I AM CHAMPIONED
BY AGUDAH

About Agudath  Israel of Illinois

Jewish living doesn’t pause. Neither do we.

There’s a thriving hub of Torah life in the midwest. And behind that stands Agudah.

Smoothing paths. Creating programs. Finding funding. Addressing issues.

Our legacy

A century of advocacy

Agudah of Illinois Today

Agudath Israel of America was founded in 1922 to serve as Orthodox Jewry’s umbrella organization: championing the evolving needs of Klal Yisroel in America. With advocacy at all levels of government and constant facilitation of programs that support frum living, Agudah helps all American Torah communities grow, thrive, and live a life aligned with our values. As the midwest evolved into a thriving hub of Jewish life, Agudah of Illinois was born. With an initial focus on serving our youth with camps and programming, it has grown over the years to serve every need and facet of our communities.

Every day, Agudah changes the lives and landscape of Jews in greater Chicago and beyond.
 
From facilitating rush passports — to providing Jewish burials to prevent cremation — to establishing STC tax credit which raised 20M in scholarships for our schools, Agudah champions the Torah way of life.

Our legacy

A century of advocacy

Agudath Israel of America was founded in 1922 to serve as Orthodox Jewry’s umbrella organization: championing the evolving needs of Klal Yisroel in America. With advocacy at all levels of government and constant facilitation of programs that support frum living, Agudah helps all American Torah communities grow, thrive, and live a life aligned with our values. As the midwest evolved into a thriving hub of Jewish life, Agudah of Illinois was born. With an initial focus on serving our youth with camps and programming, it has grown over the years to serve every need and facet of our communities.

Agudah of Illinois Today

Every day, Agudah changes the lives and landscape of Jews in greater Chicago and beyond.
 
From facilitating rush passports — to providing Jewish burials to prevent cremation — to establishing STC tax credit which raised 20M in scholarships for our schools, Agudah champions the Torah way of life.

Leadership

Meet the people behind the impact

Mr. Moshe Davis

Executive Vice President

Mr. Moshe Davis comes from three generations of community leaders. His grandfather, Rabbi Shlomo Davis, was one of the founders of Telshe Yeshiva in Cleveland and Telshe High School, serving as a member of the hanhala

...Read more.
show less

Rabbi Shlomo Soroka

Director of Government Affairs

Rabbi Shlomo Soroka studied in Yeshivas Toras Moshe in Israel, Mir Yeshiva in Brooklyn, Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, and Yeshivas Mir in Jerusalem before moving to St. Louis in 2005.

...Read more.
show less

Rabbi Yitzchok Bider

Executive Director

Rabbi Yitzchok Bider has been working for Agudath Israel of Illinois (of Chicago, when he first came on board) for the last 53 years. During that time he has served in numerous capacities ranging from Day Camp and Overnight camp director

...Read more.
show less

Rabbi Yaakov Robinson

Executive Director Midwest Council of Synagogue Rabbonim

Rabbi Yaakov Robinson, a Chicago native, is a musmach of Yeshivas Ner Yisroel in Baltimore. In 2006 he and his family moved to Cincinnati where he became a Kollel member and later the assistant Rabbi of Cong.

...Read more.
show less

Mr. Moshe Davis

Executive Vice President

Mr. Moshe Davis comes from three generations of community leaders. His grandfather, Rabbi Shlomo Davis, was one of the founders of Telshe Yeshiva in Cleveland and Telshe High School, serving as a member of the hanhala

for over 50 years. R’ Yosef Davis, Moshe's father, came to Chicago in 1964 to learn in Telshe Chicago, establishing a lifelong association with the yeshiva. Along with the Telshe Rosh Yeshiva Harav Avrohom Chaim Levin zt”l, R’ Yosef became one of the founders of Agudath Israel of Illinois, serving as its president in the early years. Continuing the family legacy of community involvement, Moshe Davis has served on the boards of directors of many local organizations over the last 25 years, including the Midwest Region of Agudath Israel where he started as Founding Chairman, the Jewish Federation and Jewish United Fund and the Associated Talmud Torahs. Most recently Mr. Davis volunteered as a co-president of JDBY-YTT, the largest Jewish day school in the Midwest, for over 12 years. He has been on the Board of JDBY-YTT for over 20 years, currently serving as its Chairman of the Board. Prior to joining the Agudah in official capacity as its Executive Vice President in February 2022, Mr. Davis worked as a licensed professional and business owner in the healthcare and real estate industries. He maintains several relationships in each of those fields. R’ Moshe and his wife Chevie currently live in Chicago and are the proud parents of many children and grandchildren.

