Monsey, NY – Yeshiva Coalition, Rockland County Agree To Wednesday Fire Safety Inspections

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    Monsey, NY – After yet another tense standoff between yeshiva administrators and Rockland County officials this morning, an agreement has been reached for inspections to be made by certified inspectors at a group of approximately one dozen local yeshivos.

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    As previously reported on VIN News(http://goo.gl/W8W5M80), Dennis Lynch, the lawyer for the newly formed School Religious Freedom Coalitions whose members represent an unknown number of local private schools, filed a complaint with State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia accusing County Executive Ed Day of ulterior motives and of using the fire safety issue for political gain.

    Day roundly denied those charges, insisting that, as always, he is merely looking to enforce the law across the board.

    County inspectors were turned away at all sixteen schools scheduled to be visited today, prompting local officials to threaten court action against the schools. Day said that Lynch agreed this afternoon to the inspections as long as they are pushed off until Wednesday morning.

    Day said that he was pleased with the latest developments which accomplish a two-fold purpose.

    “One is that where we are now we can provide some comfort to kids to be in a safe environment,” Day told VIN News. “The other is that we are providing a belief in a system of government where rules apply equally to all.”

    Lynch was not immediately available for comment on today’s developments.

    Tempers had escalated over the last few days, with Lynch charging that Day tipped off television crews to a scheduled inspection at one unnamed yeshiva last week, as reported by The Journal News. 11 out of 15 schools refused to allow inspectors into their schools on Thursday.

    Rockland County attorney Thomas Humbach sent a list of schools to be inspected today to Lynch in order to give the schools advance notice of the upcoming inspections. But Lynch charged that the timing of the letter, sent late Friday afternoon when all of the schools had already shut down for the weekend, rendered it ineffectual.

    “Sending a letter near the close of business on Friday for inspections on a Monday is unreasonable,” said Lynch “When I have to learn from The Journal News what the county executive is doing to religious organizations, it’s a sad day for civil rights.”

    The sixteen schools to be inspected today were listed as Bais Yehuda, Central UTA of Monsey, Congregation Birchos Yosef, Yeshiva Beth Mikroh, Bais Yaakov High School of Spring Valley, Congregation Khal Yereim/Yeshiva Bais Hillel, Mesivta of Yeshiva D’Monsey, Yeshiva High School, Imrei Shufer and Bais Yaakov Chofetz Chaim.

    Several of the schools appeared multiple times on the list for unknown reasons. Humbach’s letter also warned that the county would seek warrants to gain access to any schools that refused to allow entry to inspectors.

    A letter sent by Lynch to the county on Sunday expressed a willingness to cooperate with inspectors on Wednesday morning and reiterated his clients’ commitment to school safety for all children.

    “Our goal from the beginning has been to allow all such lawful inspections,” wrote Lynch. “The process as set forth in this letter accomplishes that goal for all good people involved.”


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    14 Comments
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    chaimyhirsch
    chaimyhirsch
    7 years ago

    Please clarify are these inspections going to be made by county inspectors or outside group of certified inspectors?

    7 years ago

    60k will now be saved. What a waste of gelt. Wonder what they are hiding behind these bolted doors. Another shanda we caused. Poor kids

    Applestein
    Applestein
    7 years ago

    What’s with the untznius adds in this article?

    Mark Levin
    Mark Levin
    7 years ago

    Ed Day the chaleriya has it in for the yiddin as anyone who follows his Facebook page will know. He shows up to inspections WITH THE PRESS!!!!!!!

    ActualJew
    ActualJew
    7 years ago

    The fact that these ‘rabbis’ would sacrifice the safety of their own children shows you that money is their number one motive. They fear fines that would hurt their parnassah. They cannot clean these places bc it is not in their nature. So they keep unsafe premises and literally gamble w the kinder lives should tell you all ypu need to know.
    Keep that in mind the next time they come shnorring at yr shul.

    jason1974
    jason1974
    7 years ago

    The point that this is news is very sad.

    ALLAN
    ALLAN
    7 years ago

    There are zero excuses for playing games with fire and safety inspections. The safety of all children trumps any political games on either side. Actions such as this only fuel the fires of antisemitism and are near impossible to excuse.
    The often popular perception of Hasidic, Orthodox and Jews in general, is that we are above the law. We are not above the laws of the location we live, vacation, work or go to school in. We as all people do, have an obligation to respect the law.

    Realist77
    Realist77
    7 years ago

    If they have nothing to hide, let them in. Obviously, they are all not compliant if they are working this hard to keep them out.