REVIEW - Lefkowitz Leadership Initiative

YEAR IN
A G U D AT H I S R A E L
OF AMERICA
REVIEW
2014
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
2
3
MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
4
RABBINIC LEADERSHIP
5
LAY LEADERSHIP
6
TORAH PROJECTS & DAF YOMI COMMISSION
8
YOUTH DIVISIONS
10
ADVOCACY
16
ANNUAL EVENTS
18
SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICES
22
YESHIVA SERVICES
24
COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT
25
AGUDAH WOMEN OF AMERICA
26
RESOURCE DIRECTORY
YEAR IN REVIEW
MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
DEAR FRIEND OF AGUDATH ISRAEL:
We are proud to present this pictorial summary of some of the activities and
accomplishments of Agudath Israel of America over the course of the past 12 months.
As you can see from the pages that follow, Agudath Israel, through our national office
and regional offices around the country, is involved in a myriad of activities and projects
affecting virtually every aspect of contemporary Jewish life, and stands at the forefront
of responsible activism on behalf of the Torah community.
But it would be a mistake to focus exclusively on the projects and day-to-day
accomplishments of our organization. That would be like focusing on the trees and
losing sight of the forest. The simple truth is that the whole of Agudath Israel is greater
– much greater! – than the sum of its individual parts.
Agudath Israel stands for something very special: the coming together as a mass
movement of diverse segments of Torah Jewry, a mighty ko’ach ha’rabim under the
leadership of Gedolei Yisroel. That is what defines Agudath Israel and animates every
aspect of the work we do.
So as you leaf through the pages of this booklet, we hope you take pride in the projects
and tremendous achievements of Agudath Israel of America – and even more so, in the
ko’ach ha’rabim that makes all of this possible, of which you are an integral part.
Thank you for your ongoing friendship and support.
Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel
Executive Vice President
Rabbi Shlomo Gertzulin
Executive Vice President for
Finance and Administration
Rabbi Labish Becker
Executive Director
3
RABBINIC LEADERSHIP
AGUDATH ISRAEL
has served as the
premier umbrella organization for the Orthodox
Jewish community for over 100 years. Its mission
has been encapsulated by the slogan “shouldering
responsibility.” Addressing the multifaceted needs
of Klal Yisroel which range from protecting the
rights of Jews to practice religion freely, ensuring
the fiscal viability of our educational system,
providing
adult
educational
programming,
assisting the underprivileged in our community,
organizing after school activities for Jewish youth
and advocating for the rights of the special needs
population, Agudah is at the forefront of efforts to
serve the needs of the growing Jewish population.
Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah meeting at Agudath Israel of America Headquarters
Through its nine regional offices, Agudath Israel
maintains a strong presence in communities
nationwide advocating for the local interest of its
constituents.
The Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, which is
comprised of senior Roshei Yeshiva and rabbinic
personalities, is the foundation of the Agudah
movement. This rabbinical board oversees
4
YEAR IN REVIEW
Agudah activities, ensuring that the highest
standards of ethics and integrity are maintained.
They also guide Agudath Israel through many
issues that arise on the local, national and
international
scene.
The
Conference
of
Synagogue Rabbonim, consisting of over 200
Rabbis nationwide, provides a united front for
religious and spiritual guidance in local
communities across the country.
