OU Advocacy Annual Report 5778 (2017-2018)

M A K I N G H I S T O RY OU ADVOCACY

ANNUAL R E PORT 5778 (2017-2018)

The Orthodox Union Advocacy Center is the non-partisan public policy arm of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America.

Our mission is to promote and protect the Jewish community’s interests and values in the public policy arena.

Through our work, OU Advocacy supports and strengthens Judaism in the United States and contributes to the welfare of American, Israeli and global Jewish society.

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S Welcome Letter from the Executive Director ............................................................................................................. 1 5778 at a Glance ..............................................................................................................................................................2 Letter from the Teach Advocacy Network’s Executive Director .......................................................................... 3 OU Advocacy: Success By the Numbers ................................................................................................................... 4 Making History for Safer, Better, More Affordable Schools & Shuls Federal ................................................................................................................................................................................5 In Focus: OU Advocacy’s Historic Win to Make Shuls & Schools Safer............................................................. 7 Making History for Safer, Better, More Affordable Schools Teach NYS ......................................................................................................................................................................8 In Focus: Teach NYS’s “Kosher” Victory .................................................................................................................. 10 Making History for Safer, Better, More Affordable Schools Teach NJS .......................................................................................................................................................................11 In Focus: Teach NJS Connects Jewish Day Schools with Legislators ..............................................................13 Making History for Safer, Better, More Affordable Schools Teach Pennsylvania | Teach Florida .............................................................................................................. 14 | 16 In Focus: OU Advocacy Promotes Expansion of 529 Savings Accounts ....................................................... 18 In Focus: OU Advocacy’s Landmark Victory to Protect Religious Liberty ....................................................... 19 Making History: OU Advocacy’s Annual Leadership Mission to Washington, DC ....................................... 20 Making History: Celebrating the US Embassy’s Historic Relocation to Jerusalem ..................................... 22 Making History in the Fight to Protect Israel: The Taylor Force Act ................................................................ 24 Making History: In the News ...................................................................................................................................... 26 Professional Staff .......................................................................................................................................................... 28 National, Lay Leadership ............................................................................................................................................. 29

M A K I N G H I S T O R Y

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Dear Partners, Colleagues and Friends of OU Advocacy, Successful advocacy in Washington requires immense patience, unrelenting perseverance and great, bipartisan partners. Our dedicated efforts in these areas paved the way for a history-making year unlike any other in the almost two decades since we opened our offices in Washington, D.C. Many of the seeds we planted in our early years, carefully cultivated over time, bore fruit during 5778: In a single year, we successfully pressed for the passage of a record amount of far-reaching legislation critical to the foundation and growth of our community. Almost all of it dates back to our founding.

Individually, each of these new laws provides immense new resources for our community. Together, they afford unprecedented support for our children, families, schools, shuls and the State of Israel. For OU Advocacy, they represent the culmination of an era. Together with your partnership, we helped: •

Create new legislation that made synagogues and other houses of worship damaged in natural disasters eligible for the first time for FEMA funding (page 19)

•

Double to $50 million the federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program for Jewish day schools and shuls so that we can keep our children and community safer (page 7)

•

Establish a new, $10 million stream of federal grants for school and shul building safety improvements in previously ineligible cities (page 7)

•

Provide families a new way to save on day school tuition by expanding federal 529 college savings plans to K-12 (page 18)

•

Preserve $2.1 billion in federal grants for professional development for teachers (page 6)

•

Pass the Taylor Force Act – that ends the Palestinian Authority’s use of American taxpayer dollars to reward terrorism (pages 24-25)

•

Revive – and see through – the relocation of the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to its rightful place in Jerusalem (pages 22-23)

Throughout 5778, OU Advocacy also focused on promoting the constitutional guarantee of religious liberty by joining the fight to preserve a longstanding tax emption on housing costs for rabbis and other clergy and stop a new provision requiring houses of worship, along with other nonprofits, to pay federal taxes on subsidies for certain employee benefits.

Our steadfast work in this arena earned praise from the Department of Justice, which announced during OU Advocacy’s annual Leadership Mission to Washington, D.C. a new initiative to protect the rights of shuls and other religious institutions to build and expand their facilities.

In this report, you’ll find information about the ways OU Advocacy made history during 5778.

As we transition into 5779, we take nothing for granted. We hope you’ll join us as we endeavor to deliver still more historic changes that help our community flourish

Sincerely,

Nathan J. Diament

1

OU ADVOCACY 5 7 7 8 AT A G L A N C E Working with federal and state policymakers, the Orthodox Union Advocacy Center helped secure $1.5 billion in government funding for Jewish day schools, yeshivas, shuls, community centers and other nonpublic organizations across the United States.

STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDS OU ADVOCACY helped secure during 5778 (2017-18):

1.5 BILLION

$

150

$

MILLION

$60 MILLION

for security at schools, shuls and other nonprofit institutions

$90 MILLION

to aid disaster-damaged shuls, other houses of worship

Federal

$

276

$

MILLION

MILLION

in New Jersey

in New York for Jewish and other schools

293

$

MILLION

in Pennsylvania for nonpublic schools

2

40

$

722 MILLION in Florida

$11.5 MILLION for Jewish schools

$40 MILLION for nonpublic schools

$22 MILLION for Jewish schools

$700 MILLION for nonpublic schools

M A K I N G H I S T O R Y

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TEACH ADVOCACY NETWORK Dear Friends, As the parent of four young children, I am reminded daily of the effort that goes into making sure our students get a quality Jewish education. As the head of the Teach Advocacy Network – the country’s leading nonpublic advocacy organization dedicated to making day school and yeshiva education accessible for all of our students – I have made it my mission to tackle the tuition crisis.

