View source for Agudath Israel of America

{{Short description|Jewish ultra-orthodox organization}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Agudath Israel of America
| logo = File:Logo_of_Agudath_Israel_of_America.jpg
| type = 
| industry = 
| fate = 
| predecessor = <!-- or: | predecessors = -->
| successor = <!-- or: | successors = -->
| founded = 1922
| founder = Rabbi Eliezer Silver
| defunct = <!-- {{End date|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
| hq_location_city = New York City
| hq_location_country = United States
| areas_served = North America
| key_people = 
*[[Mike Tress]]
*Rabbi [[Moshe Sherer]]
*Rabbi [[Yaakov Perlow]] (d. 2020)
*Rabbi [[Chaim Dovid Zwiebel]]
| products = 
| owner = <!-- or: | owners = -->
| num_employees = 345<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://forward.com/news/389308/salary-survey-2017-david-zweibel-of-agudath-israel-of-america/|title=Agudath Israel Didn't Need To Disclose Their Financial — But They Did Anyways.|website=The Forward|date=11 December 2017 }}</ref>
| num_employees_year = 2016
| parent = 
| website = {{URL|agudah.org}}
}}
{{Jews and Judaism sidebar}}
'''Agudath Israel of America''' ({{langx|he|אגודת ישראל באמריקה}}; also called the '''Agudah''') is an American organization that represents [[Haredi Judaism|Haredi Orthodox Jews]].<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://jewishjournal.com/commentary/analysis/293441/open-debate-is-n-y-s-abortion-law-halachic/|title=Open Debate: Is N.Y.'s Abortion Law Halachic?|date=February 6, 2019|website=Jewish Journal}}</ref><ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.jta.org/2019/01/31/culture/orthodox-groups-come-out-swinging-against-new-yorks-abortion-law|title=Orthodox rabbis compare abortion to murder - and Orthodox women are angry about it|date=January 31, 2019}}</ref> It is loosely affiliated with the international [[World Agudath Israel]].<ref>"Agudath Israel of America is a communal organization in the United States loosely affiliated with the international World Agudath Israel." {{cite web |url=http://www.chayimaruchim.com/Learn/Glossary-Terms/Agudath-Israel-of-America--Agudath-Israel--Agudah/p-122-125-35 |title=Agudath Israel of America, World Agudath Israel |access-date=2017-11-08 |archive-date=2018-03-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180310054432/http://www.chayimaruchim.com/Learn/Glossary-Terms/Agudath-Israel-of-America--Agudath-Israel--Agudah/p-122-125-35/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>"Agudath Israel of America is an Orthodox Jewish organization in the United States loosely affiliated with the international World Agudath Israel."{{cite web |title=Agudath Israel of America |website=[[C-SPAN]]|url=https://www.c-span.org/organization/?26279}}</ref> Agudah seeks to meet the needs of the Haredi community, advocates<ref>"New York City’s health commissioner and Agudath Israel respond to an editorial" {{cite news |newspaper=The New York Times |date=March 11, 2015 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/11/opinion/orthodox-jews-and-new-yorks-circumcision-rule.html |title=Orthodox Jews and New York's Circumcision Rule}}</ref> for its religious<ref>{{cite news|last=Otterman|first=Sharon|newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/19/nyregion/new-york-city-eases-pre-k-rules-to-allow-prayer-breaks.html |date=February 19, 2015 |title=City Eases Pre-K Rules to Allow Prayer Breaks}}</ref> and civil rights, and services its constituents through charitable, educational, and social service projects across [[North America]].

