro-Palestinian social media accounts with the abhorrent and traumatic goals of weakening the morale [...]
Update on American Citizens Seeking to Return Home from Israel
New Update for residents of Florida - October 12, 2023 Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency in Florida in response to the ongoing conflict in Israel. In the order, Governor DeSantis emphasizes that Florida is home to one of the world's largest Jewish populations. Consequently, he calls upon the state of Florida to undertake logistical rescue operations to ensure the safety of [...]
Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Releases Kol Korei
Agudath Israel of America, today, shared a Kol Korei from the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of America: A Letter from the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah: (Free translation:) 24 Tishrei 5784 Jewish blood viciously spilled like water in the Holy Land; precious b’nei Tziyon killed sanctifying Hashem’s Name; interlopers coming into Hashem’s land. We are cloaked in misery because of the pain to our nation. In light of this, we call out to [...]
Divrei Chizuk
Chaver Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Rabbi Aharon Dovid Goldberg Chaver Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Rabbi Elya Brudny Chaver Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Rabbi Aharon Dovid Goldberg Rabbi Goldberg's divrei chizuk transcribed below. Please scroll down for divrei chizuk from Rabbi Elya Brudny. Klal Yisroel finds itself today in a tremendous eis tzarah. The events that have unfolded this week where over 1,000 Yidden were killed al kiddush Hashem in Eretz Yisroel have left [...]
ACTION ALERT – ISRAEL AT WAR
During the past few days, we have seen horrific atrocities committed against Israeli innocents, reminiscent of the darkest days of Jewish history. Murder. Mayhem. Kidnappings. Beheadings. Inhuman behavior. Directed towards soldier and civilian alike. Men, women, children, infants and the elderly. Agudath Israel has been in touch with high-ranking U.S. government officials to discuss the situation, both abroad and at home. But now is not the time to give reports. [...]
Agudath Israel Appreciates the Support of Governor Newsom and the California Legislature During this Trying Time
We are still in shock from the events in Israel over the last few days. Our hearts go out to all those affected and are working on many fronts to help but want to take the opportunity to thank our elected officials who issued strong statements condemning Hamas. We particularly want to thank Governor Gavin Newsom and the California State Legislature for enacting a bill allowing expanded uses of the [...]
Agudath Israel Grieves Murderous Attacks in Israel, Prays for Recovery of Injured
In the wake of Hamas' murderous attacks on Israelis, including civilian men, women and children, which have left over 700 dead, thousands injured, and entire families taken hostage, Agudath Israel of America joins fellow Jews and civilized people everywhere in outrage and in mourning the carnage. That this attack was carried out on the holy day of Simchas Torah, a day of celebration of the Torah, only increases our pain. [...]
Agudath Israel of America Welcomes United States Decision to Add Israel to Visa Waiver Program
Today, the United States government announced the admission of Israel into the U.S Visa Waiver Program (VWP), which will allow Israeli citizens entry into the United States for a period of 90 days without the need to first obtain a visa. Agudath Israel of America has long advocated for Israel’s acceptance into the program and hailed the development. “We thank the American and Israeli delegations for the hundreds of hours [...]
Am Echad Statement on Protests During PM Netanyahu’s Visit to the US
Am Echad an affiliate of Agudath Israel, today issued the following statement on the protests during PM Netanyahu’s visit to the US: As an organization dedicated to advancing the connection between Israel and the Diaspora and deeply concerned for Israel’s safety, we would like to express our dismay at the reckless and inciteful rhetoric adopted by the Israeli protest movement during Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s visit to the United States. [...]
Agudath Israel Advocacy Continues to Ease Way for Arba Minim
For the TSA notice click here. For the CBP notice click here. For the Agudah handout click here. As in past years, Agudath Israel of America's Washington Office has worked closely with agencies of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to help avoid potential problems for travelers carrying arba minim. Both the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have notified their respective field personnel about [...]
Action Alert: Urge Governor Newsom to sign the security bill!
This legislative session, Agudath Israel has prioritized advocating for the increased funding and expansion of allowed uses of the state's nonprofit security program (CSNSGP). We’ve sponsored an amendment to allow funds to be used for community infrastructure, such as monitoring, response, and mass notification systems, as well as emergency lifesaving equipment. These items will provide our community with more robust and proactive security measures. The bill passed the legislature but [...]
Brighton Community Safety Meeting with D14
Dear Brighton Community Members, I am writing to invite you to a community safety meeting with Captain Lanchester from D14 at 5:30pm on Thursday, September 21 at Bais Yaakov of Boston. The Captain will share where they are in terms of the investigation and the additional security measures that are being put in place to prevent future incidents. There will also be time for Q&A from the community. A representative from [...]
Bnos Agudas Yisroel Aseres Yemei Teshiva Contest
Attention Girls In Grades 4–6! Join together with Bnos Agudas Yisroel during Aseres Yemei Teshuva and say at least 5 perakim of Tehillim every day. Call 212-797-9000 ext: 353, or email your chart to [email protected] to be entered into a raffle. Click here to download the chart.
Florida Law Enforcement Makes First Arrest Under Anti-Hate Bill Supported by Agudath Israel
In early June, a self-proclaimed Neo-Nazi was seen hanging banners with swastikas and other antisemitic and hate-filled material on a bridge near Orlando, Florida. Such displays have become increasingly prevalent over the past few years, but thanks to a new bill, supported by Agudath Israel, that makes anti-religious or -ethnic actions illegal, the police were now able to arrest the perpetrator. HB 269 expanded the definition of hate crimes to [...]
Agudath Israel of America’s Connecticut Office Hosts Meeting with Mayoral Nominees
On Tuesday evening, Agudath Israel of America’s Connecticut Office was honored to host a candidate forum for the Waterbury community with the two mayoral candidates, Paul Pernerewski (D) and Dawn Maiorano (R). The mayoral candidates told the community about themselves and shared why they chose to run for mayor. They also answered questions from the audience regarding their plans for public safety, bringing businesses to the city, and how the [...]
Kosher Cabinet Opens in the Boston’s Children Hospital
Agudath Israel of New England partnered with Rofeh International, Boston’s local bikur cholim organization, to open a kosher cabinet in Boston’s Children Hospital. After nearly two decades of work, patients and their families now have access to kosher meals, snacks, and Shabbos essentials during their stay in Boston Children’s.
Yahalom MD Launched by Agudah Maryland
Agudah Maryland is excited to announce the opening of Yahalom MD! Dealing with the government while being the parent of a child with special needs can sometimes seem overwhelming. Parents share the “battle scars” of trying to navigate the ever-confusing world of services and resources that are potentially available to them via government grants, national foundations, or local organizations. For many years, parents had to navigate this maze on their own, [...]
Agudath Israel of Missouri Launches St. Louis Shidduch Initiative: “Community Getting Together to Help Each Other”
Agudath Israel of Missouri is thrilled to announce the launch of the St. Louis Shidduch Initiative. The Shidduch Initiative kicked off with an informational event, attended by 100 people. The St. Louis Shidduch Initiative was founded by Rabbi Menachem Tendler, Rabbi of U. City Shul, and community members Mr. Yigal Sasportas and Mr. Aharon Lefton. It aims to facilitate the networking and exchange of ideas, resources and connections and advocacy [...]
Agudath Israel of America’s California Office Leads Advocacy Delegation to Sacramento
Last week, Agudath Israel of America’s California Office led a delegation to Sacramento. The delegation, comprised of Agudah representatives and community members, spent the day meeting with California legislators to strengthen relationships and discuss items of concern to California’s Orthodox Jewish community. The delegation met with State Senators Ben Allen, Caroline Menjivar, Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, and Scott Wilk; Assembly Majority Leader Isaac Bryan; Assemblymembers Jesse Gabriel, Reggie Jones-Sawyer, Luz Rivas, Jim [...]
Yahalom Florida Launched by Agudath Israel’s Florida Office
Agudath Israel’s Florida Office is excited to announce the opening of YahalomFL with Mrs. Tzippy Richmond serving as its director. Yahalom, a resource center for families of children with special needs, was first launched in New Jersey two years ago and met with tremendous success, leading to branches opening in New York, Chicago, and now Florida. Parents of children with special needs are often thrust into an unfamiliar world. An [...]
Agudath Israel Introduces the 5784/2023-2024 Calendar
For over a century, Agudath Israel of America has been serving the Jewish community. One of the Agudah’s most popular services is its annual calendar, which has become a staple in so many Jewish homes. The calendar for this coming year, 5784, is now available to the public. As we welcome in תשפ״ד, we daven that it should be a שנת פדיון - a year that brings the ultimate redemption. [...]
Bnos Chodesh Elul Event
For: Women, Post High School, and High School Girls Featuring: Mrs. Aviva Feiner When: Thursday, August 17 9:00 PM EST To Join: Call 641-715-3800, Access code, 937120#, Prompt 1
Strength and Support: YahalomNY Fathers’ Night Out in Brooklyn
On Tuesday evening, YahalomNY, a division of Agudath Israel dedicated to supporting families with children with special needs, hosted a networking event for fathers of children with special needs. The theme of the evening was “Why Reinvent the Wheel?” – a message to the over 50 fathers who attended that as fathers with similar experiences, we can learn from each other. The event provided a much-needed platform for fathers to [...]
Agudath Israel Connecticut Office Holds Waterbury Community Meeting with Police Department
Tuesday night, the Agudah’s Connecticut office hosted a meeting with the Jewish community of Waterbury and Waterbury Chief of Police Fernando Spagnolo, President of the Board of Aldermen Paul Pernerewski, and Alderman Mike Salvio to discuss the sudden increase in crime affecting the Jewish community. Chief Spagnolo detailed his department’s efforts towards resolving the issue and addressed concerns from the audience. He highlighted the significance of reporting every crime no [...]
Statement of Agudath Israel of Illinois on the Governor’s Veto of Faith by the Plate
Agudath Israel of Illinois (AIOI) is disappointed with Governor Pritzker’s veto of legislation that would have paved the way for students, hospital patients, and incarcerated individuals to access meals that comply with their religious dietary restrictions. House Bill 3643 would have made Illinois the first state in the country to mandate such accommodations and had the potential to demonstrate the state’s commitment to embracing diversity and inclusion in all its [...]
Agudath Israel Applauds New Jersey Supreme Court Decision Protecting Rights of Religious Schools
Yesterday, the New Jersey Supreme Court issued a decision in favor of a Catholic school in a case that has ramifications for New Jersey yeshivos and religious institutions. The case, Crisitello v. St. Theresa School, was brought by Victoria Crisitello, a former teacher at St. Theresa school, who sued the school for terminating her employment because she had violated a Catholic religious principle. Ms. Crisitello claimed that the school’s action [...]
Watch: Song of Gittin
Below are the lyrics to this song:
Agudath Israel Statement on American Government Officials’ Positions on Israeli Judicial Reform
Agudath Israel of America takes no position on the Israeli government’s proposed judicial reforms. But, whatever the merits or shortcomings of that plan, American lawmakers and other government officials, while they are entitled to their opinions, should not be seeking to use their positions of power to meddle in the internal affairs of another sovereign democratic state. What form, if any, judicial reform in Israel should take is a matter [...]
Agudah of Colorado Brings the Summer Food Service Program to Denver Jewish Day Camps
For the first time in recent history, eligible Denver Jewish Day Camps received thousands of free kosher meals due to the tireless efforts of Agudah of Colorado. After working for months with the state through Food Bank of the Rockies to provide hot summer lunches to community kids in local day camps through the federal Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), the program almost fell through because of tight budget constraints [...]
Update from Yeshiva Services
Agudah's Yeshiva Services department is happy to share the recent landmark court decision ordering the NYC Department of Education to take significant steps in addressing long-standing delays in providing special education services. This momentous ruling comes as a much-needed victory for families who have struggled to access the essential services their children deserve. The court's order, handed down by U.S. District Judge Loretta Preska, marks a significant step towards streamlining the process [...]
Learn the Halachos of Waiting for Mashiach!
The Midwest Agudas Yisroel Council of Synagogue Rabbanim is pleased to announce the publishing of a timely kuntris, שפה ברורה: The Halachos of Waiting for Mashiach, written by Rabbi Yaakov Robinson, Menahel of the Midwest Agudas Yisroel Council and Rav of Beis Medrash Mikor Hachaim in Chicago. This kuntris, published through the generous support of an anonymous sponsor in memory of Rabbi Robinson’s father, הרב ברוך נתנאל בן ר' אברהם [...]
Bnos Tisha B’Av Programing
For Women and High School Girls Featuring: Mrs. Nechama Denbo and Mrs. Tobie Teller When: Thursday, July 27, at 12:00 PM EST Call in: 641.715.3800 Access Code: 937120# Prompt: #4 and #5
Bnos Tisha B’Av Programing
For Girls in Grades 2-6 Featuring: Rabbi Mayer Erps When: Thursday, July 27, All Day! Call in: 641.715.3800 Access Code: 937120# Prompt: 6
Pre Tisha B’Av Event
Featuring: Rabbi Shmuel Dishon and Rabbi Doniel Osher Kleinman Where: Hosted by the Masmidim Program in Camp Agudah When: Tuesday, 7 Menachem Av July 25th, at 9:15 PM EST Join: Torahanytime.com/AgudahTorah or call in 718.298.2077 x 52
H3 Goes Transatlantic!
For the first time ever, the highly popular Agudath Israel of Illinois H3 Summit was held in London, UK yesterday, with an over-sold attendance of over 500 people. An ad-hoc group of London-based askonim ran a perfectly timed and highly successful program, presented by a broad spectrum of local Dayanim and businessmen along with a number of guest speakers from the US. Rav Yosef Elefant, R"M in [...]
Midwest Rabbanim Conference Focuses on Relationships, Growth, Mental Health
60 Rabbanim and 25 Rebbetzins attended the 13th annual Midwest Conference of Synagogue Rabbanim with one question in mind: “How can we help our kehillos grow?” Over the two-day conference, participants focused on connecting to every member of their kehillos. Each presenter spotlighted different groups within the kehillah, ranging from men to women, from school-age children to teenagers. This years conference was dedicated liluy nishmas Rabbi Reuven Gross zt'l, Rav, [...]
California Adds $20 Million for Nonprofit Security Grants
Agudath Israel of America commends Governor Gavin Newsom and the California State Legislature for providing $20 million for the California Nonprofit Security Grant Program in the budget bill signed last week. While Agudah joined the Legislative Jewish Caucus and other advocates in requesting $80 million for the program, the initial budget legislation proposed in January didn’t include any funding for the grants due to the state’s $30 billion budget deficit. [...]
Action Alert: California adds $20 million for nonprofit security grants
Agudath Israel of America commends Governor Gavin Newsom and the California State Legislature for providing $20 million for the California Nonprofit Security Grant Program in the budget bill signed last week. While Agudah joined the Legislative Jewish Caucus and other advocates in requesting $80 million for the program, the initial budget legislation proposed in January didn't include any funding for the grants due to the state’s $30 billion budget deficit. [...]
Doroseinu Senior Awareness Week Virtual Event
Hear from Mrs. Chani Juravel The important role you play in a senior's life, how you can make a difference... What you gain through giving Practical tips on having an effective visit with a senior Thursday, July 20, 2023 8:00 PM Call in: 641-715-3800 Access Code: 937120#
Bnos Week of Giving: Week 3
What: Each week fill in your chart and send it in to be entered into an exciting raffle to win an amazing prize! For: Girls in grades 2-6 When: Wednesday, July 19-Wednesday, July 26 How: Call a Bubby at least once during the 9 days and bring some happiness into her day. Fill it in on the chart. Then Email in your chart to [email protected] or call in at 212.797.9000 ext: 353 Click here to [...]
Ariella Hellman testifies on Universal School Meals
Ariella Hellman, director of government affairs for the Agudah's of New England office, testified in front of the Joint Committee on Education to advocate for nonpublic school students' eligibility for Universal School Meals. She explained that nonpublic schools are home to many low-income students who should be able to receive free meals and that the cost for the schools who have benefitted so far is insignificant when compared to the [...]
Yahalom NY Fathers’ Networking Night
When: August 15, 2023, at 8:30 PM EST Where: Brooklyn, NY Guest Speaker: Rabbi Yisroel Majeski RSVP: Click here Questions: 212-747-8763
Making a Simcha a Real Celebration: Yahalom’s Bar and Bas Mitzvah Guide for Children with Special Needs
Mazel Tov – it's a simcha! While in many homes, the phrase “Bar Mitzvah” sparks the joys of planning a beautiful coming-of-age celebration for a child, for some parents, those words unleash a torrent of stress – what if a boy can’t halachically put on tefillin? How can parents host a Bas Mitzvah party when their daughter can’t stand crowds? What will be with a nonverbal child’s traditional speech [...]
Bnos Week of Tefilla Contest: Week 2
What: Each week fill in your chart and send it in to be entered into an exciting raffle to win an amazing prize! For: Girls in grades 2-6 When: Thursday, July 13 - Wednesday, July 19 How: Have extra Kavana by one Tefila each day. Fill it in on the chart. Then Email in your chart to [email protected] or call in at 212.797.9000 ext: 353 Click here to download your chart.
PCS Software and Web Development Course Open House
Open House: Monday, July 24, 7:30 PM ET The PCS/Agudath Israel Advantage 8 placement coordinators to help you find a job. Decades of relationships with 100’s of firms. Internships upon course completion. Hands-on instruction, up-to-date curriculum, stellar instructors to help you succeed. Lab/ tutors to help you master the material and create a portfolio. Remote classes and remote tutoring- join from anywhere. Optional Bachelor’s degree (Yeshiva and Seminary credits accepted). [...]
Agudah Camps Participate in USDA Summer Food Service Program
Camp Agudah and Camp Bnos, divisions of Agudath Israel of American Community Services, Inc., continuing their practice of ensuring campers receive healthy and nutritious food, will once again be participating in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), a federally-funded, state-administered program. Meals will be provided to all children 18 years and under without charge. In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights [...]
Agudah Live with Avi and Shai
July 11, 2023 The Big SCOTUS Decision and How It Can Effect Any Frum Jew (ft. Eric Stern Esq.) In the 1920’s it was common for someone to lose their job if they didn’t show up to work on Saturday. “But I keep Shabbos” “That’s not our problem” And they were fired. It’s wild that in 2023, while we aren’t dealing with the [...]
Ki Heim Chayeinu Summer of Torah
Bais Medrash of Regency Estates 52 Silver Lake Road, Woodridge, NY Registration 10:15 am | Program 10:45 am promptly Suggested donation: $20 dollars per session/$75 for 4 sessions Monday, July 10 - Rabbi Yechiel Spero - Three Weeks: Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder Monday, July 17 - Rabbi Ephraim E. Shapiro - What It Takes to Be a Winner Monday, July 24 - Rabbi David Ashear - Emunah for [...]
Agudah of Illinois Galei Avigayil Dedication Event
This past Thursday afternoon, Agudah of Illinois held a dedication event at the new Highland Park Swim and Sports Facility, which was given the name “Galei Avigayil” in memory of Mrs. Gale Rothner a”h. Several community representatives and AI board members were joined by the Rothner family for a small reception followed by a ribbon cutting and kvius mezuzah. Also in attendance were Illinois State Representative [...]
Bnos Week of Chessed
What: Each week fill in your chart and send it in to be entered into an exciting raffle to win an amazing prize! For: Girls in grades 2-6 When: Thursday, July 6 - Wednesday, July 12 How: Check off that you did your Chessed of the day and specify the Chessed that was done. Then Email in your chart to [email protected] or call in at 212.797.9000 ext: 353 [...]
Ohio Makes Every Student Eligible for a Voucher
Rabbi Yitz Frank with Senate President Matt Huffman, (R-Lima) Agudath Israel applauds the Ohio General Assembly and Governor Mike DeWine for making school choice universally available in the state budget that was signed earlier this week. Under the newly expanded EdChoice program, nearly every student in the state will be eligible for a $6,165 scholarship for elementary school students and an $8,400 scholarship for high school students. Every [...]
Agudath Israel Facilitates Availability of Cholov Yisroel Cheese for New York Yeshivos Participating in National School Lunch Program
Agudath Israel is pleased to announce a significant breakthrough in the availability of Cholov Yisroel cheese for New York yeshivos participating in the National School Lunch Program. The USDA's National School Lunch Program, which supports schools and food banks across the country, contracts with manufacturers to produce bulk goods. These products are then distributed to participating schools, including yeshivos, allowing them to access staple foods at deeply discounted prices. [...]
Statement of Agudath Israel of America on New York City’s Substantial Equivalency Determinations
On Friday afternoon, the New York City Department of Education released long-awaited substantial equivalency determinations regarding eleven Orthodox Jewish schools, known as yeshivas. Before commenting on this development, some context: These reports were instigated by a complaint brought by anti-yeshiva activists years ago. These activists sought to find the 39 weakest performing schools, from a secular perspective, within New York’s flourishing body of 554 independent yeshivas. Of these 39 yeshivas, [...]
Supreme Court Issues Landmark Ruling Upholding Free Speech with Major Impact for Religious Americans
Today, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a ruling that will have a profound impact on religious Americans. In 303 Creative v. Elenis, the Court held that the government cannot compel an individual to engage in speech that does not align with his personal beliefs. The case involved Ms. Lorie Smith, a website designer who wished to expand her business to include wedding websites. However, Ms. Smith was [...]
Terror Victims Prevail in Second Circuit Case with Agudath Israel Amicus Support
On June 16, in a major legal case that elicited Agudath Israel of America’s vigorous involvement, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled in favor of the families of Palestinian terror victims. The case, Spetner v. Palestine Investment Bank, was brought by American citizens whose family members were injured or killed in terrorist attacks during the Second Intifada. The plaintiffs sued the Palestinian Investment Bank (“PIB”) [...]
Agudath Israel Applauds Historic Supreme Court Ruling Enhancing Religious Accommodation in the Workplace
Agudath Israel of America is hailing the U.S Supreme Court’s landmark ruling that enhances the protection afforded to religious employees under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The unanimous decision in the case of Groff v. DeJoy effectively overturns close to fifty years of court decisions that undercut the religious observance - including Sabbath observance - of Americans in the workplace. For decades, Agudath Israel has worked in Congress, [...]
Agudath Israel of Illinois Legislative Barbecue 2023
L-R: Rabbi Ari Strulowitz, Mr. Bruce Leon, Rep. Mike Kelly, Rabbi Shlomo Soroka, Senator Ram Villivalam, Rep. Kevin Olickal Last night, Agudath Israel of Illinois held a town hall-style legislative barbeque with Senator Ram Villivalam (SD 8), Representative Mike Kelly (HD 15), and Representative Kevin Olickal (HD 16). The event, attended by over 100 people, was hosted by Bruce and Cheryl Leon. The evening was an opportunity for the community [...]
Agudath Israel Successfully Advocates for Nonpublic School Students to be Included in New Jersey Universal School Lunch Program
Today, Assembly Bill A5573, which will require New Jersey school districts which provide the national school lunch program be expanded to include all children regardless of income eligibility, passed a critical committee hearing. However, the bill as introduced would have excluded children who attend private schools from being included in the expansion. As a result of the advocacy of Agudath Israel’s New Jersey office, the bill’s sponsors have now amended [...]
Agudath Israel’s Connecticut Office Launches Job Board: Helping Orthodox Jews in Connecticut with Employment Opportunities
Agudath Israel's Connecticut Office is proud to unveil its newest initiative, a comprehensive job board designed specifically to assist Orthodox Jews seeking employment in Connecticut. Whether individuals are considering a move to Connecticut or already reside in the state, the job board aims to be a resource and support while navigating the job market. Connecticut is an attractive destination for many Orthodox Jews looking to join a vibrant [...]
Denver Boys Join National Pirchei Shabbos of Achdus
Denver boys are on a high after returning from the Pirchei Shabbos of Achdus in Casapolis, Michigan! Hosted on the sprawling, beautiful campus of Camp Matziv Midwest and attended by almost 200 participants from around the country, this Shabbos was an electrifying experience of learning, unity, and fun. It was coordinated and arranged by the dedicated Director of Pirchei Denver, Rabbi Yosef Melamed, and led by Rabbi Dovid Sauer. The [...]
Denver Heads to Ohio for MALL Conference
"If you're passionate about building community, the MALL Conference is the place to be," says Denver Kollel Director Rabbi Moshe Heyman. Together with Agudah Colorado Director Rabbi Yossi Kaplan, Rabbi Heyman recently attended the annual MALL (Midwest Agudah Lay Leadership) Conference hosted in Cleveland, Ohio. For ten years now, the Agudah of Illinois has facilitated the MALL group to maintain communication among Midwest cities as they address the various hurdles [...]
Agudath Israel Welcomes Daniel Kaminetsky as General Counsel
Agudath Israel of America is pleased to announce the appointment of Daniel Kaminetsky, Esq. as the organization's General Counsel. Agudath Israel’s legal department plays a vital role in protecting the rights and interests of the Orthodox Jewish community. From providing legal guidance to individuals and authoring briefs and memoranda, to arguing cases before the Supreme Court, Agudath Israel is at the forefront of safeguarding the rights of Orthodox Jews and [...]
Watch: Zahav Inaugural Event
Introduction and Panel Guest Speaker: Rabbi Paysach Krohn
Back and Better than Ever!
Are you ready for some fun this summer? Better yet, how about some "fun with a purpose?" Last year BH Bnos created an 8-week middos learning program based on Pirkei Avos. Day camps, sleepaway camps, and Bnos groups used the program for elementary school girls. The feedback was outstanding! Counselors and Bnos groups had meaningful activities to fill the long summer Shabbos afternoons. And the girls loved it! [...]
Agudath Israel Statement on Deadly Terror Attack in Eli
Agudath Israel of America is pained and horrified by the terror attack that took place today in Eli. Two Hamas terrorists opened fire on Israelis, killing four and injuring another four. May the One Above grant a complete and speedy recovery to those injured, and comfort the families of those killed.
