Sunday, March 17, 2019

Fwd: Sanctuaries of faith, not fear



---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Rabbi A.D. Motzen <admotzen@agudathisrael.org>
Date: Sun, Mar 17, 2019, 2:17 PM
Subject: Sanctuaries of faith, not fear
To: <faigerayzel@gmail.com>
News & Information for the Week of
March 10- March 15, 2019

Sanctuaries of faith, not fear
 
 
 
 
Rabbi A.D. Motzen
National Director of State Relations
 
Houses of worship should be warm and welcoming places but instead, some of them have become mini-fortresses where strangers are looked at with suspicion and armed guards or police stand watch outside.
 
These sentiments were expressed on Wednesday by Agudath Israel delegates to the nearly 30 members of Congress and their staff with whom we met throughout the day. We spoke about fear, and about feeling targeted and discriminated against in the context of zoning laws and even threats or acts of violence. We heard strong statements condemning anti-Semitism and pledges of support. We heard from famed attorney Nathan Lewin, US Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Elan Carr, U.S. Attorney General William Barr, US Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, and senior members of Congress.
 
 
The Honorable Elan Carr, U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism 
 
Less than 48 hours later, we heard the terrible news about the terrorist attack on two mosques in New Zealand. Religious individuals, gathering for prayer, were gunned down in their houses of worship. We condemned the attack and expressed our condolences. No community should be targeted because of their faith. Houses of worship should be sanctuaries of faith, not places of fear.   
 
  Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), US Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, and Representative Bradley Byrne (R-AL) address Agudath Israel mission delegates  
 
Religious discrimination and security, however, were not the only issues we focused on in Washington. During a panel discussion over lunch, Secretary DeVos, Senator Cruz, and Representative Byrne talked about their federal scholarship tax credit proposal, which now has House and Senate language and was included in President Trump's proposed budget. Secretary DeVos also spoke about her announcement that the Department of Education would no longer prevent religious entities from serving as third-party educational  providers of secular equitable services.   
 
On the state level, Rabbi Matz reports (below) about the separate House and Senate proposals to expand school choice in Florida, while Rabbi Sadwin helped organize a rally of 1200 nonpublic school students and supporters in Annapolis.   
 
International: A key Hungarian lawmaker visited our offices to discuss matters affecting the Jewish community. 
 
In the Courts: In New York, the battle over state control of private schools continued, with two lawsuits filed so far. On the federal level, an appeals court upheld the constitutionality of the tax-exempt parsonage allowance. Agudath Israel joined a COLPA (National Jewish Commission on Law and Public Affairs) brief authored by Nathan Lewin in this case.   
 
 
 
On behalf of everyone at Agudath Israel, we wish our readers a Happy Purim!
  
 

A.D.
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STATEMENT FROM AGUDATH ISRAEL ON TERROR ATTACK AT NEW ZEALAND MOSQUES
 
The brutal murders of 49 worshipers in two mosques in New Zealand is a personal tragedy for the relatives and friends of those who were killed, and yet another in the long list of murderous acts born of religious or racial hatred.
 
This horrific act is not a crime against Muslims alone, but against humanity.
 
Agudath Israel of America extends its condolences to the families of the worshipers killed, and condemns all such evil acts and the attitudes that lead to them. 
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Agudath Israel Washington Mission: Orthodox Jewry's Concerns Expressed in High Level Meetings with Cabinet Members and Congressional Leaders
  
 
"One person can make a difference!" This theme, the ability of the very few to make things better for so many others, was the rallying cry of Tuesday night's orientation for Agudah's annual Washington Mission.  Representing Jewish communities from coast to coast, more than 50 delegates from ten states traveled to Washington D.C. to discuss matters of concern affecting Orthodox Jews with top federal officials during Agudath Israel of America's Washington Mission.  
 
Attorney and Champion of the Orthodox Community's religious Rights Nathan Lewin  
  
Carving time out of his extremely tight schedule in order to address the mission, prominent litigator Nathan Lewin shared his observations on how dedicated advocates who are engaged in the legislative process can become effective catalysts for change, particularly today when the Supreme Court appears to be more favorably disposed towards religious groups than in the past. Mr. Lewin spoke about religious rights cases that he has argued in his own half-century long career and discussed the major role his father played in the 1957 federal kosher slaughter legislation that remains on the books today. The Polish-born Mr. Lewin, whose family fled from the Germans in the early days of World War II when he was a small child, also warned about waves of anti-Semitism that have become disturbingly prevalent, noting that they may be the harbinger of a more serious situation in the future.
 
