FEATURED JOBS
Comments (1)On a recent Thursday evening over 75 community leaders attended the annual reception honoring Rabbi Ariel Sadwin and the Agudath Israel of Maryland (AIMD) Commission on Legislation and Civic Action.
The AIMD acts as the voice of Agudath Israel in Annapolis and is committed to advocating for the religious freedoms and education issues that affect the Jewish community.
AIMD was created four years ago when local Orthodox rabbis realized that they were in need of assistance in effectively advocating their interests within the halls of government. In addition to Governor Martin O’Malley, who delivered the keynote address other elected officials in attendance included: Delegates Jon Cardin, Sandy Rosenberg, Dana Stein and City Councilwoman Rochelle “Rikki” Spector.
The well attended reception was held at the home of attorney and Jewish community activist Abba Polikoff, who said, “This gathering of many of the lay leaders of the Orthodox Jewish Community was very important: It is vitally important for the governor to see that the establishment of the Orthodox Jewish community is fully supportive of him, and, conversely, for Orthodox leaders to appreciate that the governor understands and is responsive to the needs of this community.
He went on to say, “Moreover, it is important for both the community as well as our elected officials to be cognizant of and appreciate the critical work being performed by Rabbi Ariel Sadwin, Director of the Mid-Atlantic Region of Agudath Israel’s Commission on Legislative and Civic Action, on behalf of the Orthodox Jewish community in close cooperation with our state and local government.”
In addition to praising Rabbi Sadwin and his work, Howard Friedman the internationally recognized Jewish advocate and former AIPAC president, commented,” The governor has constantly been there for the Jewish Community and more particularly supportive of issues specific to the Orthodox Jewish Community, weather it is help for Jewish day schools, Shomrim, Hatzolah and a myriad of other issues he always has an open ear.” Governor O’Malley thanked Rabbi Sadwin, for “protecting our freedoms” and recognized “that when you protect the freedoms of your community you are really protecting the freedoms of all of Maryland.”
One of the major issues being discussed at the gathering was the high cost of tuition burdening the Orthodox Jewish community. As outlined in AIMD’s literature,”AIMD has worked tirelessly to promote the BOAST (Building Opportunities for All Student and Teachers) legislation, a bill that seeks to provide financial relief to nonpublic schools through corporate tax credits.”
Rabbi Sadwin thanked the governor for his “willingness to advocate for a non-funded version of BOAST.”
The governor was sympathetic to the expense the Orthodox Jewish community incurs, and as one of six children and as a parent with children in private educational institutions considered himself among the “tuition poor,” a term that clearly resonated throughout the room.
Del. Cardin was impressed with the turn out and saying, “I always look forward and make time to talk to Rabbi Sadwin. He always brings important and interesting issues to my attention. While we sometimes struggle to find areas of compromise, he is a fantastic spokesman for our Orthodox Jewish community.”
Representatives of Hatzolah and Shomrim where also in attendance. Ron Rosenbluth, vice president of Shomrim of Baltimore, said “I am always pleased to see our elected officials coming out in support of our community. Rabbi Sadwin is doing a wonderful job and it is my hope that others get involved to help strengthen our positions on issues.” Other issues touched on where AIMD has made significant differences were with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and how autopsies are handled concerning Jewish decedents, the Maryland Council for American Private Education and the Workplace Religious Freedom Act. The governor in closing said that it is the “diversity of our people that is our greatest strength.”
He retold an insight mentioned in Thomas Cahill’s book entitled, “The Gift of the Jews”. Cahill noted that for thousands of years civilization looked at history as a cycle, but the Jews look at history as a line, always trying to move forward to assist future generations and that it is the choices made together that do so.