Conference of Midwest Rabbonim
5th Annual Conference, Chicago, IL
THE BOARD OF
TRUSTEES, NATIONAL
OFFICERS AND VAAD
HANHALAH
are the lay bodies that oversee the activities of
Agudath Israel of America. These groups meet on a
regular basis to hear reports about, and give input to,
the different activities of Agudath Israel. Members of
various committees work with individual divisions of
Agudath Israel to ensure that they perform effectively. Agudath Israel of America
Board of Trustees Meeting
LAY LEADERSHIP
5
TORAH PROJECTS & DAF YOMI COMMISSION
Rabbi Matisyahu Salomon speaking at
26th Nationwide Yom Iyun, Passaic, NJ
6
YEAR IN REVIEW
HIGHLIGHTS
• Distributed 15,000 Daf Yomi bookmark calendars as
well as the Daf Plus Newsletters and Resource
Directory to Lomdei HaDaf throughout the country
• Published Daf Yomi Directory highlighting 39 Daf
Yomi locations in the Catskills
• Daf Yomi Publicity campaigns announcing the
beginning of every Masechta were advertised in 5
languages
• Worldwide Daf Yomi Siyumim were hosted by various
Daf Yomi chaburos across the continent and
broadcast in close to 100 communities at the
conclusion of almost every Daf Yomi Masechta
• 3,500 people participated in a series of Aseres Yimei
Teshuva & Pre-Pesach Conference Calls
• 27 communities across the United States, Canada
and Mexico participated in a Nationwide Selichos
Yom Iyun Broadcast
• 1,400 women participated in a Summer of Torah, a 5
part series of inspirational lectures given in the
Catskills
• 50 Halacha Le'Maseh
throughout the year
Shiurim
were
organized
• 36 Shiurim dedicated to promoting a deeper
understanding of the Daf Yomi Sugya were organized
• More than 250 participants traveled to Yerushalayim
for the 14th Annual Yerushalayim Yarchei Kallah
learning program and hundreds other joined in local
Yarchei Kallah programs throughout the year
• 200 Rabbonim from across the United States and
Canada belong to the Agudath Israel Conference of
Synagogue Rabbonim, participating in conference
calls to discuss issues impacting the tzibur
• More than 1,000 people participated in Shabbos of
Chizuk Program in Atlanta, GA, Cincinnati, OH, and
Miami, FL
7
YOUTH DIVISIONS
PIRCHEI AGUDATH ISRAEL
• Pirchei Agudas Yisroel provided after school
programming for elementary aged yeshiva
students in 100 branches across the United
States and around the world
• The Pirchei National Hasmodo program
garnered tens of thousands of hours of
voluntary learning during Yom Tov with close to
2,000 participants
• The Pirchei Weekly is distributed to over 10,000
print readers and to thousands more worldwide
via email
• Over 900 boys participated in the Pirchei
Kesser Mishnayos Program
• Siyumei Mishnayos attracted 3,000 boys from
over 15 cities across the United States and Canada
• 50 boys completed a six year course of study,
learning more than 4,000 mishnayos each in
preparation of their Bar Mitzva
• 125 Pirchei branches nationwide featured
father/son learning programs, bein hazemanim
trips, youth minyanim and local Pirchei centers
• Pirchei provided development and program
support to affiliates in Europe and Israel
BNOS AGUDATH ISRAEL
• The Bnos Shabbos Groups program, consisting
of over 200 advisors, 1,000 leaders and 5,000
members, brought elementary school girls
together with Bais Yaakov role models for an
oneg Shabbos each week
• Bnos hosted leadership training and appreciation
events for 300 branch and group leaders from 38
cities in the United States and Canada
Pirchei Agudas Yisroel Bar Mitzva Siyum
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YEAR IN REVIEW
51st Annual Pirchei Siyum Mishnayos
Camp Agudah New York
National Bnos Agudas Yisroel
Leadership Convention
BNOS ONE-ON-ONE
AGUDATH ISRAEL SUMMER CAMPS
• Bnos One on One paired 800 big and little sisters
from communities across the United States
Camps Agudah, Machane Ephraim, Bnos,
Bnoseinu, Chayl Miriam, and Agudah Toronto
• Bnos One on One hosted 16 professional
training and appreciation events for big sisters
• The East Coast network of Agudath Israel of
America camps accommodated capacity crowds
this past summer, serving over 2,500 campers
• Bnos One on One continued its national
development efforts, expanding its program to
Toronto and Miami in addition to Baltimore,
Brooklyn, Five Towns, Lakewood, Los Angeles
and Monsey
BNOS BIKUR CHOLIM
• Participants of the Bnos Bikur Cholim program
prepared and delivered 3,000 mishloach manos
packages to nursing home residents
MIDWEST SUMMER CAMPS
Agudah Midwest Boys / Girls, Bnos Ma’arava,
SPARK for Teens, Pirchei Day Camp, B’nos Day
Camp, Munchkins Day Camp, and Camp Nageela
Midwest
• The Agudah Midwest network of camps served
close to 2,000 campers