   
Rabbi Abba Cohen, Agudah's Vice President for Government Affairs and Washington Director and Counsel
 
The final speaker of the night was Agudah vice president for government affairs and Washington director and counsel Rabbi Abba Cohen, who coordinated the mission in conjunction with Agudah executive director Rabbi Labish Becker, Rabbi Motzen and Agudah events coordinator Mrs. Debby Jacobs. Rabbi Cohen, who has become a respected figure in the halls of government during his 30 year career in Washington, gave a brief overview of some of the many issues that are being supported by the Agudah in the 116th Congress, including Israel, security grants, schools choice, combating BDS, and tax issues affecting nonprofits. The vast scope of issues that affect the Jewish community are so far reaching that Rabbi Cohen noted that even with another ten employees on his staff, he still would not be able to fully cover them all.
       
To read more about Tuesday's program and to see more pictures click here.
 
To read Agudath Israel's 2019 federal agenda booklet click here 
 
On Wednesday, the day began with an inspiring address by the U.S. State Department's recently appointed U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, the Honorable Elan Carr. The group then headed to the U.S. Department of Education where the group met with Assistant Secretary for Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development Jim Blew and Policy Advisor McKenzie Snow to discuss the new multi-billion dollar federal tax credit scholarship plan recently announced by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. The meeting included comprehensive presentations and insightful questions about the proposal, with both Mr. Blew and Ms. Snow acknowledging Agudah Vice President for Government Affairs and Washington Director Rabbi Abba Cohen's key role in shaping the legislation, especially as it pertains to the inclusion and wording of its religious liberty protections.
 
 McKenzie Snow, Rabbi Motzen, Jim Blew
  
27 years after he was honored with the Humanitarian Award at Agudath Israel of America's 70th annual dinner for taking a strong stance against religious discrimination in a Rockland County village, Attorney General William Barr once again proved himself an ally by assuring delegates to the Agudah's Washington mission of the federal government's commitment to upholding the religious rights of every United States citizen.
 
To read more about Wednesday morning's meeting at the Department of Justice and to see more pictures click here.
 
Attorney General Barr watching a clip of his 1992 speech at the Agudah 70th Anniversary Dinner. To watch, click here. 
 
With delegates representing California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Texas, members of the mission spent their final hours on Capitol Hill split into groups led by the eight Agudah state directors. The delegates met with nearly 30 members of Congress or senior staffers in their offices, discussing a variety of issues including Israel, anti-BDS legislation, anti-Semitism, the scholarship tax credit bill, security grants, religious liberty and nonprofit tax burdens.   
 
 Agudah delegates meeting with Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) 
 
"It is heartening to see members of our community from literally across the country giving of their precious time to make a difference in lives everywhere," said Rabbi Cohen. "It is equally heartening to see how eager and interested our elected officials are to meet with our delegates and hear their concerns and understand their issues. Agudath Israel's efforts in bringing the two face to face, whether in Washington or in state capitals, inevitably leads to better advocacy, better lawmaking and ultimately better futures for our community's families and institutions."
 
To read more about Wednesday's program and view pictures click here. 
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Bill Text and Analysis on Education Freedom Scholarship Bills  
 
The Education Freedom Scholarships and Opportunity Act, was recently introduced by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) (S.634) and Representative Bradley Byrne (R-AL) (H.R. 1434) (as of the sending of this newsletter only the House version text was uploaded on the Congress.gov website). 
 
For additional analysis, Rabbi Abba Cohen was interviewed by Hamodia (here) about the Education Freedom Scholarship proposal (which was then quoted by US Secretary DeVos in a Tweet) and Rabbi Motzen offered his thoughts to Ami magazine (here). 
 
 
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Maryland CAPE Rally in Annapolis 
 
 
 
 
 
Rabbi Ariel Sadwin
Mid-Atlantic Regional Director 
 
  
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan addressing the crowd

Rabbi Sadwin leading the chants "It's all about the kids!" 
 
1,200 nonpublic school students lobby Annapolis for continued state funding.
 