Lauding our Leaders in Lakewood
“They are worth a million dollars!” says Mrs. Chana Baila Hass, National Director of Bnos Agudas Yisroel. “The work they’re doing is tremendous!” “They” are our outstanding Bnos Leaders. These girls volunteer every Shabbos afternoon, coming out in the cold or the heat to inspire their Bnosers. They’re fun, energetic, loving role models. They’re learning young how to use their kochos to serve the klal. This past Thursday [...]
A Heartwarming Evening of Connection and Empowerment: Over 150 Fathers Attend YahalomNJ Fathers’ Night Out
YahalomNJ, a division of Agudath Israel dedicated to supporting families with children with special needs, hosted a transformative Fathers' Night Out at Tomahawk Steakhouse. The event brought fathers together in a warm and inclusive atmosphere, providing a platform for sharing personal experiences and fostering a sense of unity. The evening commenced with a father who shared his personal journey of raising a child with [...]
Ohio Moves to Make School Choice Universally Available
Rabbi Yitz Frank with Senate President Matt Huffman, (R-Lima) Agudath Israel applauds the Ohio Senate for passing the state-operating budget bill (HB 33) and their continued support for Ohio’s students by making school choice universally available. Rabbi Yitz Frank, executive director of Agudath Israel of Ohio, has issued the following statement regarding the Senate’s proposed changes: “Senate President Huffman and the Ohio Senate rose to the occasion when [...]
Inaugural Event for Zahav Division of Agudah’s NJ Office Draws Over 300 Seniors
Agudath Israel of America's New Jersey Office proudly hosted the inaugural event for Zahav, its new division focused on serving the needs of seniors in the community, last night in Lakewood. The event, held at Estreia was a resounding success, bringing over 300 seniors together for an evening of inspiration, informative panels, and engaging discussions. The event commenced with opening remarks delivered by Rabbi Avi Schnall, [...]
Urge your Senator: Help Israel Join the U.S. Visa Waiver Program
Dear Agudah Activist: The U.S.-Israel relationship is grounded in shared values and mutual interests. One way the ties between the two countries is manifest is in the significant travel that takes place for personal, family and business purposes, and of course for tourism. It is estimated that some 450,000 Israelis travel annually to the U.S., with 93 weekly direct flights from Israel to U.S. airports. And the demand for travel [...]
This Is Not Your Mother’s Bnos! Wrapping Up the 5783 Season of Bnos Agudas Yisroel
Generations of girls grew up with Bnos Shabbos groups. And thousands of girls are still inspired and entertained each Shabbos afternoon. But today, Bnos is so much more, creating a range of programs that address girls and young women of all ages. Bnos Agudas Yisroel just wrapped up its 5783 season. There were plenty of classic Bnos fun-with-a-purpose activities. Besides Shabbos groups, there were contests throughout the year. [...]
Win-by-Win for Bnos One-on-One!
Schools are reaching out to us. Big Sisters tell their friends about us. New branches are opening. Bnos One-on-One is finishing our most exciting year ever! Bnos One-on-One is an incredible program from Bnos Agudas Yisroel that pairs high school Big Sisters with middle school Little Sisters. The Sisters meet in pairs for one hour a week to connect and have fun. They also have group events throughout the year. [...]
Cleveland Hosts Midwest Agudah Lay Leadership Conference
This past Monday evening, representatives from several cities around the Midwest convened in Cleveland Ohio for the annual MALL (Midwest Agudah Lay Leadership) conference. For ten years now, the Agudah of Illinois has facilitated the MALL group to maintain communication amongst the cities as they address the various challenges they faced and share ideas and projects that have seen success. Besides for the relationships and support, [...]
Yahalom Releases Comprehensive Guide for Sending Children with Special Needs to Sleepaway Camp: Featuring Insights from Mothers and Professionals
Yahalom, a division of Agudath Israel dedicated to supporting families with children with special needs, is pleased to announce the release of a comprehensive guide aimed at assisting parents in sending their children with special needs to sleepaway camps. This invaluable resource incorporates practical tips and advice gathered directly from mothers who have firsthand experience navigating the challenges and opportunities associated with sleepaway camp experiences. Sending a child with special [...]
Pirchei Shabbos of Achdus Unites Boys Across the Midwest in an Unforgettable Weekend of Achdus and Growth
This past Shabbos, Parshas Naso, Pirchei Agudas Yisroel held a ‘Shabbos of Achdus’ at Camp Matziv Midwest in Cassopolis, Michigan, bringing together boys from eight different cities across the United States for a remarkable weekend of hasmadah, ruach, and achdus. The cities included; Cincinnati, Columbus, Denver, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, South Bend, and St. Louis. The more than 200 participants experienced a beautiful Shabbos that they will long remember. The purpose [...]
Yahalom NJ Father’s Night Out
Father's Night Out Tomahawk Steakhouse 700 Cedar-Bridge Ave Sunday, June 18, 8:30 PM RSVP [email protected]
Agudath Israel Meets with New York Attorney General Letitia James to Address Concerns of the Jewish Community
Agudath Israel of America held a productive meeting with New York Attorney General Letitia James to address pressing concerns on important issues affecting the Orthodox Jewish community in New York. Agudath Israel has had a longstanding relationship with the Attorney General, working together with her for the past 20 years - first as a NYC Councilmember representing a district that includes Crown Heights, then as Public [...]
YahalomNJ Hosts Mothers’ Night Out for Mothers of Children with Special Needs
With an unprecedented turnout, Yahalom’s recent event was standing room only. Last Wednesday, YahalomNJ hosted a Mothers' Night Out for mothers of children with special needs. About two years ago, Agudas Israel's New Jersey office started Yahalom as a resource center for families with children with special needs. Yahalom offers guidance and direction with organizations, support groups, peer support, [...]
California Residents Take Action
Attention California Residents: Ask Governor Newsom to support security funding With the frightening rise of antisemitism including shooting attacks outside of local shuls, protecting our community is more critical than ever. The California state budget recently passed by the Legislature includes $20 million in security grants for nonprofits. Please ask Governor Newsom to support this vital program by completing the form below. Agudath Israel of America has been at the [...]
Over 300 Boys Partake in Agudah of Illinois’ Asifa L’Bnei Aliya
The busses started arriving around 1 PM from South Bend, Indiana, and Cleveland, Ohio, St. Louis, Missouri, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and of course Chicago, Illinois, depositing dozens of 7th grade boys in white shirts, some with their hats and jackets, eager with anticipation about what the day would bring. It was the start of the 2nd annual Asifa L’Bnei Aliya, a program arranged by Agudath Israel of Illinois [...]
Yahalom Spring Event
Brooklyn: Monday, June 5th, 8PM Sign up by June 1st Guest Speaker: Shifi Lieberman The Gift of Summer
Hundreds of Successful Alumni Celebrate the 18th Anniversary of PCS/FDU Master’s in Accounting Program
Recently, PCS Agudath Israel celebrated the 18th anniversary of its PCS/FDU master's in accounting program. Hundreds of alumni who are now successful accountants, businessmen, CFOs, senior managers, and controllers converged to network and show their appreciation to Professional Career Services and Fairleigh Dickinson University. Mr. Ralph Herzka, CEO of Meridian Capital Group and a member of Agudah’s Board of Trustees, gave the keynote address and shared an [...]
Agudah’s New England Office Public Safety Listening Session
Join us for a public safety LISTENING SESSION with the Brighten Jewish Community with Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden & Allston- Brighton City Councilor Liz Breadon. Monday June 12 at 6:00 PM Register Here
Mutual Inspiration in the Heartland as Agudah Leadership Visits St. Louis
Long a symbol of national expansion as the proverbial “Gateway to the West,” St. Louis lived up to its moniker last week, as the national leadership of Agudath Israel of America spent a day with the members of the Agudah’s Missouri regional office, visiting local institutions and discussing possible growth opportunities with community leaders. Agudah Executive Vice President Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, COO Rabbi Yitzchok Ehrman and [...]
Agudath Israel Statement on Antisemitic Student Commencement Address at CUNY Law School
Agudath Israel of America is outraged by the antisemitic commencement address given at the CUNY Law School graduation. The use of a commencement speech on May 12 at the City University of New York (CUNY) Law School to deliver a wild tirade against Israel was an ugly example of the sort of hatred that has been reported on CUNY campuses, as on others, that crosses the line of antisemitism. Student-activist [...]
Rabbi Ari Weisenfeld Accompanies Students from Bais Yaakov of Waterbury to the State Capitol
The visit was initiated by Senator Joan Hartley who Rabbi Weisenfeld arranged to visit the Bais Yaakov last year. She was so moved by a Holocaust remembrance exhibit made by the students, that she insisted it be put on display in the Capitol. Lawmakers, Government officials and the general public were effusive in their praise of the projects, commenting on the art, inspiration and emotion, that each [...]
Agudah Convention Shiur by HaRav Meir Hershkowitz Z”TL, Kilayim B’Tzitis
Agudah Convention Shiur by HaRav Meir Hershkowitz Z”TL, Kilayim B’Tzitis
Statement of Agudath Israel Welcoming Historic Initiative on Antisemitism
Agudath Israel of America congratulates the Biden Administration in the wake of the release of its National Strategy to Combat Antisemitism. It is a historic, comprehensive, “all-of-government,” initiative that seeks to fight Jew-hatred and its various ugly manifestations. Equally important, it sends a clear message that the United States – in its fundamental values, laws, and policies – finds antisemitism an unmitigated evil that is repugnant and intolerable and must be [...]
Zahav Inaugural Event
We’re sorry, due to the high demand, we are at maximum capacity, and can no longer can accept reservations for Tuesday’s event. Please email [email protected] to be put on the mailing list for future Zahav events. Register Here
The Agudah Is Looking to Hire!
The Agudah is looking to hire! Agudas Yisroel has multiple entry level positions available. If you are looking for an incredible work environment and to participate in work that directly helps the klal, this might be the position for you. Please send your resume to [email protected] if you are interested.
Agudath Israel Call for Adoption of IHRA Definition
As the expected end-of-month release of the President’s National Strategy to Combat Antisemitism draws closer, reports continue to circulate regarding which definition, if any, will be included in the plan. Agudath Israel of America, which has played a prominent role in listening sessions and in-depth discussions at the White House and other federal agencies, has formally weighed in on the question by calling on the President to adopt the IHRA [...]
Agudath Israel’s New Jersey Office’s Statement on Hateful Rhetoric From Elected Officials
Agudath Israel of America's NJ Office is deeply concerned about divisive and hateful rhetoric employed recently by elected officials in Toms River, NJ. At a time when antisemitism in New Jersey is at a record high, civic leaders carry the responsibility to counter hate and antisemitism, not promote it. Divisive and hateful language should never be used. We call upon civic leaders throughout the state to denounce this rhetoric and [...]
Agudah Albany Day Focuses on Special Needs and Special Education
Mrs. Perry Binet is a mother of two boys with Glycogen Storage Disease (GSD) untyped, a rare metabolic liver disease that causes hypoglycemia and other issues. Tzvi’s and Sruly’s condition prevents their liver from converting carbohydrates into energy, or from storing sugar for future use. There is no cure for this disease. However, corn starch, an "extended-release sugar," is the only treatment that sustains [...]
MST Year 6
Dear Principals and Administrators, The MST Year 6 application and guidance is now available. The program guidance and all important documents are available on the NYSED website here. You will need to scroll down to the MST section. You can download a sample Master schedule here. The deadline to submit your reimbursement forms is August 1, 2023. We have partnered with Testing & Training International [...]
FL KidCare expansion clears Legislature
We are happy to report that the Florida legislature has passed new legislation that is going to expand eligibility for Florida KidCare. The bill passed both the House and Senate, and is currently waiting on the Governor’s signature. What is Florida KidCare? What is the expansion? Florida KidCare is the Florida version of CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program). It’s a national program, but each state runs it with its own set of rules and guidelines. Currently, families [...]
Agudath Israel Statement on Rocket Attacks in Israel
Our hearts go out to our brothers and sisters in Israel who over the past few days have been the victims of a fierce and deadly barrage of rocket fire. We, at Agudath Israel of America, pray to the Master of the Universe that He will speedily bring these hostilities to an end and restore calm to the nation. We also plead that He bring comfort to the family of [...]
Childcare Updates
Dear NYC Childcare Providers, Below are some updates from the Bureau of Child Care. Online Forms for Background Checks: The NYC Health Department launched a new online form for group childcare programs and school-based childcare programs to submit requests for staff and volunteer Background Checks. Starting May 22, 2023, all Background Check requests must be submitted online. A-series and B-series forms will no longer be accepted [...]
Agudath Israel Works Together with Local Government to Work on Identifying a Solution to Rockland Transportation Challenges
As the Orthodox Jewish communities in Monsey continue to expand beyond the centrally located East Ramapo school district, the surrounding districts face challenges accommodating the needs of their new yeshiva students. The challenge is particularly acute regarding transporting 35,000+ yeshiva students to over 100 schools. Agudath Israel held many meetings with individual district superintendents to try to come up with a solution. Following these individual [...]
Back to School for Mayor-elect, As Johnson Meets Jewish Communal Leaders at Chicago Yeshiva
L-R: Mr. Michie Nudell, Rabbi Yaakov Robinson, Rabbi Shlomo Soroka, Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson, Rabbi Nosson Muller, Mr. Moshe Davis, Rabbi Tzvi Bider By: Sandy Eller It was an education of a different sort for Chicago Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson, as the former teacher visited Yeshiva Tiferes Tzvi on May 5th, learning about the Windy City’s Orthodox Jewish community and its many local institutions [...]
Emissary of The Gedolim, Ambassador for Klal Yisroel: Rabbi Moshe Sherer on his 25th Yahrtzeit
An Original Film for Rabbi Moshe Sherer z”l’s 25th Yahrtzeit. Rabbi Moshe Sherer z'l Emissary of the Gedolim Ambassador for Klal Yisroel Full Film Release This Motzei Shabbos, Parshas Bahar-Bechukosai May 13, 2023
No Pulitzer Prize to The New York Times for Its Egregious Yeshiva Coverage
(New York, NY) - This afternoon, the Pulitzer Prize Board announced the winners of its coveted annual awards - and did not include the deeply objectionable New York Times series on the Orthodox Jewish community and their yeshivas. While there is no way of knowing with certainty why the much ballyhooed series did not receive a Pulitzer Prize, the news that The Times was not awarded for its one-sided and erroneous portrayals [...]
Agudath Israel of Maryland Sine Die Report 2023
The 2023 legislative session began as a brand-new term for state elected officials on January 11th - with dozens of new lawmakers, several new committee chairs, and a new governor-elect waiting to be inaugurated. A week later, Governor Wes Moore took office and released his first state budget. Not only did Governor Moore move into a new office in Annapolis this session, but so did Agudah Maryland. For the very first time in our 15 years working the Maryland General [...]
Community Leaders Meet with Mayoral Run-Off Candidate: Kelly Brough
In conjunction with meeting Candidate Mike Johnston, Agudath Israel of Colorado also invited community leaders to meet with Mayoral Run-Off Candidate Kelly Brough. Graciously hosted at the home of Jay and Joyce Moskowitz, the meeting was an opportunity for Ms. Brough to share her perspective on the issues that matter most to the community and to listen to their concerns.
Community Leaders Meet with Mayoral Run-Off Candidate: Mike Johnston
This month, Agudah of Colorado invited community leaders to meet with Mayoral Run-Off Candidate Mike Johnston to discuss important issues and bring up concerns specific to the Orthodox Jewish community. "The meeting was an impressive showing of Jewish leadership that garnered an attentive response from the candidate", says Mr. Daniel Krausz, one of the attendees. "It led to a comprehensive discussion about the unique needs of Denver's Orthodox Jewish community, [...]
Open Letter to the Pulitzer Committee
Dear Principals and Administrators, We are pleased to share with you an open letter to the Board of the Pulitzer Prize urging it to refrain from granting the award to The New York Times for its deeply offensive and flawed series of articles attacking these thriving communities. This letter was penned by KnowUs, a new, coordinated movement under the auspices of Agudath Israel, to counter misleading, [...]
NYS Budget Update Webinar Recording
This week, the Yeshiva Services Department and the Department of Government Affairs held a webinar for schools explaining the newly passed New York State Budget and how it affects schools. See below for a recording of the webinar.
P-EBT Webinar
Dear Principals and Administrators, We're pleased to share with you the recording and presentation from our P-EBT webinar with Hillel Liberman of Ed-Pro NY. Recording and PowerPoint Student Roster Template Important links: Request GoAnywhere Access NYSED GoAnywhere roster Upload Portal OTDA P-EBT Landing Page OTDA P-EBT Food Benefit Transaction History or 1-888-328-6399. The Dedicated Parent P-EBT Helpline phone number is 1-833-452-0096. All questions that parents have [...]
Community Engagement: A Powerful Legislative Tool at Agudah of Illinois’ Springfield Mission
Advocacy matters. That was the clear message that came across to the 45 community leaders, school administrators, business people and concerned Chicago-area residents who made the seven hour round trip to Springfield and back on April 26th as members of Agudath Israel of Illinois’ annual legislative mission. Despite having a tightly packed schedule as the Illinois budget negotiations wage on, Governor JB Pritzker took the time to meet [...]
P-EBT Webinar Recording
On Tuesday, May 2, the Yeshiva Services Department held a webinar on the P-EBT process. The webinar was presented by Hillel Lieberman, Founder and Director of Ed-Pro NY. See below for the recording and presentation from the webinar.
NYS Budget Passed
Dear Principals and Administrators, After months of intense negotiations, Governor Kathy Hochul and the legislature finally came to an agreement on the budget for 2023-24. Last night, the budget was voted on and finalized. Thankfully, many of the priorities that Agudath Israel and its coalition partners requested on behalf of yeshivas and parents have been addressed. Please see below for a summary of many budget [...]
New York State Budget Includes Many Priorities for Yeshivas and Families
It took a full extra month and five extensions, but Governor Kathy Hochul and legislative leaders have finally come to an agreement on a 2023-24 budget. The $229 billion document includes many items that were the focus of Agudath Israel’s advocacy efforts and are beneficial to yeshivas and their families. These provisions include security funding, free meals for school children, an expansion of a child tax credit, and the saving [...]
Indiana Families to Benefit from Nearly Universal School Choice Agudath Israel Commends Legislative Leaders
Parents in Indiana woke up to good news Friday morning. In a session that ended after 2 am, the Indiana General Assembly voted to make nearly every family in the state eligible to receive a tuition scholarship. “Indiana has now joined the growing number of states that truly provide parents the ability to choose the school that best meets the needs of their children," said Rabbi A. D. Motzen, Agudath [...]
Agudath Israel’s Connecticut Office Helps Jewish Schools Receive More Than $500,000 in Additional Funding
https://vimeo.com/822809735 Agudath Israel’s Connecticut office is pleased to announce that more than $500,000 has been awarded to Orthodox schools across Connecticut. “It took many months of collaborative work between nonpublic school representatives and the state, but we are grateful to Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker and the Department of Education for their partnership,” said Rabbi Ari Weisenfeld, director of Agudath Israel’s Connecticut office. Starting in summer of 2022, Agudath Israel and [...]
Florida Fights Antisemitism: Agudath Israel Applauds Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature for Taking an Important Step to Combat Antisemitism
Agudath Israel applauds Governor Ron DeSantis for taking a significant step in the fight against antisemitism by signing HB 269. The bill expands the definition of hate crimes and increases the penalties for such actions. The new definitions include the distribution of flyers, stalking, defacing graves and certain buildings, or projecting images on someone else’s property — if the act shows ethnic or religious animus. “Governor DeSantis once [...]
Action Alert: Help Our Children Get Much Needed Funding
Dear friends, As we are well aware, government funding to our yeshivos is limited. One of the few sources of funding available for our children is for students in need of compensatory education. Through ‘Chapter 192 Funding’ the State provides compensatory instruction in Language Arts and Math to many of our needy children. Unfortunately, in the governors proposed budget there is an expectation of nearly 9,000 additional students needing these [...]
Agudath Israel of Missouri Participates in MOScholars Day
Agudath Israel of Missouri was invited by the State Treasurer’s office to bring a small group of representatives from Agudath Israel of Missouri's partner schools to join the first annual MOScholars Day at the Capitol. Agudath Israel played a crucial role in the passing of MOScholars, the first private school choice program in Missouri. Agudath Israel of Missouri was one of the six educational assistance organizations (EAOs) certified by the [...]
Action Alert for Massachusetts: Security for Shuls and Schools
Given the significant increase in antisemitic incidents across the country and right here in Massachusetts, we ask that you please send the note below to your legislators. Our schools and shuls are spending significant funds each year to protect our community and we should not have to shoulder these costs alone. One of the state’s core functions is to ensure the safety of all residents and to deploy resources to [...]
Action Alert for Massachusetts: Universal School Meals for Nonpublic School Students
For the last few years many of our Jewish day schools have participated in the universal school meals program and have been able to provide free school meals to all students. In the House Ways and Means budget, the House has indicated that they would like to permanently fund school meals for public school students in the Commonwealth. However, this benefit has not been extended to students in nonpublic schools. [...]
Agudas Yisroel’s Zahav Division Introduces New Guidebook For New Jersey Seniors
Agudas Yisroel of America’s New Jersey office is excited to announce the publication of our new guidebook for New Jersey seniors. New Jersey is home to some of the fastest growing Orthodox Jewish communities in the country. A large component of that growth is due to parents and grandparents who are moving here to be closer to their children and grandchildren. But moving to a new state means dealing with [...]
Protect Sabbath Observers in the Workplace: Supreme Court Hears Groff v. DeJoy
Under federal law, an employer is required to reasonably accommodate an employee’s religious practice unless that would impose an “undue hardship” on the employer. Today, the Supreme Court of the United States had occasion to consider what constitutes an “undue hardship,” as the Court heard the case of Groff v. DeJoy. The case involves Gerald Groff, an evangelical Christian mailman, who lost his job for refusing to work on Sunday, [...]
May 1 Benchmarking Deadline (4-18-23)
Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, If you have not yet submitted your energy and water consumption to the city for the 2022 calendar year, the final deadline to do so is May 1, 2023. The NYC Benchmarking Law requires owners of buildings that meet the criteria outlined in the law to annually measure their energy and water consumption through a process called benchmarking. There are specific [...]
Am Echad Expresses Grave Concern on Lapid Comments Sowing Discord Between Diaspora Jews and Israel
Mr. Shlomo Werdiger and Dr. Irving Lebovics, co-chairmen of Agudath Israel's Am Echad affiliate, today sent a letter to Head of Opposition MK Yair Lapid, expressing "grave concern" over comments he delivered in a recent Jewish Federations meeting in New York. In the letter, they say that "we see these comments as sowing discord and delegitimizing not just the current Israeli government, but Israel itself in the eyes of the [...]
Orthodox Jewish Group Urges Pulitzer Board to Withhold Coveted Journalism Honor from NY Times Anti-Hasidic Articles
KnowUs, a new, coordinated movement to counter misleading, negative portrayals of Orthodox and Hasidic Jews, penned an open letter to the Board of the Pulitzer Prize urging it to refrain from granting the award to The New York Times for its deeply offensive and flawed series of articles attacking these thriving communities. Prize winners are scheduled to be announced in May. Since September 2022, KnowUs has chronicled a Times crusade [...]
Voter Engagement Efforts Expanded with City Clerk and Recorder and Team
Rabbi Yossi Kaplan with Hon. Clerk and Recorder Paul Lopez In anticipation of the Denver Mayoral Election, Agudah of Colorado met with Hon. Clerk and Recorder Paul Lopez and his team to discuss collaboration in our voter engagement efforts. It was a highly successful meeting as Clerk Lopez's entire team learned about cultural challenges specific to voting and Agudah gained insight into the resources the team provides. [...]
Agudath Israel of Illinois Congratulates Brandon Johnson
Agudath Israel of Illinois (AIOI) congratulates Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson on his victory in Chicago’s mayoral runoff election. As part of Agudath Israel’s advocacy and outreach efforts, both candidates were invited to meet with our organization. On Friday, March 24, Mr. Johnson visited Agudath Israel’s offices where he addressed AIOI’s leadership along with a host of rabbinic, organizational, and lay leaders. Mr. Johnson was very attentive to the concerns of the [...]
Action Alert: Express Your Voice & Stop Anti-Semitism in Florida
Watch Rabbi Avrohom Luban on Anti-Semitism in Florida: Dear Friends, At Agudath Israel of Florida, we have been following the recent uprise in antisemitic attacks and have become extremely alarmed. Throughout the United States, unfortunately including Florida, antisemitism is up by seventy percent over the last two years. In just the past couple of months, we have seen “Kill Jews” messages spray painted [...]
Meet and Greets with Mayoral Candidates
In a series of Meet and Greets hosted by Agudath Israel of Colorado, community members had the opportunity to meet with candidates in the upcoming mayoral race of the April 4th Municipal Elections. These meetings paved the way for strong relationships and opened the door for ongoing communication with the potential next mayor of Denver. They also provided a valuable forum for Rabbonim, lay leaders, and community [...]
Video: Agudath Israel’s Florida Office Testifies on Pending Hate Crime Legislation
https://vimeo.com/813335513 Rabbi Avrohom Luban, associate director of Agudath Israel’s Florida office testified before the Florida Senate Criminal Justice Committee in support of a bill which would expand the definition of hate crimes and increase the penalties for such actions. The new legislation would include the distribution of flyers, stalking, defacing graves and certain buildings, and projecting images on someone else’s property as hate crimes if the act shows [...]