...Read more.
show less

Rabbi Shlomo Soroka

Director of Government Affairs

Rabbi Shlomo Soroka studied in Yeshivas Toras Moshe in Israel, Mir Yeshiva in Brooklyn, Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, and Yeshivas Mir in Jerusalem before moving to St. Louis in 2005.

There, he served as Associate Rosh Kollel and Executive Director of the St. Louis Kollel. In addition to managing the kollel’s general operations, he taught classes, published weekly columns and newsletters, and delivered monthly lectures for physicians on Jewish medical ethics, in partnership with BJC Healthcare and Washington University School of Medicine. In 2015, Rabbi Soroka relocated to Chicago and joined Agudath Israel of Illinois. As the Agudah’s Director of Government Affairs, Rabbi Soroka works closely with lawmakers to influence federal, state, and local legislation that will affect the Orthodox Jewish community. His primary focus is on the areas of education, public safety and security, and religious liberty. Rabbi Soroka played a key role in the creation, passage, and implementation of a tax credit scholarship program in 2018, which brought over $120 million in relief to Illinois’ yeshiva tuition-paying families. He has also secured numerous government grants for the Jewish community, totaling tens of millions of dollars.

...Read more.
show less

Rabbi Yitzchok Bider

Executive Director

Rabbi Yitzchok Bider has been working for Agudath Israel of Illinois (of Chicago, when he first came on board) for the last 53 years. During that time he has served in numerous capacities ranging from Day Camp and Overnight camp director

to his current position as Executive Director of Agudah of Illinois. He is responsible for the founding of numerous very popular Agudath Israel programs and community services; these include the Antonia Spitzer Jewish Library, the Shaimos Project, numerous community Pesach related programs (Be’ur Chometz, Hagalos Keilim, Erev Pesach Garbage Removal and the Pesach Guide etc.), the Annual AI Family Calendar, the Simcha G’mach and the exponential growth of Bnos Agudath Israel of Chicago. In spite of this he remains extremely humble and good looking and looks forward to help AIoI continue to grow in community programming and services in the decade ahead.

...Read more.
show less

Rabbi Yaakov Robinson

Executive Director Midwest Council of Synagogue Rabbonim

Rabbi Yaakov Robinson, a Chicago native, is a musmach of Yeshivas Ner Yisroel in Baltimore. In 2006 he and his family moved to Cincinnati where he became a Kollel member and later the assistant Rabbi of Cong.

Zichron Eliezer. Rabbi Robinson joined Beis Medrash Mikor Hachaim in Chicago as Co-Rav in 2011, where his warm personality and leadership skills were instrumental in the kehilla’s growth. His popular weekly shiurim include topics on shalom bayis, chinuch, and practical halacha. Rabbi Robinson founded and runs the Zichron Avraham Gershon Kollel Boker and he gives regular shiurim to the women of Mikor and the broader community. Since 2013 he has been on the Executive Leadership team of Agudath Israel of Illinois and the Menahel of the Midwest Agudas Yisroel Council of Synagogue Rabbonim. He serves on the Orthodox Rabbinic Task Force for SHALVA, is the Rabbinic Advisor for the Kehilla Fund and is on the Vaad Hachinuch for both JDBY-YTT and Hannah Sachs Bais Yaakov.

...Read more.
show less

Mr. Moshe Davis

Executive Vice President

ext. 228

mdavis@Agudahil.org

Read Bio
Read BioHide Bio

Mr. Moshe Davis comes from three generations of community leaders. His grandfather, Rabbi Shlomo Davis, was one of the founders of Telshe Yeshiva in Cleveland and Telshe High School, serving as a member of the hanhala for over 50 years. R’ Yosef Davis, Moshe's father, came to Chicago in 1964 to learn in Telshe Chicago, establishing a lifelong association with the yeshiva. Along with the Telshe Rosh Yeshiva Harav Avrohom Chaim Levin zt”l, R’ Yosef became one of the founders of Agudath Israel of Illinois, serving as its president in the early years. Continuing the family legacy of community involvement, Moshe Davis has served on the boards of directors of many local organizations over the last 25 years, including the Midwest Region of Agudath Israel where he started as Founding Chairman, the Jewish Federation and Jewish United Fund and the Associated Talmud Torahs. Most recently Mr. Davis volunteered as a co-president of JDBY-YTT, the largest Jewish day school in the Midwest, for over 12 years. He has been on the Board of JDBY-YTT for over 20 years, currently serving as its Chairman of the Board. Prior to joining the Agudah in official capacity as its Executive Vice President in February 2022, Mr. Davis worked as a licensed professional and business owner in the healthcare and real estate industries. He maintains several relationships in each of those fields. R’ Moshe and his wife Chevie currently live in Chicago and are the proud parents of many children and grandchildren.