On Tuesday, Maryland's nonpublic school community once again came out in droves to the State capitol in Annapolis for the annual student rally hosted by Maryland CAPE (Council for American Private Education). More than 1,200 students, teachers and parents from across faith communities, gathered to express their appreciation for the state-funded programs that benefit their schools and their families.
 
Governor Larry Hogan spoke to the cheering crowd about the important role students can play as advocates for the programs that are so vital to their communities. The Governor then took time to meet and engage with the students. 
 
After a morning of lobbying their legislators and touring the legislative buildings, the students gathered for lunch where they were joined by Lieutenant Governor Boyd Rutherford. It was the first time the annual nonpublic school advocacy day events were graced by both the governor and lieutenant governor. 
 
Among the 1,200 students were more than 100 students from Maryland's Jewish day schools. Students from Bais Yaakov and Bnos Yisroel, both of Baltimore, and Berman Hebrew Academy, of Silver Spring, spent their day interacting with legislators, observing the House and Senate floor sessions, and effectively serving as ambassadors for their communities and for the programs which help them and thousands of their peers.   
 
Rabbi Sadwin and Rabbi Yisroel Gelb (visiting for the day) with Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford 
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Agudath Israel Guides Yeshivos as Lawsuits are Filed on Equivalency of Instruction
 
A lawsuit was filed this past Thursday in New York State Supreme Court by a group of Jewish plaintiffs, challenging the New York State Education Department's recently promulgated substantial equivalency guidelines. To read the lawsuit click here.


The new SED guidelines were published on November 20, 2018. They require local school districts across the state to evaluate all nonpublic schools in their districts for compliance with the legal requirement that they provide an education that is at least "substantially equivalent" to that which is offered in local public schools. Many of the requirements of the guidelines are onerous and inflexible. They understandably provoked a great outcry in the yeshiva community, as they would appear to require radical changes in the schedule and educational mission of many if not most of our yeshivos.
 
After efforts to persuade SED to change the guidelines were largely unsuccessful, and with no other short term resolution in sight, the rabbinic leaders who have been involved in monitoring this matter came to the reluctant conclusion that the guidelines must be challenged in court. The plaintiffs in the case are three Jewish organizations (Agudath Israel, Torah Umesorah and PEARLS), five yeshivos (Chaim Berlin, Torah Vodaath,Tiferes Yerushalayim, RJJ and Chasan Sofer), and five parents. They advance several grounds of attack against the new SED guidelines. Without going into detail, the first group of claims allege that the SED exceeded its legal authority in promulgating these guidelines. The complaint further alleges that even if such authority were to exist, the Commissioner failed to abide by the rulemaking process for creating new regulations, and that the guidelines therefore are unenforceable. Finally, the complaint alleges that the guidelines violate the parent plaintiffs' constitutional rights of free exercise of religion, due process and free speech.
 
Plaintiffs are planning to file a motion for a preliminary injunction in the days ahead, with the goal of stopping the implementation of the new guidelines during the pendency of the litigation. We will report any further developments on this motion after it is ruled on by the court. Significantly, the Jewish plaintiffs are not the only ones who have filed a lawsuit against the new SED guidelines. Earlier last week, 11 member schools of the New York State Association of Independent Schools filed their complaint, also challenging the SED's legal authority to promulgate the guidelines. Additionally, we have reason to believe that there may yet be at least one other lawsuit in the offing, by another prominent nonpublic school constituency; we should know more in the days ahead. Obviously, the new guidelines are deeply objectionable not only to the Jewish school community, but also to the full spectrum of nonpublic schools across New York State.
 
In the meantime, we and other nonpublic school groups have been reaching out to members of the New York State Senate and Assembly to alert them to the fact that the entire nonpublic school community is united in firm opposition to the new guidelines, and to work with them in developing new legislation that would resolve the impasse. Indeed, this was the number one issue discussed at last week's Agudath Israel "Albany Day," when a delegation of approximately 60 yeshiva representatives and activists from across the state spent a full day in meetings with legislators and high ranking officials from the Governor's office. To support these legislative efforts, we are also reaching out to other relevant parties who are potential allies in this battle, including school district leaders who are not pleased with the new oversight responsibility that has been thrust upon them under the new guidelines.
 
From Agudath Israel's perspective, as determined by the rabbinic sages who guide us, it is the right of every single Jewish community to establish a system of education that conforms to its traditions. Our rabbinic leaders (Roshei Yeshiva, Admorim, Vaadei Hachinuch) - they are the ones who should make educational decisions for their institutions, not government bureaucrats. As we see it, an attack on the educational autonomy of any one yeshiva is an attack on all.