Agudath Israel Hails Jackson Township Council Vote on House of Worship Zoning Ordinance
Agudath Israel of America’s New Jersey office applauds tonight’s historic vote by the Jackson Township Council to lower the zoning threshold required for a house of worship from two acres to one acre for most areas of the town. Tonight’s vote will finally provide worshippers in Jackson Township, including Orthodox Jewish residents, the ability to pray in houses of worship without an unrealistic burden placed on them by [...]
Education Savings Account Bill Passes Texas Senate Committee
Today, Senate Bill 8, passed the Texas Senate Education Committee. This bill would create an education savings account (ESA) program that gives parents $8,000 per student to spend on a wide range of educational expenses, including private school tuition. Agudath Israel of America, a longtime supporter of school choice efforts in Texas and across the country, welcomes this milestone. Education savings accounts empower parents to make educational decisions that [...]
Agudath Israel’s New Jersey Office Testifies at State Assembly Budget Hearing About Nonpublic School Aid And Transportation Increases
With the Fiscal Year 2024 budget season now underway in New Jersey, both houses of the State Legislature have begun holding a series of public hearings. On Monday, Agudath Israel of America’s New Jersey director, Rabbi Avi Schnall, testified at the Assembly Budget Committee’s first public hearing, to ask the members of the committee to increase the amount of funds allocated for nonpublic school auxiliary services and for an increase [...]
$8,000 for Every Child: Agudath Israel Applauds Governor Ron DeSantis for Making Universal School Choice a Reality in Florida
Rabbi Moshe Matz, Executive Director of Agudath Israel's Florida Office, with Governor Ron DeSantis at the bill signing. Starting this coming school year, Florida students in K-12 schools will be eligible to receive approximately $8,000 to use towards tuition and other educational expenses, with no income eligibility requirements. This expansion revolutionizes the school choice movement, not just in Florida, but across the country. Agudath Israel of [...]
Action Alert: Contact Your Legislator: Keep Healthy Meals for All!
As a result of the advocacy of Agudath Israel and the Healthy School Meals for All coalition, the New York State Assembly and Senate have included Universal School Nutrition funding in their budgets. This means that the state and Federal government would cover the cost of all students participating in the breakfast and lunch programs, not just students from low-income families. This would enable many more yeshivos and day schools to participate in the [...]
Illinois Awards $20 Million in Nonprofit Security Grants
Photo: Rabbi Shlomo Soroka, director of government affairs for Agudath Israel of Illinois and Rabbi A.D. Motzen, national director of government affairs, Agudath Israel of America, with Governor J.B Pritzker (Photo Credits: Agudath Israel of America Archives) Agudath Israel of Illinois (AIOI) is pleased by Governor Pritzker’s announcement that the $20 Million from the Illinois At-risk Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) has been awarded to vulnerable institutions. In 2017, following [...]
April 1 Transportation Deadline (3-23-23)
Dear Principals and Administrators, April 1, 2023, is the deadline to submit requests for transportation for the 2023-24 school year. The requests must be submitted in writing to your home school district. Schools are encouraged to share their calendars and school start and end times for the 2023-24 school year with local school districts for the purposes of planning transportation. [...]
New York State Legislators Voice Support for Yeshiva Education at Agudath Israel’s Albany Day
In the third and final session of Agudath Israel of America’s 2023 Albany Days, Agudah brought together a group of yeshiva leaders and community advocates to share the community’s concerns with New York State’s elected officials. This visit to Albany coincides with the culmination of the budget season, when the Legislature and the governor negotiate an agreement on the final budget appropriations for the coming fiscal year. The budget must [...]
Lawsuit Decision: While Short of Victory, Court Recognizes State Education Overreach in Substantial Equivalency Regulations
Following months of arduous litigation, the decision in the lawsuit challenging New York State Education Department Regulations regarding “substantial equivalency” of yeshiva education to that offered in public schools was handed down today. While the decision does not entirely invalidate the Regulations, as hoped, Judge Christina Ryba, of the Supreme Court of New York, did strike down key portions of the Regulations, in a way that provides important protections for [...]
Universal School Choice Bill Passes in Florida Legislature
Today, the Florida Legislature passed a historic universal school choice bill. makes all schoolchildren in grades K-12 eligible for an $8,000 scholarship. The bill, sponsored by State Senator Corey Simon, will change the Florida scholarship program to an Education Savings Account (ESA). The state will provide an ESA for each eligible child equal to the amount the state allocates for students attending a public school.Parents can then spend [...]
Agudath Israel Brings Texas Parents Together to Rally for School Choice in the Capitol
On Tuesday, Agudath Israel of America brought parents and community leaders from Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio to a rally at the Texas State Capitol. The rally, which was cosponsored by Agudath Israel, was organized to show support for universal school choice, an issue that is currently being considered in the Texas Legislature. Governor Greg Abbott voiced his support for Senate Bill 8, which would [...]
Agudath Israel’s New Jersey Office Testifies at State Budget Hearing About Nonpublic School Aid Increases
Public Hearing of the NJ Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee Rabbi Avi Schnall, Director of Agudath Israel's New Jersey Office, Testifying https://vimeo.com/810609039 Rabbi Avi Schnall's Testimony With the Fiscal Year 2024 budget season now underway in New Jersey, both houses of the state legislature have begun holding a series of public hearings, where members of the public [...]
Upcoming EANS Deadline (3-22-23)
Dear Principals and Administrators, The following message only applies to schools who have received EANS I. If your school is interested in a ventilation improvement project utilizing remaining EANS I funds and has not made contact with Gordian, please complete this registration form. Ventilation Projects include labor costs related to installation of new HVAC equipment or repairs/service to existing HVAC equipment. It also includes labor costs [...]
School Security and Cybersecurity Webinar Recording
On March 16, 2023, we held a webinar on School Security and Cybersecurity Protocols and Best Practices, which was presented by the JCRC. A recording of the webinar can be found below.
Combating Antisemitism the Focus at Agudath Israel’s Washington Leadership Mission
Agudath Israel's Delegation outside the Capitol In response to the alarming rise of antisemitism targeting Jews - including particular threats against Orthodox Jewish communities - Agudath Israel of America convened a Leadership Mission to Washington DC last week, comprising over 60 Orthodox Jewish delegates from around the country. The Leadership Mission’s goal was to join forces with the American government to stand together with the [...]
Denver Schools Meet with Agudath Israel’s National Director of Yeshiva Services
On Wednesday, March 15th, Denver's Orthodox schools had the unique opportunity to meet with Rabbi Yehoshua Pinkus, Director of Yeshiva Services at Agudath Israel of America. The meeting, which took place at DAT, was a forum to discuss issues related to federal funding and services that are available to private schools. Agudath Israel's Yeshiva Services Department champions and guides yeshivas and day schools, advocates for resources at all levels of [...]
Action Alert: Take Action, Increase Security for our Yeshivas!
Dear Principals and Administrators, Going into this legislative session one of our top priorities was increased security for our yeshivas and schools. With anti Semitism on the rise, nothing was more important that securing our schools. While the proposed budget allocated $45 million, or approximately $100 per student we asked for an increase to bring New York closer to our neighboring state of New Jersey which allocates $175 per [...]
Legislative One Houses Released- Mandated Services Saved (3-15-23)
Dear Principals and Administrators, Yesterday the New York State Senate and Assembly released their One House Budget Resolutions. These resolutions are a response to Governor Hochul’s Executive Budget which was released last month. These budget resolutions contain some excellent news for our yeshivas. Here are some highlights: Mandated Services Saved- The Mandated Services Program is the largest single source of funding for nonpublic schools across the [...]
Agudath Israel Welcomes the Proposed Creation of a Bold Texas School Choice Program
Senate Bill 8, introduced in the Texas Senate on Friday, would create an education savings account (ESA) program that gives parents $8,000 per student to spend on a wide range of educational expenses, including private school tuition. Agudath Israel of America, a longtime supporter of school choice efforts in Texas and across the country, welcomes this proposal. Education savings accounts empower parents to make educational decisions that are in the [...]
ACTION ALERT: Help Save the Mandated Services Aid Reimbursement Program!
Dear Administrators and School Leaders, As you surely know, for nearly 50 years, in large part as a result of advocacy by Agudath Israel and its coalition partners, New York State has reimbursed yeshivas for Mandated Services. For most of our yeshivas, it is the largest source of New York State funding. Until now, the state has always been liable to reimburse schools for the full cost of mandated [...]
Nonprofit Security Grant Program Now Open (3-08-23)
Dear Principals and Administrators, New York State's Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) has released the application for the Federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program. The Request for Application (RFA) can be found here along with all the guidance and important information about the grant and how to apply. The due date for applications is April 20th, 2023 by 5:00 pm. Any application received [...]
Highlight Video from the Yeshiva Summit Security Grant Session
See below for a highlight video from the Yeshiva Summit session on security grants. The session was presented by David Pollock, Associate Executive Director & Director, Public Policy, JCRC-NY, Founder and Senior Advisor, Community Security Initiative and Rivkie Feiner, CEO, Owner, Feiner Grant Strategies.
Action Alert: Critical Incident Mapping
Take action now! Please ask Governor Murphy to include non public schools in Critical Incident Mapping funding.
NYC Security Guard Reimbursement Program (3-02-23)
Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, Schools that would like to participate in the Nonpublic School Security Guard Reimbursement Program that haven’t previously participated can now submit an application for the 2023-24 school year. The program will be administered by the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (“DCAS”) through PASSPort, the City’s digital Procurement and Sourcing Solution Portal. Because MOCS is continuing with its migration to the [...]
Safa Berurah: The Halachos of Purim
The Midwest Agudas Yisroel Council of Synagogue Rabbonim is pleased to present a new sefer on the halachos of Purim. The sefer, Safah Berurah: The Halachos of Purim, was compiled and written by Rabbi Yaakov Robinson, executive director of the Midwest Agudas Yisroel Council of Synagogue Rabbanim, and reviewed by Rabbi Shmuel Fuerst, Dayan, Agudas Yisroel of Illinois. View the sefer below or click here for a downloadable PDF. [...]
Facts Are Irrelevant: Rebutting the New York Times’ Unrelenting Crusade Against New York Yeshivas
The New York Times continues its unabashedly relentless crusade of othering yeshivas as backward and abusive. Today, the New York Times described how legislation is being advanced in Albany to counter the phenomenon whereby “many Hasidic schools made regular use of corporal punishment to keep students in line during hours of grueling religious lessons.” "The New York Times has misfired yet again in its latest attack on the Orthodox community," [...]
Action Alert: Take Action Now on Senate Bill 233!
Imagine if the state provided every Georgia parent with $6,000 per child to use on educational expenses including tuition? That may become a reality for Georgia parents, but we need your help. Recently the Georgia Senate Committee on Youth and Education voted to pass Senate Bill 233 'The Georgia Promise Scholarship Act'. This bill would create an Education Savings Account (ESA) program. Under this program, the state would provide parents with an account [...]
Ordering June 2023 Regents Examinations (3-01-23)
Dear Principals and Administrators, The online ordering portal for June 2023 Regents Examinations is now open. You can place your orders here until April 14. Please see below for important documents regarding this year's Regents exams. 1) Procedures for Requesting and Storing the June 2023 Regents Examinations 2) School Record of Examinations Requested - June 2023 3) Instructions for Submitting Your Examination Request Online - June 2023 4) June 2023 Regents Examination [...]
Agudath Israel of Missouri Hits Million-Dollar Milestone
On Monday, Agudath Israel of Missouri celebrated the first year of the MOScholars tax credit scholarship program in a gathering of over 200 St. Louis community members. As a wonderful milestone, Rabbi Hillel Anton, EAO Director of Agudath Israel of Missouri, shared that 224 community members directed over $1,000,000 towards Jewish day school families' educational expenses. The community members who contributed towards the scholarship fund received a dollar-for-dollar tax credit. [...]
Nonprofit Security Grant Program Update (2-20-23)
Dear Principals and Administrators, The Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) is a federally funded grant made available through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency (DHS/FEMA). Its purpose is to provide support for target hardening & other physical security enhancements and activities to nonprofit organizations that are at a high risk of a terrorist attack. The NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency [...]
18th Article, and Counting: Will the New York Times’ Obsessive Demonization of Orthodox Jews Ever End?
This morning, the New York Times published yet another lengthy, prejudicial article against Orthodox Jews, this time targeting Kiryas Joel, a village which “is almost entirely populated by Hasidic Jews.” The Times focuses its harsh spotlight on certain legitimate, school-related payments made by the Kiryas Joel school district to the United Talmudical Academy (U.T.A.) of Kiryas Joel. The report seems determined to find a scandal. But other than reiterating concerns [...]
Agudath Israel Leads Advocacy Mission to Albany with Queens-Long Island Community Leaders
This week, Agudath Israel led a delegation of Orthodox Jewish advocates from the Long Island and Queens areas to Albany to advocate for our community’s needs. This was the second installment of Agudath Israel’s three annual advocacy missions to Albany, which give community representatives the opportunity to speak to their legislators about issues of concern to New York’s Orthodox Jewish communities. The participants spent the day meeting with state Senators [...]
MSA-CAP Webinar Recording
On February 15, 2023, we held a webinar on the MSA-CAP process for the 2021-22 claim year. The webinar was presented by Rabbi Nissan Gewirtzman of Yeshiva Consulting Services, followed by a Q&A with Althea Johnson and her team from SORIS.
Statement of Agudath Israel on Shootings of Orthodox Jews in Los Angeles
Agudath Israel is greatly concerned over two shootings on consecutive days victimizing Orthodox Jews leaving their synagogues following morning prayers. Our California office has been in touch with the Los Angeles Police Department, as well as Los Angeles Councilwoman Katy Young Yaroslovsky’s office, who are taking this situation very seriously. While we do not yet know who the shooter(s) are, if the cases are related, or what the motivations may [...]
Agudas Yisroel’s New Jersey Office Launches Zahav, a New Resource and Referral Center for Seniors and Their Families
When reaching retirement age, one is often faced with many important decisions and choices, requiring decisions about Social Security, Medicare, Home Care, and many other questions. Their family members are also in a quandary, often never having dealt with these issues before. To help seniors and their families navigate the road ahead of them, Agudas Yisroel’s New Jersey office is launching a new division: Zahav, a resource and referral center [...]
Update on COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate (2-15-23)
Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, As of February 10, 2023, NYC non-public school staff, including childcare program staff, are no longer required to be vaccinated against COVID-19. As always, feel free to reach out to [email protected] with any questions. Sign up for our Whatsapp broadcast list here! Sign up for our mailing list here! Rabbi Yehoshua Pinkus Director [...]
Parental Rights in Education: Under Attack or Expanding?
Question: Are our rights under attack and being trampled on? The background on school choice. Rabbi Yehoshua Pinkus: Question: The candidate that the large percentage of the community voted for did not win. Are there going to be repercussions and did we shoot ourselves in the foot? Rabbi Yeruchim Silber Question: In recent elections we have seen an increase in support for school choice. What is the analysis [...]
NPSE Year 9 (2-13-23)
Dear Principals and Administrators, The NPSE (Nonpublic School Safety Equipment) Grant Year 9 application and allocations are now available and posted on the NYSED website. See here for the program guidance, allocations, application, and other documents. Please note that if there is an asterisk by your school's name on the allocation listings, it means that your payments for Year 8 are still being processed. You can check [...]
Agudath Israel Statement on Today’s Terror Attack in Jerusalem
With shock and pain Agudath Israel of America notes the horrific news of yet another deadly terror attack in Jerusalem. A terrorist rammed into people at a bus stop, killing two – a six-year-old-boy and a twenty-year-old newlywed – and injuring five. May the One Above have mercy on those injured, and comfort the families of those killed.
Agudath Israel Leads Advocacy Mission to Albany with Hudson Valley Community Leaders
Yesterday, Agudath Israel led a delegation of Orthodox Jewish advocates from the Hudson Valley area – Rockland County, Orange County, and Sullivan County– to Albany to advocate for our community’s needs. This was the first installment of Agudath Israel’s three annual advocacy missions to Albany, which give local representatives the opportunity to speak to their legislators about issues of concern to New York’s Orthodox Jewish communities. The participants spent the [...]
Ohio- February 2023 School Choice Update
Ohio was one of the first states to adopt a statewide school choice program and is once again working to expand educational options. The EdChoice Scholarship Program currently provides tuition scholarships for 3,711 students attending Jewish schools, generating a total of more than $20M. Governor DeWine recently announced a proposal to nearly double the current qualifying income threshold, making nearly all Ohio families eligible for an EdChoice scholarship. Click HERE to read [...]
Missouri- February 2023 School Choice Update
Agudath Israel played a crucial role in the passing of the first school choice program in Missouri. In its first year of the program, half a million dollars went through Agudath Israel’s EAO (Education Assistance Organization), a scholarship organization which receives contributions that are matched dollar for dollar to give scholarships to eligible students. Agudath Israel’s EAO awarded the second most scholarships in the state of Missouri. Agudath Israel of Missouri’s allocation for next year has been increased significantly to $2 million and we are looking to [...]
New Jersey- February 2023 School Choice Update
For the first time ever, many New Jersey families received a tuition voucher to help pay for their child’s tuition. Agudath Israel was at the forefront of this effort by bringing the idea to Lakewood Township, overseeing the program, and then distributing the grants to families according to the published criteria. Approved families received a $2500 check directly to their homes from Agudath Israel. Thousands of families received checks, alleviating the financial burden exacerbated by the pandemic, and [...]
Florida- February 2023 School Choice Update
Florida has long been a leader in the school choice space. This year the House Speaker announced his intention to expand the Family Empowerment Scholarship program to be universally available to all students regardless of income. Agudath Israel is working with coalition partners to support this historic proposal. Florida's scholarship programs, which include the Florida tax scholarship program together with the Family Empowerment Scholarship and Unique Ability Scholarship, serve [...]
Illinois- February 2023 School Choice Update
In Illinois, through the Invest in Kids Tax Credit Scholarship program, nearly $17 million in scholarships were awarded this year to more than 1,300 students to attend Jewish day schools and yeshivos. In Illinois, through the Invest in Kids Tax Credit Scholarship program, nearly $17 million in scholarships were awarded this year to more than 1,300 students to attend Jewish day schools and yeshivos. The program was created as a pilot program in 2018 and is [...]
Arizona- February 2023 School Choice Update
Arizona was the first state to offer a universal school choice program. The expanded Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) which provides $6,500 per child to spend on a variety of educational expenses survived an attempt to challenge the program on the ballot. It currently faces an attempt by the new Governor to stop students from using the ESA. Arizona also has several scholarship tax credit programs that provide students choosing Jewish day [...]
Agudath Israel Welcomes Florida Proposals to Combat Antisemitism
Agudath Israel of Florida welcomes proposed measures in Florida to promote security and combat antisemitism. This week, Governor Ron DeSantis released his proposed Florida state budget. The bill would provide over $18.2 million in funding for Jewish schools, museums, and memorials across the state. This includes a record $5 million in security funding for Jewish day schools. Also, this week, State Representative Mike Caruso introduced bipartisan legislation to combat antisemitism. [...]
Video: Rising Above the Media Attacks by Zacharia Waxler
Below is an excerpt from the Yeshiva Summit session presented by Zacharia Waxler, Co-Managing Partner, Roth&Co titled Rising Above Media Attacks, what you need to know and how to prepare ourselves when contracting with Special Ed agencies and other vendors. https://vimeo.com/794653173
2021/22 MSA/CAP System Now Open (2-02-23)
Dear Principals and Administrators, The 2021/22 Mandated Services Aid & Comprehensive Attendance Policy (MSA-CAP) is now open to file your claims. MSA-CAP guidance can be found here. Please refer to the Special COVID-19 document for guidance pertaining to hold-harmless provision and applicable mandates. Per state law, 2021-22 claims must be submitted by April 1, 2023.The system will not accept any submissions after that date. Submitted claims [...]
School Based Assessment Documentation (2-01-23)
Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, This is a reminder that School-based assessment ("SBA") is still available for school administrators to nominate students for Title I and Title III services. Keep in mind that the DOE urges school administrators to utilize standardized assessments, where possible, in lieu of the SBA assessment. You can see the list of approved standardized assessments here. If utilizing SBA as an assessment, [...]
Agudath Israel Celebrates Governor DeWine’s Budget Proposal Expanding School Choice and Enhancing Safety
Yesterday, Governor Mike DeWine of Ohio announced in his State of the State Address a proposal to raise the current qualifying threshold to be eligible for Ohio’s EdChoice scholarship program from 250% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) to 400%, one of the highest in the nation. This will benefit thousands of students from middle-class families all around the state, who will now be eligible for EdChoice scholarships valued between [...]
Agudath Israel Applauds Introduction of Educational Choice for Children Act
Agudath Israel of America is applauding Senator Bill Cassidy (R- LA) and Representative Adrian Smith (R-NE) for leading the effort in the 118th Congress to increase school choice across the country. The Educational Choice for Children Act (S.120/H.R. 531) the legislators unveiled last week will provide ten billion dollars’ worth of tax credits to individual and corporate taxpayers to support educational opportunities and services in all fifty states. Providing dollar-for-dollar tax [...]
Action Alert: Urge Your Member of Congress to Support the Educational Choice for Children Act!
Dear Agudah Activist: Congress is considering a $10 billion “school choice” proposal and we need you to urge your senators and representatives to support the bill as co-sponsors. Last year, the Supreme Court strengthened the future of school choice, a goal that Agudath Israel has strongly advocated for in Washington, in state capitals and in courtrooms over a course of seven decades. Our work is paying off in meaningful ways. [...]
Agudath Israel Welcomes Legislation to Enhance Quality of Holocaust Education
Agudath Israel is welcoming the Holocaust Education and Antisemitism Lessons Act (HEAL), legislation which would require a study of Holocaust education efforts in states, local educational agencies and public elementary and secondary schools. Leading the effort are Representatives Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Michael McCaul (R-TX), Kathy Manning (D-NC) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA). The bill was introduced on International Holocaust Remembrance Day with bipartisan support. “Raising the level of Holocaust awareness within [...]
Agudath Israel Statement on Friday’s Deadly Terror Attack in Jerusalem
With pain and sorrow we note the devastating news of a deadly terror attack in the Neve Yakov neighborhood in Jerusalem, Israel. At least seven were killed, and many more injured. The evil of the attack was compounded by its location – a synagogue in which people had been praying. May the One Above have mercy on those injured, and comfort the families of those killed.
Action Alert: Ask Governor Murphy to help give our children much needed funding!
Dear friends, As we are well aware, government funding to our yeshivos is limited. One of the few sources of funding available for our children is for students in need of compensatory education. Through ‘Chapter 192 Funding’ the State provides compensatory instruction in Language Arts and Math to needy students. Although the per-service amount was increased slightly last year, from $995.00 (an amount that remained stagnant for 10 years), [...]
AIS Year 6 (1-25-23)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, The Academic Intervention Services (AIS) grant allocation and reimbursement forms for Year 6 (2022-23 School Year) are now available. Applications are due on April 15, 2023. Below are links to the Academic Intervention Services (AIS) Grant information: AIS Program Guidance AIS Program Allocation Listing AIS Program Reimbursement Form AIS Pooling Guidance You can view the program guidance, application, allocations, and reimbursement forms here. As always, feel free [...]
Agudah’s Worldwide Siyum on Nedarim – Special Presentation: Nedarim, Halachah L’maaseh
Tonight, Tuesday, January 24th, 3 Shevat, lomdei haDaf across the globe will celebrate the conclusion of Maseches Nedarim in the 14th cycle of Daf Yomi. At 9:15 PM ET, Agudas Yisroel will bring together lomdei HaDaf, their friends, and families for a fascinating live broadcast of the Siyum Nedarim. This exciting and meaningful program will begin with a hadran from R’ Kalman Frisch, Daf Yomi magid shiur of the highly [...]
MEMORANDUM OF OPPOSITION
MEMORANDUM OF OPPOSITION A995/S2445 DATE: January 23, 2023 This is to express our strong opposition to S2445 / A995 the Medical Aid in Dying Act. The bill allows terminally ill patients to obtain medication that the patient can self-administer in order to bring about the patient’s death, in other words, it makes suicide legal. Informed by classical Jewish tradition which teaches that all human life is sacred, and possessed of [...]
Agudath Israel Welcomes Proposed Expansion for School Choice in Florida
Photo: Rabbi Moshe Matz, Executive Director of Agudath Israel of Florida, and Rabbi A.D Motzen, National Director of Government Affairs of Agudath Israel of America, with former Florida Governor Jeb Bush who created the first statewide voucher program in the country. (Credit: Agudath Israel of America) Florida, already a national leader on school choice, is set to further expand the state’s scholarship program with a bill introduced today in the [...]
Perseverance Amid Trying Times: 4th New York Yeshiva Summit Offers Guidance, Inspiration and Advice
By: Sandy Eller We never thought it could happen here. But our beloved educational institutions have come repeatedly under attack, a reality that has only underscored the need for the Yeshiva Summit, imbuing the annual event with a definite sense of urgency. Over 400 attendees, including leaders of 140 different schools, gathered at Terrace on the Park on Thursday, January 12th for the Yeshiva Summit, a project of Agudath Israel [...]
Supreme Court to Hear Sabbath Observer Case that Could Enhance Religious Accommodations in the Workplace
Agudath Israel is welcoming the Supreme Court’s decision to hear Groff v. DeJoy, a case involving accommodation of a Sabbath observer in the workplace. Last year, Agudath Israel and other Orthodox groups joined a National Jewish Commission on Law and Public Affairs (COLPA) brief urging the Supreme Court to hear the case and provide more meaningful accommodation of religious practices — including Sabbath observance — for American workers. The COLPA [...]