So, as we usher in 5779, I am gratified to report that Teach Advocacy has made history not only to help tackle this single most important domestic policy issue for our community but also to keep our children safe at school. The numbers speak for themselves.

During 2017-18, our teams on the ground in New York, New Jersey, Florida and Pennsylvania successfully advocated for: •

A 200% increase in funding for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education at Jewish and other nonpublic schools across New York State (page 8)

•

The creation of New York City’s first-ever kosher and halal lunch program (page 10)

•

A three-fold increase in security funding for Florida’s 35 Jewish day schools and yeshivas. Teach Florida helped draft the legislation. Teach Florida also helped arrange for more than 30 city, state and federal legislators to visit Jewish day school (page 17)

•

Preserving $40 million in state funding for New Jersey’s nonpublic schools (page 12)

•

A record $25 million increase in Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit program so that more K-12 students than ever can attend Jewish and other nonpublic schools (page 14)

In fact, Teach Advocacy’s state-by-state efforts across the country touch almost 90 percent of students enrolled in Jewish day schools and yeshivas nationwide. In addition to helping draft legislation and fight for its passage, we pursue a multi-pronged approach to make tuition more affordable and keep our children safe.

During 5778, that included working one-on-one with dozens of member schools to help them access tens of millions of dollars in government funding earmarked for non-public schools. We also brought hundreds of students and community leaders on missions to Albany, Tallahassee and Harrisburg to meet with legislators in their offices and make sure they understand that all children deserve a quality education in a safe environment. That’s particularly important given the 60 percent leap in anti-Semitic incidents during 2017 – the largest single-year increase on record.

In New York, we held appreciation rallies for Gov. Andrew Cuomo to honor him for making good on his promise to provide millions of dollars in security funding for Jewish and other nonpublic schools.

We also harnessed one of the most basic yet powerful tools we possess: the right to vote. In Florida, our push more than doubled the number of community members signed up to vote in midterm primaries.

And, we used the power of partnerships and worked with leaders from the Catholic and Islamic faiths to fight to maintain our fair share of state funding, particularly in New Jersey where nonpublic school funding for security, nursing, textbooks and technology lags significantly behind public schools.

As we forge into 5779 together with our partners and supporters, we look forward to building even greater support and resources for our most valuable asset: our children. Join us.

Sincerely,

3 Maury Litwack

OU ADVOCACY S U C C E S S BY THE N U M B E R S

269

$

MILLION

90

MILLION

Day schools and yeshivas in New York that received government funding through federal and state efforts

US school children we are helping to make safer at nonpublic schools

Federal funding allocated to shuls and other disaster-damaged houses of worship under new FEMA law

1.5

$

BILLION

State government aid secured since 2013 for NY nonpublic schools

Students served in New York State’s Jewish day schools

200%

Increase in funding for STEM instructors in New York City nonpublic schools for 2018-19

206%

Increase in security funding for Florida Jewish day schools and yeshivas for 2018-19

40

$

MILLION

Total funding for New Jersey’s nonpublic schools

4

400

186,000

$

150,000

Total funding for federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program and a new, related federal grant program to make schools, shuls and other nonprofits safer

65%

increase in Pennsylvania’s grant program to place safety officers at K-12 schools

1 MILLION

$

New York City investment in pilot program to provide free kosher or halal lunches for K-12 Jewish and Muslim students regardless of income/school placement

25

$

MILLION

400

Legislative and community leaders from across New Jersey at Teach NJS’s annual legislative breakfast

105,000

Students across Florida receiving scholarships to attend nonpublic schools during 2017-18

Record increase in tax-credit scholarships for Pennsylvania’s nonpublic schools

M A K I N G H I S T O R Y

The OU Advocacy Center is dedicated to making Jewish day schools, yeshivas and shuls safe, secure places and making Jewish education

F E D E R A L

more affordable through government funding, tax-credit scholarships and education savings

FOR SAFER, BETTER, MORE

account. Throughout the year, OUA works

AFFORDABLE SCHOOLS

with Congress and partners with other faith

AND SHULS

organizations to achieve these critical goals.

SAFER SCHOOLS AND SHULS

Historic Increase in Federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program

The OU Advocacy Center helped secure an unprecedented $50 million for 201718 – more than double the amount for the previous year – for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. The federally funded program, which OU Advocacy spearheaded in 2005, provides individual grants to bolster building security for day schools, houses of worship and other nonprofits at risk of terror attacks. (Read more: page 7)

New Funding Stream for Security at K-12 Parochial Schools

OU Advocacy helped secure – for the first time – $10 million in federal security grant funding for schools, shuls and other nonprofits at risk of terror attacks to increase building security on the same terms as the Nonprofit Security Grant

OU ADVOCACY CENTER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WITH U.S. REP. GRACE MENG (D-NY) WHO WORKED WITH OU ADVOCACY TO HELP CHANGE FEDERAL LAW SO THAT HOUSES OF WORSHIP ARE NOW ELIGIBLE FOR DISASTER ASSISTANCE

“

THANK

YOU

FOR

BETWEEN

THE

OF

YORK

NEW

OU

YOUR AND

WILL

THE STAY

GOOD

WORK.