(Excerpt from letter sent by Rabbi Zwiebel to New York school administrators)
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Scholarship Bills Introduced in Florida   
 
 
Rabbi Moshe Matz
Executive Director
Agudath Israel of Florida
 
 
The Florida Senate and House recently introduced bills to expand school choice options. The Corporate Tax Scholarship Program which currently provides low income students with a tuition scholarship has reached capacity, and there are currently around 15,000 students on a waiting list.  
 
The House Education Committee filed a bill that would eliminate the waiting list and help about 28,000 students in the 2019-2020 school year.The House bill is known as the Family Empowerment Scholarship It would help pay for private school tuition and fees. Any unused funds would be able to be rolled over to the next school year.The Senate version would be capped at 15,000 students in its first year.
 
Both proposals would be funded through the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP). The Senate bill would be administered by the state Department of Education, the House bill would be managed by eligible Scholarship Funding Organizations such as Step Up For Students.
 
The House version of the legislation has the value of the scholarships at 97 percent of the district average per-student funding in the FEFP. Eligibility would be limited to students whose household income levels do not exceed 300 percent of the federal poverty level ($77,250 for a family of four) in the first year. That amount would increase by 25 percent each following year until it reaches 375 percent of the federal poverty level ($96,563 for household of four).
 
Students would be eligible if they spent the previous school year in public school for grades 1 through 12, if they are entering the private school for kindergarten, or received a scholarship from an eligible Scholarship Funding Organization the previous year. Once families are found eligible, they would not have to re-verify their income every year.
 
The Senate bill has the value of the scholarships at 95 percent of the district average per-student funding in the FEFP. Like the current Florida Tax Credit Scholarship, eligibility would be limited to students whose household income levels do not exceed 260 percent of the federal poverty level ($66,950 for a family of four).
 
Agudath Israel of Florida is working closely with its coalition partners to promote and encourage legislators to work together to pass the most robust expansion of school choice option for families.
 
(adapted from recent RedefineEd articles) 

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Agudath Israel Meets with Key Hungarian Lawmaker

Clockwise around the Table: Dr. David Moskovits, Dr. Istvan Bajkai, Member of Parliament, Hungary, Thomas Barat, Founder and President, American Hungarian Chamber of Commerce of New York, Inc., Reb Shia Markowitz,CEO, Agudath Israel of America, and Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Executive Vice President, Agudath Israel of America
 
Dr. Istvan Bajkai, the Vice Chairman of the Committee on Legislation and the Member of the Committee on Justice of the Hungarian Parliament together with Thomas Barat, Founder and President, American Hungarian Chamber of Commerce of New York, Inc., and David Moskovits visited Agudah Headquarters in New York on Thursday, March 7th. They met with Reb Shia Markowitz, CEO, and Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, executive vice president. Among the topics discussed was the preservation of Orthodox Jewish cemeteries throughout Hungary and the positive climate currently enjoyed by Jews in Hungary, including a report on the successes of the Hungarian Jewish school founded by Dr. Moskovits. 

Agudath Israel of America's division of government affairs is engaged in advocacy and legislative outreach activities on the local, state, and federal levels. In so doing, Agudath Israel seeks to protect the rights and advance the interests of observant Jews and their growing network of educational and religious institutions; and to offer a uniquely Orthodox Jewish perspective on contemporary issues of public concern.

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Amalek of Today

Bsd
יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי פִי וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי לְפָנֶיךָ יְהוָה צוּרִי וְגֹאֲלִי. תהלים יט טו


Today's Amalek
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1xTM2rP8jVTtBpUPSifhp385A1SGg3M_k

 3 Biblical Commandments re: Amalek. BreslovTorah.com
According to Rabbi Alon Anava, the key to break the Klipa, the spiritually impure husk,  is not to derive any pleasure from it. By deriving pleasure from the Klipa we become entrapped and enslaved.

 Purim - How to break the Klipa - Rabbi Alon Anava

My comments:

More Than 700 Day School Students, Parents & Administrators Rally State Leaders for Increased STEM Funding for Nonpublic Schools

Time to reexamine TeachNYS funding and see if the monies for STEM, Security, Jewish Education and Jewish Social Programs are benefiting from the Klipa of Amalek who have infiltrated the leadership of the Democratic Party.  