==Functions==
Agudah serves as a leadership and policy [[umbrella organization]] for [[Haredi]] Jews in the United States, representing the vast majority of members of the [[yeshiva]] world, sometimes known by the old label of ''[[misnagdim]]'', as well as a large number of [[Hasidic Judaism|Hasidic]] groups. However, not all Hasidic groups are affiliated with Agudath Israel. For example, the Hasidic group [[Satmar (Hasidic dynasty)|Satmar]], which is vehemently [[Anti-Zionism|anti-Zionist]], dislikes Agudah's relatively moderate stance towards the State of [[Israel]].<ref name=MikeBook>[[Jonathan Rosenblum]], "Reb Elimelech Gavriel (Mike) Tress", in Nora Roberts, ''Daring to Dream'', [[Feldheim Publishers]], 2006. "Even the Satmar Rebbe, a fierce ideological opponent of Agudath Israel, once told Mike's son Mendel: 'If there were nine more people in the world like your father, Moshiach would come.'"</ref><ref name=Wis.NK>{{cite news |newspaper=The Jewish Chronicle |url=http://www.jewishchronicle.org/2008/03/31/agudath-israel-may-be-non-zionist-but-it-supports-israel-and-its-people |title=Agudath Israel may be non-Zionist, but it supports Israel and its people |date=March 31, 2008}}</ref>

Agudah has ideological connections with both [[Agudat Israel]] and with [[Degel HaTorah]] ({{Transliteration|he|Flag of the Torah}}), two [[Israel]]i Haredi political parties that have representation in the [[Knesset]] (Israel's parliament). In Israel, Degel and Agudah are in a political coalition called [[United Torah Judaism]] (UTJ).<ref>"list made up of the ultra-Orthodox parties Agudat Israel and Degel HaTorah ... United Torah Judaism (UTJ) promotes the interests of the Haredi community ..." {{cite web |title=United Torah Judaism - The Israel Democracy Institute
|url=https://en.idi.org.il/israeli-elections-and-parties/parties/united-torah-judaism}}</ref>

==History==

[[File:13th Siyum HaShas 2019.jpg|right|thumb|The 13th Siyum HaShas at [[MetLife Stadium]]]]

The original [[Agudath Israel movement]] was established<ref>"four might pillars" - "German Orthodoxy.. the great yeshivoth of Lithuania... the vibrant, predominantly Hasidic Polish Jewry; and a branch in the land of Israel."</ref><ref name=Wis.NK/> in Europe in 1912 by some of the most famous [[Orthodox Judaism|Orthodox]] [[rabbi]]s of the time, including Rabbi [[Yisrael Meir Kagan|Yisroel Meir Kagen]] (the [[Chafetz Chaim]]), Rabbi [[Chaim Ozer Grodzinski]] of [[Vilnius|Vilna]], the [[Izhbitza – Radzin (Hasidic dynasty)|Radziner Rebbe, Rabbi Mordechai Yosef Elazar Leiner]], the [[Avraham Mordechai Alter|Gerrer Rebbe (the Imrei Emes)]], and the [[Chortkov (Hasidic dynasty)|Chortkover Rebbe]]. It grew during the 1920s and 1930s to be the political,<ref>"Agudath Israel... In time it became a political party represented in the Sejm (Polish Parliament)." {{cite book |title=The Many Rooms of this House: Diversity |url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=1487510616 |isbn=978-1487510619 |author=Roberto Perin |date=2017| publisher=University of Toronto Press }}</ref><ref>"... between the wars, none was more effective than the Agudath Israel. ... in the Polish government and was represented in the Sejm (Polish Parliament)." {{cite book |title=The World of the Yeshiva: An Intimate Portrait of Orthodox Jewry |url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0881256412 |isbn=0881256412 |author=William B. Helmreich |date=2000| publisher=KTAV Publishing House }}</ref><ref>"Agudas Yisroel succeeded in electing deputies to the Polish Sejm." {{cite web |title=Agudas Yisroel |url=http://www.YIVOencyclopedia.org/article.aspx/Agudas_Yisroel}}</ref> communal, and cultural voice of those Orthodox Jews who were not part of [[Zionism]]'s Orthodox Jewish [[Mizrachi (political party)|Mizrachi]] party.<ref>For more information, see [[World Agudath Israel]]</ref>