SENIOR

SENATOR

STRONG

FOR

THE

AS

RELATIONSHIP

FROM

THE

LONG

AS

STATE I

AM

IN OFFICE.” US SENATOR CHARLES SCHUMER (D-NY)

5

“

YASHER KOACH FOR WHAT YOU DO EVERY DAY TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY. I’M PROUD OF THE WORK THAT YOU DO IN… STRENGTHENING OUR NATION, STRENGTHENING ISRAEL AND STRENGTHENING THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY.” US SENATOR BEN CARDIN (D-MD)

Program. The grants are open to those nonprofits that fall outside the major metropolitan areas covered by the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. (Read more: page 7)

STOP School Violence Act

During 2017-18, OU Advocacy successfully pushed for a new federal grants program for school safety improvements that includes nonpublic schools. The STOP School Violence Act was introduced in the wake of the Feb. 2018 high school shooting in Parkland, Fl. It authorizes $175 million (over the next 10 years) for the Justice Department to make grants for an array of school safety improvements and training.

BETTER, MORE AFFORDABLE SCHOOLS Every Student Succeeds Act: Professional Training for Teachers

The OU Advocacy successfully worked to preserve $2.1 billion in federal grants for professional development training for teachers at nonpublic schools through the Every Student Succeeds Act. Nonpublic school teachers have been eligible for these programs, but the Trump Administration had proposed to eliminate the program entirely.

529 Plan Expansion

Families now have a new way to save on tuition for Jewish day schools and other nonpublic schools after OU Advocacy successfully pressed for federal tax legislation that expands 529 Savings Accounts. Previously limited to higher education expenses, the plans may be used to pay up to $10,000 per year per K-12 student. (Read more: page 18)

U.S. SENATOR TED CRUZ (R-TEXAS)

6

M A K I N G H I S T O R Y FOCUS

ADDITIONAL DHS FUNDING

FEDERAL NONPROFIT SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM FUNDING 2005 - 2018

IN

TOTAL NSGP / DHS 2005 - 2018

$269 MILLION

$10

MILLION

+ $50

$25

$25

MILLION

$15

NOT FUNDED

MILLION

2005

2006

MILLION

2007

MILLION

$25

2008

$15

$19

MILLION

MILLION

2009

$20

$19

$10

2010

2011

MILLION

MILLION

MILLION

$10

MILLION

MILLION

2012

2013

$13

MILLION

2014

$13

MILLION

2015

2016

2017

2018

OU ADVOCACY’S HISTORIC WIN TO MAKE SHULS AND SCHOOLS SAFER

T

hirteen years ago, the OU Advocacy Center helped spearhead (together with the Jewish Federations of North America, other coalition partners and bipartisan leaders in Congress) federal legislation to make shuls, Jewish day schools and yeshivas safer places through the creation of the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP). The program enables these and other nonprofits to apply for grants to make their buildings more secure.

Over the years, annual funding for the NSGP has averaged $20 million; in 2017, OU Advocacy succeeded in increasing that amount to $25 million.

But during 2018, anti-Semitic incidents in the United States surged by 57 percent – the largest annual increase in almost 40 years. The OU Advocacy Center advocated doubling the NSGP funding to an unprecedented $50 million - and that was the funding level allocated by Congress for 2018.

The OU Advocacy Center advocated doubling the NSGP funding to an unprecedented $50 million - and that was the funding level allocated by Congress for 2018.

The results of OU Advocacy’s drive to increase safety at schools and shuls didn’t stop there. For the first time ever, Congress also authorized an additional $10 million in security grants for shuls and schools located outside major metropolitan areas that had previously been ineligible for such grants.

Not only that, Congress doubled the amount of the individual grants to $150,000. These funds pay for the acquisition and installation of protective equipment such as fences, lighting, video surveillance, blastresistant doors and windows and metal detectors. Congress’s record NSGP allocation for 2018 brings the total of nonprofit security grant funding to $269 million since 2005. The majority of the grants have been allocated to Jewish day schools and synagogues.

7

M A K I N G H I S T O R Y TEACH

Teach NYS, part of the Teach Advocacy Network, is dedicated to fighting on behalf of students enrolled in 400 Jewish day schools and yeshivas across the state to secure government support so that Jewish schools are safe and fairly funded. Teach NYS also works to make tuition more affordable for families.

NYS

FOR SAFER, BETTER, MORE AFFORDABLE SCHOOLS

The Teach Advocacy Network is the leading single-issue advocacy network invested in the quality, safety, and accessibility of nonpublic schools. Our teams on the ground in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Florida work with a broad network of grassroots activists, community leaders, parents and lawmakers across the country to secure millions of dollars annually for children in nonpublic schools across the country. The network also helps educators navigate the red tape to apply for, and access, government funding earmarked for nonpublic schools.

“

THE

RISING

BURDEN

ON

COST ALL

OF

TUITION...

FAMILIES

WHO

HAS

BECOME

SEND

THEIR

AN

ENORMOUS

CHILDREN

TO

NONPUBLIC SCHOOLS. THANKS TO TEACH NYS, OUR VOICES ARE BEING HEARD BY THE POLITICIANS WHO HAVE THE POWER TO ADDRESS THE CRISIS.”