Please don't misunderstand. The  STEM funding initiative is fabulous. The problem is the source of the funding.

The Yeshivas and Jewish Community deserve all the funding. We pay taxes etc. 

There is deafening silence, today in  Adar 5779, in Orthodox Jewish circles against the likes of Ilhan Omar and Pelosi's choices. This Silence can only be attributed to having good reason to fear that if we voiced opposition to these Democratic Socialist elected officials, it would probably risk drying up substantial future funding for all our worthwhile programs benefiting the Jewish Community coming from the Democrats.  They have us in their grasp. 

This funding seems to have influenced effective political activism of our JCC's and Jewish Mainstream Organizations. We are Silent about Amalek.  We dare not endorse a pro Israel Republican candidate, providing clarity to our faith based constituents out of fear of become accused of being partisan. In so doing, we have empowered Israel's worst enemies by not effectively opposing them and have elected Democratic Socialists, anti-Semitic, pro Palestinian candidates.  

But Strong opposition to such evil is coming from Righteous Gentiles. This however can not replace our own obligation to oppose such evil.

Congresswoman Ilhan Omar: Terrorist - Frontpagemag.com

EVANGELICAL LEADER CALLS ON JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TO INVESTIGATE ILHAN OMAR'S CONNECTIONS TO MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD

Here is some more information as per their greater sinister agenda.... as they support and empower America's and Israel's worst enemies.  

Islamists Infiltrate the US Political System
by Oren Litwin


Electing such individuals into public office is part of a larger picture of what is called Civilization Jihad.

Civilization Jihad is the plan of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Brigitte Gabriel, the Director of Act for America writes:

They wrote the plan of the destruction of the US in 1991. "An Explanatory Memorandum of the General Strategic Goal of the North American Group, May 1991. https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/actforamerica/pages/90/attachments/original/1462910108/The-Project-doc.pdf?1462910108  See pages 16-32 in English

In this plan here is a paragraph that explains what the Muslim Brotherhood Plan is all about:

Understanding the Role of the Muslim Brother in North America:
The Process of Settlement is a civilization jihadist process. That brothers [in America] must understand that their work is a kind of Jihad in eliminating and destroying the western civilization from within and sabotaging its miserable house by their hands and the hands of the believers so it is eliminated so that Allah's religion is made victorious over all other religions.

Please read more of what Brigitte Gabriel has to say:
Brigitte Gabriel exposes the Muslim Brotherhood like no other. Brilliant expose!


The time will come, hopefully sooner than later that we will understand that by being Silent we empower terrible evil.

Therefore....Let us raise our voice our strong opposition for these anti-Semitic Congresswomen.  Bring 700 students to Nancy Pelosi's office just like you did to get funding for STEM. There is nothing to lose except disfavor from the Democratic Party.  Alternatively, if we are silent, under the control of the Klipa of Amalek, STEM funding for our Yeshivoth and even Security Funding will be inconsequential G-d forbid in relation to dealing with evil forces in control of the purse strings..

Surely we can secure funding for our Yeshivoth from a G-d fearing source. 

Here all our teaching of  Emuna and Bitachon must come into play. We have to believe, that just like in the Shemittah year, we won't starve even when our source of livelihood seems to be cut off, Hashem will provide for us as he did in the desert and we need to hang in there and trust in Hashem! 

Nancy Pelosi empowered the leadership of the Women's March Ilhan Omar, AOC, Linda Sarsour etc.

Common Core under Democratic Leadership means we are enslaved to their curriculum which doesn't just include STEM.

Letiitia James, who addressed the OU contingent of 700 Yeshiva students, received lots of respect etc. Are our kids aware that her primary agenda is not merely to provide funding for STEM for Yeshiva students but rather to find dirt on Trump and his family and associates to get him impeached? Did we empower the Klipa of Amalek by awarding her such positive PR and recognition?


President Trump has close alliances with those who fear G-d. His inner circle are individuals who are G-d fearing and who have a history of loving Israel way before they became part of his inner circle.  I know that for a fact from my personal activism for Judea and Samaria.  Trump is actively fighting the Amalekites, Iran and Muslim Brotherhood. He is on G-d's side. Yet have we showed him the proper Hakoras Hatov, the proper appreciation?