Rabbi Shlomo Soroka

Director of Government Affairs

ext. 260

SSoroka@Agudahil.org

Read Bio

Rabbi Yitzchok Bider

Executive Director

ext. 205

YBider@Agudahil.org

Read Bio

Rabbi Yaakov Robinson

Executive Director Midwest Council of synagogue rabbomin

ext. 230

YRobinson@Agudahil.org

Read Bio

Mrs. Suri Aron

Bnos

ext. 205
bnos@Agudahil.org

Mrs. Ruchami Cynamon

Director of programming

Ext. 226
rcynamon@agudahil.org

Mrs. Shana Heber

Bnos

Ext. 405
sheber@agudahil.org

Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetzky

Pirchei

Ext. 411
ykamenetzky@gmail.com

Mrs. Fiona Kark

Yahalom

ext. 266
fkark@Agudahil.org

Rabbi Elisha Klausner

Vaad Hatsadkos

Ext. 226
rcynamon@agudahil.org

Mrs. Shana Heber

Bnos

Ext. 405
sheber@agudahil.org

Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetzky

Pirchei

Ext. 411
ykamenetzky@gmail.com

Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetzky

Pirchei

Ext. 411
ykamenetzky@gmail.com

Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetzky

Pirchei

Ext. 411
ykamenetzky@gmail.com

Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetzky

Pirchei

Ext. 411
ykamenetzky@gmail.com

Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetzky

Pirchei

Ext. 411
ykamenetzky@gmail.com

Leadership

Meet the people behind the impact

Mr. Moshe Davis

Executive Vice President

Mr. Moshe Davis comes from three generations of community leaders. His grandfather, Rabbi Shlomo Davis, was one of the founders of Telshe Yeshiva in Cleveland and Telshe High School, serving as a member of the hanhala

for over 50 years. R’ Yosef Davis, Moshe's father, came to Chicago in 1964 to learn in Telshe Chicago, establishing a lifelong association with the yeshiva. Along with the Telshe Rosh Yeshiva Harav Avrohom Chaim Levin zt”l, R’ Yosef became one of the founders of Agudath Israel of Illinois, serving as its president in the early years. Continuing the family legacy of community involvement, Moshe Davis has served on the boards of directors of many local organizations over the last 25 years, including the Midwest Region of Agudath Israel where he started as Founding Chairman, the Jewish Federation and Jewish United Fund and the Associated Talmud Torahs. Most recently Mr. Davis volunteered as a co-president of JDBY-YTT, the largest Jewish day school in the Midwest, for over 12 years. He has been on the Board of JDBY-YTT for over 20 years, currently serving as its Chairman of the Board. Prior to joining the Agudah in official capacity as its Executive Vice President in February 2022, Mr. Davis worked as a licensed professional and business owner in the healthcare and real estate industries. He maintains several relationships in each of those fields. R’ Moshe and his wife Chevie currently live in Chicago and are the proud parents of many children and grandchildren.

...Read more.
show less

Rabbi Shlomo Soroka

Director of Government Affairs

Rabbi Shlomo Soroka studied in Yeshivas Toras Moshe in Israel, Mir Yeshiva in Brooklyn, Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, and Yeshivas Mir in Jerusalem before moving to St. Louis in 2005.

There, he served as Associate Rosh Kollel and Executive Director of the St. Louis Kollel. In addition to managing the kollel’s general operations, he taught classes, published weekly columns and newsletters, and delivered monthly lectures for physicians on Jewish medical ethics, in partnership with BJC Healthcare and Washington University School of Medicine. In 2015, Rabbi Soroka relocated to Chicago and joined Agudath Israel of Illinois. As the Agudah’s Director of Government Affairs, Rabbi Soroka works closely with lawmakers to influence federal, state, and local legislation that will affect the Orthodox Jewish community. His primary focus is on the areas of education, public safety and security, and religious liberty. Rabbi Soroka played a key role in the creation, passage, and implementation of a tax credit scholarship program in 2018, which brought over $120 million in relief to Illinois’ yeshiva tuition-paying families. He has also secured numerous government grants for the Jewish community, totaling tens of millions of dollars.