JACK AINI, BROOKLYN PARENT WITH CHILDREN IN YESHIVA OF FLATBUSH AND MAGEN DAVID YESHIVA

Until the creation of Teach NYS in 2013, students at Jewish day schools, yeshivas and other nonpublic schools in New York City and state – unlike their public school peers – received no funding from the state. Since then, Teach NYS has helped secure $1.5 billion for nonpublic schools across New York.

VICTORIES FOR MORE AFFORDABLE EDUCATION STEM: In 2017, Teach NYS conducted a sustained

8

advocacy campaign to press for the nation’s first state-funded STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) program for students in nonpublic schools, securing $5 million to pay for STEM instructors for the 2017-2018 school year. For 2018-19, Teach NYS helped increase that funding by 200 percent, to $15 million.

BUDGET WINS FOR SCHOOL SECURITY For the 2018-19 school year, Teach NYS successfully fought to secure: $19.8 million in city funding for private security guards at New York City’s nonpublic schools $15 million for safety equipment in nonpublic schools across New York State

Teach NYS Annual Mission to Albany

On March 13, 2018, hundreds of students and educators from across New York State gathered at the state capital to advocate for increased and sustainable funding for STEM education programming and additional security at nonpublic schools. The participants also met with more than 60 state legislators.

OU EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT ALLEN FAGIN ADDRESSING TEACH NYS MISSION

HUNDREDS OF JEWISH DAY SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM ACROSS NEW YORK JOINED TEACH NYS’S ANNUAL MISSION TO ALBANY TEACH ADVOCACY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MAURY LITWACK, NY SENATE MAJORITY LEADER JOHN FLANAGAN; TEACH NYS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER CAL NATHAN

Teach NYS Hosts Appreciation Rallies for Gov. Cuomo

On June 13, 2018, Teach NYS hosted Gov. Andrew Cuomo at the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway and Magen David Yeshivah in Brooklyn to thank him for supporting nonpublic school security and his commitment to the sustainability of nonpublic schools.

TEACH NYS’S CAL NATHAN AND NY GOV. ANDREW CUOMO

9

M A K I N G H I S T O R Y IN

FOCUS

TEACH NYS’S “KOSHER” VICTORY

A

t the start of the 2017-2018 school year, New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio announced a new “universal” free lunch program to provide the city’s 1.5 million K-12 students in public and nonpublic schools free, nutritious meals regardless of income or school placement.

OU EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT ALLEN FAGIN CALLS FOR A TRULY “UNIVERSAL” FREE LUNCH PROGRAM AT TEACH NYS RALLY

There was only one problem: the mayor’s plan overlooked eligible Jewish and Muslim children in the city’s religious schools who can’t get free lunches under existing programs. Neither did it help the tens of thousands of Jewish and Muslim children enrolled in public schools.

“

Teach NYS quickly mounted an advocacy campaign to fix this inequity and organized a broad coalition of elected leaders and Jewish and Muslim community advocates to push back against the unfair plan.

ADVOCATES LIKE TEACH NYS AND THE ORTHODOX UNION… HELPED MAKE THIS A REALITY. THIS IS A HUGE STEP FORWARD TOWARDS ENSURING THAT KOSHER AND HALAL MEALS BECOME A UNIVERSAL OPTION FOR THE 1.5 MILLION NEW YORK CITY STUDENTS IN PUBLIC AND NONPUBLIC SCHOOLS.”

10

NYC COUNCIL MEMBER CHAIM DEUTSCH (D-BRIGHTON BEACH)

STUDENTS AT JEWISH DAY SCHOOLS JOIN FIGHT FOR KOSHER AND HALAL LUNCHES AT ALL NEW YORK CITY SCHOOLS AS PART OF MAYOR DEBLASIO’S “UNIVERSAL” FREE LUNCH PROGRAM

These efforts included a rally on the steps of City Hall; fullpage ads in major newspapers; a letter to the city council signed by Teach NYS and more than 20 rabbis and imams from across New York City; and the mobilization of hundreds of area Jewish and Muslim parents writing and calling City Hall. Teach NYS also worked with City Council Speaker Corey Johnson and Jewish Caucus Chairman Chaim Deutsch.

Teach NYS’s efforts paid off: In June 2018, the city council announced a $1 million pilot program to begin in fall 2019 that will provide kosher and halal meals in one Jewish, one Muslim and two public schools with large numbers of Jewish and Muslim children who eat only kosher and halal food.

M A K I N G H I S T O R Y Teach NJS, part of the Teach Advocacy Network, is supported by a collaboration of day schools, federations, synagogues, volunteers, communities and the Orthodox Union.

TEACH

NJS

FOR SAFER, BETTER, MORE AFFORDABLE SCHOOLS

Teach NJS launched three years ago. Since then, it has increased funding for nonpublic schools to $40 million annually, providing more than $260 per student for security, nursing, textbooks and technology.

“

THE GOALS OF TEACH NJS COMMAND BROAD SUPPORT. BUT WE CAN’T REST ON OUR LAURELS. IF WE WANT TO TRULY ACHIEVE FUNDING EQUITY FOR NONPUBLIC SCHOOLS, WE NEED INCREASED INVOLVEMENT. THIS IS NOT JUST AN ISSUE FOR PARENTS OF RELIGIOUS SCHOOL STUDENTS BUT FOR ANYONE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SECURITY OF OUR YOUTH AND THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THEM.”