Evidence Only of a Double Standard: Statement by Agudath Israel on the Times’ Latest
The New York Times licked its chops on Wednesday, gleefully relating how five individuals who run companies that “primarily serve the Orthodox Jewish community” were indicted for daycare fraud. But instead of just reporting the allegations, the self-congratulatory tone of the article reflected the Times’ apparent conviction that the indictments vindicate the paper’s recent onslaught of vilifications of the Orthodox Jewish community. What the article’s references to those earlier pieces [...]
Agudah Pushes Back Against Religious Discrimination in Forestburgh, New York
Forestburgh, New York, population 808, is a small town on the Neversink River in Sullivan County. And just last week, their monthly Town Board meeting, included testimony from Rabbi Yeruchim Silber and Rabbi Avi Schnall of Agudah’s New York and New Jersey offices. The story begain in 2011, when the Town Board rezoned the 3.3 square miles of land owned by Double Diamond, a Texas developer, to [...]
Swearing-In Ceremony at the Capitol
On Monday, January 9th, community representatives joined Rabbi Yossi Kaplan, Director of Agudath Israel of Colorado, to congratulate newly elected and re-elected government officials during the Swearing-In Ceremony at the Colorado Capitol on the first day of the 2023 legislative session. During the visit to the Capitol, community members connected with State Representatives, State Senators, and their aides including Senator Julie Gonzales (Westside), Senator Chris Hansen (Eastside), Senator Jeff Bridges [...]
Agudath Israel Helps Stop Permanent “Daylight Saving” Bill, Exceedingly Disruptive to Orthodox Jewish Life
Agudah advocacy in accordance with 1971 (unpublished) teshuvah by Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt’l, on permanent DST The effort in the 117th Congress to permanently extend “daylight saving time” (DST) came to a sputtering end, as the House of Representatives refused to act on the measure. This was due, in large part, by the efforts of Agudath Israel of America, which played a leading role in making known the unique and disruptive [...]
Introducing Kesher: A New Agudah of Colorado Program
This January saw the launch of a new, exciting program in Denver by Agudas Yisroel of Colorado. Kesher, a big-sister-little-sister program, pairs up post-seminary women with middle school girls and provides them with the opportunity to enjoy quality time through one-on-one outings twice a month. Prototyped after Agudah of Illinois’ program, Kesher is designed to foster positive relationships and role-modeling for Denver's younger generation. Already in its first month, Kesher [...]
Rabbi Moshe Feinstein’s Teshuva on Daylight Savings Time
Click to see an enlarged image
Chanukah with Yahalom NY: Yahalom Kids and Their Families Come Together to Celebrate
Children with special needs often have trouble attending and enjoying parties, Chanukah or otherwise, because of sensory overload, unsuited entertainment, and unaccepting environments. And their families – parents, brothers, and sisters – must choose to go to a party without them or not attend the parties themselves. This Chanukah, Yahalom NY held two parties, in Monsey and Five Towns, for children with special needs and their entire families, [...]
Orthodox Jewish Advocates Launch New Initiative to Correct Dangerous Mischaracterizations of Community: KnowUs
Orthodox Jews have been the target of more than a dozen misleading and one-sided portrayals of their community in the pages of The New York Times for the last four months. It has become abundantly clear that Orthodox Jews must respond to protect their physical security and to depict Orthodox Jews without a jaundiced eye. That’s why advocates have launched KnowUs: an initiative to combat negative stereotypes advanced by the [...]
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 [...]
Agudath Israel: The New York Times Continues Obsessive Attacks on the Orthodox Jewish Community
Another week, another front-page attack on Orthodox Jews - this time targeting children with special needs and their families. The New York Times confirms, for the 13th time in just three and half months, its obsession with spreading misinformation and demonizing Orthodox and Hasidic Jews. At the same time, antisemitic attacks specifically targeting the visibly Jewish in New York City – the ones targeted by the New York Times – [...]
Agudath Israel’s Rockland Office Brings Community Activists, Government and Elected Officials Together
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 [...]
PCS Agudath Israel Holds Annual Accounting Networking Event
By Sarah Massry In early December, PCS, a division of Agudath Israel, held a masters in accounting networking event celebrating the 17th anniversary of the PCS/Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) MS in Accounting program, rated as a best Masters in Accounting by Eduniversal and rated as a best university by Forbes. Hundreds of alumni who are now successful accountants, businessmen, CFO's, senior managers, and controllers, converged to network and [...]
Congress Strengthens Federal Security Grants, An Agudath Israel Priority
Agudath Israel of America is commending Congress for strengthening the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) in two end-of-year pieces of legislation, expected to be signed by President Biden by week’s end. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), passed by Congress, includes provisions of the NSGP Improvement Act, while the yet-to be-passed FY2023 omnibus spending bill includes an increase in NSGP funding for the coming year. NSGP is a federal program [...]
Yahalom NJ Opens a Grant Application Assistance Center
Yahalom NJ is excited to announce the opening of a grant application assistance center. The center will be open for parents of children with special needs, who can come to Agudath Israel's New Jersey office to find out which non-governmental grants may be available for them and receive any assistance that they may need in applying for the grants. Computers are set up so that the parents can complete the [...]
Educated, Inspired and Motivated, COPE CPA Graduates Ready to Make Their Mark in the Business World
By: Sandy Eller It was a milestone moment for the 50 students of the COPE CPA accounting program, as they gathered in Brooklyn to celebrate their graduations, taking advantage of an opportunity to reflect on their academic accomplishments as they take the next step towards a future filled with promise. COPE, a division of Agudath Israel of America’s Community Services, has been offering its [...]
Religious Concerns Help Defeat Women’s Draft Registration Mandate, Again
For the second year in a row Congress has opted to not mandate the registration of women for the Selective Service System’s military draft. Agudath Israel of America is hailing Capitol Hill leadership and key members of both the House and Senate for withstanding enormous pressure and holding firm on dropping the measure from the National Defense Authorization Act, which has been sent to President Biden for signing. The registration [...]
[FREE DOWNLOAD] HALACHOS OF CHANUKAH + ASARA B’TEVES
The Midwest Agudas Yisroel Council of Synagogue Rabbonim is pleased to present a sefer that discusses the halachos of Chanukah and Asara B'Teves. The sefer, Safah Berurah: The Halachos of of Chanukah and Asara B'Teves. was compiled and written by Rabbi Yaakov Robinson, executive director of the Midwest Agudas Yisroel Council of Synagogue Rabbanim, and reviewed by Rabbi Shmuel Fuerst, Dayan, Agudas Yisroel of Illinois. Click HERE to download the PDF.
Agudath Israel of America Supports Ateres Bais Yaakov in its Legal Battle Against Religious Discrimination in Clarkstown
What happens when a town supervisor brazenly announces his intention to thwart a religious school’s zoning application? What happens when, inevitably, this reaches the court system? In this case, Agudath Israel recently filed an amicus brief ("friend of the court") in support of Ateres Bais Yaakov Academy of Rockland’s lawsuit against the Town of Clarkstown and Citizens United to Protect Our Neighborhoods of Greater Nanuet (CUPON). In short, the case involves a [...]
Action Alert: Ask Congress To Support – Security Grants, Child Tax Credit, and Charitable Giving!
Dear Friend: In these final days of the 117th Congress, intense negotiations are currently taking place between Democratic and Republican leadership on next year’s spending levels on federal programs. It is vitally important that our community weigh in at this pivotal time! While many programs effect the Orthodox Jewish community, we will highlight three items that are essential to the well-being – both physical and material – of our families [...]
Agudath Israel: The New York Times Defames Our Community on Its Cover Yet Again
Agudath Israel of America registers deep chagrin with yet another front-page New York Times attack on the Orthodox Jewish, and, especially, the Chasidic community. This marks nearly a dozen articles spewed by the Times in the past three months - all defaming and misrepresenting our community. Once again, the “reporting” exclusively features the opinions and stories of individuals who have left their communities and those closely affiliated with groups dedicated [...]
Parental Rights in Education: Under Attack or Expanding? Convention 2022
Speakers: Rabbi Abba Cohen, Rabbi Yitz Frank, Rabbi Yehoshua Pinkus, Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, and Rabbi Shlomo Soroka Moderator: Rabbi Ari Weisenfeld
Agudath Israel Statement on the Passage of the Respect for Marriage Act
It is with great dismay that Agudath Israel of America receives the news of the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act, legislation that will further enshrine same-sex marriage into American law. The repudiation by Congress of millennia-old traditional values that strictly limit marriage to a union between a man and a woman will unjustly serve to further push Torah-observant Jews, and millions of others who share those values, into [...]
Agudath Israel Welcomes New USDA Webpage on “Kosher Foods in TEFAP”
Agudath Israel of America is welcoming the new webpage set up by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on “Kosher Foods in TEFAP.” TEFAP - The Emergency Food Assistance Program -- is utilized by food pantries and food banks to provide surplus food to the needy. The development of the webpage comes on the heels of the agency’s recent outreach to the Jewish community regarding volume and nutritional deficiencies in [...]
Speaking Up: Torah on Klal Yisroel’s Mind at the Agudah Convention
A special feeling permeated this year's Agudah Convention. The Agudah Convention has traditionally been the place where Klal Yisroel gathers to discuss the issues of the day, interact with and hear from the Gedolei Yisroel, and find opportunities to be stronger as a united tzibbur. With representatives from all of Klal Yisroel's many groups, the many attendees gathered with a true "agudah" - bound together in a common cause of [...]
Immunization Survey (12-05-22)
Dear New York State Administrator/Principal: The New York State Department of Health’s annual School Immunization Survey for the 2022-23 school year has been posted to the Health Commerce System (HCS) for review and submission by December 15, 2022. Please note that only the schools with an active HCS account to access the survey will be able to submit the survey data. Schools that have not yet [...]
Photos: Agudah Convention Thursday Evening
Rabbi Shlomo Soroka Rabbi Shimon Yehuda Svei Rabbi Yeruchim Olshin Rabbi Nosson Levine Rabbi Eytan Feiner Rabbi Shlomo Farhi Rabbi Yoir Adler Yaakov Klugmann Thursday Night Keynote Rabbi Shlomo Mandel Thursday Night Keynote Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetsky At the Thursday Night Keynote Session Partial View of the Dais at the Thursday Night Keynote Rabbi Bentzion Kokis and Rabbi Reuven Epstein Rabbi Daniel Glatstein Rabbi Aaron Lopiansky Rabbi Ari Weisenfeld Rabbi Eytan [...]
Speaking Up: The Agudah Convention Begins Thursday
The Agudah’s annual convention has long been the key venue for members of the Jewish community to convene together with Torah leaders and community askanim to discuss and address the critical issues facing the klal today. A direct descendent of the First Knessia Gedolah in 1923, the Agudah Convention’s content may have changed, but its mission has remained the same: To gather under the banner of our Gedolei Yisroel to [...]
Grand Opening of Culver El Affordable Housing Development
It took many years but finally came to a culmination this Sunday. The Culver El Affordable Housing Development, just constructed in the air space of an elevated train tracks torn down during the 1970s, was first proposed in the 1980s during the Koch administration. After numerous delays, it was deeded by former Mayor Bloomberg in 2007 to the Southern Brooklyn Community Organization (SBCO), the housing division of Agudath Israel, to [...]
Agudath Israel Statement on Terror Attack in Jerusalem
Agudath Israel of America is horrified by the news of terror attacks in Jerusalem, Israel. The terrorist placed bombs, filled with nails and shrapnel, to kill and injure as many people as possible at bus stops, detonating them at a time when children and adults are making their way to school. The bombings left 18 people injured and a 16 year old boy – on his way to Yeshiva – [...]
Agudath Israel Commends Romania for Protecting Kosher Slaughter
Agudath Israel of America is commending the Romanian Parliament for passing legislation to provide specific and explicit protection for the practice of shechitah, or kosher ritual slaughter, in the country. The move is seen as highly significant, as some European countries in recent years have passed laws banning the slaughter of animals without prior stunning, effectively prohibiting slaughter that conforms to kosher dietary requirements. Those laws have been upheld by [...]
Agudath Israel Urges Monetary Damages for Violations of Religious Liberty
In a case that could have far-reaching ramifications for the Orthodox Jewish community, Agudath Israel of America filed an amicus curiae “friend of the court” brief in support of a state prisoner who seeks monetary damages because his religious rights were violated by prison officials. The case, Walker v. Baldwin, was brought by Thomas Walker, a Rastafarian who was forced to cut his dreadlocks while in prison, in violation of his sincerely held religious [...]
2022 Fire Inspections (10-20-22)
Dear Principals and Administrators, Please see here for an important memo from NYSED regarding fire inspections. An inspection must be done before December 1, 2022, and the inspection report must be filed with the Commissioner prior to December 16, 2022. This memo does not apply to schools: In NYC, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Yonkers That have a total enrollment of less than 25 students. Please read [...]
Ordering the 2023 Grades 3-8 Exams (10-20-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, The online requesting systems for the 2023 Grades 3-8 English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics Tests and the Intermediate-level (Grade 8) Science Test are now open. This year, there will not be an administration of the Elementary-level (Grade 4) Science Test. This is to support the transition to the new Elementary-level (Grade 5) Science Test which commences in Spring 2024. Attached [...]
2022-23 NYC DOE Loan Request and Enrollment Certificate Form (10-19-22)
Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, The new NYC DOE Loan Request and Enrollment Certificate (LREC) form for school year 2022-2023 is now posted on the DOE Non-Public School (NYSTL) InfoHub site. Schools participating in the NYS Loan Programs should complete this form as soon as possible and return it to the DOE NPS Payables as instructed by Friday, November 18, 2022. The form should reflect the same enrollment data that is [...]
Quick Action Guide for Students with Diabetes (10-06-22)
Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, Please see below for a message from the Office of Non-Public Schools regarding students with diabetes who use bus transportation: In order for trained DOE-contracted bus drivers and attendants to be able to administer glucagon to a student with a Diabetes Medication Administration Form (DMAF) on file with the Office of School Health during a diabetes emergency on the morning or afternoon [...]
Agudath Israel Joins COLPA Brief in Supreme Court Case to Protect the Rights of Shabbos Observers
Gerald Groff was a Pennsylvania mailman. When Amazon contracted with the United States Postal Service (USPS) to deliver packages on Sundays, Mr. Groff, who observes Sunday as the Sabbath, was faced with a religious dilemma. Mr. Groff attempted to make arrangements with the USPS to avoid working Sundays by offering to work multiple make-up shifts and even by switching postal offices, but the Postal Service deemed this insufficient and multiple [...]
Agudath Israel Advocacy Continues to Ease Way for Arba Minim
For the TSA notice click here. For the CBP notice click here. For the Agudah handout click here. As in past years, Agudath Israel of America's Washington Office has worked closely with agencies of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to help avoid potential problems for travelers carrying arba minim. Both the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have notified their respective field personnel about the upcoming Sukkos holiday and [...]
Generation of Funds Survey for 2023-24 (09-23-22)
Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, The Generation of Funds survey in the Non-Public School Information System (“NPSIS”) has opened for schools to indicate students who are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals. If you have any questions or need additional support completing this survey, please do not hesitate to contact [email protected]. This survey serves as an opportunity for schools to potentially generate federal Title I funds for students [...]
Title Survey (09-22-22)
Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, In order for students to receive Title I or Title III services, schools are required to nominate students using the Title I Educational Survey, and if applicable the Title III Survey, that can be found in NPSIS. You do not need to enter an eligibility score on the surveys right now to complete the nomination process. You have until October 31st to enter [...]
Community Advocacy: Agudath Israel of Illinois Hosts Meetings with Elected Officials, Candidates
Rabbi Shlomo Soroka speaking Adam Rosenberg, Michie Nudell, Moshe Davis, Rabbi Yitzchok Ehrman, Yaakov Bass, Rabbi Ari Strulowitz, Tzvi Montrose, Bottom: Lesli Combs, Rabbi Shlomo Soroka, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, Alex Ponder Virtual Forum with Senator Tammy Duckworth Kathy Salvi with Rabbi Shlomo Soroka State Senator Ram Villivalam speaking State Representative Mike Kelly speaking State Senator Ram Villivalam speaking with a constituent State Representative Mike Kelly speaking with a constituent State [...]
Agudath Israel of California Hails the Passage of the California Nonprofit Security Bill
Agudath Israel of California hails the passage of AB 1664,The California Nonprofit Security Bill. The bill makes several important changes to the state’s nonprofit security grant program including removing the 2025 sunset, and increasing the maximum grant level from $200,000 to $500,000 per institution. The bill originally included a unique clause that would have allowed nonprofit communal organizations to obtain grants for communal security infrastructure such as patrol vehicles, communal communications [...]
Action Alert: Urge Congress to Extend School Lunches for all Students
Dear Friend: Urge Congress to extend school lunches for all students. We reach out to you now because a small window of opportunity has opened to help our families and school children. During COVID, we fought for USDA waivers. For decades, Agudath Israel has made it a priority to help our community participate in federal child nutrition programs, including school-based meals. We worked especially hard during the COVID 19 [...]
MSA-CAP Submit and Certify Roles (09-19-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, NYSED has shared a reminder that non-public schools have the option to assign an MSA Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to submit and certify their MSA-CAP claim in addition to their CEO being able to submit and certify claims. If you’d like to add an MSA-CAP CFO to submit and certify your MSA claims, you can fill out this form and send it to [email protected]. If [...]
An Open Letter to the New York State Education Department from the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of America and The Vaad Roshei Yeshivah of Torah Umesorah
We write on behalf of the yeshiva community of this State and its diverse educational institutions. As religious Jews, we seek above all else to raise our families in the traditions of our faith. We all stand as one! Our people have sacrificed so much over the millennia to preserve the institution of the yeshiva – the foundation of our faith. We cannot relinquish control of the yeshivas that are [...]
Agudath Israel Statement on New York Times’ Attack on Hasidic Community
Agudath Israel of America decries today’s one-sided New York Times hit piece on New York State’s Hasidic community and its educational institutions. The article is riddled with bias, ignoring the vast majority of Hasidic parents – those who cherish their yeshivas – instead citing a minority of people who have rejected the community’s values, and passing them off as representative of the whole. The true viewpoint of the tens of [...]
Agudath Israel Statement on Updated Substantial Equivalency Regulations
Agudath Israel remains deeply concerned that the state is moving forward with its plan to intrude upon and regulate the curriculum of private schools. The specter of government overriding the will of parents and dictating how and what we teach in our private, religious schools is frightening. Agudath Israel also notes the inclusion in the 142-page document released today of significant discussion addressing many of the comments submitted. Our legal team is [...]
Statement of Agudath Israel of America in Opposition to the “Respect for Marriage Act”
Agudath Israel of America urges members of the United States Senate to reject H.R. 8404, the “Respect for Marriage Act” (RFMA), legislation that is expected to be considered in the coming weeks. The primary purpose of RFMA is to enshrine in statute the Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which afforded constitutional protection and legal validity to same-sex marriage. It will also explicitly repeal the Defense of Marriage [...]
Rabbi Avrohom Luban Announced as Associate Director of Agudath Israel of Florida
Agudath Israel of America is excited to announce that Agudath Israel of Florida is hiring Rabbi Avrohom Luban to serve as its associate director. Florida’s Orthodox Jewish community has been experiencing continued growth over the past few years and Agudath Israel looks forward to expanding its organizational offerings across the state’s multiple constituencies. Rabbi Luban was raised in Florida, where his family is deeply rooted in the local community, and [...]
Agudath Israel Files Amicus Brief in YU Pride Alliance v. Yeshiva University
Today, Agudath Israel of America filed an amicus curiae (friend of the court) brief asking the US Supreme Court to issue an emergency stay pending appeal, to prevent Yeshiva University from being compelled to recognize an LGBTQ+ club. The case, YU Pride Alliance v. Yeshiva University, pits four students and alumni, who attended Yeshiva University (YU) well aware of its religious character, against their school. YU Pride claims that Yeshiva University must accept its [...]
Online Ordering of NYSITELL for 2022-23 (8-29-22)
Dear NY Principals and Administrators, The online requesting system for the 2022-2023 New York State Identification Test for English Language Learners (NYSITELL) is now open. You can submit initial online requests for Session 1 at http://portal.nysed.gov/. Session 1 closes September 9, 2022. Requests submitted by September 9 will arrive at schools within two weeks after that closing date. After Session 1 closes, Session 2 will open [...]
Back to School Immunization Documents (8-25-22)
Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, Please see here for an important letter from the DOHMH regarding immunizations for the 2022-23 school year. Changes to this year’s immunization requirements are included in the letter. Additional documents: Medical Requirements for Child Care and New School Entrants Parent Warning Letter Parent Exclusion Letter As always, feel free to reach out to [email protected] with any [...]
Photos: 130 Mesaymim Complete 175 Masechtos at Camp Agudah’s Machane Ephraim
Rabbi Dovid Frischman with Mesaymim Chaver Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Rabbi Shlomo Eliyahu Miller Rabbi Eliezer Feuer, Camp Agudah Learning Director Rabbi Elimelech Belsky, Rosh Masmidim, Addressing Campers Chaver Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Rabbi Shlomo Eliyahu Miller with Rabbi Elimelech Belsky, Rosh Masmidim Celebratory Dancing Mesaymim with Chaver Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Rabbi Shlomo Eliyahu Miller, Rosh Masmidim Rabbi Elimelech Belsky and Camp Agudah's Rabbi Shimon Newmark When one bochur makes a siyum [...]
Updated COVID-19 Guidance (8-23-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, The New York State Department of Health and the State Education Department have released a joint memorandum regarding updated COVID-19 guidance for the coming school year. Please see the memo by clicking here. In summary: While many recommendations are provided in the document, virtually all restrictions have been lifted as these recommendations are not binding. Those who are or become symptomatic [...]
Agudah Calendar Video 5783
To order a calendar, visit agudah.org/calendar
Illinois State Security Grant Program Developments
Rabbi Shlomo Soroka with Representative Bob Morgan (D-Deerfield) Chief Sponsor of House Bill 4438, a funding appropriation bill for the Illinois nonprofit security grant program. In early August, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) shared a preliminary draft of the rules that will govern the newly funded state nonprofit security grant program, seeking input from stakeholders. On Friday, Agudath Israel of Illinois reviewed the draft and made a number of [...]
Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel at Chinuch UK
Agudah's Executive Vice President Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel traveled to England to collaborate on advocacy and engage with British governmental authorities and Jewish leaders on education issues. Rabbi Zwiebel participated in a community walkabout organized by Chinuch UK with officials from the UK Department of Education. Rabbi Zwiebel also addressed school leaders on the need to stand united and speak with one voice so our children may receive the education we, [...]
Agudah of New England Hosts Representative Tommy Vitolo Candidate for State Representative
Agudah's New England office was pleased to host State Representative Tommy Vitolo, candidate for state representative, as part of a their candidate forum series. "It was great to host Tommy Vitolo last night at Maimonides Kehillah for a wide-ranging conversation on the issues that are most important to our community," said Mrs. Ariella Hellman, director of government affairs for Agudah's New England office.
Inaugural Mid-Atlantic Business Halacha Conference Draws Hundreds Seeking to Improve the Level of Halacha and Hashkafa in their Business Operations
Rabbi Ariel Sadwin, executive director of Agudath Israel of Maryland Crowd at Panel: Building a Business; Building the Klal Rabbi Aaron Lopiansky, Rosh Yeshiva of the Yeshiva Gedolah of Greater Washington Rabbi Yissocher Frand, Rosh Yeshivas Ner Yisrael Rabbi Labish Becker, Executive Director, Agudath Israel of America Naftali Horowitz, managing director at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management Ronnie Wilheim, Duvy Gross, and Howard Tzvi Freidman - Panel: Building a Business; Building the Klal Stuart [...]
Action Alert: Ask your member of Congress to co-sponsor $10 billion school choice bill
Dear Agudah Activist: Congress is considering a $10 billion “school choice” proposal and we need you to urge your senators and representatives to support the bill as co-sponsors. The Supreme Court recently strengthened the future of school choice, a goal that Agudath Israel has strongly advocated for in legislatures and courtrooms over a course of seven decades. Our work is paying off in meaningful ways. The important challenge we now [...]
Photos: Chicago Children Meet with Visiting Roshei Yeshiva
In a trip to Chicago on behalf of the Vaad Hatzalah, Chavrei Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Rabbi Aryeh Malkiel Kotler and Rabbi Shimon Yehuda Svei, along with Rabbi Sholom Kamenetsky and the Novominsker Rebbe, met with many children from the Chicago community.
Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Visit Camp Agudah
Agudah campers greeting Rabbi Yeruchim Olshin Agudah campers greeting Rabbi Shlomo Eliyahu Miller Rabbi Elya Brudny addressing Agudah campers Rabbi Elya Brudny with Agudah campers Rabbi Shlomo Eliyahu Miller addressing Agudah campers Rabbi Shlomo Eliyahu Miller with Agudah campers Mr. Shlomo Werdiger and Rabbi Elya Brudny Rabbi Elya Brudny speaking with Rabbi Yitzchok Ehrman Mr. Shragi Goldschmidt addressing Agudah campers Rabbi Shlomo Eliyahu Miller and Rabbi Hillel David Rabbi Shimon [...]
Agudah of New England Hosts Raul Fernandez, Candidate for State Representative
Agudah's New England office was pleased to host Raul Fernandez, candidate for state representative (5th Norfolk MA), as part of a their candidate forum series. "We are grateful for the opportunity to host Mr. Fernandez last night for a conversation about his priorities as a candidate and to dialogue with him on issues of importance to our community," said Mrs. Ariella Hellman, director of government affairs for Agudah's New England office.
Important OPT Updates for the 2022-23 School Year (8-03-22)
Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, Please see below for important information from the Office of Pupil Transportation. The calendar application for the 2022-2023 school year is open on the website here. Please update half days and no service days. All changes for September should be done as soon as possible. Make sure to update both the general and special education calendars if your school receives both [...]