9
ADVOCACY
AGUDATH ISRAEL’S
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT
SCHOOL CHOICE:
◆
LEGISLATIVE BREAKTHROUGHS
• $22 million generated this year through school
voucher and scholarship tax credit programs
supported by Agudath Israel in AZ, FL, GA, IN,
OH, PA, RI, WI, and VA
• Led statehouse missions and participated in
rallies in Albany, NY, Annapolis, MD, Atlanta, GA,
Harrisburg, PA, Indianapolis, IN, Nashville, TN,
Springfield, IL, and Tallahassee, FL
• Florida: Together with a coalition successfully
advocated for an expansion of the Florida
scholarship tax credit program which:
◆
◆
10
eliminated the “prior-year public school
attendance” requirement
expanded the program to middle-income families
YEAR IN REVIEW
◆
Agudath Israel of Illinois Annual Mission to Springfield, IL
increased the value of each individual
scholarship
created an education savings account
program for students with disabilities
• Ohio: Successfully lobbied to allow high school
students to receive a voucher if they are
assigned to a public school with low graduation
rates. Estimated net impact on Jewish day
school families is more than $1 million annually
starting in 2016-2017.
• Several areas in Cleveland Heights and
University Heights became eligible to receive
tuition vouchers. This will likely generate an
additional $500,000 in scholarship funding per
year for Cleveland families choosing Jewish day
schools for the 2015-2016 school year.
SCHOOL CHOICE:
IN THE NEWS
• Published letters to the editor and op-eds on
the topic of school choice in the Columbus
Dispatch,
Memphis
Hebrew
Watchman,
Hamodia, Ohio Gadfly and other publications
• Israel: Agudath Israel of California successfully
lobbied the University of California to prohibit
their institutions from participating in the
academic boycott of Israel
• Agudath Israel of Maryland was involved in a
similar, successful effort
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM:
AUTOPSY
• California: Successfully intervened to amend
a bill to protect the religious rights of those
opposed to unnecessary autopsy
• Maryland: Agudath Israel’s Maryland Director
was officially named the Liaison/Chaplain of
Maryland’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Developed protocols with the medical examiner
and prevented numerous autopsies.
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM:
IN THE COURTS
• Joined Nefesh, an international association of
Orthodox Jewish mental health professionals,
in an amicus curiae brief challenging a New
Jersey law that prohibits therapists from using
“gender orientation change efforts” with minors
• Following a lawsuit filed by Agudath Israel and
others, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the
Second Circuit issued a unanimous decision to
overturn a lower court’s ruling on New York
City’s regulation on metzitzah b’peh
have significant repercussions for Orthodox
Jews involved in cases before rabbinical courts.
New York State Supreme Court justices will
decide the application of an old statute
prohibiting judicial proceedings on Sundays.
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM:
IN THE LEGISLATURE
• Ohio: Testified in support of the Ohio Religious
Freedom Restoration Act and participated in
several interested party meetings on the topic
• Pennsylvania: Worked to change a bill in
Harrisburg that attempted to significantly
amend the state’s anatomical gift laws
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM:
EDUCATION
• Worked together with the Jewish Education
Project to have the New York State Education
Department change the date of the new
Algebra Regents from Shavuos to Erev
Shavuos
• Successfully reached out to the College Board
to request a second alternate date for the
October 2014 PSAT (the non-Shabbos alternate
date they originally provided fell out on
Hoshana Rabba)
END-OF-LIFE
• Ohio: Worked to modify MOLST (Medical Orders
for Life Sustaining Treatment) legislation to
maintain the strength of health care power of
attorney forms, such as the Halachic Living Will,
and to protect a patient’s desire to be treated
in accordance with his or her religious beliefs
• New Jersey: Worked to prevent the passage of
a physician-assisted suicide bill
• Filed an amicus curiae brief in a case that could
11
SPECIAL EDUCATION:
• New York: Played a key role in a major
breakthrough for parents of students with
special needs. The City of New York pledged to:
◆
◆
◆
Expedite parents’ private school tuition
reimbursement
Refrain from re-litigating settled cases
unless there is a change in the child’s IEP
Limit parents’ obligation to present full
documentation of their child’s case to only
once every three years.