VICTORIES FOR MORE AFFORDABLE EDUCATION

NATHAN LINDENBAUM, TEACH NJS CO-FOUNDER

Teach NJS Interfaith Press Conference for School Security

During 2017-18, Teach NJS:

Successfully restored $4 million in state funding for nursing and technology services that had been cut in the state’s initial budget proposal.

NJ DEPUTY SPEAKER GARY SCHAER ADDRESSES PRESS CONFERENCE FOR INCREASED FUNDING FOR NONPUBLIC SCHOOL SECURITY

11

LEGISLATORS, TEACH NJS LEADERS AND OTHER MEMBERS OF INTERFAITH COALITION UNITED TO PUSH FOR SECURITY IN NEW JERSEY SCHOOLS

BUDGET WINS FOR SCHOOL SECURITY During the 2017-2018 school year, Teach NJS successfully:

Fought to maintain the state’s budget for security at nonpublic schools at $11.3 million annually for 2018-2019

Formed a broad coalition of religious constituencies in New Jersey, including members of Jewish, Islamic and Catholic faiths, to press for greater funding for security at New Jersey’s nonpublic schools

Teach NJS Annual Legislative Breakfast

12

BEN PORAT YOSEF HEAD OF SCHOOL RABBI SAUL ZUCKER AND NEW JERSEY EDUCATION COMMISSIONER DR. LAMONT REPOLLET WITH BEN PORAT YOSEF DAY SCHOOL STUDENTS

M A K I N G H I S T O R Y IN

FOCUS

TEACH NJS CONNECTS JEWISH DAY SCHOOLS WITH LEGISLATORS

AT TEACH NJS’S LEGISLATIVE BREAKFAST IN TEANECK ON APRIL 15, 2018. JOSH CAPLAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TEACH NJS; SAM MOED, CHAIRMAN OF TEACH NJS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE; DR. LAMONT REPOLLET, NJ EDUCATION COMMISSIONER; MAURY LITWACK, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE TEACH ADVOCACY NETWORK

T

hrough rallies, its signature “Schools in Session” program and a legislative breakfast with hundreds of students, educators and more than 30 New Jersey state senators, assembly members and municipal and county leaders, Teach NJS has strengthened relationships between legislators and nonpublic schools across the state.

During these events, Teach NJS has helped educate legislators and community leaders alike about the need for greater state investment in security, nursing, textbooks and technology at New Jersey’s nonpublic schools.

13

M A K I N G H I S T O R Y TEACH

PA

FOR SAFER, BETTER, MORE AFFORDABLE SCHOOLS

In Pennsylvania, Teach PA is leading the way among nonpublic schools as the only Jewish group in the state focused exclusively on day school advocacy.

Approximately 40 percent of Jewish day school and yeshiva students in Pennsylvania – 1,400 children from low- and middle-income families – depend on tax-credit scholarships Teach PA has helped secure in the state budget.

VICTORIES FOR MORE AFFORDABLE EDUCATION During 5778, Teach PA successfully:

Advocated for a record $25 million increase in the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program, for a total $160 million in tax-credit scholarships for K-12 students at nonpublic schools;

Helped secure state backing for the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) program, funded at $50 million for 2018-19;

Advocated for $88 million in state funding for various services such as guidance counseling and speech services at nonpublic schools;

Pushed to maintain $27 million in state funding for textbooks and equipment at nonpublic schools in the 2018-19 state budget.

“

TEACH PA MEET AND GREET WITH (CENTER) U.S. REP. DWIGHT EVANS (D-PENN.)

WHEN WE WORK HARD TO MAKE OUR VOICE HEARD, LIKE WE DID THIS YEAR ALL ACROSS OUR TEACH PA NETWORK, WE CAN HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT.”

14

ELLIOT HOLTZ, TEACH PA CO-CHAIR

BUDGET WINS FOR SCHOOL SECURITY As a result of advocacy by Teach PA and its network of Jewish day schools and community advocates across the Commonwealth:

Pennsylvania’s Office of Safe Schools increased its grant program for safety officers at both public and nonpublic schools to $6 million for 2018-19, a 65 percent increase over the previous year

TEACH PA HARRISBURG RALLY

More than 200 community leaders, parents, educators and students traveled to Pennsylvania’s state capital to show appreciation for the record expansion of the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program, which provides scholarships to students in nonpublic schools.

15

M A K I N G H I S T O R Y T E A C H F L O R I D A FOR SAFER, BETTER, MORE AFFORDABLE SCHOOLS

Teach Florida is a movement of Jewish schools, parents and community advocating for safe, strong and affordable nonpublic schools in the Sunshine State.

Since launching in 2016, Teach Florida successfully spearheaded first-time security funding for Florida’s nonpublic schools, including Jewish day schools, and advocated for increases in tax-credit scholarships.

VICTORIES FOR MORE AFFORDABLE EDUCATION During 2017-18, Teach Florida helped secure:

Additional funding sources for the $700 million in taxcredit scholarship program that helps 105,000 students attend nonpublic schools across the state

30+ meetings and other events with elected officials, including Gov. Rick Scott and House and Senate leadership

“

FLORIDA GOV. RICK SCOTT AT ORLANDO TORAH ACADEMY, ONE OF FIVE VISITS THE GOVERNOR MADE TO JEWISH DAY SCHOOLS AND YESHIVAS IN FLORIDA DURING 2017-18 THANKS TO THE EFFORTS OF TEACH FLORIDA

WE WANT TO STABILIZE AND LOWER THE COST OF TUITION SO THAT PARENTS CAN FEEL DIGNIFIED, AND EVERY SCHOOL BENEFITS FROM IT.”