YahalomNY Hosts Father’s Networking Event in the Five Towns
Last week, YahalomNY hosted its first ever father’s networking event. Over 50 fathers of children with special needs joined, traveling in from Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and the Five Towns communities. Dr. David Katzenstein, Chief Clinical Officer of SIMHA (the Sephardic Initiative for Mental Health Awareness), and Rabbi Baruch Rabinowitz, an esteemed mechanech and parent of a child with special needs, addressed the fathers, and took part in an open question [...]
Over Eighty Rabbonim and Rebbitzens from Across the Country Attend the 12th Annual Midwest Agudas Yisroel Council of Synagogue Rabbonim Conference
Sixty rabbonim and twenty rebbitzens from across the United States met in Chicago earlier this week for the 12th annual Midwest Agudas Yisroel Council of Synagogue Rabbonim Conference. This year’s program was practical, informative and extremely relevant, and attended by many Roshei Yeshiva, Dayanim, Rabbanim and world-renowned experts in their fields who have dedicated their lives to share their wealth of wisdom with others. A question-and-answer session was held [...]
Agudath Israel Applauds Expansion of Federal Emergency Food Program to Include More Kosher Foods
Agudath Israel of America is commending the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for expanding the number and types of kosher-certified food items in The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), which is utilized by food pantries and food banks to provide surplus food to the needy. Since 2009, Agudath Israel has been deeply involved in making more kosher products available and accessible within the TEFAP program, and has worked with the [...]
Max Politics
Max Politics · Episode 333: Yuh-Line Niou On Running For Congress In The New NY-10
Agudath Israel of New England Celebrates Inclusion of Community Priorities in FY23 Massachusetts Budget
Agudath Israel of New England celebrates the inclusion of many community priorities in the FY23 Massachusetts state budget. The Massachusetts legislature made significant investments in community security including the creation of a new security personnel pilot program. This program will provide matching grants to nonprofits at high risk of terrorist attacks or hate crimes and will be used to fund security guards. This is the very first time that [...]
Agudath Israel Meets with NY State Education Department Officials and Attends Board of Regents Meeting to Advocate for Yeshivas
Rabbi Yehoshua Pinkus, Rabbi Ami Bazov, Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum, and Mrs. Deborah Zachai with Dr. Christina Coughlin and New York State Education Department Officials Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, Director of New York Government Relations, Rabbi Yehoshua Pinkus, Director of Yeshiva Services, Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum, Director, Agudath Israel Rockland Regional Office, Rabbi Ami Bazov, Associate Director of Yeshiva Services. Not pictured: Mrs. Deborah Zachai, Director Emeritus of Education Affairs. Rabbi Yehoshua Pinkus, [...]
Important Upcoming Deadlines (7-14-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, Please see below for important upcoming deadlines. July 15: Last day to submit requests for August 2022 Regents Exams. See here for more information. August 1: Deadline for Year 5 MST Grant. See here for more information. August 22: Last day for Existing Providers to submit an application for the Invest NY Child Care Desert Grant (RFA) #2. The portal will [...]
Recording of Webinar and further information about the Master’s Program (7-13-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, Thank you to all those who joined our webinar last week with TTI on our new joint Master’s program that will help schools to get their teachers certified and receive MST funding. We are pleased to share with you the recording of the webinar, information from TTI, and FAQs. Click here to watch a recording of the webinar and view the [...]
Child Care Stabilization Grant 2.0 (7-13-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, The NYS Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) has recently announced another round of the Child Care Stabilization Grant. The Child Care Stabilization Grant 2.0 for Workforce Supports Application Portal is now open for existing Stabilization Grant recipients (except SACC providers). The application period will close on November 30, 2022. OCFS will be prioritizing workforce support for child care staff [...]
Leading the Nation in School Choice: Agudath Israel Applauds Arizona for Expanding School Choice
Last week Arizona became the state to beat when it comes to school choice when Governor Doug Ducey signed H.B. 2853 into law. The bill expands the state’s Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program to all 1.1 million K-12 students in Arizona. An ESA is an account into which the government deposits funds for parents to use on their children’s education. The money can be used on a variety of approved expenses [...]
Agudah Camps Participate in USDA Summer Food Service Program
Camp Agudah and Camp Bnos, divisions of Agudath Israel of American Community Services, Inc., continuing their practice of ensuring campers receive healthy and nutritious food, will once again be participating in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), a federally-funded, state-administered program. Meals will be provided to all children 18 years and under without charge. In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights [...]
YahalomNY Sibs Club: Caring for the Siblings of Children with Special Needs
While Yahalom is known for the exceptional services it provides for children with special needs, did you know that family members of these children are also cared for by Yahalom? Last week, YahalomNY invited siblings of children with special needs to a pizza and paint party in the Five Towns. The event began by playing a get-to-know-you game, followed by pizza and soda. For the activity, each child received [...]
Master’s Program Webinar with TTI
See below for a recording of our webinar with TTI on our new joint Master's program to help schools utilize STEM funding for their teachers. Recording: PowerPoint: FAQ:
Agudah of Illinois Offices Expand to Better Serve the Community
Rabbi Shlomo Soroka, director of government affairs, Agudath Israel of Illinois; Rabbi Yitzchok Bider, Executive Director of Agudath Israel of Illinois; Rabbi Ari Strulowitz, director of operations for Agudas Yisroel of Illinois; Rabbi Shmuel Yehudah Levin, Rosh Yeshivas Telshe Chicago; Mr. Moshe Davis, interim executive vice president of the Agudah of Illinois; Rabbi Yitzchok Ehrman, COO of Agudath Israel of America; Rabbi Yaakov Robinson, executive director of the Agudas Yisroel [...]
20/21 MSA Amendment Deadline (7-11-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, The state has recently announced that schools will have until September 30, 2022 to amend their 20/21 Mandate Services Aid claims. Please note that this is a hard deadline. We strongly urge schools to amend their claims in a timely manner so as not to lose any of these funds. The 18/19 claim year will close on December 31, 2022, and [...]
Agudas Yisroel Worldwide Siyum on Yevamos
This Thursday, July 7th, Tamuz 8, at 8:30 PM ET, the Daf Yomi Commission of Agudas Yisroel of America in conjunction with Kollel Avreichim will bring together Lomdei HaDaf and their friends and families for a fascinating live broadcast of the Siyum on Yevamos. The program will begin with a discussion on Chalitza, featuring the manufacture and design of the chalitza shoe, insights into mitzvas chalitza, and an explanation on the nussach and seder of mitzvas chalitza. This demonstration will be performed [...]
Reminder: August 1 MST Deadline (7-05-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, Yeshivas are reminded that the deadline for the 2021-22 (Year 5) Mathematics, Science, and Technology Teachers in Religious and Independent Schools (MST) Grant is August 1st. Under this program, yeshivas and other nonpublic schools that employ eligible teachers of math, science and/or technology may seek reimbursement for their salaries. For more information regarding this grant, please see the NYSED grant page [...]
Agudath Israel Advocates for Religious Freedom in New York “Extraordinary Session”
While hundreds of laws are passed in Albany every year, amendments to the New York State Constitution are rare. Yet, that is just what was proposed by New York legislators last week in an “extraordinary session,” and its results could have significantly weakened religious freedom in the state. In response to the United States Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, which gave states more leeway to restrict abortions, New York [...]
Song of Yevamos!
Daf Yomi will (finally!) be celebrating the Siyum of Yevamos, one of the most challenging mesechtos of Shas, this week. The SONG OF YEVAMOS is a great chazara that includes hundreds of phrases found in the mesechta, chazur’ing its key klallim and yesodos - all in rhyme!
Update from Agudah’s Connecticut Office
Left to right: Abi Vail, R' Eli Raskan, David Marazov, Moti Sandman, and Rabbi Ari Weisenfeld. Photo by Emmett Gilles Rabbi Ari Weisenfeld, director of Agudah's Connecticut office met with leaders of the growing Chabad community in New Haven on June 29. The meeting was arranged and hosted by community askan Emmet Gilles. Items discussed included the importance of having a unified agenda for the legislative session, specifics of [...]
Agudath Israel Applauds Unilever for Ending Ben & Jerry’s Participation in Antisemitic BDS Movement
Agudath Israel applauds Unilever’s announcement today that it has sold its Ben & Jerry’s business interests to its Israeli licensee to end Ben & Jerry’s antisemitic BDS practices there. Last summer, as part of its social mission, Ben & Jerry’s decided to refuse sale of its products in parts of Israel, including East Jerusalem. At that time, Agudath Israel and other groups called on Unilever and Ben & Jerry's to [...]
MEMORANDUM OF OPPOSITION
S. 8797-B – Proposed Amendment to the New York State Constitution Agudath Israel of America opposes this proposed amendment. While we have multiple concerns, we will focus our comments here on a glaring omission, which immediately captured our attention. Article 1, Section 11 of the New York State Constitution says, “No person shall because of race, color, creed or religion be subjected to discrimination in his or her civil rights.” The [...]
Roth&Co. Founder Shares Valuable Business Insights with COPE Junior Accounting Program
In a rite of passage that is among the highlights of COPE Institute’s Junior Accounting course, Roth&Co founder and managing partner Abe Roth shared valuable insights with the program’s students on a variety of topics during a June 15th Lunch and Learn seminar. Providing students with a wealth of information in the final days of the three to six month course, the seminar supplements their textbook learning with practical advice [...]
Nathan Lewin on Carson v. Makin – Extended Discussion
In a span of one week the US Supreme Court issued two major decisions related to religious freedom. In Carson v. Makin, a 6-3 majority held that a tuition assistance program in Maine that excluded religious private schools was unconstitutional. A few days later, the Court, in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, effectively overturned the 1971 Lemon v. Kurtzman decision, a position for which Agudah has long advocated. Agudath Israel’s [...]
Nathan Lewin on Carson v. Makin
In a span of one week the US Supreme Court issued two major decisions related to religious freedom. In Carson v. Makin, a 6-3 majority held that a tuition assistance program in Maine that excluded religious private schools was unconstitutional. A few days later, the Court, in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, effectively overturned the 1971 Lemon v. Kurtzman decision, a position for which Agudah has long advocated. Agudath Israel’s [...]
Agudath Israel Welcomes School-Related Provisions in Bipartisan Safer Communities Act
Agudath Israel of America applauds provisions in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act that will help enhance security in American schools, including private schools. The provisions, which were crafted by a bipartisan group of senators, increase appropriations for programs related to school safety and mental health services. “We welcome these provisions and thank the bipartisan group for highlighting the unique issues facing the nation’s schools,” noted Rabbi Abba Cohen, Agudath [...]
NYS Loan Programs Opening (6-28-22)
Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, Please see below for new information regarding NYS Loan Programs: The ordering period for the SY 2022-2023 New York State loan programs (NYSTL, NYSLIB, NYSSL, and NYSCH) is now open. The FY 23 allocation levels remain the same as last year: Allocation Per Student NYSTL: $58.25 NYSSL: $14.98 NYSLIB: $ 6.25 NYSCH: $10.57 The preliminary NYSTL (Textbook) allocation levels are based [...]
Transportation Reimbursement Available (6-28-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, Please see information attached regarding Alternate PM drops and Reimbursement for Curb to School (Door to Door) Busing. This is effective as of now. As always, feel free to reach out to [email protected] with any questions. Sign up for our Whatsapp broadcast list here! Sign up for our mailing list here! Rabbi Yehoshua Pinkus [...]
Agudath Israel Welcomes Passage of the Keep Kids Fed Act, Extending School Food Waivers
Agudath Israel of America is hailing passage of the Keep Kids Fed Act, bipartisan legislation that will extend school meal waivers through this summer and the coming school year. Agudath Israel strongly supported the waiver program and its extension and worked closely with bill sponsors and allies to move the bill through Congress. The school waivers were put into effect during the COVID-19 pandemic to assist families who were reeling from [...]
Every Age and Stage: Bnos 5782 in Review
What a year! We’re wrapping up the Bnos 5782 season, and there’s hardly time to catch our breath. Bnos is busier than ever, serving frum girls from kindergarten through adulthood. How? Fasten your seatbelts, and let’s go on a whirlwind tour of Bnos 5782. K-5 – To our youngest Bnosers, we provide fun with a purpose. Girls have a chance to shine in a relaxed, non-academic setting. This year’s [...]
Agudath Israel of America Welcomes Supreme Court Overruling Roe v. Wade
Today, the Supreme Court of the United States overruled Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision establishing a woman’s constitutional right to abortion. Agudath Israel of America welcomes this historic development. Agudath Israel has long been on record as opposing Roe v. Wade’s legalization of abortion on demand. Informed by the teaching of Jewish law that fetal life is entitled to significant protection, with termination of pregnancy authorized only under certain [...]
Rabbi Moshe Matz at Surfside Memorial with Senator Marco Rubio and Senator Rick Scott
Rabbi Moshe Matz, director of Agudath Israel of Florida, with Senator Rick Scott Rabbi Moshe Matz, director of Agudath Israel of Florida, speaking with Senator Marco Rubio Rabbi Moshe Matz, director of Agudath Israel of Florida, with Senator Marco Rubio Rabbi Moshe Matz, director of Agudath Israel of Florida, and Senator Marco Rubio, speaking with first responders As the anniversary of the tragic Surfside collapse approaches, Rabbi Moshe Matz, director [...]
Agudath Israel Statement Applauding Supreme Court Ruling in Carson v. Makin
The United States Supreme Court today issued a landmark ruling that positively impacts religious schools’ ability to participate in state aid programs. The Court ruled that the First Amendment’s Free Exercise Clause prohibits states from discriminating not only against schools that identify as religious, but also those that actively teach religious subjects. This ruling eases the way for state aid to flow to parents who choose to send their children [...]
June 21 Update
Tomorrow is Primary Day in New York City. This will be your last chance to be heard. We implore you- please go out and vote in the primaries tomorrow- and tell all your family and friends to do the same. This election can determine our future in this city- our yeshivas our shuls and our very way of life. So PLEASE GO OUT AND VOTE!! Polls are open from 6 AM to [...]
Agudath Israel Applauds Virginia General Assembly and Governor Youngkin for Upholding Full $25 Million Scholarship Tax Credit Program
On Friday afternoon both the House and Senate of the Commonwealth of Virginia voted favorably on the amendment submitted by Governor Glenn Youngkin to restore the full funding of the Education Improvement Scholarship Tax Credit program (EISTC). Back on June 1, 2022, the Virginia General Assembly voted on and approved the 2022-2024 budget. In the budget compromise process, one of the many amendments that was adopted reduced the budget cap [...]
Pirchei Agudas Yisroel Shas Presentation 2022
Mesayemim with Rabbi Dovid Gibber, Rav, Agudas Yisroel of Ave. H, Flatbush, Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Executive Vice President, Agudas Yisroel of America, and Rabbi Ephraim Levi, National Director, Pirchei Agudas Yisroel of America Rabbi Dovid Gibber, Rav, Agudas Yisroel of Ave. H, Flatbush, speaking Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Executive Vice President, Agudas Yisroel of America, speaking Rabbi Ephraim Levi, National Director, Pirchei Agudas Yisroel of America, speaking Excitement and nachas emanated [...]
Title Nominations for the 2022-23 School Year (6-20-22)
Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, Please see below for important information from the Office of Non-Public Schools (ONPS) about nominating students in NPSIS for Title I and Title III services. Nominating Students for Title I The NPSIS Title I Educational Survey is open for you to nominate students. Please nominate your students by the end of June so your vendor may create groups and facilitate the [...]
Agudath Israel Statement on Proposed Mandate for Women to Register with the Selective Service System
Agudath Israel of America is a national Orthodox Jewish organization. We offer this statement to express concern regarding the provision within the proposed FY 2023 National Defense Authorization Act that has emerged from the Senate markup, which will require all Americans, including women, to register with the Selective Service System. The registration framework will be utilized in the event that the draft is reinstated and there is need to mobilize [...]
Agudath Israel Applauds Introduction of Educational Choice for Children Act
Agudath Israel of America applauds Senator Bill Cassidy (R- LA) and Representative Jackie Walorski (R-IN) for leading the effort to increase school choice across the country. The Educational Choice for Children Act the legislators unveiled today will provide ten billion dollars’ worth of tax credits to individual and corporate taxpayers to support educational opportunities in all fifty states. Providing dollar for dollar tax credits will encourage both businesses and individuals to invest [...]
Early Voting Begins This Weekend
This month New York State will be having Primary Elections for Governor, all other statewide offices, judicial seats, and members of the Assembly. It is crucial that all of us vote. Early Voting Begins this weekend and goes through June 26th. Primary Day is June 28th. If you are away for the summer and will no longer be in New York City on June 28, YOU CAN VOTE EARLY!! IMPORTANT- Early Voting sites are [...]
YahalomNJ Mothers’ Night Out
Rabbi Avi Schnall, Director of Agudah's New Jersey Office UnitedHealthcare Community Plan Chief Medical Officer Dr. Marilyn Gordon Yesterday, YahalomNJ held a night out for mothers of children with special needs, at Kava café in Howell. The mothers were treated to a magnificent dairy buffet, and Yahalom swag to bring home. Dr. Marilyn Gordon, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan Chief Medical Officer, gave an informative workshop and Q&A session. Mrs. Victoria Dwek gave a [...]
Non-Public School Calendar Deadline (6-13-22)
Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, The non-public school calendar application is now open for the 2022-23 school year. The deadline to update this calendar is July 1. You should indicate when you’ll be having half days, alternate days, and no service days. If your school receives both general education and special ed. bussing, make sure to update both calendars. New this year, if [...]
Agudath Israel Applauds Colorado Governor Jared Polis for Signing the Colorado Nonprofit Security Grant Program into Law
Rabbi Yossi Kaplan, director of Agudath Israel of Colorado, at the bill signing with other supporters and bill sponsors Rabbi Yossi Kaplan, director of Agudath Israel of Colorado with Colorado Governor Jared Polis Rabbi Yossi Kaplan, director of Agudath Israel of Colorado with bill sponsor State Senator Kevin Priola Rabbi Yossi Kaplan, director of Agudath Israel of Colorado with bill sponsor State Senator Chris Hansen Agudath Israel applauds Colorado Governor [...]
Court Overturns Nonpublic School Bus Ruling: Agudath Israel Supports Blooming Grove Appeal to Highest New York Court
Last week, in a ruling that could have major ramifications for yeshiva students across New York State, an appellate court overruled a lower court ruling that the Washingtonville school district must provide transportation to nonpublic school students on all days that their schools are in session. The case, United Jewish Community of Blooming Grove v. Washingtonville Central School District, challenged the school district’s policy of providing transportation to nonpublic [...]
Agudath Israel Asks Supreme Court to Protect the Religious Rights of Prisoners
Agudath Israel, along with the Jewish Coalition for Religious Liberty and the Aleph Institute, has submitted an amicus curiae (friend of the court) brief asking the Supreme Court of the United States to accept a case concerning the religious liberty of prisoners. The case, Smith v. Ward, was brought by a Muslim prisoner who requested a religious accommodation to grow his beard, untrimmed, as his religion requires. The prison warden in Georgia [...]
ABSENTEE BALLOT DEADLINE APPROACHING
This month New York State will be having Primary Elections for every statewide office including governor, attorney general, and state comptroller. In addition, there will be primaries for state assembly and judicial seats. It is crucial that all of us vote. Primary Day is June 28th and early voting begins June 18th. If you are away for the summer and will no longer be in New York City on June 28, YOU CAN VOTE ABSENTEE!! [...]
Pirchei Agudas Yisroel’s Midwest Asifa L’Bnei Aliya 2022
Boys Arriving at the Asifa Boys Arriving at the Asifa Boys Arriving at the Asifa Teffilin Exhibit Animal Presentation Tztzis Exhibit Animal Exhibit Created by the Boys Animal Presentation Boys with Chaver Motzes Gedolei HaTorah Rabbi Aharon Dovid Goldberg, Rosh Yeshiva, Telshe, Cleveland Boys Learning Kumzitz Animal Presentation Rabbi Yitzchok Kahn Menahel, Beis Chinuch Rav Dessler/Hebrew Academy of Cleveland, speaking Rabbi Dovid Asher Schnurmann, Menahel Yeshiva Derech Hatorah, speaking Chaver [...]
OPT Upcoming Deadlines (6-07-22)
Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, Please see below for important transportation deadlines and information. OPT Session Time Application: The Session Time application is open until June 15 for you to submit the start-and-end-times for the 2022-23 school year. Once on the application, you also need to confirm the Principal and Transportation Coordinator information on record. You will receive approval for your requests via email, and you can track your approval [...]
Ask the Massachusetts Legislature to include security personnel pilot program in the budget
Senator Eric Lesser's amendment to increase funding for the security grant program to $3 million and to introduce a new security personnel pilot program were adopted in the Senate Budget. The budget process now moves on with a six-member conference committee appointed by the legislature to reconcile the differences between the House and the Senate budget proposals. The next step is to ask the conference committee to invest in these [...]
Urge VA Governor Glenn Youngkin to REJECT major cut to EISTC program
Since the passage of the Education Improvement Scholarships Tax Credits (EISTC) program in 2012, nonpublic school families in Virginia, including those attending Jewish day schools and yeshivos in Richmond and Norfolk, have received enormous benefit from the program. The annual allocation for this program was previously capped at $25 million in the state budget. However, the program's opponents in the Virginia General Assembly have just passed a budget that cuts [...]
A Time to Share and Connect: YahalomNY Five Towns Event for Mothers of Children with Special Needs
The third and final installment of YahalomNY’s spring series of mothers’ nights out was held in the Five Towns/Far Rockaway neighborhoods, and hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Yosef and Faigy Lowinger. The event, designed to give mothers of children with special needs a time to network and connect, was attended by over 80 mothers from the Queens, Far Rockaway, Hewlett, Woodmere, Valley Stream, Bayswater, Long Beach, and Great Neck areas. [...]
LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER TO VOTE: DEADLINE TOMORROW
Tomorrow, Friday, June 3rd, is the last chance to register to vote in the upcoming primary. New York State will be having both Democratic and Republican primaries for the office of governor, other statewide offices, judicial seats, and all members of the State Assembly. Our voices must be heard!! Primary Day is June 28 and early voting begins June 18th. If you are not registered you cannot vote. [...]
Agudah’s Rockland Office Hosts New Schools Training
Rabbi Shragi Greenbaum, Director, Agudath Israel Rockland Regional Office, presenting Rabbi Yehoshua Pinkus, Director of Yeshiva Services, presenting Rabbi Ami Bazov, Associate Director of Yeshiva Services, presenting Earlier this week, the Agudath Israel Rockland Regional Office hosted a New Schools Training in the Monsey area. As the general Monsey community rapidly grows, new schools and yeshivos are opening to meet the demand. This presentation, geared towards school administrators, was organized [...]
Agudath Israel of America Letter in Opposition to the Proposed New Substantial Equivalency Regulations
Among the 250,000 opposing comments to the NYS equivalency of instruction Regulations, was a letter submitted by Agudath Israel of America's executive vice president, Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, on behalf of the organization. The letter forcefully articulates the dangers inherent in empowering Local School Authorities to “oversee” yeshivas, particularly as it relates to sensitive religious freedom issues. The letter also details the flawed approach of broadly omitting significant portions of yeshivas’ [...]
Agudath Israel Commends the Ohio General Assembly’s Expansion of School Choice
COLUMBUS, OH (June 1, 2022) – Today, the Ohio House concurred with the Senate and voted to pass H.B. 583, which addresses numerous education related issues. The bill now awaits Governor Mike DeWine’s signature, which is expected. The bill creates a new law that is welcomed by families and education advocates alike. Agudath Israel of Ohio’s Executive Director Rabbi Yitz Frank praised the General Assembly for their vision. "Expanding school [...]
FAQ on Canceled Regents Exam (6-01-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, As we informed you last week, see here, the United States History and Government Regents Exam was canceled. NYSED has released an important FAQ about the canceled exam. See here. As always, feel free to reach out to [email protected] with any questions. Sign up for our Whatsapp broadcast list here! Sign up for our mailing list [...]
Thank you!
Thank you. Thank you Klal Yisroel. You took the time to make your voices heard, a united 250,000+ strong people commenting to the New York State Education Department, saying loudly: We value our mesorah. We value the autonomy of our mosdos. We value our rights as parents. And we oppose your proposed regulations. The comment period is now over, but our hishtadlus was certainly strong. May our tefillos about this potentially devastating issue be accepted. As [...]
Agudath Israel Disappointed at High Court’s Declining to Hear Case Involving Antisemitic Harassment of Worshippers on Shabbos
Photo Credits: From court document Agudath Israel of America is deeply disappointed by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision not to hear Marvin Gerber v. Herskovits, et al., a case involving antisemitic protests outside an Ann Arbor, Michigan congregation on Shabbos mornings. In April, Agudath Israel, joined by nine other Orthodox Jewish organizations, filed an amicus brief asking the Court to hear the case. Every Shabbos morning, for nearly twenty years, the Beth Israel [...]
Industry Professionals Oppose Substantial Equivalency Regulation
Time left to comment: Click below for your industry. Accountants Lawyers Software Engineers Educators Klei Kodesh Medical Professionals
LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER TO VOTE: DEADLINE TODAY
This Friday, June 3rd, is the last chance to register to vote in the upcoming primary. New York State will be having both Democratic and Republican primaries for the office of governor, other statewide offices, judicial seats, and all members of the State Assembly. Our voices must be heard!! Primary Day is June 28 and early voting begins June 18th. If you are not registered you cannot vote. If you [...]
Substantial Equivalency Opposition Comment by Medical Professionals
Total submissions: May 29, 2022 Ms. Christina Coughlin 89 Washington Ave., EBA Room 1078 SORIS, SE Regulation Comments Albany, NY 12234 [email protected] Medical Professionals Oppose the Proposed Addition of Part 130 to Title 8 NYCRR (Rule ID# EDU-13-22-00025-P) to Strictly Regulate Private Schools Dear Ms. Coughlin and Honorable Members of the Board of Regents: We are physicians and healthcare professionals writing to share [...]