 Trump: Republicans ‘waiting with open arms’ for ‘Jexodus’ from Democrats
https://gellerreport.com/2019/03/trump-republicans-jexodus.html/

Agudah and OU have been actively engaged in initiating and finding favor and benefiting from and giving benefit to the Democratic Party in return who has been infiltrated with the Klipa of Amalek.

We seem unable to even recognize that we have chosen evil over good since the monies received have made us dependent on the Klipa.

This surely has had a direct impact being unable to effectively fight Amalek in our midst.

Lobbying for STEM funding is not the problem.  Being Silent of the Amalek in our midst is!!!

Amalek is strengthened by disunity of the Nation of Israel. Now in the Month of Adar Bet, we can rise above the Klipa!  Let us Unite to fight our common enemy Amalek and may all our fears dissipate! G-d is stronger than our enemies. He provides for all!

In this Zchus may we be Zocheh to bring Moshiach very soon!

Related:

 Sanctuaries of faith, not fear
by Rabbi A.D. Motzen
National Director of State Relations. Agudath Israel of America, Office of Government Affairs. Weekly Window News and Information  for the week of March 10, 2019- March 15, 2019
https://shemittahrediscovered.blogspot.com/2019/03/fwd-sanctuaries-of-faith-not-fear.html?m=1

 ...The OU Advocacy has put their emphasis on closed meeting advocacy with members of Congress.  Gillibrand, Jeffries, Corey Booker, Schumer  etc.
What do they have to show for it?   Not much.  Gillibrand, Jeffries, Booker came out for the Deal.
Even Schumer disappointed us since he was too busy to study the Iran Deal because he was busy working on the Education bill.  See 3:30 into video with Chuck Schumer:UP WITH STEVE KORNACKI 7/19/15 I'll make up my own mind on Iran nuke deal .  http://www.msnbc.com/up/watch/schumer--ill-make-up-my-own-mind-on-nuke-deal-487177283523
Just knowing that Iran was getting $150 billion dollars of sanctions relief is reason enough to come out against it. What exactly about the deal did he have to study? (Caroline Glick at Times Square Rally opposing the Deal)
When Gillibrand and other Democrats came out in support of the deal, Schumer finally came out against it.   Even after knowing that there were hidden side deals, Schumer didn't try very hard to convince fellow Democrats that this was a bad deal.   Even with his lukewarm opposition, Obama came out with full force backlash...
BTW, Yes, the Yeshivoth did received promises of big bucks from New York State early this summer around this time..Schumer was probably focusing on this! Monies that were somehow owed to private schools from 9,10 years ago.... reimbursable...Impeccable timing?
AGUDAH ADVOCACY FOR YESHIVA EDUCATION funding at the Expense of IRAN DEAL ADVOCACY?
VIDEO from Agudath Israel: A GREAT WAY TO START THE NEW YEAR: NY STATE YESHIVOS TO RECEIVE $40 MILLION http://ourlli.org/video-a-great-way-to-start-the-new-year-ny-state-yeshivos-to-receive-40-million/?cat=news  "All that knocking finally paid off"... Rabbi David Zwiebel  monies owed to them from 2006 [following Gush Katif..  My comments RT]  Why was Schumer so busy with this instead of the Iran Deal? http://agudathisrael.org/video-a-great-way-to-start-the-new-year-ny-state-yeshivos-to-receive-40-million/ (Lefkowitz Leadership Initiative link not operative. Found under agudahisrael.org)
 VIDEO: NYS ED DEPT BEGINS DISTRIBUTION OF $250 MILLION REIMBURSEMENT TO NONPUBLIC SCHOOLS. YESHIVOS TO RECEIVE 80 MILLION DOLLARS IN NEXT TWO YEARS—http://ourlli.org/nys-ed-dept-begins-distribution-of-250-million-reimbursement-to-nonpublic-schools/?cat=news  http://agudathisrael.org/nys-ed-dept-begins-distribution-of-250-million-reimbursement-to-nonpublic-schools/
 Earlier this summer, the New York State Education Department announced that over the next two years it would be distributing $250 million in mandated services/CAP reimbursement to nonpublic schools across the state with $125 million to be paid out in each of the two years...
Mrs. Deborah Zachai, Director of Education Affairs for Agudath Israel of America, 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 due 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. The state's allocation of $250 million for this purpose, goes a long way towards accomplishing that priority.
"We are absolutely thrilled that, at long last, the state has begun making payments on the debt it has owed yeshivos and other nonpublic schools for so many years. We anticipate that the yeshiva 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 yeshivos and should significantly help ease their cash flow," said Mrs. Zachai.
"This development is long overdue, but nonetheless extremely welcome," added Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Agudath Israel's Executive Vice President. "We look forward to working with the State Education Department over the next two years as these vital funds are distributed."
Agudah Advocacy for Iran:
Aside from these posts and this PDF which gives talking points and  sample letters to our elected officials, http://files.ctctcdn.com/1cf6ab87001/88c49f26-7483-4f0b-93b8-b89659fe5258.pdf that's about it. And it is pretty hard to cut and paste a pdf file.
Agudah has been rather silent. No videos about our G-d Given rights to Eretz Yisroel,  Yehuda and Shomron based on commentaries of the  Biblical boundaries of Eretz Yisroel delineated in Parshat Masei. No videos about a dangerous Iran deal,