Rabbi [[Eliezer Silver]], an Eastern European-trained rabbi, established the first office of Agudath Israel in America during the 1930s, organizing its first conference in 1939. Some of the early rabbinic leaders of the organization included [[Mordechai Shlomo Friedman|Rabbi Mordechai Shlomo Friedman]], [[Shlomo Heiman|Rabbi Shlomo Heiman]], Rabbi [[Leo Jung]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Safier |first=Dovi |date=2022-05-31 |title=Man of Action: The Life & Times of Rabbi Leo Jung - Mishpacha Magazine |url=https://mishpacha.com/man-of-action/ |access-date=2024-09-05 |language=en-US}}</ref> Rabbi [[Herbert S. Goldstein|Herbert Goldstein]], Rabbi Joshua Bäumel, and [[Joseph B. Soloveitchik|Rabbi Joseph B Soloveitchik]]. After [[the Holocaust]], some prominent rabbis who made their home in America established a ''moetzes'' ("supreme council") known as the [[Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah#United States|Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah]], and the movement began to grow rapidly, with the rise of the ''yeshiva''-based and Hasidic Orthodox communities.{{Citation needed|date=April 2015}}

[[Mike Tress]] led the expansion of the movement during the early 1940s as its chief lay leader, until his death in 1967.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Rosenblum |first1=Yonason |title=They called him Mike: Reb Elemelech Tress, his era, hatzalah, and the building of an American orthodoxy |last2=Kranzler |first2=David |date=2009 |publisher=Mesorah Publications |isbn=978-0-89906-623-3 |edition=Second |series=ArtScroll history series |location=Brooklyn, N.Y}}</ref> His cousin Rabbi [[Moshe Sherer]] then took the reins as president,<ref name=Brit.E>"aided the right wing of Orthodox Judaism by helping build the Agudath Israel of America organization from a small group into an influential force." {{cite web |website=Britannica.com |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rabbi-Moshe-Sherer |title=Rabbi Moshe Sherer}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-11 |title=Shtadlanim: Rabbi Moshe Sherer (1921-1998) |url=https://jewishaction.com/cover-story/shtadlanim-rabbi-moshe-sherer-1921-1998/ |access-date=2024-09-05 |website=Jewish Action |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rosenblum |date=2023-05-23 |title=Rabbi Moshe Sherer: Leader - Mishpacha Magazine |url=https://mishpacha.com/rabbi-moshe-sherer-leader/ |access-date=2024-09-05 |language=en-US}}</ref> and the organization flourished further in size and accomplishments. After his passing in May 1998,<ref name=Brit.E/> he was succeeded by Rabbi Shmuel Bloom, as Executive Vice President. In 2008, Rabbi [[Chaim Dovid Zwiebel]], having served Agudah as general counsel and director of government affairs,<ref>{{cite news|last=Belkin|first=Lisa |newspaper=The New York Times |date=May 12, 1992 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/05/12/us/new-york-rule-compounds-dilemma-over-life-support.html |title=New York Rule Compounds Dilemma Over Life Support}}</ref> took over as Executive Vice-President.<ref name=Fwd>{{cite news |newspaper=The Forward |title=David Zweibel, Agudath Israel of America – Salary Survey 2015 |url=http://forward.com/series/salary-survey/2015/david-zweibel/agudath-israel-of-america |archive-date=2017-11-09 |access-date=2017-11-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171109080759/http://forward.com/series/salary-survey/2015/david-zweibel/agudath-israel-of-america/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>"Rabbi Chaim David Zwiebel has been the executive vice president of Agudath Israel since 2008. Before that, he worked for 30 years at a law firm."</ref> In 2016, his salary was $220,000.<ref name="auto"/>