Substantial Equivalency Opposition Comment by Educators
Total submissions: May 27, 2022 Ms. Christina Coughlin 89 Washington Ave., EBA Room 1078 SORIS, SE Regulation Comments Albany, NY 12234 [email protected] Educators Oppose the Proposed Addition of Part 130 to Title 8 NYCRR (Rule ID# EDU-13-22-00025-P) to Strictly Regulate Private Schools Dear Ms. Coughlin and Honorable Members of the Board of Regents: We, the undersigned, are professional educators. We serve in a [...]
A Record-Breaking 250,000 Comments and Counting: Protest Swells Against New York State “Substantial Equivalency” Regulations
As the May 31st deadline for public comments on New York State’s proposed substantial equivalency regulations approaches, some 250,000 people have voiced opposition. The newly released regulations – which seek to have the state control and manage all private schools in a way not seen in any state in the country – has drawn criticism from legal scholars, professional associations, and parents. The Orthodox Jewish community, which has over 400 [...]
Substantial Equivalency Opposition Comment by Yeshiva Educators
To add your name to this letter, please email [email protected]. May 27, 2022 Ms. Christina Coughlin 89 Washington Ave., EBA Room 1078 SORIS, SE Regulation Comments Albany, NY 12234 [email protected] Yeshiva Educators Oppose the Proposed Addition of Part 130 to Title 8 NYCRR (Rule ID# EDU-13-22-00025-P) to Strictly Regulate Private Schools Dear Ms. Coughlin and Honorable Members of the Board of Regents: We are graduates of yeshivos [...]
Software Engineers Oppose NY’s Proposed “Substantial Equivalency” Regulations
Total submissions: May 17, 2022 Ms. Christina Coughlin 89 Washington Ave., EBA Room 1078 SORIS, SE Regulation Comments Albany, NY 12234 [email protected] We, the undersigned software engineers, are proud and grateful alumni of the Orthodox Jewish yeshiva system. We are writing to testify to the superb yeshiva education that we received, and to register our unequivocal opposition to the State Education Department’s proposed regulations [...]
CANCELED: June 2022 Regents Exam in US History and Government (5-24-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, The State Education Department has just announced that the June 2022 Regents Examination in United States History and Government (Framework) that was to be administered on June 1 has been canceled. Please see the state’s memo here for more details. As always, feel free to reach out to [email protected] with any questions. Sign up for our [...]
Memo of Support Bill No S9010/A10288
S9010- RAMOS/A10288 CLARK -- Prohibits requiring parents or caretakers to earn a minimum wage or work a minimum number of hours to be eligible for child care assistance Date: May 19, 2022 Agudath Israel of America supports this bill which would repeal the requirement of minimum work hours or a minimum wage in order for parents to be considered eligible for child care assistance. New York’s working class [...]
Working Papers (5-23-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators,With the summer season upon us, we've been asked about Employment Certificate (commonly known as "working paper") requirements for students who wish to be employed during the summer. A few quick rules: With few exceptions, minors under 14 may not legally be employed. Minors ages 14-17 must obtain working papers to submit to employers prior to working and be returned to the [...]
Childcare Desert Grant Opportunity for Current Child Care Providers! (5-23-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, The NYS Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) has announced a new Child Care Desert Initiative for existing child care programs located in a child care desert. Please visit the program's webpage by clicking HERE and carefully read the Request for Applications document for additional details about this opportunity. The modalities that are eligible to apply are: Component A programs: [...]
Substantial Equivalency Opposition Comment by Accountants
Total submissions: Ms. Christina Coughlin 89 Washington Ave., EBA Room 1078 SORIS, SE Regulation Comments Albany, NY 12234 [email protected] Accountants Opposing the Proposed Addition of Part 130 to Title 8 NYCRR (Rule ID# EDU-13-22-00025-P) to Strictly Regulate Private Schools We, the undersigned, are accounting professionals who are proud graduates of the Orthodox Jewish yeshiva system. We are writing to share our positive collective experience as [...]
Camaraderie and Connection for Brooklyn Mothers at YahalomNY Event
Mothers from Boro Park, Marine Park, Staten Island, Flatbush and Kensington, joined in a special Yahalom event last week in the home of hosts Hashi and Miriam Herzka. The mothers, who came from every demographic, had one thing in common: As parents of children with special needs – whether their children are toddlers or adults – they jumped at the opportunity to connect with others for mutual support, chizzuk, and inspiration. [...]
Let Michigan Kids Learn: Rabbi Ari Weisenfeld Participates in Roundtable with Former Vice President Mike Pence and Former Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos
Rabbi Ari Weisenfeld, Agudath Israel’s associate national director of state relations, with former Vice President Mike Pence Rabbi Ari Weisenfeld, Agudath Israel’s associate national director of state relations, with former Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and Mr. Andy Zack, a member of the local Detroit Orthodox Jewish community Rabbi Ari Weisenfeld, Agudath Israel’s associate national director of state relations, joined former Vice President Mike Pence and former Secretary of Education [...]
Registration Deadlines Approaching
2022 is a very important election year in New York. Elections will be held for every statewide office including governor, attorney general, and state comptroller. In addition, every congressional, state senate and assembly seat will also be on the ballot. Our community has faced many challenges over these past few years. Anti semitism is on the rise, and many in our community feel personally targeted. And who can forget during [...]
Substantial Equivalency Opposition Comment by Lawyers
Total submissions: May 17, 2022 Ms. Christina Coughlin 89 Washington Ave., EBA Room 1078 SORIS, SE Regulation Comments Albany, NY 12234 [email protected] Lawyers and Law Students Oppose the Proposed Addition of Part 130 to Title 8 NYCRR (Rule ID# EDU-13-22-00025-P) to Strictly Regulate Private Schools Dear Ms. Coughlin and Honorable Members of the Board of Regents: We, the undersigned, are lawyers or law [...]
MEMORANDUM OF SUPPORT _ A. 472-S.121
TO: Members of the Senate and Assembly Education Committees RE: S.121 Kaplan/ A. 472 Rozic DATE: April 6, 2021 Agudath Israel of America supports the passage of S.121 Kaplan / A.472 Rozic a bill that would authorize the commissioner of education to conduct a study regarding courses of study on the Holocaust within the state. Young adults in the US do not know enough about the Holocaust. About 12% of [...]
MEMORANDUM OF SUPPORT _ A. 2508 -S. 125
TO: Members of the Senate and Assembly Education Committees RE: S.125 Kaplan/ A. 2508 Eichenstein/A.4734 Stern DATE: February 17, 2021 Agudath Israel of America supports the passage of A.2508/S.125, a bill that would require hate crime awareness be added to school curriculums. This bill would require schools to add hate crime awareness to the curriculum to educate students as to what discrimination looks like and positive actions they can take [...]
MEMORANDUM OF SUPPORT_ S912
TO: Members of the State Senate Education Committee RE: S. 912 DATE: January 19th, 2021 Agudath Israel of America strongly supports S. 912, which establishes a school voter registration access program in schools across the state. Agudath Israel has long been active in voter registration efforts and supports any initiative to increase those efforts. More recently, the Agudah Voting Project has been actively visiting New York high schools to register [...]
Agudath Israel Applauds the Colorado State Legislature for Creating the Colorado Nonprofit Security Grant Program
The federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), which provides funding for nonprofits to secure themselves from terrorist attacks, has for years been an invaluable resource for schools, shuls, and other nonprofit institutions, which are at high risk of being targeted. However, even as the funding for the federal grants have increased in recent years the demand for the grant is greater than the supply. This has led multiple states, most recently [...]
Agudath Israel of America’s Statement on the Racially Motivated Shooting in Buffalo
Agudath Israel expresses our grief after the horrific racially-motivated shooting in Buffalo, New York, yesterday. Our condolences to the victims’ families, and our prayers for those injured. The shooter, a self-proclaimed white supremacist and antisemite, killed ten and injured three more – almost all of whom were Black – in a deadly massacre. In a 180-page hate-filled racist and antisemitic manifesto, the shooter labeled his forthcoming attack as “terrorism.” We [...]
YahalomNY Supporting Mothers of Children with Special Needs in Monsey
Children with special needs require lots of care. Mothers of children with special needs deserve care and support too. YahalomNY held a unique event for these mothers this Wednesday. The event, latest in a series of evenings of support for mothers of special needs children, was hosted by Shmuel Dovid and Raizy Levinson in Monsey, New York, and was attended by over 80 mothers, coming from all across Monsey, [...]
Photos: Pirchei Agudas Yisroel of America 59th Annual National Siyum Mishnayos Al Shem Harav Yehoshua Silbermintz zt”l
Nachy Fishman Reciting part of the Hadran Crowd Rabbi Ephraim Levi receiving award from Rabbi Labish Becker Rabbi Moshe Tuvia Leiff Pirchim Receiving Brochos Pre Siyum Event With Rabbi Shia Grunfeld Dais Rabbi Shia Grunfeld Reciting Tehillim Rabbi Shlomo Mandel and Rabbi Labish Becker Mr. Abe Eisner reciting Kaddish Rabbi Dovid Gibber And Mr. Abe Eisner Rabbi Avi Frank and Rabbi Moshe Tuvia Leiff Super Raffle Prize Table After [...]
Agudah’s New England Office Hosts Community Meeting with Senator Eric Lesser to Discuss the Commonwealth Security Grant Program
Agudah’s New England office held a community meeting with State Senator Eric Lesser last week to discuss the security needs of its institutions, and express thanks to him for his leadership on the Commonwealth Security Grant Program. At the meeting, Senator Lesser expressed his support for the Jewish community and pledged to ensure that their security needs are met. Senator Lesser also spoke about the need to expand the [...]
Illinois GOP Leaders Visit Chicago’s Orthodox Jewish Community
L-R Tzvi Ray, Simcha Frank, Michoel Nudell, Rabbi Shlomo Soroka, Rep. Jim Durkin, Sen. Dan McConchie, Aaron Topper, Rabbi Ari Strulowitz, Moshe Davis, Tzvi Montrose, Moshe Blonder, Rabbi Yaakov Robinson Rabbi Eli Samber with Sen. McConchie, Elan Magence, and Rep. Durkin at Arie Crown Hebrew Day School Rabbi Eli Samber looks on as a student explains the Shmita display to Senator McConchie. Rabbi Tzvi Bider with Rep. Durkin and Sen. [...]
Comment Now to Protect Our Yeshivos: Agudah Calls Upon Klal Yisroel to Take Action
The NYS Education Department recently released new, proposed Substantial Equivalency Regulations for nonpublic schools. These draft regulations can give unprecedented authority over yeshivos to the local public-school districts, and the curricular requirements can present a serious challenge to the ability of our yeshivos to be mechanech our children according to their mesorah. The release of these regulations triggers a 60-day public comment period which ends May 31. The last draft of the [...]
Agudath Israel Statement on Terror Attack in Elad, Israel
Agudath Israel is horrified by the news of a terror attack in Elad, Israel. The terrorists - one wielding an ax - killed three and injured several others. Our hearts go out to our brothers and sisters in Israel, who have been subject to what has become a sickening wave of terror attacks in recent weeks. Both Hamas and Islamic Jihad have praised the deadly attack on innocent bystanders as [...]
Increase funding for the nonprofit security grant program and include support for contracted security personnel
Given the significant increase in antisemitic incidents across the country and right here in Greater Boston, we ask that you please send the note below to your legislators. Our schools and shuls are spending significant funds each year to protect our children and our community and they should not have to shoulder these costs alone. One of the state's core functions is to ensure the safety of all residents and to [...]
Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel speaking about “The State of American Jewry” on the Kolot Podcast
Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel speaking about “The State of American Jewry” on the Kolot Podcast
Agudath Israel of Maryland Sine Die Report 2022
Photo Credits: Shutterstock/By Mihai_Andritoiu The 2022 legislative session of the Maryland General Assembly ended on Monday, April 11, at midnight. Agudath Israel of Maryland is pleased to report on some of the highlights and results of the legislative session on the items of primary interest to the Orthodox Jewish Community. “After the 2020 legislative session was cut short due to Covid, and the 2021 session was limited, it was [...]
April 29 Update
Mayor Adams Outlines Vision and Budget New York City Mayor Eric Adams this week outlined his vision for New York City for all in his first State of the City address, delivered this week in Brooklyn to which I was invited to attend. In the speech, the mayor reviewed key achievements of the Adams administration from his first 100 days in office, previewed a range of his plans for the city, and [...]
Agudath Israel of Missouri Certified as Educational Assistance Organization for MOScholars Program
Rabbi Shlomo Soroka with Governor Mike Parson Agudath Israel of Missouri is proud to be one of the six educational assistance organizations (EAOs) certified yesterday by the State of Missouri. An EAO is a nonprofit organization that manages scholarship accounts for eligible Missouri children as part of the Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program. The EAO may accept contributions from individuals and businesses who then receive a dollar-for-dollar state tax [...]
Agudath Israel Asks U.S. Supreme Court to Protect Worshipers from Antisemitic Harassment
Agudath Israel of America, along with nine other national Jewish organizations, filed an amicus curiae brief last week asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear a case with significant ramifications for religious freedom. The case, Marvin Gerber v. Herskovits, et al., involves the rights to worship and free speech, in the context of nearly two decades of protests and harassment affecting members of a synagogue in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Two [...]
Four-part shiur series in preparation for Pesach
Rabbi Yeruchem Olshin, Rosh HaYeshiva, Beth Medrash Govoha, Lakewood, Chaver Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah: Rabbi Aron Dovid Goldberg, Rosh HaYeshiva Telshe Cleveland, Chaver Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah: Rabbi Yisroel Perlow, Novominsker Rebbe: Rabbi Yaakov Hillel, Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshivat Chevrat Ahavat Shalom, Yerushalayim:
Pirchei Pesach
Pesach 2021 Pesach 2020 - 1 Pesach 2020 - 2 Pesach 2019 Pesach 2018 - 1 Pesach 2018 - 2
Mandatory Daycare Survey Deadline Extended (4-11-22)
Dear NYS Childcare Providers, The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), Bureau of Immunization Online Day Care and Pre-K Immunization Survey deadline has been extended to May 13, 2022. This survey is mandatory for all daycare and pre-k programs unless you already filled out the general immunization survey for your school and included your daycare or pre-k program in that survey. The immunization survey is [...]
New York State Passes Budget: Agudath Israel Applauds Wins for Yeshivas and Substantial New Gains Directly for Parents
Photo Credits: Cheri Alguire/Shutterstock After months of intense negotiations, Governor Kathy Hochul and the legislature finally came to an agreement on a $220 billion budget over the weekend. Significantly, this budget addresses many of the priorities that Agudath Israel and its coalition partners requested on behalf of yeshivas and parents. There were many other issues on the negotiating table. Bail reform; tax incentives for developers; a new stadium for a [...]
New Funding for Security, School Transportation, Among Other Measures in Illinois Budget
The State of Illinois has a new budget, and it contains items that will improve the lives and livelihoods of the Orthodox Jewish community and millions of other Illinoisans. Since successfully advocating for a state-level non-profit security grant program in 2017, Agudath Israel of Illinois (AIOI) has urged the the legislature and governor to fund the program. Finally, this year, in response to the advocacy efforts of AIOI, the Jewish [...]
Agudath Israel Statement on Antisemitic Attacks in Ocean County, New Jersey
Agudath Israel of America is shocked and horrified by the brutal attacks on Orthodox Jewish victims in Lakewood and Jackson, New Jersey, over the weekend. We commend the swift and bold response by law enforcement and are particularly grateful to the Lakewood Police Department and those of the surrounding municipalities, the Ocean County Prosecutor, the New Jersey Attorney General’s office, Governor Murphy, and the FBI who have all committed the [...]
NSGP Expected Timeline (4-08-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, We expect that applications for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) will open sometime in mid-May, and the deadline will be in June. The application window can be as short as 14 days, so if you intend to apply for this grant, make sure that you are prepared. See here and here for our previous memos that go through the [...]
Agudath Israel Applauds Passage of Illinois Scholarship Program Enhancements
What do you do when thousands of economically disadvantaged children are fortunate enough to get private school scholarships only to fear their good fortune will run out after a year or two? If you’re Representative Curtis J. Tarver II, you introduce a bill that addresses the problem, and partner with colleagues and advocates to pass the legislation into law. After a long journey that began back in August of last [...]
Midwest Agudas Yisroel Council of Synagogue Rabbonim Release Sefer on the Halachos of Tevilas Keilim
The Midwest Agudas Yisroel Council of Synagogue Rabbonim is pleased to present a new sefer with instructions for the halachos of Tevilas Keilim. The sefer, Safah Berurah: The Halachos of Tevilas Keilim, was compiled and written by Rabbi Yaakov Robinson, executive director of the Midwest Agudas Yisroel Council of Synagogue Rabbanim, and reviewed by Rabbi Shmuel Fuerst, Dayan, Agudas Yisroel of Illinois. Click here for a downloadable PDF.
Agudath Israel Statement on Today’s Terror Attack in Tel Aviv
Agudath Israel is horrified by the news of yet another terror attack, this one in Tel Aviv, Israel. The terrorists opened fire on innocent civilians, killing 2 and injuring many more. Our hearts go out to our brothers and sisters in Israel, who are subject to a spree of deadly terror attacks, in which 13 people have been killed in just two and a half weeks. We join all people [...]
Important EANS Survey for Unmet Needs (4-07-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, As we mentioned in our previous email, there is a final opportunity to apply for EANS I funds. There is still a significant amount of unallocated funds available. Schools that are eligible for an EANS I allocation (i.e. did not receive a PPP loan after 12/27/2020), but did not receive an allocation, are eligible to request an allocation. Schools that already [...]
Agudath Israel Commends Senate Passage of Pray Safe Act That Will Better Safeguard Religious Facilities
Agudath Israel of America is applauding the U.S. Senate for passage of the bipartisan Pray Safe Act, legislation introduced by Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH). The act, if it becomes law, will direct federal agencies to collect – and help faith-based organizations and houses of worship to access – information on best practices, federal grants, and training programs to better safeguard and secure their religious facilities. Agudath [...]
Photos and Video: Hespedim for Rav Chaim Kanievsky ZTVK”L
Rabbi Yitzchok Sorotzkin, Rosh HaYeshiva, Telz, Mesifta D’Lakewood, Chaver Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Rabbi Moshe Tuvia Lieff, Shlita Mora D’Asra, Agudas Yisroel Bais Binyomin Rabbi Elya Brudny, Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshivas Mir Chaver Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Rabbi Yitzchok Zilberstein, Rosh Kollel, Bais Dovid, Cholon, Rav, Ramat Elchanan, Bnei Brak Rubin Schron Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Executive Vice President, Agudath Israel of America The Torah Projects Commission of Agudas Yisroel, in conjunction with [...]
NSGP Updates (4-05-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, As you may have heard, the appropriation for the FY2022 Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) has passed and has been increased from $180 million to $250 million due to the advocacy of Agudath Israel and our coalition partners. Please see our previous memo here for important information from NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) regarding the upcoming grant. [...]
Important EANS I Update (4-04-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, We have received advance notice that the obligation deadline for EANS I is imminent, and subsequent to that deadline, the remaining unobligated funds will be transferred to GEER - Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund. We anticipate that there will be a short, final, ‘last chance’ period to apply for EANS funds that may start any day. What does this mean for [...]
Important Announcement from The Conference of Synagogue Rabbonim of Agudath Israel of America Regarding Mezuzos
The Conference of Synagogue Rabbonim of Agudath Israel of America released a Kol Korei today on the topic of ensuring that mezuzos are kosher. Please click here to view.
Recording of US History and Government Regents Exam Webinar (4-01-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, This week we hosted a webinar with the NYSED Office of State Assessments regarding the revised US History and Government Regents exam. You can watch a recording of the webinar here. See below for additional resources from NYSED: PowerPoint presentation from the webinar Revised timeline of the exam Resources and guides for the exam K-12 Social Studies framework and curriculum guidelines [...]
Webinar on Revised US History and Government Regents Exam
This week, we held a webinar with the NY Office of State Assessments on the newly revised US History and Government Regents Exam. See below for a recording of the webinar.
Agudath Israel of America Applauds Senate Confirmation of Dr. Deborah Lipstadt
Agudath Israel of America applauds Senate confirmation of Dr. Deborah Lipstadt as the State Department’s Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, an ambassador-level position. Agudath Israel endorsed President Biden’s pick for Special Envoy early on. “Dr. Lipstadt is a unique blend of scholar-activist,” observed Rabbi Abba Cohen, Agudath Israel’s Vice President of Government Affairs and Washington Director. “She is a prominent historian and thinker on the [...]
MST Update: Year 3 Payments Released, Year 5 Applications Available (3-31-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, Year 3 (2019-20) payments for the Mathematics, Science, & Technology (MST) Grant are now being released to schools. You can find your school’s allocation here. Click here for more information on MST. A total of $30 million was allocated for Year 3, and we expect a significant expansion to the program to be included in this year’s budget. Year 4 applications [...]
Representatives of Jewish Communities Across the US Meet in Houston for the Midwest Agudah Lay Leaders Conference
Agudah M.A.L.L. Conference Lunch session at the Houston home of Yakov and Frumie Polatsek YTE students present nearly $1000 to Agudah representatives to help with rescue and relief efforts in Ukraine Representatives from more than a dozen cities at Agudah M.A.L.L. conference in Houston Rabbi Yitz Frank, director, Agudath Israel of Ohio, Rabbi Avi Schnall, director of Agudath Israel of America’s New Jersey office, Dr. Zev Munk, longtime Houston lay [...]
Recording of OCFS Webinar on Childcare Desert Grants (3-30-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, Last week we hosted a webinar in conjunction with the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) regarding Childcare Desert Grants. Click here for a recording and other materials from the webinar. This presentation includes information on becoming a NYS Licensed Childcare provider. Programs in NYC that are governed by Article 47, have a different process and may [...]
Childcare Desert Grant Webinar with OCFS
Last week we held a webinar with the NY Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) on Childcare Desert Grants. See below for a recording of the webinar, the Powerpoint presentation and the Q&A from the webinar. PowerPoint slides: Q&A:
Agudath Israel Commends the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Vote on Confirmation of Dr. Deborah Lipstadt
Photo Credits: Katherine Welles/Shutterstock.com Agudath Israel of America commends the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for voting today in favor of the nomination of Dr. Deborah Lipstadt as the State Department’s Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism. Agudath Israel urges the full Senate to act swiftly to confirm the nomination and allow Dr. Lipstadt to promptly assume her responsibilities. “As antisemitism continues to rise around the world, it is increasingly [...]
Agudath Israel Mourns Victims of Another Terror Attack in Israel
Agudath Israel is devastated by the news of yet another terror attack, this one in Bnei Brak, Israel. The attacker(s) opened fire on innocent civilians, killing five. This is the third deadly terrorist attack in Israel in the past week and a total of eleven people have been murdered. Our brothers and sisters in Israel are reeling from more deaths in terror attacks in their country in the last week [...]
Statement on Today’s Terror Attack in Israel
Our hearts cry at the terrible news of a terror attack in Hadera, Israel. In what has now become a familiar, if numbing pattern, terrorists opened fire on innocent civilians, killing two and injuring many more. We pray for the victims and their families, and for peace between Israel and its neighbors.
AIS Year 5 (3-25-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, The New York State Education Department has posted the Year 5 Academic Intervention Services Grant Program (AIS) application and allocations. See here for the program guidance from NYSED which explains what AIS is. See here for the Year 5 Allocation Listing. Please note: Since all year 4 AIS applications are still in process, carryover funds are not included in this allocation [...]
Take Action! Support More Funds and More Focus on Fighting Terror Against Shuls, Yeshivos, and Other Nonprofits
Dear Agudah Activist: We greatly appreciate your advocacy help in urging Congress to boost the Nonprofit Security Grant Program to new levels. BH, we were successful! Congress has appropriated $250 million for the current fiscal year. But we know our work is not over. Threats continue to increase, as violent antisemitic incidents and hate crimes have risen in recent years. That is why NSGP remains one of Agudath Israel’s top [...]
Support More Funds and More Focus on Fighting Terror Against Shuls, Yeshivos, and Other Nonprofits
Dear Agudah Activist: We greatly appreciate your advocacy help in urging Congress to boost the Nonprofit Security Grant Program to new levels. BH, we were successful! Congress has appropriated $250 million for the current fiscal year. But we know our work is not over. Threats continue to increase, as violent antisemitic incidents and hate crimes have risen in recent years. That is why NSGP remains one of Agudath Israel’s top [...]
Busing for Field Trips (3-24-22)
Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, Starting March 28, schools will be able to book yellow school busing for field trips during school days. More information and instructions can be found here. As always, feel free to reach out to [email protected] with any questions. Sign up for our Whatsapp broadcast list here! Sign up for our mailing list here! Rabbi [...]
CAPE Webinar on Federal COVID Relief Programs
The Council for American Private Education (CAPE) recently held a webinar on the different federal COVID relief programs, such as EANS, ARP, GEER etc. See below for a recording of the webinar.
Agudath Israel Statement on Terror Attack in Beer Sheva
Agudath Israel is heartbroken by the terror attack in Beer Sheva that left four dead and two injured. The terrorist brutally murdered Doris Yahbas, a mother of three, Moshe Kravitsky, a Chabad emissary, Lora Yitzhak, a mother of three, and Menachem Yehezkel, who was 67. The entire Jewish nation suffers when our brothers and sisters are attacked and here, too, we suffer along with the victims and their families, to [...]