16

TEACH FLORIDA CO-CHAIR DANIEL ADLER ON FLORIDA’S INCREASE IN TAX-CREDIT SCHOLARSHIPS

BUDGET WINS FOR SCHOOL SECURITY During the 2018-19 school year, Teach Florida successfully fought to:

Increase security funding three-fold at Jewish day schools and yeshivas – from $654,000 in 2017-18 to $2 million for 2018-19. Schools may use the funds to install items such as fences, cameras, shatter-proof windows and key-card entry systems.

FLORIDA GOV. RICK SCOTT WITH STUDENTS AT KATZ HILLEL DAY SCHOOL OF BOCA RATON

FLORIDA STATE SEN. LAUREN BOOK (CENTER), WITH TEACH FLORIDA AND COMMUNITY LEADERS AT TEMPLE BETH EMETH DAY SCHOOL, PRESENTS CHECK FOR SECURITY FUNDING AT JEWISH DAY SCHOOLS AND YESHIVAS

TEACH FLORIDA’S FIRST LEGISLATIVE BREAKFAST More than 300 south Florida school and synagogue leaders, educators and families attended Teach Florida’s first legislative breakfast to honor State Rep. Randy Fine and show their appreciation to 20 elected officials for $654,000 in state funds for Jewish school security as well as other funding to support day school programs and services.

ORTHODOX UNION PRESIDENT MOISHE BANE

GUEST OF HONOR STATE REP. RANDY FINE

17

M A K I N G H I S T O R Y IN

FOCUS

OU ADVOCACY PROMOTES EXPANSION OF 529 SAVINGS ACCOUNTS

THE OLD 529

THE NEW 529

Parents/Family Members take money out when needed for college, tax-free.

Parents/Family Members take money out when needed for college, tax-free and can use money on private/ religious K-12 expenses.

W

hen Congress enacted comprehensive new federal tax law in late 2017, a new provision for the first time expanded college 529 Savings Accounts to K-12 education, whether public or parochial schools. The Orthodox Union Advocacy Center promoted the adoption of these accounts; they went into effect at the federal level at the start of 2018.

Much like the original 529 Savings Plans, the expanded version is designed to encourage saving for higher-education costs. They are much like mutual funds, but their growth is never subject to tax as long as the plan is used to pay for K-12 tuition and related expenses.

Under the new provision, the plans may be used to pay up to $10,000 per year for each K-12th grade student. Roughly speaking, $75,000 contributed to a 529 Plan for a newborn child should fund 13 years of private tuition at $10,000 a year, assuming a 6 percent rate of return. Contributions to the accounts enjoy exemptions from the federal gift tax (up to certain amounts and along special time considerations).

After pressing for passage of the legislation, the OU Advocacy Center provided a host of exclusive resources ranging from a community conference call, pages of original content and an email ‘hotline’ so that families across the country could begin saving for their children’s education.

“

I WAS PROUD TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE ORTHODOX UNION...

IT’S THE MOST FAR-REACHING AND SIGNIFICANT FEDERAL SCHOOL CHOICE LEGISLATION THAT’S EVER PASSED. I’M GRATEFUL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, I’M GRATEFUL FOR YOUR PASSION, I’M GRATEFUL FOR THE DIFFERENCE YOU MAKE.”

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US SENATOR TED CRUZ (R-TEXAS)

M A K I N G H I S T O R Y OU ADVOCACY’S LANDMARK VICTORY TO PROTECT RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

IN

FOCUS

First-Ever Federal Disaster Relief for Shuls

A

fter almost 20 years of work, the OU Advocacy Center ushered in a new era of fairness for disaster-damaged shuls during 5778.

In the past, synagogues, churches, mosques and other houses of worship damaged in hurricanes and other natural disasters were refused assistance by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). That meant that – even though their clergy frequently served on the front lines during natural disasters – houses of worship weren’t eligible for federal disaster aid.

HOUSTON SHUL, BOOKS DEVASTATED IN HURRICANE HARVEY

All of that changed in 5778 when the OU Advocacy Center – and the coalition it spearheaded to address the unfair policy – renewed its efforts in the wake of Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Hurricane Irma in Florida.

“

WITHOUT YOUR WORK, IT WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. YOU NEVER QUIT, WE NEVER QUIT. AND NOW, WHEN THERE ARE DISASTERS – AND THERE WILL BE DISASTERS – THIS DISCRIMINATORY POLICY IS OVER.” US REPRESENTATIVE CHRIS SMITH (R-NJ)

Although OU Advocacy and the coalition it formed had pressed past administrations to change the policy and drafted legislation to change the law, none of it made it past the House or the Senate.