...Read more.
show less

Rabbi Yitzchok Bider

Executive Director

Rabbi Yitzchok Bider has been working for Agudath Israel of Illinois (of Chicago, when he first came on board) for the last 53 years. During that time he has served in numerous capacities ranging from Day Camp and Overnight camp director

to his current position as Executive Director of Agudah of Illinois. He is responsible for the founding of numerous very popular Agudath Israel programs and community services; these include the Antonia Spitzer Jewish Library, the Shaimos Project, numerous community Pesach related programs (Be’ur Chometz, Hagalos Keilim, Erev Pesach Garbage Removal and the Pesach Guide etc.), the Annual AI Family Calendar, the Simcha G’mach and the exponential growth of Bnos Agudath Israel of Chicago. In spite of this he remains extremely humble and good looking and looks forward to help AIoI continue to grow in community programming and services in the decade ahead.

...Read more.
show less

Rabbi Yaakov Robinson

Executive Director Midwest Council of Synagogue Rabbonim

Rabbi Yaakov Robinson, a Chicago native, is a musmach of Yeshivas Ner Yisroel in Baltimore. In 2006 he and his family moved to Cincinnati where he became a Kollel member and later the assistant Rabbi of Cong.

Zichron Eliezer. Rabbi Robinson joined Beis Medrash Mikor Hachaim in Chicago as Co-Rav in 2011, where his warm personality and leadership skills were instrumental in the kehilla’s growth. His popular weekly shiurim include topics on shalom bayis, chinuch, and practical halacha. Rabbi Robinson founded and runs the Zichron Avraham Gershon Kollel Boker and he gives regular shiurim to the women of Mikor and the broader community. Since 2013 he has been on the Executive Leadership team of Agudath Israel of Illinois and the Menahel of the Midwest Agudas Yisroel Council of Synagogue Rabbonim. He serves on the Orthodox Rabbinic Task Force for SHALVA, is the Rabbinic Advisor for the Kehilla Fund and is on the Vaad Hachinuch for both JDBY-YTT and Hannah Sachs Bais Yaakov.

...Read more.
show less

Mr. Moshe Davis

Executive Vice President

Mr. Moshe Davis comes from three generations of community leaders. His grandfather, Rabbi Shlomo Davis, was one of the founders of Telshe Yeshiva in Cleveland and Telshe High School, serving as a member of the hanhala

for over 50 years. R’ Yosef Davis, Moshe's father, came to Chicago in 1964 to learn in Telshe Chicago, establishing a lifelong association with the yeshiva. Along with the Telshe Rosh Yeshiva Harav Avrohom Chaim Levin zt”l, R’ Yosef became one of the founders of Agudath Israel of Illinois, serving as its president in the early years. Continuing the family legacy of community involvement, Moshe Davis has served on the boards of directors of many local organizations over the last 25 years, including the Midwest Region of Agudath Israel where he started as Founding Chairman, the Jewish Federation and Jewish United Fund and the Associated Talmud Torahs. Most recently Mr. Davis volunteered as a co-president of JDBY-YTT, the largest Jewish day school in the Midwest, for over 12 years. He has been on the Board of JDBY-YTT for over 20 years, currently serving as its Chairman of the Board. Prior to joining the Agudah in official capacity as its Executive Vice President in February 2022, Mr. Davis worked as a licensed professional and business owner in the healthcare and real estate industries. He maintains several relationships in each of those fields. R’ Moshe and his wife Chevie currently live in Chicago and are the proud parents of many children and grandchildren.

...Read more.
show less

Rabbi Shlomo Soroka

Director of Government Affairs

Rabbi Shlomo Soroka studied in Yeshivas Toras Moshe in Israel, Mir Yeshiva in Brooklyn, Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, and Yeshivas Mir in Jerusalem before moving to St. Louis in 2005.