Recording of CAPE Federal COVID Relief Programs Webinar (3-23-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, As part of the Council for American Private Education (CAPE), we recently held a webinar on the different federal COVID relief programs, such as EANS, ARP, GEER etc. Click here for a recording of the webinar. Here is some follow up information from the webinar compiled by CAPE: COVID Relief Bills of Interest to Non-Public Schools: CARES Act, March 2020 (GEER [...]
Expand the Empire State Child Tax Credit
Agudath Israel Joins Queens Elected Officials and Other Advocates in Press Conference Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, Director of New York Government Relations for Agudath Israel of America, speaking State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, speaking New York City Council Member Linda Lee, speaking Rabbi Yaniv Meirov, CEO of CHAZAQ, [...]
3000 Smiles this Purim!
It’s been a long winter, but Rosh Chodesh Adar Beis finally arrived. Costume stores popped up. The candy aisles were overflowing. Themes became serious business. But not everyone was focused only on their own fun. Starting Rosh Chodesh Adar, girls in more than 20 New York and Lakewood high schools participated in an annual project that’s all about giving to others. Every year, Bnos Bikur Cholim (BBC) organizes a mass mishloach [...]
A Great Prince of Israel Has Fallen Today
Photo: Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky signing a letter this week at Agudath Israel of America's request, encouraging people to increase their Torah learning this Purim, yesterday, in response to the Ukrainian crisis. A Great Prince of Israel Has Fallen Today With broken hearts and tear-filled eyes we must share the terrible news of the passing today of Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, of blessed memory, of Bnei Brak, Israel. Rabbi Kanievsky's influence on [...]
Sar V’gadol Nafal Hayom Hazeh B’Yisroel
Photo: Maran Rav Chaim ZTVKL signing a letter this week at Agudas Yisroel of America's request, encouraging people to increase their Torah learning this Purim in response to the Ukrainian crisis. Sar V’gadol Nafal Hayom Hazeh B’Yisroel With broken hearts and tear-filled eyes we must share the terrible news of the petirah of Maran Rav Chaim Kanievsky, zecher tzaddik v’kadosh l’verachah. Rav Chaim’s influence on the Torah world was unparalleled. [...]
Mandatory Daycare Survey (3-16-22)
Dear NYS Childcare Providers, The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), Bureau of Immunization Online Day Care and Pre-K Immunization Survey is now open for submissions. The survey is mandatory and must be completed by April 8, 2022. The immunization survey is posted on the Health Commerce System (HCS) secure network here. Memo from the State Health Department Instructions for Accessing and Completing the Day [...]
NSGP Preparation and Vulnerability Assessments (3-16-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, As we’ve shared in previous emails, the Nonprofit Security Grant Program will be opening soon, but the application has not yet been released. The grant is still pending Congressional approval, and there will be a short time frame from when the application is released until it is due. Therefore, it is important to prepare for the grant in advance [...]
March 16 Update
Albany Day Last week for the first time since the pandemic, Agudah had an in person Albany Day. A delegation of Agudah staff and leadership was joined by leading community advocates and school officials. The group met with over a dozen Senators and members of the Assembly, as well as staff of the Governor. Issues discussed included security funding for yeshivas, child care, and others. Please click here or see below [...]
Statement of Agudath Israel of America on Senate Passage of the Sunshine Protection Act
The issue of extending Daylight Savings Time (DST) has come up over the years on both the federal and state levels and Agudath Israel of America has joined other segments of society in generally opposing these efforts. Our concerns revolved around two areas. First, as a representative of Orthodox Jewish schools, we shared the views of those in the school community who were concerned about children walking, carpooling or taking [...]
Back in Albany: Third Installment of Agudah Advocacy Brings Focus on Parents and Security
Back in Albany: Third Installment of Agudah Advocacy Brings Focus on Parents and Security (L-R) Chaskel Bennett, Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris, Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, Rabbi Moshe Melamed Meeting with Assemblymember Helene Weinstein Meeting with Assemblymember Daniel Rosenthal Meeting with Assemblymember Steven Cymbrowitz Rabbi Yehoshua Pinkus, Director Yeshiva Services, Agudath Israel, with Assemblymember Michael Cusick Back L-R: Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, Rabbi Eli Rabinowitz, Rabbi Moshe Melamed, Rabbi Joel Rosenfeld, Rabbi [...]
Action Alert: Call on Biden Administration to Let Ukrainian Refugees Reunite with their U.S Families
Dear Agudah Activist: We are all outraged by the Ukrainian crisis and the death and destruction that has come in its wake. Agudath Israel is doing what it can to provide humanitarian relief to the injured and displaced. We have raised millions of dollars for food, medicine, housing and other vital necessities, to be distributed throughout affected areas in Ukraine and neighboring countries. But there is more we can do! [...]
The Power of an Hour in Highland Park, NJ
What can you accomplish in an hour? This past Wednesday night, over 100 Bnos leaders and advisors got together for an inter-city leadership appreciation event, combining inspiration and fun. There was plenty of networking, plus a game, activity, and speaker. Apropos for the crowd, the theme was “Yesh koneh olamo b’sha’ah achas.” Never underestimate the power of an hour. Bnos groups may seem like a tiny slice of time, but they [...]
Agudath Israel Participates in Meeting with Eastern European UN Ambassadors Regarding Humanitarian Assistance to Ukrainian Refugees
Slovakian Ambassador to the United Nations Michal Mlynar speaking with Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Executive Vice President, Agudath Israel (L-R) UN Ambassador for Poland, Krzysztof Szczerski speaking with Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Executive Vice President, Agudath Israel, and Mr. Sol Werdiger, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Agudath Israel of America On Friday, March 11, high ranking Agudath Israel of America officials, along with representatives of [...]
Agudath Israel Statement on Proposed New York State Equivalency Regulations
Agudath Israel of America acknowledges the New York State Education Department’s release today of proposed new regulations regarding “substantial equivalence” of instruction. We will be studying these proposed regulations closely in the days ahead, but at first glance we note that they represent an improvement over the version that SED proposed in 2019 -- most notably, by establishing a series of alternate pathways to substantial equivalency. This is a positive [...]
Agudath Israel of Illinois Mission to Springfield Returns with Emphasis on Safety and Education
Photo Credits: Shaina Benhiyoun After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, Agudath Israel of Illinois’ (AIOI) annual Springfield Mission is back, and as usual started before dawn. Rabbi Shlomo Soroka, AIOI’s director of government affairs, led the mission, consisting of a representative group of nearly 50 members of Illinois’ Orthodox Jewish community, with one common goal: advocating for and representing the Orthodox Jewish community of Illinois. The delegation, consisting [...]
Joint Organizational Statement on Purim and Sensitivity
Agudath Israel of America has released a statement on Purim and sensitivity in conjunction with several other Jewish organizations. The statement reads as follows: This Purim, let's ensure that, while celebrating the most joyous Yomtov, we exercise sensitivity towards our community and neighbors. It is very important to note the following as a way of generating Kiddush Hashem: 1. Do NOT use costumes that involve "blackface" (the practice of coloring [...]
Agudath Israel Endorses and Hails Committee Passage of Nonprofit Security Grant Program Improvement Act
Agudath Israel of America congratulates Chairman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) and Ranking Member John Katko (R-NY) for introducing and advancing the bipartisan Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) Improvement Act of 2022. The bill was recently reported favorably out of the House Homeland Security Committee and will next be considered by the full chamber. The NSGP Improvement Act of 2022 will be a significant step forward in providing greater resources to [...]
Second Installment of Agudah’s 2022 Albany Day Series Brings Queens and Long Island Together to Focus on Safety, Financial Assistance for Parents, Special Education and More
As the New York State Legislature continues to make its way through the budget process, Agudath Israel’s New York office convened the second installment of this year’s Albany Day series, focusing on the Queens and Long Island areas. Agudah staff and leadership, joined by leading community advocates and school officials, spoke to an array of legislators, advocating on behalf of New York’s Orthodox Jewish community. One of the main items [...]
March 6 Update
Albany Day This week, Agudah held its second Albany Day of the 2022 legislative season. This meeting was for the areas of Queens and Long Island. The delegation met over zoom with nearly a dozen legislators or staff members. Topics covered included security for yeshivas, expanded child care credits, additional funding for summer feeding programs, and more. See below for photos. Fighting for Transportation for all Students This week, Agudath [...]
Agudath Israel Statement on Ongoing Invasion of Ukraine
Our hearts go out to the Ukrainian people, who have done nothing to invite the destruction of their country and the murder of their fellow citizens. Even as, according to the Ukrainian government, thousands of civilians have already been killed, Russia’s invasion of the country is still relentlessly proceeding. Bombs are falling on nonmilitary sites, tanks are rolling and rockets are being fired into cities. More than a million refugees [...]
Important Upcoming Deadlines (3-04-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, Please see below for important upcoming deadlines: March 25- Deadline to submit your application for EANS reimbursement (using EANS I funds.) See here for more information. March 25- NYC: Last day to email in your SY 21-22 DOE Loan Request Enrollment Certificate and Principal’s Statement to [email protected]. This information is required for verification of NYSTL funds and continued participation in the [...]
Mask Mandate Lifted for NYS Schools (3-02-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, Today, March 2, the statewide requirement for masks in schools ends. This applies to New York City nonpublic schools as well. Article 43 and 47 programs, which fall under NYC DOHMH guidance, still need to ensure their students are masked, however, Mayor Eric Adams announced on Sunday that New York City will lift its indoor mask mandate for all students and [...]
NYC Security Guard Reimbursement Program (3-01-22)
Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, Schools that would like to participate in the Nonpublic School Security Guard Reimbursement Program that haven’t previously participated can now submit an application for the 2022-23 school year. The program is administered by the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (“DCAS”) through PASSPort, the city’s digital Procurement and Sourcing Solution Portal. Please read through these instructions for detailed steps on setting [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Releases Kol Korei on the Situation in Ukraine
Agudath Israel of America announced the release of the following Kol Korei from the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah. Those who wish to donate to help the Jews of Ukraine should donate at https://agudah.org/Ukraine or by calling 917-795-4414. (Free translation:) 26 Adar I, 5782 There are hundreds of thousands of Jews in Ukraine (among them, many Torah-observant Jews), who are in peril as a result of the Russian invasion into Ukraine. They [...]
Agudath Israel Statement on Current Events in Ukraine
Agudath Israel of America views with grave concern the danger to the people of Ukraine, and specifically the large Jewish population – one of the largest in Europe – who find themselves trapped in a dire situation. War, traditionally, has not been kind to Jews, and we ask our constituents to include the Jews of Ukraine in all their prayers. Agudath Israel is working with trusted partners in Ukraine to [...]
Deadline for EANS Reimbursement Extended (2-23-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, The deadline for EANS reimbursement has been extended to March 25. If you received an EANS I allocation and still have funds remaining, you may now submit for additional reimbursement. Please read this letter carefully and follow the instructions to ensure timely and complete processing of your reimbursements. The application can be downloaded HERE and must be submitted by March 25. [...]
Update: Child Care Deserts Grant Opportunity (2-18-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, As previously reported, the NYS Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) has announced a competitive grant opportunity for child care programs. For more information, please see HERE. Please note that the current Request for Application (RFA) is for new programs. A separate RFA for existing programs will be released soon. See below for some helpful information: Legally exempt programs applying [...]
Ordering June 2022 Regents Exams (2-17-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, The ordering portal for the June 2022 Regents Exams is now open. The deadline to place your order is April 8, 2022. Order requests can be made here. The Regents schedule can be found here. For more information regarding placing the orders, the new U.S. History and Government Regents, and other instructions, please see the NYSED website here. While we [...]
Keeping our Schools Safe: Agudah’s Hudson Valley Region Albany Day Focuses on Security
The New York State budget process is a long and arduous one. The many bills and amendments in play mean that there are a lot of moving pieces for the legislators to keep up with. In order to make sure the issues of concern to the Orthodox Jewish community in New York are brought front and center, the Agudah’s New York office hosts a series of “Albany Day” meetings with [...]
February 11 Update
Attention New York State residents: Important voter registration deadline upcoming! Next Monday, February 14th, is the last day to enroll in or switch party registration for the June 2022 primary. Only voters registered in a party may vote in that party’s primary. If you are currently registered in the party of your choice, you do not need to do anything. If you would like to change party registration and are [...]
MSA Webinar Recording (2-10-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, Thank you to all those who joined the webinar on Tuesday regarding the Mandated Services Aid (MSA) process for 20/21 claims. You can watch a recording of the webinar here. Please see our previous memo here for more details on the newly opened MSA system. As always, feel free to reach out to [email protected] with any [...]
Mandated Services Aid Webinar for 20/21 Claims
See below for a recording of the Mandated Services Aid webinar presented by Ms. Althea Johnson, Supervisor, Grants Management Unit at the NYS Education Department, and Rabbi Nissan Gewirtzman, President of Yeshiva Consulting Services.
February 9 Update
Dear Friend, We would like to inform you about an important voter registration deadline. This year virtually all of state government is up for election. That includes governor, Attorney General, Comptroller, all members of the legislature and many judges. Elections will be next November and party primaries will take place in June. In order to vote in a party primary, whether Democratic or Republican, you must be registered in that party. [...]
Agudath Israel Protests Bigoted Rockland Journal News Imagery
Agudath Israel of America viewed with alarm an incendiary promotional advertisement published today for an upcoming article in Journal News (Lohud), a popular newspaper in Rockland County. The caption, “Rabbi holds the strings on $76M for East Ramapo School District... Coming Feb. 9,” appears above a puppet master using pencils and string to manipulate what appears to be children atop a pile of cash. While the article, or even the [...]
Agudath Israel Applauds Illinois Governor Pritzker’s Proposal to Fund the State’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program for the First Time
Rabbi Shlomo Soroka, Governor J.B. Pritzker, Rabbi Yitzchok Ehrman Actions speak louder than words. That is why Agudath Israel of Illinois (AIOI) applauds Governor J.B. Pritzker for including, for the first time, a $20 million appropriation towards the Illinois At-risk Nonprofit Security Grant Program in his budget proposal released today. Following recent events in Colleyville, and the recent spate of antisemitic hate crimes perpetrated against the Orthodox Jewish community in [...]
Brooklyn and Monsey Moms of Children with Special Needs Come Together with Yahalom
Mothers of children with special needs carry a unique and extremely heavy burden. It is often that they feel alone and unsupported. In order to help these mothers, YahalomNY, a division of Agudah’s Project LEARN, has been holding a series of mothers’ nights out. These events are geared to provide well-deserved breaks through an evening of inspiration and relaxation. This month Yahalom has hosted two events, one [...]
January 28 Update
January 28 Update Pushing for Increase in Security Funding This week Agudath Israel signed onto a letter to President Biden along with other organizations asking to increase the nonprofit security grant program (NPSG) for $180 million dollars to $360 million dollars. To see the letter, please click here. I also had the honor of joining other Jewish organizations and faith groups at a press conference with Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer, [...]
Agudath Israel Testifies at NYS Joint Legislative Hearing to Advance Yeshiva Equity, Security, and Tuition Assistance
Late Wednesday night, Agudath Israel, represented by its Chief of Staff, Avrohom Weinstock, was one of only two nonpublic school groups to testify before members of the NYS Senate and Assembly at the 2022 Joint Legislative Budget Hearing for Elementary and Secondary Education. The testimony stated a case for equity, explored substantial equivalency, and encouraged the legislature to triple the Nonpublic School Safety Equipment (NPSE) grant, as the Agudah had [...]
Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Releases Kol Korei on Decrees of Israeli Government
Agudath Israel of America, today, shared a Kol Korei from the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of America: (Free translation) Shevat 5782 We hear cries of pain from our brothers who dwell in Eretz Yisroel as the Israeli government plans decrees that will seriously affect the Torah population there. Examples include: desecrating the Kosel HaMaaravi – the last remnant of the Beis Hamikdash and the place from which the Divine Presence has [...]
January 21 Update
New York State Budget Released This week, New York Governor Kathy Hochul released the executive budget for Fiscal Year 2023. The $216 billion dollar budget includes several positive proposals for New York state yeshivos and nonpublic schools. Some highlights: $193 million for mandated services. $45 million for health and safety projects. This is triple last year’s $15 million and was also expanded to allow use for certain capital improvements that enhance safety. The NPSE was a major [...]
Legislative Update from R’ Silber on the NY Budget for 2022-23
See below for an update from Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, Director of NY Government Relations, on the proposed New York State executive budget for 2022- 2023.
Action Alert: Urge Congress to Substantially Increase Security Grant Funding!
Dear Agudah Activist: We were all shocked by the terrible news that greeted us after havdala this past week. Another brazen antisemitic threat to Jewish lives, this time at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, TX! And so soon after the murders in Pittsburgh, Poway, Monsey and Jersey City. Boruch Hashem, no one was killed or injured, but no doubt the community there was left with deep emotional scars. In light [...]
Governor Hochul’s Proposed Budget Includes Significant Wins for Yeshivos
Today, New York Governor Kathy Hochul released the executive budget for Fiscal Year 2023. The $216 billion dollar budget includes several positive proposals for New York state yeshivos and nonpublic schools. The budget allocates $295 million for nonpublic schools, an increase of 18%. This includes: · $193 million for mandated services. · $45 million for health and safety projects. This is triple last year’s $15 million allocated for the Nonpublic [...]
Hundreds expected to Return to the Bais Medrash at Agudah’s 2022 Yerushalayim Yarchei Kallah
With the advent of the opening of Eretz Yisrael to tourists from around the world, the Torah community is just weeks away from a golden opportunity to take to the skies, as Agudas Yisroel’s annual Yarchei Kallah is set to unfold in Yerushalayim. Run by the Agudah’s Torah Projects Commission, this year’s Yarchei Kallah will take place February 20th to 24th /19 – 23 Adar I at the Ramada Jerusalem hotel and will delve into the intricacies of Hilchos [...]
Guidance on Quarantine Updates (1-18-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, As we shared with you last week, see here, the CDC has changed their quarantine guidelines. Please see the NYS website here for all the updated information regarding quarantine. Scroll through the whole webpage for important forms and guidance documents. Below is a chart that outlines the different quarantine guidelines. You can download the charts here. [...]
New Jersey office of Agudath Israel Applauds Signing of Bill Allowing Hatzolah to Continue to Operate
This morning, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed A-6132/S-4235, also known as the “Hatzolah Bill.” The bill allows for volunteer paramedics to respond to calls and start treatment on a patient before the arrival of a second paramedic. Additionally, these paramedics are no longer required to wear uniforms. Until now, New Jersey state law had prohibited a paramedic from beginning to administer treatment before the arrival of a second paramedic, [...]
February 1 Benchmarking Deadline (1-17-22)
Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, If you have not yet submitted your energy and water consumption to the city for the 2020 calendar year, the final deadline to do so is February 1, 2022. The NYC Benchmarking Law requires owners of buildings that meet the criteria outlined in the law to annually measure their energy and water consumption through a process called benchmarking. There are specific [...]
NSGP Webinar and Guidance (1-17-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, Last week we sent out an email regarding the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) with links to important documents from the Jewish Federation of North America (JFNA). They have since added new guidance documents to their website. See below for the new documents. Funding Restrictions – Prohibited Telecom Equipment & Services Construction and Renovation Guidance Additionally, the JFNA will [...]
Siyum on Meseches Megillah
This Wednesday, January 12th, Shevat 10, at 9:00 PM ET, the Daf Yomi Commission of Agudas Yisroel of America in conjunction with Agudath Israel of Illinois will bring together Lomdei HaDaf and their friends and families for a fascinating live broadcast of the Siyum on Megillah. The program will begin with divrei chizuk ve’hisorerus from Rabbi Henoch Plotnick, Rosh Mesivta Yeshivas Kesser Torah and Rav Emeritus of Congregation Beis Tefillah, [...]
Preparing for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (1-11-22)
Dear Principals and Administrators, The Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) is a federally funded grant made available through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency (DHS/FEMA). Its purpose is to provide support for target hardening & other physical security enhancements and activities to nonprofit organizations that are at a high risk of a terrorist attack. The NYS Division of Homeland Security and [...]
NJ Office of Agudath Israel Announces Historic Educational Assistance Program for Lakewood Residents
Earlier today, Rabbi Avi Schnall, director of Agudath Israel’s New Jersey office, unveiled a first-of-its-kind Educational Assistance Program for Lakewood, New Jersey, residents. The Educational Assistance Program (EAP) is a grant for educational costs available to Lakewood residents who have been adversely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, and meet income eligibility requirements. This grant is the first of its kind in the State of New Jersey, in which government funding [...]
Spring Semester MetroCards (1-10-22)
Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, You will be receiving MetroCards for students for whom you have assigned serial numbers in NPSIS. In addition, schools will receive an overage allotment for transportation to and from school for the spring semester. The Metrocards will be delivered to your school between January 3-21. The cards will be valid from February 1 to June 30. The Metrocards will come along with instructions on how to document the distribution to students. The Metrocard serial [...]
OPT Information for Weather Emergencies (1-06-22)
Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, Please see below for important information from the Office of Pupil Transportation (OPT) regarding school closures or changes in transportation due to the weather. Schools with DOE school bus transportation must have an emergency closure plan on file with OPT. In that plan, schools must detail their parent notification procedure for closures and delays. When DOE schools close due to inclement [...]
COVID-19 Closure Calendar (1-06-22)
Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, Please see below for a message from the Office of Pupil Transportation: Any school that closes because of COVID-19 should use the COVID-19 Closure Calendar to indicate the closure. This allows the bus companies to be notified immediately that your school won’t need service. You can find the COVID-19 closure calendar on the ridership app. Once that is done, you [...]
Agudath Israel of Ohio Responds to Anti-School Choice Coalition Challenge of Ohio’s EdChoice Scholarship Program
Agudath Israel of Ohio expressed its profound disappointment at the decision of an anti-school choice coalition to challenge Ohio’s longstanding EdChoice Scholarship Program. The plaintiffs are looking to deny more than 70,000 mainly low-income children the opportunity to attend the school of their choice. Ohio’s school choice programs have consistently had strong legislative and parental support. Agudath Israel of Ohio Executive Director Rabbi Yitz Frank said, “This lawsuit, in [...]
Update on the Library Program (1-04-22)
Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, Earlier this school year, we informed yeshivos that, per the Department of Education, library orders for Jewish oriented books should be place through Follett- see here. The DOE also told us that if schools did not receive their books within 30 days, we should let them know. At that time, we urged yeshivos to begin ordering immediately to ensure their [...]
Update on COVID-19 Testing Kits (1-04-22)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, As we’ve shared with you last week, New York State has procured millions of rapid, over-the-counter COVID-19 self-test kits for distribution to schools. For the next month, there will be a new section in the daily school report card survey entitled “Rapid Test Distribution Survey.” Nonpublic schools that wish to receive free rapid, over-the-counter COVID-19 self-test kits from the State must [...]
NYC Distributing Free COVID-19 Rapid Tests to Yeshivos and Day Schools (1-03-22)
Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, The NYC Department of Education’s Office of Non Public Schools (ONPS) will begin distributing Covid-19 at-home test kits to schools for student usage only, starting today, Monday, January 03, 2022. Please see below for some key points: The number of test kits per site will be based on enrollment in NPSIS at each site. Schools may distribute these test kits on [...]
Agudath Israel Urges Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to Ease Travel Restrictions
Mr. Shlomo Werdiger, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Agudath Israel, and Co-Chairman of Am Echad, sent a letter to Israeli Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett, urging him to ease travel restrictions into Israel. In the letter Mr. Werdiger explains the impact that the travel restrictions have on the Orthodox Jewish community in the United States as it prohibits parents from visiting their children who are learning or even living [...]
A New Part of Agudas Yisroel: Agudah’s New Connecticut Director Meets with the Waterbury Community
The Waterbury community was introduced to Rabbi Ari Weisenfeld, the new director of Agudah’s Connecticut office, at an event hosted by Yeshivas Ateres Shmuel of Waterbury, to hear about the goals and vision of the new office. Rabbi Ahron Kaufman, Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshivas Ateres Shmuel, stressed in his remarks that the uniqueness of Agudas Yisroel is its commitment to following the direction of the Torah leaders [...]
Agudah Convention Tracks: Mental Health Professionals, Kallah Teachers, and Attorneys
Tens of thousands of you joined us in person, via livestream, and via phone for the Agudah Convention just a few weeks ago. (Did you miss a session? Watch here.) But did you know that there was an entire alternate program, with three tracks, that was going on at the same time? Mental Health Professionals Yes. This year's Agudah Convention had [...]
Watch: Agudah Convention 2021: Gen X: How to Listen So They Will Talk
Participants: Rabbi Yehoshua Blumstein Rabbi Yaakov Yisroel Privalsky Rabbi Binyomin Weinreb Rabbi Yitzchok Hisiger
Watch: Agudah Convention 2021: Daf Yomi: Seize the Opportunity — Retain it for Life
Participants: Rabbi Yossi Gleiberman Rabbi Avraham Goldhar Rabbi Sender Dolgin
Watch: Agudah Convention 2021: Shidduchim: A Candid Conversation
Participants: Rabbi Elya Ber Wachtfogel Dr. Yossi Schafer Rabbi Shlomo Lewenstein Moderator: Gershon Barnett
Hope, Inspiration, and Relaxation: Yahalom New York Holds Inaugural Mothers Night Out
Last week, Yahalom New York held its inaugural event for the Queens, Far Rockaway, and Five Towns communities, a night out, for mothers of children with special needs. The event was hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Evan and Chaya Sara Genack, providing these mothers with a well-deserved break through an evening of inspiration and relaxation. Yahalom, the Agudah’s Special Needs resource center, is designed to help parents of children with [...]