In April 2020, Agudath Israel of America head Rabbi [[Yaakov Perlow]], the [[Novominsk|Novominsker]] Rebbe, 89 years old, died after contracting [[COVID-19]], one month after he urged American Orthodox Jews to follow [[social distancing]] and other precautionary guidelines in response to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States|coronavirus outbreak]], saying: "We cannot behave the way we did last week or two weeks ago. We're told that the [[halakha]] (Jewish law) is that we must listen to doctors, whether it's about a sick person or [[Yom Kippur]]".<ref name=inn>{{cite web |url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/278434|title=US Agudath Yisroel head, Rabbi Yaakov Perlow, the Novominsker Rebbe, dies of coronavirus|first=Mordechai|last=Sones|date=April 7, 2020|access-date=April 7, 2020|work=[[Arutz Sheva|Israel National News]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-the-eye-of-nys-coronavirus-storm-ultra-orthodox-face-rising-anti-semitism/|title=In the eye of NY's coronavirus storm, ultra-Orthodox face rising anti-Semitism|first=Cathryn J.|last=Prince|date=March 31, 2020|access-date=April 7, 2020|work=[[The Times of Israel]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/jns/agudath-israel-of-america-rabbi-yaakov-perlow-89-dies-after-contracting-covid-19/article_660cdbc4-e90d-50d9-b09f-db37538bdee2.html|title=Agudath Israel of America Rabbi Yaakov Perlow, 89, dies after contracting COVID-19|first=Faygie|last=Holt|website=Cleveland Jewish News|date=8 April 2020 }}</ref>

==Structure==
Agudah's policies and leadership are directed by its ''[[Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah]]'' (Council of Torah Sages), composed primarily of ''[[rosh yeshiva]]s'' (the chief spiritual and scholarly authority in a [[yeshiva]]) and Hasidic ''[[rebbe]]s'' (who head Hasidic dynasties and organizations). The ''Moetzes'' sets all major policies and guides the organization according to its precepts of [[Da'as Torah|''Da'as torah'']] ({{langx|he|דעת תורה}}), generally translated as Torah knowledge/direction.<ref name=Shafran>Avi Shafran, "What Da'at Torah really means", New York Jewish Week. Reprinted at {{cite web |url=http://www.tzemachdovid.org/amechad/daastorah.shtml |title=What Da'at Torah Really Means |access-date=2008-02-19 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516010531/http://www.tzemachdovid.org/amechad/daastorah.shtml |archive-date=2008-05-16 }}</ref> Rabbi [[Yaakov Perlow]] (deceased), who was the [[Novominsk (Hasidic dynasty)|Novominsker]] [[Rebbe]] and a member of the ''Moetzes'', was appointed as the ''Rosh Agudat Yisrael'' ("Head of Agudath Israel").<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Y1RQCgAAQBAJ&q=novominsker+appointed+rosh+agudas+yisroel&pg=PA136|title=Beyond Sectarianism: The Realignment of American Orthodox Judaism|last=Ferziger|first=Adam S.|date=2015-07-15|publisher=Wayne State University Press|isbn=9780814339541|pages=136|language=en}}</ref>

The executive staff includes Rabbi Yitzchok Ehrman as COO,<ref>{{Cite news|title=Rabbi Yitzchok Ehrman Appointed as National Agudah COO|work=Agudath Israel|url=https://agudah.org/rabbi-yitzchok-ehrman-appointed-as-national-agudah-coo/|access-date=2021-11-01}}</ref> Rabbi [[Chaim Dovid Zwiebel]] as the Executive Vice President, Rabbi Labish Becker as the Executive Director,<ref>{{Cite news|last=Service|first=Chris Lisee{{!}} Religion News|date=2012-08-01|title=Orthodox Jews use smartphones, websites to complete Talmud cycle|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/orthodox-jews-use-smartphones-websites-to-complete-talmud-cycle/2012/07/31/gJQAIQlQNX_story.html|access-date=2021-07-13|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> Rabbi Naftali Miller as CDO, Rabbi Moshe Danzger as CFO, Rabbi A.D. Motzen as the National Director for State Relations, and Rabbi [[Abba Cohen]] as Vice President for Government Affairs.

