Agudath Israel of America, along with The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, submitted an amicus “friend of the court” brief in a case seeking to hold UCLA accountable for failing to address antisemitic activity on campus.  The lawsuit, Frankel, et al. v. Regents of the University of California, et al., was brought by three Jewish students attending UCLA, Yitzchok Frenkel, Joshua Ghayoum, and Eden Shemulian, and describes how UCLA administration initially permitted a pro-Hamas encampment to exist on campus and allowed the establishment of a “Jew Exclusion Zone” at the University earlier this year.

The Mishnah (Taanis 26) teaches us, “Mi’she’nichnas Av m’maatim b’simchah,” at the beginning of [the month of] Av, we should moderate our joy. Numerous disasters affected the Jewish people on Tish’ah B’Av, such as the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem. Our practices of mourning are increased as we enter the month of Av, and they become even more intensified in the week of Tish’ah B’Av.

Sam Berger has spent the last ten months hard at work in the New York State Assembly representing the electorate of District 27. There was no Democratic primary for the general election set for this upcoming November 5, when Berger will face local electrician Angelo King, a familiar face on the ballot, but who’s without the backing of the influential Orthodox Jewish bloc. Berger’s current term concludes New Years Day.