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Maury Litwack

Just Vote!

October 21, 2020, by

Last week, I traveled all over New York and New Jersey, talking to people from Brooklyn to Lakewood about the importance of voting in one of the biggest elections in history. I heard the excitement about the election itself, but I also heard that many people plan not to vote. The excuses were troubling: “My

COVID-19 and the Suffering Left in its Wake

April 30, 2020, by

We know that this ferocious pandemic has taken a massive toll in terms of lives lost, but once this unfolding tragedy runs its course, it will be time to take stock of its collateral damage. The economic shutdown required to “flatten the curve” has devastated the livelihoods of millions of Americans, including many religiously observant

We have more power than we realize to keep our children’s schools safe

August 14, 2019, by

Ask North American Jewish day school leaders what issue troubles them most and you will repeatedly hear the same answer – security. In today’s world, security has become a basic necessity, but is often prohibitively expensive. That is why the Teach Coalition – an advocacy arm of the Orthodox Union – is dedicated to achieving

Every Vote Counts in Local Elections

May 23, 2016, by

Just how important is it to vote in local elections? Maury Litwack, Director of State Political Affairs for OU Advocacy, explains in The Five Towns Jewish Times: There’s nothing like a Presidential election to boost our patriotism and dedication to the political process. But when it comes to improving our daily lives, there’s nothing like

OU Calls on de Blaiso for Orthodox Jewish Inclusion in UPK Program

February 5, 2015, by

After nearly a year of advocacy, working to ensure that New York City Jewish day schools would be included in Mayor Bill de Blasio’s signature universal pre-kindergarten (UPK) program, OU Advocacy-Teach NYS has launched a campaign in New York City calling on the mayor to “Make Universal Pre-K Universal.” The campaign is targeted to raise

Beyond Possible: Government Funding and Your Day School’s Responsibility

December 30, 2014, by

A decade ago, the Jewish community debated whether vouchers violated the church-state wall and whether this “slippery slope” was worth the potential boon of millions in government aid to Jewish day schools. Since then, numerous judicial rulings have answered the church-state question and created an environment in which more than $1 billion dollars in 19

Election 2014: What it Means for Jewish Education

November 13, 2014, by

The sweeping and surprising electoral results from last week’s election transformed the makeup of the U.S. Senate, overturned several gubernatorial races and introduced entire ideological shifts in state legislatures. People and pundits throughout the country are debating the factors that led to the Republican sweep, including economic issues and the President’s popularity, or lack thereof.

Political Problems, Torah Solutions: Public Opinion

August 2, 2011, by

Any hashkafic, halachic or political opinions are personal and do not reflect the official psak or policy of the OU. “How far would Moses have gone if he had taken a poll in Egypt?” – Harry S. Truman The Political Problem: Public opinion is either for or against you, your position, or your project. In