In 2017, OU Advocacy and the coalition urged the Trump Administration to rectify this inequity. The Administration quietly changed FEMA’s policy on Jan. 2, 2018. A month later, Congress passed a law codifying this new era of fairness for disaster-damaged synagogues, churches and other houses of worship by making them eligible by law for federal FEMA relief. The new law retroactively covers certain eligible houses of worship affected by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma in 2017 and Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

The new law places houses of worship on the same footing as other nonprofits such as museums, community centers and libraries. It also allocated almost $90 billion in overdue disaster aid for houses of worship damaged in Hurricanes Harvey and Irma in 2017 and Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

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M A K I N G H I S T O R Y OU ADVOCACY’S ANNUAL LEADERSHIP MISSION

OU ADVOCACY’S ANNUAL LEADERSHIP MISSION TO WASHINGTON, DC

The Orthodox Union Advocacy Center welcomed a delegation of 100 Orthodox rabbis and communal leaders from across the country – from California and Kentucky to New York, Pennsylvania and Florida – to the nation’s capital June 13 to join in OU Advocacy’s 22nd annual Leadership Mission to Washington, DC.

Highlights included:

Meetings with top Administration officials at the White House, including Special Representative for International Negotiations Jason Greenblatt, US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, Domestic Policy Council Director Andrew Bremberg and Rear Adm. Douglas Fears;

Lunch at the US Capitol, where delegates heard from US Sens. Ben Cardin (D-Md), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), James Lankford (R-Okla), Gary Peters (D-Mich) and Charles Schumer (D-NY);

Meetings with US Representatives including Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Ron DeSantis (R-Fla), Ted Lieu (D-Calif); Jerry Nadler (D-NY); Jamie Raskin (D-Md); and Albio Sires (D-NJ) to advocate for the Israel Anti-Boycott Act and increase funding for the federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which the OU Advocacy Center helped spearhead in 2005 to increase building security at religious schools, shuls, other houses of worship and other nonprofits; O U Advocacy honored US Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Grace Meng (D-NY) for their work with us to pass legislation making houses of worship eligible for federal disaster aid;

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L-R: OU ADVOCACY CENTER CHAIRMAN JERRY WOLASKY; OU BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIRMAN HOWARD TZVI FRIEDMAN; OU ADVOCACY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NATHAN DIAMENT; US SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR INTERNATIONAL NEGOTIATIONS JASON GREENBLATT; US AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL DAVID FRIEDMAN; OU PRESIDENT MOISHE BANE

An address by US Attorney General Jeff Sessions about current and future efforts to protect religious freedom.

Sessions also announced the Justice Department’s “Place to Worship Initiative,” a new effort focusing on protecting houses of worship and other religious institutions’ rights to “build, expand, buy, or rent facilities” under the provisions of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act.

ADDRESSING PARTICIPANTS DURING OU ADVOCACY CENTER’S ANNUAL LEADERSHIP MISSION TO WASHINGTON, DC

US SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TEXAS)

US SEN. BEN CARDIN (D-MD)

US REP. ELIOT ENGEL (D-NY) DURING MEETING WITH MISSION DELEGATES

US SEN. CHARLES SCHUMER (D-NY)

MISSION PARTICIPANTS MEET WITH TOP ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS

OU PRESIDENT MOISHE BANE; OU ADVOCACY CENTER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NATHAN DIAMENT; OU BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIRMAN HOWARD TZVI FRIEDMAN; OU ADVOCACY CENTER CHAIRMAN JERRY WOLASKY PRESENT AWARD TO US REP. CHRIS SMITH (R-NJ) FOR HIS WORK TO PASS LEGISLATION TO MAKE DISASTERDAMAGED SHULS AND OTHER HOUSES OF WORSHIP ELIGIBLE FOR FEMA FUNDING

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M A K I N G H I S T O R Y

For more than two decades, the Orthodox Union Advocacy Center advocated tirelessly and passionately for the United States to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and to relocate the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to its rightful place in Jerusalem.

AN EMBASSY IN JERUSALEM

CELEBRATING THE US EMBASSY’S HISTORIC RELOCATION TO JERUSALEM

OU ADVOCACY CENTER CHAIRMAN JERRY WOLASKY, OU EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT ALLEN FAGIN, US TREASURY SECRETARY STEVEN MNUCHIN, OU ISRAEL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AVI BERMAN

The campaign first took root in 1974, when the OU hosted a gala where former Vice President Hubert Humphrey called on the American government to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. After that, OU leaders raised the Jerusalem issues with an array of US senators and every US president beginning with Jimmy Carter.

The OU Advocacy Center renewed the ongoing push in 1999 when it moved its office to Washington, D.C. Year after year, OU Advocacy leaders took a multi-pronged approach that included working on legislation with allies in Congress, organizing rallies, and carrying out a thought campaign in the media.

“

THIS MADE

MOVE

OF

POSSIBLE

THE IN

US

PART

EMBASSY DUE

TO

TO

THE

JERUSALEM ORTHODOX

WAS

UNION’S

PERSISTENT ADVOCACY OVER MANY YEARS.”

22

MICHAEL OREN, ISRAEL’S DEPUTY MINISTER FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

In February 2017, the OU Advocacy Center brought its case to senior Trump Administration officials. Less than a year later, President Donald Trump heeded this call and announced that the time had come to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem.

On May 14, 2018, just hours before the US government hosted an embassy dedication ceremony in Jerusalem, the Orthodox Union celebrated its victory in twin receptions in Jerusalem and New York.