There are close to one hundred Agudah-affiliated [[synagogue]]s across the United States and Canada.<ref name=Wis.NK/>

==Positions==
The Agudah takes positions on many political, religious, and social issues, primarily guided by its ''Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah''. It uses these stances to advise its members, advocate for its constituency in the halls of government, and file [[amicus curiae|amicus briefs]] on behalf of the Haredi Orthodox Jewish community in the United States.

===Conservative, Reform, and Modern Orthodox Judaism===
In 1956, for example, the ''moetzes'' issued a written ruling forbidding Orthodox rabbis to join with any [[Reform Judaism|Reform]] or [[Conservative Judaism|Conservative]] rabbis in rabbinical communal professional organizations that then united the various branches of America's Jews, such as the [[Synagogue Council of America]].

This position was not endorsed by the [[Modern Orthodox Judaism|Modern Orthodox]]. Rabbi [[Joseph Soloveitchik]] of [[Yeshiva University]] had initially aligned himself with Agudah, but later established his independent views on these matters and a host of other issues, such as attitudes towards college education and attitudes towards the secular-led Israeli governments. Rabbi Soloveitchik believed it important to nurture the more modern Orthodox [[Rabbinical Council of America]] (RCA).

===Women===
In 2015 and 2017, Agudah denounced moves to [[Women rabbis and Torah scholars|ordain women]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://forward.com/opinion/385146/the-ou-is-right-orthodox-women-shouldnt-be-rabbis/|title=The OU Is Right: Orthodox Women Shouldn't Be Rabbis|first=Getty|last=Images|website=The Forward|date=18 October 2017 }}</ref> It went even further, declaring [[Yeshivat Maharat]], [[Open Orthodoxy]], [[Yeshivat Chovevei Torah]], and other affiliated entities to be similar to other dissident movements throughout Jewish history in having rejected basic tenets of Judaism.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hamodia.com/2015/11/03/moetzes-open-orthodoxy-not-a-form-of-torah-judaism/|title=Moetzes: 'Open Orthodoxy' Not a Form of Torah Judaism|work=Hamodia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Breach-in-US-Orthodox-Judaism-grows-as-haredi-body-rejects-Open-Orthodoxy-institutions-431929|title=Breach in US Orthodox Judaism grows as Haredi body rejects "Open Orthodoxy" institutions|work=The Jerusalem Post}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://forward.com/news/323887/agudath-rabbis-declare-war-on-open-orthodoxy/|title=Avi Weiss Defends "Open Orthodoxy" as Agudah Rabbis Declare War|author=Josh Nathan-Kazis|date=3 November 2015|work=The Forward}}</ref> Avi Shafran, director of public affairs, wrote: "... women ... assuming positions of public leadership is ... antithetical to the concept of ''[[tzniut]]'' (modesty)."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/belief/articles/orthodox-women-ordained|title=Orthodox Yeshiva Ordains Three Women. Just Don't Call Them "Rabbi"|date=June 10, 2013|website=Tablet Magazine}}</ref> Agudah forbade ordained Orthodox female clergy from being hired to lead congregations.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/how-do-you-solve-a-problem-like-a-maharat/|title=How do you solve a problem like a maharat?|website=[[The Times of Israel]] |issn=0040-7909}}</ref> Dr. Noam Stadlan, a board member of the [[Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance]], wrote: "On this issue, the Agudah is irrelevant to Modern Orthodoxy in the same way [[Satmar]] or [[Neturei Karta]] views are irrelevant on issues of Zionism."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/thank-you-rabbi-shafran/|title=Thank You Rabbi Shafran|first=Noam|last=Stadlan|website=jewishweek.timesofisrael.com|date=22 October 2017 }}</ref>