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Friday, March 15, 2019

Fwd: Daniel Greenfield's article: 2020 Dems Prove More Women in Politics Won't Fix Sexual Harassment


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Subject: Daniel Greenfield's article: 2020 Dems Prove More Women in Politics Won't Fix Sexual Harassment
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Daniel Greenfield's article: 2020 Dems Prove More Women in Politics Won't Fix Sexual Harassment

Link to Sultan Knish

2020 Dems Prove More Women in Politics Won't Fix Sexual Harassment

Posted: 14 Mar 2019 12:16 PM PDT

It's no secret that the top ranks of the Democrat 2020 field have a #MeToo problem.

Joe Biden is a walking #MeToo outrage. And one of his presidential campaign leftovers was recently dumped by Schumer's office for "inappropriate encounters". Bernie Sanders once wrote, "A woman enjoys intercourse with her man as she fantasizes being raped by 3 men simultaneously." His campaign was a swamp of sexism, sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior by staffers and political allies.

And Beto O'Rourke's former political outreach director has been accused of rape.

That kind of behavior inspires Democrat activists to insist that we need more women running things. But the only woman that the Democrats picked for the White House had a career record of covering up the sexual harassment and possible sexual assaults that were being committed by her husband.

The victim of Beto O'Rourke's former director was fired by her boss, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee. The rapist was working at the congresswoman's Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Leadership Institute.

Women are just as likely to cover for sexual harassment by a trusted male employee or aide.

Or even more likely.

Of the top 2020 candidates with a #MeToo scandal in their office, 2 out of 3 are female. Biden and Beto's staffers disgraced their former bosses in #MeToo scandals after they had moved on.

Half of the top rank of 2020 female candidates had a #MeToo scandal happen on their watch.

That's a worse statistical track record than even the male candidates.

The only 2020 candidates that had #MeToo scandals in their offices are Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris and Kirsten Gillibrand. While the sexual harassment scandals in the offices of the two female senators were no match for the sheer scale of the complaints in Bernie's campaign, there was a pattern.

Both Gillibrand and Harris had close male aides, Abbas Malik in Gillibrand's office and Larry Wallace in Harris' office, who maintained very close relationships with their female bosses while allegedly sexually harassing other women in the office. The relationships between Malik and Gillibrand, and Wallace and Harris, appeared to cross professional lines with both men maintaining a personal relationship.

Malik was officially Gillibrand's military adviser, but actually worked as her driver and gofer. In between the alleged incidents of inappropriate office behavior, Malik had the keys to Gillibrand's house and was known in her circle as "the keeper of the purse". Despite his lack of obvious qualifications, Malik may have come to Gillibrand's attention while complaining that he couldn't get hired as a security guard, he was on track for a promotion even though he was really working as Gillibrand's driver.

Wallace had also built a close relationship with Kamala Harris. He had spent fourteen years as her deputy chief when she was working as a DA. Somewhere along the way their relationship had deepened and when she won her senate race, Wallace became her senior advisor. The Sacramento Bee described Wallace as her "close friend" and "closest confidante". Former employees called Kamala Harris and the alleged harasser "incredibly close". Wallace managed the future senator's security team resulting in the two of them spending a great deal of time together. His duties appeared to be light, traveling only five times on official business, while earning a $90,000 salary as her liaison to law enforcement.