• Following the intervention of Agudath Israel,
NYC private schools can now offer special
education services when public schools are not
in session, such as legal holidays or before
public schools begin, as long as they follow a
180-day school calendar
• Through lobbying, Agudath Israel enabled
special needs students in New York to have 15
Special Education Teacher Support Services
(SETSS/P3) sessions per week allowing children
with severe disabilities the opportunity to
remain in mainstream classrooms
• California: Conducted a series of meetings with
the Los Angeles Unified School District to
develop a special education program for
yeshiva students in the Los Angeles area
NONPUBLIC SCHOOL ADVOCACY:
• Agudath Israel of Illinois successfully launched
a school lunch program in Chicago
• Maryland: Initiated a task force to ensure
state- funded construction grants for nonpublic
schools were crafted in a manner of greatest
benefit to eligible schools
12
YEAR IN REVIEW
• $1 million in text book and construction grants
were allocated to Jewish day schools
NONPUBLIC SCHOOL ADVOCACY:
TRANSPORTATION
• Illinois: Secured $1.6 million busing grant
• Maryland: Worked with the Maryland Transit
Administration to expand a service that
accommodates Baltimore Jewish day school
students
• Together with a group of nonpublic school
leaders and Montgomery County Officials
initiated a new pilot program to provide yellow
school busing to several Silver Spring-area day
schools at a subsidized rate
NONPUBLIC SCHOOL ADVOCACY:
TEXTBOOKS, NURSING, OTHER SERVICES
• The 2014-15 New Jersey state budget added
nearly $5 million in funding for nonpublic
schools, with $2.4 million allocated for
technology initiatives and $2.5 million
earmarked for nursing services. Both increases
were supported by Agudath Israel.
• Crisis in New Jersey: During the funding crisis in
Lakewood, Agudath Israel’s
New Jersey
director, met repeatedly with local and state
officials to resolve the issues of withheld
funding for remedial services, textbooks, and
nurses in private schools, affecting over 25,000
students.
• Ohio: Approximately $70 per student in
additional auxiliary services funds will be
available, thanks to legislative action that
repealed a clause slipped into a bill the
previous year.
• Successfully lobbied to exempt nonpublic
schools from onerous graduation requirements
and to block a state-mandated “third grade
reading guarantee,” together with coalition
partners. Senate President Keith Faber
appointed Rabbi Yitz Frank, Agudath Israel’s
Ohio director, to the Nonpublic Schools
Graduation Requirements Committee.
GOVERNMENT:
• UPK: Participated in intense negotiations with
the staff of Mayor Bill de Blasio regarding his
plan to provide Universal Pre-K (UPK)
opportunities for tens of thousands of
additional four year old children. These
negotiations resulted in the Mayor’s office
issuing guidelines for the full-day UPK program
which allowed some yeshivos to participate.
Further urging resulted in the Mayor’s office
issuing an RFP for half-day programming.
SECURITY INITIATIVE:
• Agudah leadership met with statewide and
local candidates in numerous states
• Launched strong voter registration drives and
successful “get out the vote” efforts in
Maryland, Ohio, and Illinois
• Agudath
Israel
worked
together
with
Assemblyman Dov Hikind, to initiate and
administer the Leiby Kletzky Security Initiative
Grant. 80 four-directional security cameras
were installed throughout Boro Park and
Midwood to deter criminal acts and aid in
apprehending criminals.