===Abortion===
In 2019, commenting on [[abortion]], Agudath Israel said: "Jewish tradition teaches that a [[Fetus|human fetus]] has status and dignity, and that abortion is prohibited in the vast majority of pregnancies", with certain exceptions in which it is permitted and in others where it is required.<ref name="auto2"/> Other Orthodox New York rabbis offered opposing positions.<ref name="auto1"/>

===Vaccination===
Also in 2019, Agudath [[Vaccine hesitancy|lobbied against a New Jersey bill]] that would have ended a policy allowing New Jersey parents to not [[immunize]] their children—because of religious beliefs, but to still enroll them in school.<ref name="auto3">{{cite news|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/nj-bill-to-remove-religious-exemption-from-immunization-stalls-in-state-senate/|title=NJ bill to remove religious exemption from immunization stalls in state senate|first=Marcy|last=Oster|website=[[The Times of Israel]] |issn=0040-7909}}</ref> The bill included an exemption for [[private school]]s.<ref name="auto3"/> In the 2018-2019 school year, religious exemptions in New Jersey had grown to 2.6%.<ref name="auto4">{{Cite web|url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/ct-nw-nyt-vaccines-religious-exceptions-new-jersey-20200114-sqctl2ogozfdzdth2yfu43mss4-story.html|title="Thank you, God!": Bill to ban religious exemptions for vaccines in New Jersey collapses|first=Tracey|last=Tully|website=sun-sentinel.com|date=14 January 2020 }}</ref> Doctors and public health experts had said the bill was urgently needed to prevent the level of [[measles]] outbreak that spread across the region in 2018 (the largest outbreak in three decades in the area) and emphasized that there is overwhelming scientific consensus that [[Vaccination#Safety|vaccines are safe and effective]].<ref name="auto4"/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/gospels-and-child-sacrifice-inside-a-nyc-ultra-orthodox-anti-vaccination-rally/|title=Gospels and child sacrifice: Inside a NYC ultra-Orthodox anti-vaccination rally|first=Ben|last=Sales|website=[[The Times of Israel]] |issn=0040-7909}}</ref>

===Zionism===
While Agudath was created as a bulwark to fight against [[Zionism]], the Rabbinic leadership of Agudath did permit "with great reluctance" <ref name=":0">Yated Ne’eman, Parshas Bo, 5770</ref> participation in the government after the [[Israel|Israeli state]] was established in 1948.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Lipsky|first=Seth|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jk_ysoKLEzgC&q=%22agudath+israel+of+america%22+%22zionism%22&pg=PA160|title=The Rise of Abraham Cahan|date=2013-10-15|publisher=Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-8052-4310-9|language=en}}</ref> The reason given was that "the [[Knesset|parliament]] is not an ideological organization; its purpose is to perform the mundane task of running the everyday life of the citizens of the country. It was against our will that this parliament was formed, and it has the power to interfere with ''inyanei hadas'' [religious matters] and to prevent the religious community from living a life of Torah. Thus, we were forced to send representatives there to fight for our survival."<ref name=":0"/>  Agudah takes stances on issues affecting the Haredi sector in Israel; in contradistinction to the more stridently [[Haredim and Zionism#Groups which do not recognize Israel|anti-Zionist Haredi communal organizations]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jewishchronicle.org/2008/03/31/agudath-israel-may-be-non-zionist-but-it-supports-israel-and-its-people |title=Agudath Israel may be non-Zionist, but it supports Israel and its people}}</ref>

==Activities==

===Political activity===
Aside from its national branch in Manhattan, Agudah has active branches in the regions of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Missouri, New England, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Ontario, Quebec, and Washington, D.C. The regional director of each branch lobbies the judicial and legislative branches of their state and local governments on any issue deemed morally or religiously important to their constituency (for example, [[abortion]], [[physician-assisted suicide]], [[same-sex marriage]], [[school voucher]]s/[[school choice]]).{{Citation needed|date=April 2015}} Agudah's advocacy in New York state is led by [[Rabbi Yeruchim Silber]], Director of New York Government Affairs.