OU ADVOCACY CENTER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NATHAN DIAMENT AND CONSUL GENERAL OF ISRAEL IN NEW YORK, DANI DAYAN

“ I

DEEPLY

DAY

WITH

ARE

SO

APPRECIATE THE

OU

PASSIONATELY

BEING AND

DANI DAYAN, CONSUL GENERAL OF ISRAEL IN NEW YORK ADDRESSES CELEBRANTS AT OU’S RECEPTION IN NEW YORK CITY

ABLE

MEMBERS

AND

DEEPLY

TO

SHARE

OF

THE

DEVOTED

THIS

HISTORIC

COMMUNITY TO

WHO

JERUSALEM.”

CONSUL GENERAL OF ISRAEL IN NEW YORK, DANI DAYAN

OU PRESENTS US AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL DAVID FRIEDMAN WITH HANDCRAFTED MEZUZAH

OU LEADERSHIP WITH MICHAEL OREN, ISRAEL’S DEPUTY MINISTER FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY

23

M A K I N G H I S T O R Y PROTECTING ISRAEL

MAKING HISTORY IN THE FIGHT TO PROTECT ISRAEL: THE TAYLOR FORCE ACT For more than two decades, US taxpayers inadvertently footed the bill for the Palestinian Authority’s practice of paying bounties to terrorists – and the terrorists’ families – for attacking and killing Americans and Israelis.

In addition to lump-sum payments of as much as $25,000, the Palestinian Authority provided the killers and their relatives lifetime monthly stipends, free health insurance and other governmentfunded support under the Palestinian system of “pay for slay.” The more lethal the attack, the greater the reward.

The OU Advocacy Center was one of the first organizations to endorse and press for the passage of the Taylor Force Act, bipartisan legislation that suspended American financial aid to the Palestinian Authority as long as it continued these payouts -- $344 million during 2017 alone.

24

During OU Advocacy’s 2016 Leadership Mission to DC, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) announced that he would be introducing the legislation following the stabbing death of 28-year-old American graduate student and former US Army Officer Taylor Force while on a class trip to Israel.

The OU Advocacy Center worked with legislators to build support for the bill, including publishing op-eds about the Palestinian’s laws and decrees mandating that a portion of the government’s budget be used to support this violence. The Taylor Force Act became law in March 2018.

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC) FIRST ANNOUNCED HE WOULD RE-INTRODUCE THE TAYLOR FORCE ACT AT OU ADVOCACY’S 2016 ANNUAL LEADERSHIP MISSION TO WASHINGTON, D.C.

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M A K I N G H I S T O R Y IN THE NEWS During 5778, news outlets from The New York Times, The Washington Post and National Public Radio to the New York Daily News, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. and Religion News Service sought comment and context from OU Advocacy’s leaders about the most important issues to the Orthodox Jewish community.

The same was true among Jewish and Israeli outlets across North America: from the Jewish Telegraphic Agency and New York Jewish Week to The Jerusalem Post and The Times of Israel, the voices of the OU Advocacy Center figured prominently on the air, online and in print.

For a full list of articles and op-eds, please visit www.OUAdvocacy.org.

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PROFESSIONAL STAFF

Nathan Diament Executive Director

Jennifer Packer Director of Communications

Arielle Frankston-Morris

Director of Congressional Affairs

Mimi Jankovits

Executive Director Teach PA

Executive Director Teach Florida

Annie Watman

Yosef Kanofsky

Grassroots Engagement Director, Teach NYS

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Miriam Harmer

Daniel Aqua Field Director Teach Florida

Director of Government Programs Teach NYS

Adam Katz

Government Programs Associate Teach NYS

Maury Litwack

Executive Director Teach Advocacy

Jake Adler

Policy Director Teach NYS

Daniel Mitzner

Director of State Political Affairs, Teach Advocacy

Jacqueline Kelly

Director of Leadership Development and Grassroots Engagement, Teach NJS

Sydney Altfield

Grassroots Engagement Associate Director, Teach NYS

Josh Caplan

Executive Director Teach NJS

Avi Spitzer

Director of Lay Network Development, Teach Advocacy

Renee Klyman

Event Coordinator and School Liaison Teach NJS

Dory Leviashvili

Director of Operations Teach Advocacy

M A K I N G H I S T O R Y

NATIONAL LEADERSHIP Mark (Moishe) Bane

President, Orthodox Union

Allen Fagin

Executive Vice President, Orthodox Union

Jerry Wolasky

Chairman, OU Advocacy Center

REGIONAL CHAIRS Sam Sutton, Neil Cohen

Sam Melamed, Edwin Zaghi

Sam Moed, Nathan Lindenbaum

Dr. Allan Jacob

Elliot Holtz, Amir Goldman

Michael Buchman, Scott Krieger

New York

New Jersey

Pennsylvania

Maryland

Florida

California

OU ADVOCACY NATIONAL COMMITTEE Harvey Blitz

Yehuda Neuberger

Allen Friedman

Amanda Nussbaum

Howard Friedman Amir Goldman Dr. Allan Jacob

Yaron Reich Marian Stoltz-Loike

David Luchins

Sam Sutton

Matthew Maryles

Shira Yoshor

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CONTACT US WASHINGTON, DC 202-513-6484 info@ouadvocacy.org NEW YORK 212-613-8123 jadler@ou.org NEW JERSEY 917-848-6326 caplanj@ou.org PENNSYLVANIA 717-798-6076 ariellefm@ou.org FLORIDA 954-406-6336 mimij@ou.org MARYLAND 202-513-6484 AdvocacyMd@ou.org CALIFORNIA 202-513-6484 AdvocacyCa@ou.org Friend us.

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