Providence Hebrew Day School students perform at Rhode Island Statehouse during National School Choice Week
ADVOCACY
13
ADVOCACY
Senator Cory Booker (D- NJ) greeting Rabbi Avi
Schnall, NJ Director on a visit to Lakewood NJ
Rabbi Abba Cohen addressing Agudath Israel
Washington Delegation
Agudath Israel Albany Mission with
NY State Senator Dean Skelos
WASHINGTON:
INTERNATIONAL
• Explained Israel’s security needs during
its action in Gaza and advocated for
supplemental Iron Dome funding
• Expressed concern and the need to
enhance Capitol Hill awareness regarding
the surge of global anti- Semitism
• Clarified the implications of restrictions on
circumcision and kosher slaughter for
European Jewry
• Boosted protection of Jewish cemeteries
abroad against desecration
• Advocated for the security and rights of
Jewish schools in the Former Soviet
Union
14
YEAR IN REVIEW
WASHINGTON:
NATIONAL
be forced to provide benefits that violate their
beliefs
• Lobbied for the inclusion of, and easy access to,
religious child care and pre-K providers
• Opposed efforts to weaken the RFRA law and
the strong religious protections it provides
• Lobbied to strengthen the federal nonprofit
security, school safety, disaster relief and
emergency
preparedness
programs
for
synagogues, schools and community centers
• Offered solutions on how to strengthen the
federal “comp time for religious observance” law
• Lobbied for maintaining a robust “charitable
deduction” and other education-related tax
benefits
• Lobbied for the protection of Title I remedial
education program to prevent actions that
would block the equitable participation of
nonpublic schools
WASHINGTON:
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
• Lobbied the Administration and Congress to
protect religious organizations’ right to hire in
conformance with their religious mission and not
• Worked to develop and disseminate official
procedures for the entry and handling of
lulavim, esrogim and matzoh
• Advocated for greater religious accommodation
in the military in regard to kosher food and
religiously-appropriate grooming and attire
• Met with Department of Education to ensure
that the federal school lunch program
accommodates kashrus requirements and that
federally-assisted food pantries will have
greater access to kosher foods
• Advocated for health and safety procedures for
the appropriate processing of poultry after
kapporos, thus making available thousands of
chickens to charitable institutions
15
ANNUAL EVENTS
Novominsker Rebbe speaking at
Agudath Israel Midwest Convention
Rabbi Yitzchok Zilberstein giving shiur at 14th Annual Yarchei Kallah
Legislative Round Table
16
YEAR IN REVIEW
Agudath Israel Regional
Directors Meeting at
92nd Annual Convention
Atzeres Tefila with 50,000 Participants
Israeli Shmittah observing
Farmer speaking at
keynote session at 92nd
Annual Convention
Emergency Washington Mission
Combatting Anti-semitism
17
SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICES
Community Services Board of Directors Meeting
COMMUNITY SERVICES
• Through its relationship with United Way,
Agudath Israel brought in more than $60,000
of funding to Tomchei Shabbos programs this
year and over $2 million since its inception,
providing weekly food packages to needy
individuals in Borough Park, Flatbush, Queens,
and Far Rockaway
SOCIAL SERVICES
• COPE Institute’s Junior Accounting Program,
recommended for 21 credits by the American
Council on Education and Thomas Edison State
College, enrolled 155 students (nearly 2,000
since inception)
18
YEAR IN REVIEW
• COPE’s CPA Track Program culminates in a
Bachelor’s of Science degree, enabling
graduates to sit for the CPA exam. More than
100 students were enrolled this year
• Over 85% of COPE graduates find jobs
• Initiated VITA program in partnership with the
IRS which offers free federal and state income
tax return preparation for low- to moderateincome individuals and families
• Professional Career Services (PCS), with offices
in New York and New Jersey, matched many job
seekers with employers
• Southern Brooklyn Community Organization
(SBCO) and the Ocean Parkway Community
Development Corporation (OPCD) helped
provide affordable housing to low and
