New York – NYC Mayor Appoints Clergy Council To Better Serve Needs Of City’s Religious Communities

    9

    FILE - NYC Mayor Bill deBlasio addresses Agudath Israel 92nd Dinner at NY Hilton in Manhattan on May 28, 2014. (Shmuel Lenchevsky/VINnews.com) New York – A newly announced effort by the mayor aims to foster better communication between leaders of faith based groups and City Hall by appointing community liaison who will interface directly with the de Blasio administration.

    Join our WhatsApp group

    Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email


    Mayor de Blasio introduced his plans for the clergy advisory council this morning during Sunday mass at a Manhattan church. The council, which is still in the process of being formed, currently consists of over 45 different clergy members including Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, executive director of Agudath Israel of America.

    “I was solicited by the mayor’s office to be part of this council,” Rabbi Zwiebel told VIN News. “I enjoy a good relationship with the mayor and his people. He has been solicitive of our community in many ways and if he says he wants to put together a religious leaders council, I am happy to lend my name to it.”

    According to Rabbi Zwiebel, no date has been set yet for the council’s first meeting. A City Hall press release noted that the council would give religious leaders the ability to discuss their concerns with the administration.

    “This effort will formalize and expand City Hall’s relationship with religious community across the city – making it easier for New Yorkers to share feedback, improving service delivery and strengthening clergy networks across the five boroughs.”

    The press release also said that council members will have the ability to hold local meetings on matters that pertain to city policy including public safety, housing and education and will help identify and recruit additional members.

    Rabbi Zwiebel categorized the newly announced council as a positive move for the city’s Jewish community.

    “I can certainly envision how developing these kind of relationships could be helpful down the road,” said Rabbi Zwiebel.

    Joining forces with other religious leaders could potentially be helpful in the fight for tuition relief for private school parents, according to Rabbi Zwiebel.

    “If I am invited to a meeting and we speak about the agenda, I would include in that agenda the vitality and well being of religious schools across the city and the policies that affect those schools, which could lead to a discussion of UPK and a state initiative of tuition tax credits,” said Rabbi Zwiebel.

    Among others in the Jewish community also named to the clergy advisory council were Rabbi Boruch Bender of Achiezer, Rabbi Robert Kaplan of the Jewish Community Relations Council, Rabbi Gerald Skolnik, Rabbi of Forrest Hill Jewish Center, Queens, and Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, Congregation Beit Simchat Torah.


    Listen to the VINnews podcast on:

    iTunes | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Podbean | Amazon

    Follow VINnews for Breaking News Updates


    Connect with VINnews

    Join our WhatsApp group


    9 Comments
    Most Voted
    Newest Oldest
    Inline Feedbacks
    View all comments
    ralph1527
    ralph1527
    8 years ago

    Isn’t he great …He thinks of everything .

    Facts1
    Facts1
    8 years ago

    De-Blasio, may not be exactly in line with some conservative values that many VIN readers value, but he is a Jew friend.

    How did we put that that self hating Jew, Bloomberg, into office for 12 years, he hated religion and especially Jews.

    Why did our local politician tell us to vote Bloomberg, we could have gotten rid of him 12 years earlier.

    LESkid
    LESkid
    8 years ago

    Among others in the Jewish community also named to the clergy advisory council were …Gerald Skolnik, Rabbi of Forrest Hill Jewish Center, Queens, and Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, Congregation Beit Simchat Torah.

    I’m surprised the leader of Agudah would sit on the same panel as the former president of the Conservative’s Rabbinical Assembly and the rabbi of the Gay & Lesbian synagogue. Where are the standards of the Agudah and its representation of Torah true Jewry. The “rav” of a toeivah shul and the manhig of a group of “rabbonim” that permit toeivah “marriages” is the not the company that a Torah true Rav should share.

    wsbrgh
    wsbrgh
    8 years ago

    Bs’d. Who are the Muslims? That’s the big question.

    8 years ago

    Rabbi – or Rabbit Kleinman?

    ncsyncsy
    ncsyncsy
    8 years ago

    This s not our parents Agudah!