Agudath Israel's federal activities are coordinated by Rabbi Abba Cohen, the Director and Counsel of the organization's Washington, D.C. office. Agudah was the first Orthodox Jewish group to open an office in Washington, in 1988, and maintains ongoing relations with the [[White House]] and executive agencies, as well as with the [[United States Congress|U.S. Congress]], on various domestic and foreign issues.<ref>"Rabbi Abba Cohen, Agudath Israel's Washington Director" -{{cite news |newspaper=Hamodia
|title=Agudath Israel of America National Board of Trustees |url=http://hamodia.com/2016/02/27/agudath-israel-of-america-national-board-of-trustees-leadership-mission-to-washington-dc |date=February 27, 2016}}</ref><ref>"After 28 years in Washington, Abba Cohen of Agudath Israel of America ..." {{cite web |title=Abba Cohen: The Ultra-Orthodox Man In Washington |url=http://forward.com/series/forward-50/2017/abba-cohen |website=forward.com|date=November 2017 }}</ref> Agudath Israel World Organization also has a representative at the [[United Nations]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://search.archives.un.org/agudath-israel-world-organization-2|title=Agudath Israel World Organization - UNARMS|website=search.archives.un.org}}</ref>

Agudah files [[amicus curiae|amicus briefs]] in cases at all levels of the judiciary, often signing on as one of the organization signatories to a brief authored by [[Nat Lewin]] or the [[National Jewish Commission on Law and Public Affairs]].

In 2023, Agudah's [[New Jersey]] state director [[Avi Schnall]] was elected as a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] to the [[New Jersey General Assembly]] from the otherwise solidly [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] [[New Jersey's 30th legislative district|30th District]], in what political commentators called a "massive demonstration" of the Orthodox community's political power.<ref>[https://newjerseyglobe.com/fr/how-avi-schnall-turned-a-deep-red-legislative-district-blue/ How Avi Schnall turned a deep-red legislative district blue], [[New Jersey Globe]], Nov. 9, 2023</ref>

====Fingerprinting controversy====
Official spokesman Rabbi Avi Shafran denied claims by [https://web.archive.org/web/20091112194357/http://www.thejewishweek.com/viewArticle/c36_a13404/News/New_York.html The Jewish Week] that Aguda "is opposed to both the [[Mandated reporter|mandated reporting]] and [[Fingerprint|fingerprinting]], and [[background check]] legislation" then under consideration for teachers of children<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.vosizneias.com/20265/2008/09/13/new-york-agudath-israel-we-strongly-support-employee-background-check-in-yeshivas-reports-to-the-contrary-false
|title=New York - Agudath Israel: We Strongly Support Bill Requiring Employee Background Check In Yeshivas, Reports To The Contrary False |work=Vos Iz Neias| date=September 13, 2008|access-date=November 30, 2017}}</ref> and cited a memorandum from 2 years prior<ref>dated June 20, 2006</ref> expressing strong support for the legislation. The difference is Aguda's 2006 support was for legislation that passed in 2007 permitting but not mandating fingerprinting/background checking.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=NY Post |date=May 30, 2010 |title=Jewish Schools in NY Ignore Fingerprint Checks |url=https://www.vosizneias.com/56552/2010/05/30/new-york-less-that-1-of-private-schools-run-fingerprint-checks}}, {{cite web| url=http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/schools_failing_on_perv_fingerprint_46dOHX9OBmBYCTW4LgLkdJ |title=Schools failing on ...|date=30 May 2010 }}</ref>

===Youth services===
Agudah maintains a network of summer youth camps (including Camp Agudah, Machane Ephraim, Camp Bnos, Camp Chayl Miriam, and Camp Bnoseinu in [[the Catskills]] in New York, as well as camps in the Midwest and California).

