Agudath Israel of America 42 Broadway New York, NY 10004 212.797.9000 | | |  | | Highlights from AIMD brunch with Ambassador Ron Dermer |
 | |  Rabbi Ariel Sadwin Mid-Atlantic Regional Director |
| | Agudath Israel of Maryland released a highlights video from its recent event with Israeli Ambassador to the United States, Ron Dermer. The event and the powerful message delivered by Ambassador Dermer could not have taken place at a more crucial time with the very troubling JCPOA - Iran Nuclear Deal signed two days later in Vienna.
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| | | Statement of Agudath Israel of America commending Senator Charles Schumer for opposing Iranian nuclear deal | Agudath Israel of America welcomes with great appreciation the announcement by Senator Charles Schumer that he opposes the proposed Iranian nuclear deal embodied in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, and intends to vote to disapprove the deal. Senator Schumer has spoken out consistently and forcefully over the past several years about the grave threat a nuclear empowered Iran would pose to America and its allies, especially Israel. Indeed, in a major address to the participants in Agudath Israel's 93rd Anniversary Dinner earlier this year, Senator Schumer pointed out that "a nuclear Iran [would be] unlike any other threat that Israel has faced." In that address, Senator Schumer also identified, in clear detail, a number of conditions that must be met in order to make any nuclear deal with the Iranians acceptable - some of which are plainly missing or inadequately addressed in the JCPOA. So it comes as no surprise that he has found the JCPOA lacking. Yet while Senator Schumer's position is not surprising, it is courageous. He is the first and thus far the only Senator of his political party to publicly announce that he will be voting against the position of the Administration. His high rank among his Democratic Senate colleagues surely created an incentive for him not to buck the leadership of his party. Fortunately, however, as he said in the statement he issued in announcing his intention to vote to disapprove the JCPOA, Senator Schumer made his decision "solely based on the merits ... without regard to pressure, politics or party." For this he deserves our sincere admiration and deep appreciation. We respectfully call upon other members of Congress, regardless of political affiliation, to recognize the serious shortcomings of the JCPOA, and to disapprove this deal. | | | |
| | Sen. Charles Schumer speaking
about the Iran deal at Agudath Israel's dinner in May (beginning at 8:45). |
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| | | Statement of Agudath Israel of America commending Democratic Representatives who oppose Iranian nuclear deal | The announcement by Representative Eliot Engel that he intends to vote to disapprove the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action brings to eight the number of Democrats in the House of Representatives who have joined many of their Republican colleagues who have already announced their opposition to the proposed Iranian nuclear deal. These Democratic Representatives - Ted Deutch, Steve Israel, Nita Lowey, Grace Meng, Kathleen Rice, Albio Sires, Juan Vargas and now Eliot Engel - are to be commended for their courageous position. In Representative Engel's case, as the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, it was surely no simple matter for him to defy the leadership of his party by publicly declaring that the proposed deal is unacceptable. We at Agudath Israel have met with Representative Engel a number of times over the past few years to discuss the Iranian nuclear threat, and we are deeply gratified that he is standing firm in rejecting the deeply flawed and dangerous deal currently on the table. We congratulate the eight Democratic Representatives who have displayed courage in considering the proposed Iranian nuclear deal without reference to partisan party concerns; and we respectfully call upon other members of Congress, regardless of political affiliation, to recognize the serious shortcomings of the JCPOA, and to disapprove this deal. | | | |
| | Congressman Eliot Engel speaking with members of Agudath Israel of America's Board of Trustees, February 2015 |
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| Agudath Israel continues to urge advocacy against Iran deal
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| |  Rabbi Abba Cohen Vice President for Federal Affairs and Washington Director |
| Agudath Israel of America's staff and lay leadership reached out to members of Congress over the last two weeks to express their concern with the nuclear deal reached with Iran. Face-to-face meetings are being arranged with key members of Congress, both in Washington and in local districts. Agudath Israel reiterates its July 17th statement calling for "both political and spiritual advocacy" and calls upon its lay leadership to contact members of Congress while they are home during the August recess. We urge community members to respectfully ask their members of Congress to push for a stronger deal that will better protect the United States and its allies, especially Israel. For talking points, sample letters, and contact information for your member of Congress click here. |
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| Agudath Israel leaders meet with Senator Gillibrand on Iran nuclear deal
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| |  Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel Executive Vice President |
| As the U.S. Senate entered the final days of its session before breaking for summer recess, a high ranking delegation of Agudath Israel of America leaders traveled to Washington earlier this week to meet with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D, NY) to discuss the organization's deep concerns about the Iranian nuclear deal, and to urge her to vote against the deal.