Highlights: Agudah Convention 2021
https://vimeo.com/652874745
A Day in the Life: A Look Behind the Scenes
https://vimeo.com/650817783
Unbreakable: Klal Yisroel’s Resilience on Display at 99th National Agudah Convention
The tablecloths may be folded and the dishes washed but the impact of the 99th Agudah Convention this weekend will certainly last until next year and beyond. As they do every year, many members of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah joined the assemblage, along with Rabbanim and Roshei Yeshiva, to inspire and guide. A diverse array of rabbonim and community and lay leaders gathered to exchange ideas and compare notes on [...]
Join Mishnah Yomi
Join the New Cycle of MISHNAH YOMI Beginning THIS SHABBOS! Join Klal Yisroel in learning Mishnah Yomi as the new cycle begins this Shabbos, 21 Teves, December 25, and learn just two mishnayos a day and complete Shas in time for the next Siyum HaShas! In 1923, towards the end of the first Knessiah Gedolah of Agudas Yisroel in Vienna, Rav Meir Shapiro’s groundbreaking concept of Daf Yomi, the world-wide [...]
Agudah Lauds New York Governor Kathy Hochul for Veto of Discriminatory Blooming Grove Bill
Agudath Israel applauds New York Governor Kathy Hochul for vetoing Bill S1811/A5761 which would have allowed the Town of Blooming Grove in Orange County to establish a “community preservation fund.” The stated purpose of the bill is to “give the Town of Blooming Grove the authority to create Community Preservation Funds to protect its farmland and open space,” and implement a “plan for the preservation of community character.” It is, [...]
Agudath Israel of Illinois Applauds Illinois’ Investment Policy Board for Voting Unanimously to Divest from Unilever
The BDS movement is a manifestation of animus against Jews as a people. The State of Illinois led the country by becoming the first state to pass an anti-BDS law in 2015, recognizing that the BDS movement seeks to exclude Israel from the economic, cultural, and academic life of the rest of the world, and targets not only the Israeli government but individual Israeli citizens. Ben & Jerry's, a wholly-owned [...]
A Day of Ideas and Inspiration: Agudah of Florida Holds 2nd South Florida Conference of Rabbonim and Evening of Chizuk
Agudas Yisroel of Florida, under the leadership of Rabbi Moshe Matz, convened its 2nd South Florida Rabbonim Conference last week, attended by over 40 rabbonim from Jewish communities across the state. The theme running through the conference was one of working together for the benefit of the community, in Florida, as well as in the rest of the world. To that end, Rabbi Matz underlined for the [...]
January Regents Canceled (12-21-21)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, The New York State Department of Education has announced that the 2022 January Regents Exams have been canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. No decisions have been made yet regarding the 2022 June and August Regents exams and other state assessments. In January, the Department of Education will ask the Board to adopt emergency regulations regarding the assessment requirements that [...]
SBCO to Homeowners: The New York State Homeowner Assistance Fund can Help those Behind on their Mortgages
Are You a New York Homeowner Behind on Your Mortgage? SBCO, a project of Agudath Israel, is pleased to announce an opportunity for New York State homeowners who are behind in their mortgage payments on account of Covid-19, to receive assistance. The New York State Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF), a program designed and administered by New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) benefits low to moderate-income homeowners who [...]
Ready to Hit the Business World, COPE CPA-Track Students Honored at Graduation
by Sandy Eller Nearly 70 students celebrated their graduations from the separate men’s and women’s cohorts of Agudath Israel of America’s COPE CPA accounting program last week, completing a nearly two year-long intensive program that has them entering a market where jobs are both plentiful and lucrative. While this year marked the 27th men’s and 26th women’s graduations, the program was vastly different than in previous years, with all classes [...]
New Leadership in Agudah of Illinois Prepares for Time of Growth
Agudath Israel of Illinois is excited to announce new leadership in both the executive administration and board of directors of its organization. Effective immediately, Mr. Moshe Davis will be assuming the position of Interim Executive Vice President of the Agudah of Illinois, and Rabbi Ari Strulowitz will be assuming the position of Director of Operations of the Agudah of Illinois. In addition, the board of directors is pleased to have [...]
Important December Deadlines (12-20-21)
Dear NYC Principals and Administrators, Please see below for three important requirements with a December 31st deadline: Last day to file your boiler inspection report. Please see here for more information about how to submit the report. Last day to submit responses in the Generation of Funds Survey. See here for more details. Children age 6 months to 59 months (under 5 years old) that are [...]
NYS Foam Ban (12-20-21)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, As of January 1, 2022, the New York State Foam Ban will be taking effect. This means that there will be a ban on single-use foam food and beverage containers, and polystyrene loose fill packaging materials, commonly known as packing peanuts. This ban applies to food service providers. Schools are included in the ban if they distribute prepared food or beverages [...]
Agudah’s Conference of Synagogue Rabbonim Urges Prime Minister Bennett to Preserve the Sanctity of the Kotel
100 Rabbonim from the Agudath Israel Conference of Synagogue Rabbonim, have signed on to a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, imploring him to protect the sanctity of the Kotel by rejecting the "Kotel Compromise." The letter can be viewed below or by clicking here.
A Mothers Night Out: Yahalom New York Inaugural Event
Yahalom New York is excited to invite the mothers of children with special needs to its inaugural event, an evening of connection, support, and inspiration. Rabbi Moshe Plutchok, Mara D’asra of Kehillas Ahavas Yisrael and Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshiva Derech Chaim, will be the guest speaker, and refreshments will be served. The event will be held in Lawrence, New York, this Monday, December 20, at 8:00 PM EST. To RSVP, [...]
EANS II Information and Application (12-09-21)
Dear Principals and Administrators, Below, please find relevant information regarding the Federal Emergency Assistance to Non-public Schools (EANS) program. As a reminder, there were two allocations for EANS, referred to as EANS I and EANS II. Schools interested in receiving assistance as part of EANS II must have submitted a Letter of Intent to NYSED by November 8, 2021. Schools that did not submit a Letter [...]
Immunization Survey 2021 (12-15-21)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, The annual school immunization survey has been posted on the Health Commerce System (HCS) on the NYS website. While the official deadline posted is today, December 15, it is not clear whether for this year the deadline is simply tentative or a hard deadline as neither NYSDOH nor NYC DOHMH have sent any reminders to schools as they usually do. As [...]
Photos: Lt. Governor Brian Benjamin Visits Agudah Headquarters
Agudath Israel of America was honored to host Lt. Governor Brian Benjamin on Monday, for a meeting with Agudah and community leaders. The discussion at the meeting covered a slew of important topics, including antisemitism, zoning issues, and yeshiva education. Councilmember and incoming Manhattan Boro President Mark Levine also attended, expressing that he is looking forward to continuing his friendship with Agudath Israel and the Orthodox Jewish [...]
Victory for Religious Liberty: Agudath Israel Hails Ninth Circuit Decision
Agudath Israel welcomed a ruling, yesterday, by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in the case of Maxon and Brittsan v. Fuller Theological Seminary. The case involved students who sued Fuller Theological Seminary, after they were expelled for having same-sex marriages. The students contended that they were discriminated against under Title IX, a federal law that prohibits discrimination based on sex in educational programs that receive federal financial assistance. Although Title [...]
Knowledge is Power: At the Agudah’s Yeshiva Summit 3.0, New York State Yeshivos Thirst for Knowledge
Knowledge is power, and for its third installment, the Agudah’s Yeshiva Services Department once again presented the Yeshiva Summit, the premier event for yeshiva leadership and administrators in New York State. The Summit drew record participants seeking knowledge to empower them to optimally run their schools in accordance with federal, state, and local statutes and regulations. Another key aspect of the Summit is the unique networking opportunities. Yeshiva administrators exchanged [...]
Vendor Directory from the Yeshiva Summit 3.0
See below for the directory from this year's Yeshiva Summit. The directory is full of various vendors that deal with school related needs.
Agudath Israel, Faith Groups to Congress: Religious Providers Must Be Included in New Federal UPK and Child Care Programs
Agudath Israel of America has joined other faith-based groups in continuing to communicate concerns over the Universal Pre-K and Child Care provisions of the proposed Build Back Better Act. The BBB legislation is a top priority for the Biden Administration and the Democratic leadership in Congress hopes to pass the legislation before the end of the session. In a letter to Senate HELP Committee Patty Murray (D-WA), and Ranking Member [...]
Agudath Israel Welcomes News that Mandate on Women’s Draft Registration has been Dropped from Defense Bill
Agudath Israel of America is welcoming the news that a provision mandating women to register for the military draft has been dropped from the FY 2022 defense bill. Registration with the Selective Service System would be utilized in the event that the draft is reinstated and there is need to mobilize the armed forces for military conflict or national emergency. It was a surprising development, as pressure has mounted over [...]
Watch: Agudah Convention 2021: Challenges and Opportunities in a Progressive Political Environment
Participants: Rabbi Avi Schnall Rabbi Ariel Sadwin Rabbi Yeruchim Silber Moderator: Rabbi A.D. Motzen
Watch: Agudah Convention 2021: Being Mekarev Myself: How Kiruv Truly Helped My Family’s Yiddishkeit
Participants: Rabbi Aaron Gruman Rabbi Benzion Klatzko Rabbi Shmuel Lynn
Watch: Agudah Convention 2021: From Burn-Out to On-Fire
Participants: Rabbi Doniel Asher Kleinman Rabbi Yussie Zakutinsky
Watch: Agudah Convention 2021: Portraits of Gedolim That We Were Zoche to Know
Participants: Rabbi Yerachmiel Fried Rabbi Chaim Aryeh Zev Ginzberg Rabbi Zev Cohen
Watch: Agudah Convention 2021: When is the Last Time You Davened? Insights into Tefillah That You Never Thought About
Participants: Rabbi Daniel Glatstein Rabbi Zalman Krasnow
Watch: Agudah Convention 2021: Smartphone vs. Smart Living
Participants: Dr. Eli Shapiro Rabbi Yosef Viener
Watch: Agudah Convention 2021: The Shocking Disconnect in Kashrus Today
Participants: Rabbi Sholem Fishbane Rabbi Yosef Eisen
Watch: Agudah Convention 2021: Our Orthodox Lives: Breaking the Stereotypes, Living Our Values
Participants: Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz Mrs. Rivkie Feiner Mrs. Alexandra Fleksher Moderator: Mrs. Chanie Jacobowitz
Watch: Agudah Convention 2021: The Murder of Alta Fixsler: Coming to the U.S.?
Participants: Rabbi Shmuel Lefkowitz Rabbi Ben Zion Leser Rabbi Shloma Sperber
Watch: Agudah Convention 2021: Q & A: I’m Asking for a Friend
Participants: Rabbi Yosef Elefant Rabbi Ahron Lopiansky Moderator: Yisroel Besser
Watch: Agudah Convention 2021: Unbreakable: Unbreakable Bonds of Marriage
Participants: Rabbi Pinchas Novoseller Rabbi Yaakov Salomon
Watch: Agudah Convention 2021: Unbreakable: Fighting for Orthodoxy in an Unorthodox World
Participants: Chaskel Bennett Yossi Gestetner Eli Steinberg
Watch: Agudah Convention 2021: Unbreakable: Making the Move Living Out of Town
Participants: Rabbi Yitz Frank Rabbi Shlomo Soroka Rabbi Baruch Levine Moderator: Rabbi Yosef Herz
Alta Fixsler’s Murder in the UK Sparks Chayim Aruchim Convention Session
Photo: Rabbi Shloma Sperber, Rabbi Benzion Lesser, Chayim Aruchim coordinator; Rabbi Shmuel Lefkowitz, President, Chayim Aruchim; Rivie Schwebel, Rabbi Eliezer Gewirtzman. Photo credits: Moshe Bitton/Agudath Israel of America With the murder of Alta Fixsler etched irrevocably in our collective memories, Chayim Aruchim’s Thursday night session at the 99th convention of Agudath Israel of America took on a palpable sense of urgency as it addressed the medical world’s cavalier attitude towards [...]
NYC Nonpublic Schools Join in Opposition to City’s Vaccination Mandate
In a letter written on behalf of the Committee of NYC Religious and Independent School Officials and addressed to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Health Commissioner Dave A. Chokshi, the Committee expressed its opposition to the city’s newly promulgated vaccine mandate for nonpublic school employees. The Committee represents the large majority of nonpublic schools in New York City including the leadership of Catholic schools, Islamic schools, Lutheran [...]
The Agudah Convention Session You DIDN’T Hear About Yet
Amid the mass Q&As, keynote sessions, and packed daises, something BIG happened in a small room off to the side of Agudah Convention 2021. On Thursday night, over 50 Bnos leaders came for a special, star-studded session of their own. First, Ms. Leah Zagelbuam, former National Director of Bnos and current vice president of Communications for Agudath Israel, spoke. Rabbi Labish Becker, executive director of Agudas Yisroel, was next. They [...]
Is Your Tween on the Scene?
We don’t want to make a scene, but do you know what’s happening behind the scenes at Bnos? We’re always looking for a change of scene, keeping Bnos novel and exciting for our girls. Introducing Tween Scene, a project of Bnos' new Tween Light. Tween Light, Bnos' freshly launched division 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade division, burst on the scene after Sukkos. It's an innovative program, providing middle school girls with [...]
Convention Motzei Shabbos Sessions
https://vimeo.com/650699978
Unbreakable: Friday Through Sunday at the Agudah Convention
The Friday, Motzei Shabbos, and Sunday program for this year's Agudah Convention features engaging and informative keynotes and concurrent sessions. Members of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, Rabbanim, activists, and other speakers, will address a multitude of timely topics. As always, the Convention will be open to the public as well as available to attend virtually by going to agudahconvention.org or calling in at 718.298.2077. This year, Friday morning keynote speakers [...]
[FREE DOWNLOAD] HALACHOS OF CHANUKAH + ASARA B’TEVES
The Midwest Agudas Yisroel Council of Synagogue Rabbonim is pleased to present a sefer that that discusses the halachos of Chanukah and Asara B'Teves. The sefer, Safah Berurah: The Halachos of of Chanukah and Asara B'Teves. was compiled and written by Rabbi Yaakov Robinson, executive director of the Midwest Agudas Yisroel Council of Synagogue Rabbanim, and reviewed by Rabbi Shmuel Fuerst, Dayan, Agudas Yisroel of Illinois. Click HERE to download the PDF.
Vaccination Mandate for Child Care Program Staff (11-24-21)
Dear Principals and Administrators, The New York City Health Commissioner has issued an Order requiring child care staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and requiring staff and children over age 2 to wear masks while in child care. This new order applies to Article 43 and 47 child care programs. Please see the guidance document HERE to learn about these new requirements. [...]
Agudath Israel Names Rabbi Ari Weisenfeld Director of its New Connecticut Office
Agudath Israel of America is excited to announce the opening of a new Agudah office in Connecticut led by Rabbi Ari Weisenfeld of Waterbury. As director, Rabbi Weisenfeld will focus on advocating for and serving the needs of the Orthodox Jewish community of Connecticut. Rabbi Weisenfeld has worked for the Agudah the past three years, serving successfully in multiple roles. Rabbi Weisenfeld was recently promoted to the position of associate [...]
Agudath Israel of Illinois Congratulates Mike Kelley
Agudath Israel of Illinois (AIOI) wishes to congratulate Mike Kelley on his appointment to the Illinois House of Representatives, to represent the 15th District. The 15th House District is home to thousands of Orthodox Jewish constituents and Mr. Kelley has expressed a desire to cultivate a close working relationship with AIOI and the community it serves. Kelley is a dedicated veteran of the Chicago Fire Department and has a long [...]
Bnos Convention Moves (to the) Mountains
Ruach! Singing! Chizuk! Over 400 girls from 32 cities! That was Bnos Convention 5782, this past Shabbos at Camp Malka in upstate New York. If you remember past conventions, you know that this was a big change. Until now, a rotation of cities hosted the Bnos Convention, but this year we moved (to the) mountains. Camp Malka has beautiful facilities and amenities: eruv, indoor gym, oversized dining room, nature trails, [...]
Unbreakable: Agudah’s 2021 Convention Program Announced
The Agudah’s annual convention has long been the key venue for members of the Jewish community to convene together with Torah leaders and community askanim to discuss and address the critical issues facing the klal today. A direct descendent of the First Knessia Gedolah in 1923, 99 years later the Agudah Convention’s content may have changed, but its mission has remained the same: To gather under the banner of our [...]
Agudath Israel Statement on Terror Murder of Eliyahu Kay and Injury to Four Others
Agudath Israel is heartbroken at the news of a terror attack in the heart of Jerusalem, indeed, the heart of the Jewish nation, just minutes away from the Kosel Plaza. The attacker murdered Eliyahu Dovid Kay, and wounded four other civilians. It is hardly surprising, but nevertheless worth noting, that the terrorist attacker was a senior Hamas leader, according to reports on a Hamas-owned television channel, and that Hamas is [...]
Agudath Israel Hails Court Decision Requiring School Busing for Nonpublic School Students on Days their Schools are in Session
A New York State Supreme Court judge today issued a decision and order that a school district must provide transportation to non-public school students on days that their schools are in session. The case, United Jewish Community of Blooming Grove v. Washingtonville Central School District and the New York State Education Department, challenged the school district’s policy of only providing transportation to non-public school students on days that public schools [...]
Don’t Separate Us: Rabbi Shlomo Soroka Testifies on Redistricting in Chicago
Redistricting can be a complex and seemingly abstract topic. This is unfortunate because it is also an extremely important topic. The way maps are drawn affect a community for at least a decade, and often longer. Earlier this week, Rabbi Shlomo Soroka, Agudath Israel of Illinois’ director of government affairs, testified before the Chicago City Council on the city’s redistricting process. He explained that currently the Orthodox Jewish community of [...]
Rabbi Yeruchim Silber Testifies Before the New York State Redistricting Commission
Yesterday, in testimony to the New York State Redistricting Commission, Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, Agudah’s New York Director of Government Relations laid out a strong case for proper representation of the Orthodox Jewish community in both Congress and in the State Legislature. New York State law calls for consideration of “communities of interest” when drawing legislative districts. The Orthodox Jewish community in Brooklyn is certainly a community of interest [...]
Conference of Synagogue Rabbonim of Agudath Israel Release Statement on the International Beit Din
Agudath Israel of America shared a statement from the Conference of Synagogue Rabbonim of Agudath Israel. It has come to our attention that the so called "International Beit Din" (IBD) has issued multiple heteirim for married women to remarry without a get, utilizing various methods and arguments. Gedolei Haposkim and multitudes of Rabbonim from across the spectrum have publicly decried the actions of the IBD and claim that their heteirim have no merit. The Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah [...]
Action Alert: Tell Congress Not to Effectively Exclude Jewish and Other Faith-Based Entities from the UPK and Child Care Programs
Dear Agudah Activist: As you know, Congress will soon take up the $1.75 trillion Build Back Better reconciliation bill. In it there are two provisions of great importance to the Orthodox Jewish community: Universal Pre-K and a new federal Child Care program. Unfortunately, these provisions are written in a way that could result in shuls, yeshivas and day schools, and other religious entities in the community being effectively cut out of [...]
Agudah of Maryland Announces its First PCS Course
Agudath Israel of Maryland is excited to announce that, in conjunctions with PCS, it is launching a Desktop and Network Support course in Baltimore, Maryland. “We are really excited to be able to bring in-person PCS classes to Baltimore,” said Rabbi Ariel Sadwin, director of Agudath Israel of Maryland. “This is the first time we are bringing one of our courses outside of the New York and New Jersey area, [...]
Newly Released DOH Testimony Further Vindicates Agudah SCOTUS Lawsuit
New York Attorney General Letitia James released thousands of pages of transcripts yesterday from the independent investigation into the sexual harassment allegations against former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. In addition to significant impropriety described by 10 women, one sworn testimonial details the politically motivated creation of “red zones” by the Governor last year. The speaker, identified in the heavily redacted transcript only as “DOH Official #2,” was the New [...]
Infrastructure Bill: Big Plus and Big Minus for Community Charities
After weeks of Capitol Hill uncertainty, Congress has passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which President Biden is expected to sign in the next week. Agudath Israel of America is pointing to a big plus and a big minus for nonprofits in the bill that emerged from the deliberations. A welcome provision in the infrastructure bill relates to “Nonprofit Energy Efficiency,” a pilot program that awards grants to [...]
Siyum on Meseches Rosh Hashanah
This Shabbos, November 13th, Cheshvan 9, Daf Yomi learners across the globe will celebrate the conclusion of Maseches Rosh Hashanah and the beginning of Maseches Taanis. On Sunday, November 14, Cheshvan 10, at 8:00 PM ET, the Daf Yomi Commission of Agudas Yisroel of America will bring together Lomdei HaDaf and their friends and families for a fascinating live broadcast of the Siyum on Rosh HaShanah. The siyum will be hosted by Bais Medrash Torah U’Tefilla- Bais Yaakov [...]
New Jersey Office of Agudath Israel and Hutman & Hutman CPA Release NJ Yeshiva Handbook
Due to the explosive growth of schools and mosdos hatorah opening up in New Jersey, Agudath Israel is thrilled to announce the publication of its first ever Yeshiva Handbook. The 168-page handbook contains a step-by-step guide on how to open a non-profit, nonpublic school in New Jersey. Written in easy-to-understand layman’s language, the handbook guides nonpublic schools on how to incorporate, set up payroll, maintain adequate internal control and recordkeeping measures, and [...]
EANS Deadline and Updates (11-05-21)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, Please see below for some updates on the EANS I and II programs. The Letter of Intent for the second round of EANS is due on Monday, November 8. Please see our memo here for more information. NYSED presented a webinar this week about EANS II. The PowerPoint presentation is available here and the recording will be posted on the main [...]
Rabbi Ehrman Reception Zoom Recording
Rabbi Ehrman Reception Recording
Important Title I FAQ (11-03-21)
Dear NYC Principal or Administrator, We are happy to share that in recent years, usage of the Title I program has exponentially grown in our community. The Title I program was initially created “to ensure...disadvantaged children receive a fair, equitable, and high-quality education, by helping to close academic achievement gaps.” While almost all Title I funds go to public schools, students enrolled in private schools - [...]
Rabbi Yitzchok Ehrman Appointed as National Agudah COO
Agudas Yisroel announced today that Rabbi Yitzchok Ehrman, Chief Executive Officer of Agudath Israel of Illinois, has been appointed Chief Operating Officer of Agudas Yisroel of America. In this role, Rabbi Ehrman will exercise day-to-day operational authority over the national Agudah, under the guidance of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, as it meets the growing challenges of the day. Rabbi Yitzchok Ehrman lived in Bnei Brak as a child until he [...]
Security Program Updates (11-02-21)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, Please see below for updates regarding various security grants and programs: New Hate Crimes Grant: There is a new $25 million SCAHC (Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes) grant for NYS. See our memo here for more information. The deadline for submissions is January 7, 2022. Grants Gateway: NYS only accepts applications for grants once the applicant is prequalified in the Grants [...]
Agudah’s Yahalom Division Opens in Chicago
Agudath Israel of Illinois is excited to announce the opening of Yahalom Chicago, Agudah’s new special needs resource navigation division in Chicago, with Mrs. Fiona Kark serving as its director. Yahalom opened its first office in New Jersey six months ago and has been met with a surge of requests for services. The success in New Jersey generated requests for similar services in other areas. With a now glaring [...]
November 1 Update
Dear friend, Tomorrow is Election Day in New York. This will be your last chance to be heard. We implore you: please go out and vote in the elections tomorrow and tell all your family and friends to do the same. This election can determine our future in this state, our yeshivas, our shuls, and our very way of life. So PLEASE GO OUT AND VOTE! Polls are open from 6 AM to 9 PM. [...]
Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah Releases a Kol Korei
Agudath Israel of America, today, shared a Kol Korei from the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of America: (Free translation) 23 Cheshvan, 5782 To our dear brethren: The Jewish people in the land of Israel are in great distress – may Hashem help us! – because of the government in our Holy Land which wishes to impede Torah learning and fulfillment of the mitzvos. In this time of distress it is incumbent [...]
Agudath Israel Lauds Legislative Passage of Michigan $500 Million Scholarship Program
Michigan legislators voted yesterday to join 18 other states which have either created or expanded school choice programs in 2021. The series of bills passed by the Michigan House and Senate would empower parents to make the educational decisions that work best for their children. The program provides eligible children with Student Opportunity Scholarship accounts that can be used for educational expenses, including private school tuition. Families earning 200% of [...]
October 27 Update
Dear friend, Early Voting in New York State will end this Sunday. Election Day is next Tuesday November 2nd. THIS IS A CRUCIAL ELECTION AND WE AS A COMMUNITY NEED EVERY VOTE POSSIBLE! Whether you choose to vote early or on Election Day, just be sure to vote! THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO BE HEARD! IMPORTANT- Early Voting sites are often different than regular polling sites. Click here to find your poll site and early voting hours. Out of NYC, [...]
Statement on Proposed Mandate for Women to Register with the Selective Service System
Agudath Israel of America is a national Orthodox Jewish organization. We offer this statement to express concern regarding the provision within the proposed National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022, which will require all Americans, including women, to register with the Selective Service System. The registration framework will be utilized in the event that the draft is reinstated and there is need to mobilize the armed forces for military [...]
October 25 Update
Dear friend, Early Voting in New York State began this past weekend and continues until Sunday. Election Day is next Tuesday, November 2nd. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU GO OUT AND VOTE! Whether you choose to vote early or on Election Day, just be sure to vote! THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO BE HEARD! IMPORTANT- Early Voting sites are often different than regular polling sites. Click here to find your poll site [...]
Hurricane Ida Relief Funds Application (10-22-21)
Dear NYS Principals and Administrators, Many schools have been asking us questions about the FEMA Relief Funds for Hurricane Ida. Click here for the Public Assistance grant application packet for NY DHSES. See our memo here for more information. As always, feel free to reach out to [email protected] with any questions. Sign up for our Whatsapp broadcast list here! Sign [...]