When Kamala Harris published her campaign bio, The Truths We Hold: An American Journey, it contained a photo of Harris and Wallace, and praise for her longtime aide's "leadership".

Wallace and Malik had backgrounds in law enforcement and the military, they were officially serving as advisers on these issues, but in practice were being kept around because they had an emotional connection to a senator, and possibly received positions and rewards based on that relationship.

Underlying the dubious positions of Wallace and Malik were the dubious positions of Harris and Gillibrand. Kamala Harris had climbed the ladder through a relationship with Willie Brown. The former San Francisco mayor had appointed her to positions she was unqualified for and linked her up with his donor network. Brown had also gifted the much younger woman he was having an affair with a BMW.

Kirsten Gillibrand's appointment to a Senate seat remains one of the more baffling developments in New York politics. Obama had hoped to turn Hillary Clinton's seat over to Caroline Kennedy. Instead Caroline had to settle for a disastrous ambassadorship in Japan while Gillibrand, a complete unknown representing a conservative area in upstate New York, joined the Senate. Gillibrand had previously only made it into the House because her Republican opponent had been accused of beating his wife.

Gillibrand was selected for the seat by former Governor Paterson, a corrupt politician who would later be accused of witness tampering in a domestic abuse case involving his own staffer. Gillibrand's grandmother had allegedly built power through an adulterous affair with Albany mayor Erastus Corning II. Her appointment to a prestigious office remains a mystery. The New York Times and other papers had inveighed against it at the time before agreeing to let it go and accept Gillibrand as a Senate member.

Both Harris and Gillibrand got their start in politics through dubious means that potentially blurred the lines between the personal and the political. And once in the Senate, it appeared that the lines continued to blur within their own offices and inner circles. Both powerful women appeared to form personal relationships with their advisors while ignoring the allegations of sexual misconduct.

Were Malik and Wallace able to get away with their alleged harassment because of their close relationships with female bosses who had built their brands around fighting sexual harassment?

Who would believe that senators so dedicated to fighting for #MeToo had a #MeToo problem?

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, more than any other politician, had used the #MeToo movement as her platform. Senator Kamala Harris followed close behind her. The hypocrisy was stunning because Gillibrand's staffer ended up trapped by a mediation requirement that her boss had publicly opposed. Harris' staffer was silenced by a Non-Disclosure Agreement that her boss had publicly opposed in sexual harassment cases.

The very reforms that Harris and Gillibrand were campaigning for were off-limits to their employees.

Riding the coattails of the #MeToo movement, Gillibrand and Harris claimed that victims should be believed. Instead they chose not to believe the victims when they were accusing their aides.

Malik and Wallace were only forced out when their cases went public. The feminist establishment that promised to protect women, instead did everything possible to protect their sexual harassers.

At Variety's Power of Women luncheon, Gillibrand had touted #MeToo and warned, "For too many institutions, their actions speak louder than words."

That proved to be true of Gillibrand, who talked endlessly about the evils of sexual harassment while turning a blind eye to it in her own office.

Senator Gillibrand's solution to sexual harassment was more women like her in the Senate.

"Imagine the day when we have 51% of women in congress. We only have 22 in the U.S. Senate, only 18% in the House of Representatives," Gillibrand had ranted. "Do you think this U.S. Senate would still be doing nothing to change the sexual harassment system."

And then Gillibrand demonstrated that having more women in the Senate would not prevent sexual harassment. No gender has a monopoly on misbehavior. Women may be less likely to sexually harass, but they are as likely, and 2020 statistics suggest perhaps even more likely, to turn a blind eye to it.

Gender diversity doesn't fix sexual harassment. Ethics and values do.

Kirsten Gillibrand and Kamala Harris convinced women to vote for them by playing on the myth of sisterhood, telling other women that they could count on their support because they were women. But the women working for them quickly found out that the senators put their relationships with men first.

Leftist feminism is built on the same lie of gender solidarity. Diversity insists that only women can be trusted to treat women fairly, and only black people can be trusted to treat other black people fairly. And Congress makes a mockery out of the myth of solidarity through diversity every other week.

Decency has no gender and no race. Ethics has no identity. And diversity is no substitute for decency.





Daniel Greenfield is a Shillman Journalism Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center. This article previously appeared at the Center's Front Page Magazine at the above link.

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