There, he served as Associate Rosh Kollel and Executive Director of the St. Louis Kollel. In addition to managing the kollel’s general operations, he taught classes, published weekly columns and newsletters, and delivered monthly lectures for physicians on Jewish medical ethics, in partnership with BJC Healthcare and Washington University School of Medicine. In 2015, Rabbi Soroka relocated to Chicago and joined Agudath Israel of Illinois. As the Agudah’s Director of Government Affairs, Rabbi Soroka works closely with lawmakers to influence federal, state, and local legislation that will affect the Orthodox Jewish community. His primary focus is on the areas of education, public safety and security, and religious liberty. Rabbi Soroka played a key role in the creation, passage, and implementation of a tax credit scholarship program in 2018, which brought over $120 million in relief to Illinois’ yeshiva tuition-paying families. He has also secured numerous government grants for the Jewish community, totaling tens of millions of dollars.

...Read more.
show less

Rabbi Yitzchok Bider

Executive Director

Rabbi Yitzchok Bider has been working for Agudath Israel of Illinois (of Chicago, when he first came on board) for the last 53 years. During that time he has served in numerous capacities ranging from Day Camp and Overnight camp director

to his current position as Executive Director of Agudah of Illinois. He is responsible for the founding of numerous very popular Agudath Israel programs and community services; these include the Antonia Spitzer Jewish Library, the Shaimos Project, numerous community Pesach related programs (Be’ur Chometz, Hagalos Keilim, Erev Pesach Garbage Removal and the Pesach Guide etc.), the Annual AI Family Calendar, the Simcha G’mach and the exponential growth of Bnos Agudath Israel of Chicago. In spite of this he remains extremely humble and good looking and looks forward to help AIoI continue to grow in community programming and services in the decade ahead.

...Read more.
show less

Rabbi Yaakov Robinson

Executive Director Midwest Council of Synagogue Rabbonim

Rabbi Yaakov Robinson, a Chicago native, is a musmach of Yeshivas Ner Yisroel in Baltimore. In 2006 he and his family moved to Cincinnati where he became a Kollel member and later the assistant Rabbi of Cong.

Zichron Eliezer. Rabbi Robinson joined Beis Medrash Mikor Hachaim in Chicago as Co-Rav in 2011, where his warm personality and leadership skills were instrumental in the kehilla’s growth. His popular weekly shiurim include topics on shalom bayis, chinuch, and practical halacha. Rabbi Robinson founded and runs the Zichron Avraham Gershon Kollel Boker and he gives regular shiurim to the women of Mikor and the broader community. Since 2013 he has been on the Executive Leadership team of Agudath Israel of Illinois and the Menahel of the Midwest Agudas Yisroel Council of Synagogue Rabbonim. He serves on the Orthodox Rabbinic Task Force for SHALVA, is the Rabbinic Advisor for the Kehilla Fund and is on the Vaad Hachinuch for both JDBY-YTT and Hannah Sachs Bais Yaakov.

...Read more.
show less

Mrs. Suri Aron

Bnos

ext. 205
bnos@Agudahil.org

Mrs. Ruchami Cynamon

Director of programming

Ext. 226
rcynamon@agudahil.org

Mrs. Shana Heber

Bnos

Ext. 405
sheber@agudahil.org

Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetzky

Pirchei

Ext. 411
ykamenetzky@gmail.com

Mrs. Fiona Kark

Yahalom

ext. 266
fkark@Agudahil.org

Rabbi Elisha Klausner

Vaad Hatsadkos

Ext. 226
rcynamon@agudahil.org

Mrs. Shana Heber

Bnos

Ext. 405
sheber@agudahil.org

Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetzky

Pirchei

Ext. 411
ykamenetzky@gmail.com

A stronger Agudah Illinois is a stronger midwest

Since 1993, we have guided and supported 17 communities across the country.

Map showing Agudah midwest reach, with location markers that show contact info

Antonia Spitzer Jewish Library

7,500 Books available to 3,200+ members

Midwest Agudah Convention

1,000+ attendees

Tax Credit Scholarship Program

2000 scholarships received. $100M to the community

School transportation grant

Over 2,500 students relying on busing

Midwest Council of Synagogue Rabbonnim

90 rabbonim across 11 states and 17 cities

H-3 Business Halacha Summit

700+ business leaders
at the national H3 Business Halacha Summit

Maot Chitim

600+ families assisted every yom tov

Bais Horaah

9,600+ shailos answered annually

Financials

Multiplying the impact of every dollar raised

Agudah is instrumental in bringing the community $48.9M each year, on a budget of $2.9M.

Our revenue:

Total revenue: $2.9M

Our expenses:

Total expenses: $2.9M

Our impact:

48.9M in funding and programming provided to our community

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