moderate income families, the elderly and
disabled in Borough Park and Kensington. 300
average served per year
• SBCO commenced construction on the Culver
Affordable Housing Project located on 37th
Street, between 12th & 13th Avenue
• Fresh Start Training Program provided
computer and job readiness workshops and
support
for
women
facing
financial
responsibilities due to family crises found
themselves
faced
with
new
financial
responsibilities
• Customized job skills training include computer
skills in typing, Word and Excel, and Home Care
training
• Senior Citizen Centers in Borough Park,
Flatbush and Washington Heights offered
hundreds of elderly senior citizens free kosher
hot lunches daily as well as a wide range of
social services
• Adult Education and Literacy Services provided
assistance to over 350 immigrants per year,
bringing them to employment level through
instruction in language, reading and writing
• Agudist
Benevolent
Society
provided
bereavement and burial services to members
throughout the country
• Overseas Passover Campaign helped provide
matzoh, wine and other Passover food items to
thousands of Jewish families in Eastern Europe
CHAYIM ARUCHIM
• The Center for Culturally Sensitive Advocacy
and Counseling assists those facing difficult
challenges in the health care system,
specifically in end-of-life situations
• Launched a 24 Hour hotline resulting in a
significant increase in calls
• Between June 2014 and November 2014, over 400
families called Chayim Aruchim for assistance
• Received 84 calls regarding DNR (Do Not
Resuscitate) and DNI (Do Not Intubate), 64 calls
from individuals in need of assistance
navigating negotiations with hospitals, 28 calls
regarding the do’s and don’ts of inserting a peg
and dozens of calls related to brain-death,
dialysis, hospice, IV hydration, medication, pain
medication, pressers, surgical procedures, etc.
• Launched a discharge service in October 2014
to help hospital patients find appropriate
rehabilitation facilities upon discharge
• Over 40 Rabbonim in the Midwest participated
in a three part video conference series
addressing important medical halachic issues
ZICHRON KEDOSHIM
• This year, Zichron Kedoshim retrieved over 25,000
names from Pages of Testimony, school projects,
shul plaques, archival documents and books
LEGAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT
• Agudath Israel’s Legal Support Services LLC is a
network of 200 lawyers who volunteer their time
and skills to assist in cases that meet the
organization’s criteria. These include custody
battles between spouses of different levels of
religious observance, immigration-related problems,
Shabbos and Yom Tov observance issues, and
zoning issues affecting yeshivos and shuls.
• Helped finalize the regulations for the New York
State Tuition Assistance Program to enable
yeshiva gedolah students to benefit from the
program which provides up to $5,000 in yearly
scholarship assistance to needy students.
19
SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICES
• Helped numerous students receive accommodation
for their religious needs
20
CONSTITUENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT
• Helped numerous employees threatened with
the loss of their jobs due to absence for
religious reasons • Responded to approximately 800 calls a
month, providing callers with referrals,
information, or direct assistance tailored to
their concerns
• Helped numerous patients in hospitals receive
appropriate medical treatment and end of life
care in accordance with halacha
• Provided free legal assistance to employees or
students experiencing religious discrimination
at work or at school
• Successfully lobbied the New York State
Legislature to amend the Palliative Care Act to
require that treatment options as well as
palliative care options be presented to
terminally ill patients and their families
• Helped clients obtain kosher food in the
hospital and arranged shofar blowing for the
homebound
YEAR IN REVIEW
• Represented clients with religious observance
issues in housing areas (such as automatic
electric lights in public spaces on Shabbos)
• Referred clients to organizations providing
business counseling, interest free loans,
financial assistance and physician referrals