In a meeting that lasted over half-an-hour, the Agudath Israel delegation delivered a clear message: the proposed deal with Iran is fraught with grave danger for America and its allies, especially Israel, and should be disapproved.
Senator Gillibrand, who was clearly knowledgeable about the many complex issues surrounding the proposed agreement yet deeply interested in the insights her guests brought to the table, took careful notes as the Agudath Israel leaders made their case. While she did not definitively indicate which way she planned to vote, the Senator spoke with great passion about the terrible threat a nuclear empowered Iran would pose, and she forcefully articulated America's responsibility to prevent that threat from materializing.
After the meeting, Agudath Israel executive vice president Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel described Senator Gillibrand as "diligent and intelligent, sensitive to the concerns we raised and clear-eyed about the nature of the Iranian threat. It was a privilege for us to have an opportunity to engage the Senator in intense face-to-face dialogue on this vital issue."
The other members of the Agudath Israel delegation included three members of the organization's board of trustees, Charles (Hashi) Herzka, Ralph (Shmuel Yosef) Rieder and Jacob (Yaty) Weinreb, as well as Agudath Israel's executive vice president for finance and administration Rabbi Shlomo Gertzulin, and vice president for federal affairs Rabbi Abba Cohen.
The meeting with Senator Gillibrand was one of a series of targeted meetings Agudath Israel plans to have in the weeks ahead with Senators and Representatives who have not yet indicated how they intend to vote on the Iranian deal. "We hope," Rabbi Zwiebel said, "that the relationship many of our key constituents across America enjoy with their elected officials, and the perspectives we have to offer, will prove useful in persuading those officials to vote no on this dangerous deal." |
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| | | For more photos click here |
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| New York Jewish schools to receive millions of dollars in next two years |
| | Mrs. Deborah Zachai Director of Education Affairs
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| The New York State Education Department recently announced its plans for the disbursement of the $250 million in mandated services and Comprehensive Attendance Program (CAP) reimbursement the legislature appropriated at the close of this year's session in June. At a meeting of the New York State Commissioner of Education's Nonpublic School Advisory Council, State Education Department officials announced that the $250 million would be paid out over a two-year period, with $125 million disbursed in each of the two years. These payments are set to begin in September 2015. Mrs. Deborah Zachai, Agudath Israel of America's director of education affairs, who was one of the meeting participants, explained that these monies have been owed to nonpublic schools for more than a decade. Due to budget shortfalls and the use of a flawed formula to calculate the actual reimbursement owed to nonpublic schools, the debt accumulated and became substantial over a more than ten-year period. It has been a long-standing legislative priority for Agudath Israel of America - whose late president Rabbi Moshe Sherer was instrumental in getting the mandated services law enacted over 40 years ago - to obtain payment on the debt. With the state's allocation of $250 million for this purpose, that priority has now been accomplished. "We are absolutely thrilled that, at long last, the state will be making good on the debt it has owed Jewish and other nonpublic schools for so many years. We anticipate that the Jewish schools' share of these funds should be approximately $80 million over the next two years, in addition to the regular mandated and CAP payments. This infusion of substantial funding is wonderful news for Jewish schools and should significantly help ease their cash flow over the next two years," said Mrs. Zachai. "We thank Governor Cuomo and the members of the Legislature for addressing this important issue. This development is long overdue, but nonetheless extremely welcome," said Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Agudath Israel's executive vice president. |
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| Agudath Israel Ohio director attends Republican Presidential Debate in Cleveland
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| | Agudath Israel's Ohio Director, Rabbi Yitz Frank, with Congressman Jim Jordan (OH-4th District) talking about school choice before the Republican Presidential Debate in Cleveland |
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| Watch: "Agudah Moment" Episode 1
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| |  Rabbi Yitzchok Ehrman COO, Agudath Israel of Illinois |
| | Agudath Israel of Illinois recently released the first of a series of videos updating the Jewish community on its activities. The first episode includes a report on the passage of the "Hatzalah" bill, allowing the Jewish community's volunteer emergency medical service members to use emergency lights and sirens when driving to or from an emergency. |
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