New York – On December 31, key leaders and administrators of major yeshivas in New York State met for almost two hours with New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind at his office to plan for the coming year in Albany.
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The first priority of the group, according to Rabbi Shmuel Lefkowitz, Agudath Israel of America’s vice president for community affairs, who was present at the meeting, was making sure that the 2010-11 state budget includes items that have been funded for many past years – like CAP and Mandated Services. The cut in the rate for after-school vouchers was discussed as well, as was the commuter tax, the cut in the Metrocards to students, transportation issues, Title I and other topics.
Assemblyman Hikind’s district, Rabbi Lefkowitz notes, encompasses a large number of citizens whose highest priority is their children’s education. And, the Agudath Israel representative adds, “Dov has shown his commitment over the years as an advocate for non-public schools, insisting that they receive the fair share of government support to which they are entitled.”
Agudath Israel executive vice president Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel was also in attendance at the meeting. The yeshiva representatives present were: Rabbi Heshie Dembitzer (Bobov), Rabbi Zalman Gombo (Pupa), Rabbi Yitzchok Gottdeiner (Yeshiva Torah Vodaath), Rabbi Shia Hecht (Belz), Rabbi Naftali Klagsbrun (Satmar),Rabbi Aron Langsam (Belz), Rabbi Shmuel Lefkowitz, Rabbi Yeruchem Shapiro (Bais Yaakov of Boro Park) and Rabbi Meir Weinberger, Yeshiva Chasan Sofer).
the picture and this article speaks thousands of words of what should be done and what is not being done for our schools.
first come September all jewish schools should not open and all our kids should register at the local public school . say what you want , however we all know that the new york city public school system is so overcrowded that would beg us to reopen our schools to educate our kids . as to the famous question of separation of church and state , we can use the extra money to maintain our buildings .
new york state pays a tremendous amount of money to jewish schools that offer special education for our kids and these kids are all tought in the local jewish schools so we should base our schools and follow that model to get the money that we are really entitled to .
Their “first priority” is to make sure no one reduces the subsidies the state provides to their favorite mosdos and that they get their “fair share” of the handouts. Don’t they realize the state is broke. Why not focus on where they and other groups can take the lead in reducing their demands for tax money rather than making sure they keep feeding from the public trougth.
These rabbonim and Hikin seem to be saying “we should grab every dollar we can because if we don’t take it they will give it to the goyim”. Where is their concern about the obscene taxes we are already paying in NYS.
Rabbi Gottdiener of YTV may hashem bentch you and ur entire misspacha on behalf of the hard work for the yeshiva.
wow, all lazar supporters. this should be a cake walk.
It is so sad that the agudah and other organizations keep giving out press releases on vochers and other yeshiva subsidies…….We all know that the rate of todays youth dropping out of school keeps expanding despite the after school tutoring funds and expanded title 1 funds,
I think this issue is a smoke Screen to divert attention to what we as community really need…….first, a mandatory training program for yeshiva personal on sex abuse , second,,mandatory fingerprinting for all yeshiva staff,,,,.Despite first being against it and then saying they are not against it,,, the aguda,torah umesora are still discouraging yeshivas from screening and fingerprinting of staff in yeshivas
STOP THE SMOKESCREEN
If we showed some real leadership on sex abuse and provided more comprehensive support to todays youth the funds would not be a issue today and would not be needed.
STOP STONEWALLING AND START LEADING
The news source is Agudath Israel PR. Here is a perfect opportunity, after meeting with the legislator who is leading the charge against child sex abuse, for Aguda to say something substantive about how the problem should be addressed. Instead, we are treated to a photo op, and vague promises of renewed funding for “Title I” and other programs with which the public is only vaguely familiar. The silence is deafening, and the public is outraged.