• Advised
yeshivas/shuls
on
parsonage,
incorporation, tax and zoning issues
• Referred clients to lawyers on a wide variety of
issues
• Assisted clients in applying for government
benefits
programs
including
Medicaid,
Medicare, Social Security, SSI, food stamps, and
acquiring birth certificates
• Assisted with end of life issues, provided
information on hospice care, DNR’s, and free
Halachic burials for the
indigent and
disseminated Halachic Medical Directives to
individuals, chaplains, and rabbis
• Provided assistance in applying for financial
emergency aid to prevent eviction
• Offered employment assistance including a free
resume writing service, referrals to GED and
professional training courses, and referrals to
Professional
Career
Services
and
other
organizations which help people find employment
• Provided free legal assistance to help
constituents preserve the life of critically ill
loved ones when hospitals wanted to stop
treatment or withdraw life support
• Provided free legal assistance to help
constituents prevent the cremation of a loved one
Annual Legislative Breakfast
21
YESHIVA SERVICES
DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL
AFFAIRS /PROJECT LEARN
EDUCATION
• Over the past several years, Project Learn has
worked with New York City to change the
approval procedure for special education
tuition reimbursements, bringing in hundreds of
thousands of dollars for financially burdened
families and easing the overall process for
parents
YESHIVA SERVICES DIVISION
• Hosted webinars for 125 yeshiva principals and
administrators across the country dealing with
the Affordable Care Act and how it relates to
yeshivos as employers
• Helped parents navigate the Committee on
Special Education (CSE) process in order to get
the placement or services their children need to
succeed
• Hosted a Back-to-School webinar for 75
principals and administrators from across New
York State which included new immunization
reporting requirements, changes in the Federal
E-Rate program (which provides reimbursement
to schools and libraries for phone and internet
related expenses), and the Common Core
Curriculum and Assessments
• Director of Project LEARN, served as expediter
of the certification process for New York State
service providers working in nonpublic schools.
• Held two workshops on the Federal E-Rate
Program, one for beginners and one for more
experienced school administrators
• Director of Project LEARN was appointed CoChair of the New York City Nonpublic School
Subcommittee for Special Education.
• Hosted annual New Schools Workshop for all
newly opened yeshivos and newly hired
yeshiva administrators and principals
New York State Bus Grant
22
YEAR IN REVIEW
Torah Day School of Atlanta students meet with Senator Jason Carter at the Statehouse
• Disseminated 80 communications to yeshivos
throughout the country informing schools
about funding opportunities, legal obligations
and other important information
• Helped facilitate yeshiva participation in a
brand new New York State Security Equipment
Grant program which allocates $9.70 per
enrolled child for security enhancements to
enhance safety in schools. Yeshivos across the
state were eligible to receive $1.5 million in
funding under this new program.
• Yeshivos in New York State received close to
$40 million in mandated services and CAP
funding and approximately $12.4 million in
textbook aid, library materials aid, software aid
and computer hardware aid funds
• Helped increase the number of participating
yeshivos in the city from 30 to 130
• In other funding streams, New York City
yeshivos received:
◆
◆
◆
◆
more than $2 million in Title I professional
development
approximately $1.3 million in Title IIA
professional development
approximately $5.2 million in Title III
funds to provide services to Limited
English Proficient students and their
teachers
more than $21 million to schools for late
afternoon bus service
• Continued long-standing efforts to increase the
participation of yeshivos in New York City in the
Federal Title I Program. This program allows
nonpublic
school
students
to
receive
supplemental educational services in literacy,
mathematics and English as a second
language.
