Yeshiva parents will have a seat at the table when Mayor Bill de Blasio’s dedicated task force meets to discuss reopening schools during the coronavirus recovery period, with Agudath Israel of America’s executive vice president Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, named to the city’s sector advisory council on education and vocational training.

The mayor announced the creation of ten sector advisory councils on May 5th, explaining that they will help the city formulate plans for a gradual return to normal life. Each team will be led by a deputy mayor or a city agency head and will consist of 20 to 40 experts in their respective fields from different parts of the city.

The Agudah’s history of advocating for the private school community stretches back nearly 70 years, and in addition to his many other responsibilities, Rabbi Zwiebel has served on educational boards and commissions on the city, state and national levels. He is currently a member of the national board of the Council for American Private Education, a member and former chairman of the New York State Commissioner of Education’s Advisory Council for Nonpublic Schools, and chairman of the Committee of New York City Religious and Independent School Officials.

Rabbi Zwiebel said that he looked forward to working with the other members of the sector advisory council to create a plan that would meet the needs of New York City’s public and private school students.

“It is crucial that we formulate an approach to reopening our schools that prioritizes safety without compromising on the integrity of our children’s education,” said Rabbi Zwiebel. “I applaud Mayor de Blasio for creating these teams to ensure that as we put the pieces of our city back together, we do so in the smartest and most responsible way possible. It is an honor to be working with this esteemed group of individuals”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)