Sometimes referred to as "Pirchei / Zeirei",<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://agudah.org/photos-pirchei-agudas-yisroel-of-passaicclifton-bnei-yaakov-midwinter-program/|title=PHOTOS: Pirchei Agudas Yisroel of Passaic/Clifton Bnei Yaakov Midwinter Program.|first=BenTzion|last=Rupp|date=15 February 2016 }}</ref> this was part of the work by Mike Tress.<ref name=MikeBook2>{{cite book |title=Daring to Dream |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6EoNuVFlc_EC|author=Jonathan Rosenblum|author-link=Jonathan Rosenblum|chapter=Reb Elimelech Gavriel (Mike) Tress|publisher=[[Feldheim Publishers]]|year=2006|quote=... Tress, the legendary Agudah leader who would transform Zeirei Agudath Israel ...}}</ref>

"'''JEP'''" ('''Jewish Education Program''') is known for its [[Released time|release hour]] work, and was identified by Rabbi Yaakov Perlow as "the JEP operation of ''Zeirei Agudath Israel''" in a 1977 interview, in which he spoke about "to take off a seder from yeshiva and go out and speak at a release hour at a public school."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://web.stevens.edu/golem/llevine/ry_interviews/Interviews%20with%20RYs.pdf|title=Interview with Harav Yaakov Perlow - 12/28/77}}</ref>

===Social services===
Agudah has a number of social service branches that cater to the [[Old age|elderly]], [[Poverty|poor]], or [[Disability|disabled]]. It has a job training program called COPE, a job placement division, and a housing program. The Agudah is responsible for the founding of other national institutions and projects, including the [[Beis Yaakov]] girls' school system, and the national [[Daf Yomi]] Commission.{{Citation needed|date=April 2015}}

==Communications==
Agudah advocates its positions in several ways:
* Publication of an e-newsletter, ''Weekly Window ''
* Publication of a general-interest monthly magazine, ''[[The Jewish Observer]]'', from 1963 (no longer published)
* Maintains full-time offices in Washington, DC, and the US [[West Coast of the United States|west coast]], [[Midwest]], and [[U.S. Southern states|South]]
* Activism by lobbying and submitting [[amicus curiae|amicus briefs]]
* Organizes prominent layperson missions to government agencies
* Rabbi Avi Shafran, the official spokesman of Agudah, responds to media articles and statements which concern the Haredi Orthodox community; Shafran also organizes members to do the same
* Conveys its positions in the Jewish media, particularly through privately owned weekly Jewish newspapers in English called "[[Hamodia]]" and "[[Yated Ne'eman (United States)|Yated Neeman]]" (distinct from the Israeli Hebrew-language newspaper carrying the same name), which convey news and views from the Haredi Orthodox point of view
* Publication of articles and press releases on its [http://www.agudah.org website]

==See also==
*[[Agudat Yisrael]] (of Israel)
*[[Degel HaTorah]]
*[[Orthodox Judaism]]
*[[Haredi Judaism]]
*[[World Agudath Israel]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.agudah.org/ Agudath Israel of America Official Website]
*[http://www.jlaw.com/LawPolicy/OU1.html National public policy of Agudah, 1999]
*[http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm/bay/search.summary/orgid/3223.htm Professional survey of Agudah]
*[http://www.chareidi.org/ Dei'ah Vedibur, weekly web edition of Yated Neeman newspaper]
*[http://www.shemayisrael.com/jewishobserver/ The ''Jewish Observer'', Agudah's magazine, on the web]
*[http://ourlli.org/ The Lefkowitz Leadership Initiative, Agudah's website for younger people]

{{OrthodoxJudaism}}
{{Organized Jewish Life in the United States}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Agudath Israel Of America}}
[[Category:Ashkenazi Jewish culture in the United States]]
[[Category:Haredi Judaism in the United States]]
[[Category:Jewish community organizations based in the United States]]
[[Category:Private and independent school organizations in the United States]]
[[Category:Rabbinical organizations]]
[[Category:Agudat Yisrael]]
[[Category:Jewish organizations based in New York City]]