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COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT
THE PUBLIC
AFFAIRS
DEPARTMENT
• conveys the views of Torah Jewry to government,
legislatures, and the world at large
• Fielded hundreds of phone calls from media outlets
worldwide conveying the authentic Torah view on
important contemporary issues
• Worked to create an accurate and positive portrayal of
Agudath Israel in the media and the community at large
through hundreds of press releases, statements and
articles about the work of Agudath Israel
• Published the Weekly Window, an email newsletter
reaching more than ten thousand people that reported
the activities of the Government Affairs department
throughout the country
• Sponsored the National Orthodox Jewish Archives, a
unique repository of historical documents, publications
and photographs relating to the growth of Orthodox
Jewry in the United States and the history of Agudath
Israel on an international scope
Yourconvention.org
Rabbi Avi Shafran
speaking at
Convention session
on the public image
of the Orthodox Jew
24
YEAR IN REVIEW
Get out the vote campaign
Dr. Aviva Biberfeld addressing
women at 92nd Annual Convention
N’SHEI
AGUDAS
YISROEL
• Several thousand women attended classes and shiurim in the New York
Metropolitan Area with many more in other areas
• N’shei C.A.R.E.S. assisted women at Maimonides Medical Center with 130
doula and post-partum volunteers
• Keren Yesomim, Hachnossas Kallah and Nizkakim Vecholim funds helped
over 400 families this year
• Launched HaSeviva program to provide support for frum women in the
business and professional world
• The Miriam Borchardt Camp Scholarship Fund awarded stipends to many
families enabling children to attend a frum camp of their choice
Summer of Torah Lecture
Series in Catskill Mountains
AGUDAH WOMEN OF AMERICA
25
RESOURCE DIRECTORY
NATIONAL RESOURCE DIRECTORY
AGUDATH ISRAEL OF AMERICA
212-797-9000
REGIONAL OFFICES:
Office of State Relations
513-530-1364
Arizona
480-467-4593
California
310-659-8152
Florida
305-532-2500
Illinois
773-279-8400
Maryland/ Mid Atlantic
410-484-3632
New England
617-566-4420
New Jersey
732-415-6380
Ohio
216-455-1111
Texas
972-404-8980
Washington
202-835-0414
Ontario
416-256-3890
Quebec
514-699-4881
United Kingdom
Global Relief and Rescue
011-44-796-647-6694
ext. 251
TORAH EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Conference of Synagogue Rabbonim
ext. 270
Daf Yomi Commission
ext. 266
Torah Projects Commission
ext. 267
Midwest Conference of Synagogue Rabbonim
773-279-8400
YOUTH SERVICES
Bnos Agudath Israel
ext. 275
Pirchei Agudath Israel
ext. 274
Zeirei Agudath Israel
ext. 272
CAMPS
Camps Agudah, Machane Ephraim, Bnos, Bnoseinu and Chayl Miriam
212-797-8172
26
YEAR IN REVIEW
Camp Agudah Toronto
416-781-7101
Camp Agudah Midwest Boys / Girls, Bnos Ma’arava, SPARK for Teens, Pirchei Day
Camp, B’nos Day Camp, Munchkins Day Camp
773-279-8400
Camp Nageela Midwest
773-604-4400
COMMUNICATION
Office of Communication
ext. 311
Office of Public Affairs
ext. 229
Orthodox Jewish Archives
ext. 384
YESHIVA SERVICES
212-797-7386
Education Affairs
ext. 326
Special Education Affairs
CONSTITUENT SERVICES
Agudah Women
212-363-8940
Agudist Benevolent Society
718-436-1458
Chayim Aruchim
347-633-0487
Chevra Oseh Chesed
ext. 274
Community Services
ext. 321
Constituent & Legal Services
ext. 335
Simchas Chava
ext. 251
Zichron Kedoshim
ext. 217
SENIOR CITIZEN CENTERS
Borough Park Senior Citizen Center
718-854-7430
Brookdale Senior Citizen Center of Flatbush
718-434-8670
Moriah Older Adult Luncheon Club
212-923-5715
SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICES
COPE Employment and Training
212-809-5935 ext. 301
718-506-0500
COPE Institute and COPE Education Services
718-506-0500 ext. 219
Fresh Start Training Program
Professional Career Services (PCS)
PCS-New York
718-436-1900
PCS-New Jersey
732-367-4178
Southern Brooklyn Community Organization (SBCO)
718-435-1300
*Extensions correspond to the main line 212-797-9000
27
TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE RABBI MOSHE
SHERER NATIONAL
HEADQUARTERS
42 Broadway
New York, NY 10004