This Tuesday was the second installment in Agudah’s three-part advocacy mission to Albany. This week’s mission consisted of delegates from Queens and Long Island who traveled to meet with their legislators and discuss issues facing their communities.
Since the October 7 Hamas attacks, antisemitism has been increasing rapidly. This unfortunate uptick is especially apparent in New York State, which is home to thousands of Jews and hundreds of Jewish schools. Therefore, ensuring our children’s safety in schools is paramount, and one of Agudath Israel’s top priorities. The Nonpublic School Safety Equipment Grant (NPSE) reimburses schools for safety and security measures, guaranteeing their ability to keep their students safe. Agudah advocates encouraged all the legislators they met with to support a doubling of the NPSE allocation to $90 million.
Another issue on the table was universal school lunch. Last year, the New York State budget included an allocation that partially funded universal school meals. Agudah, together with other advocates, is advocating strongly for an allocation to fully fund universal school meals.
Mission members met with Assemblymembers Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-23), Sam Berger (D-27), Andrew Hevesi (D-28), Charles Lavine (D-13), Steve Stern (D-10), and David Weprin (D-24), and Senators Joseph Addabbo (D-15), Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick (R-9), John Liu (D-16), Monica Martinez (D-4), Jack Martins (R-7), James Sanders (D-10), and Toby Ann Stavisky (D-11).
“Agudah’s Queens/Long Island Albany Day was a unique opportunity to experience the world of advocacy that Agudah is involved with daily,” said Rabbi Ari Ginian, executive director of Yeshiva Ketana of Long Island. “The safety of their students is of the upmost priority to all schools. Going to Albany gives us the opportunity to speak with our legislators and communicate to them what our current security situation is like and impress on them the vital need for increased security funding.”
“Agudah firmly believes in the importance of legislators having the opportunity to meet their constituents face-to-face, really getting to see the communities they represent,” said Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, director of New York government relations. “Bringing groups of community members to Albany facilitates that goal and helps the Agudah better advocate for our communities.”
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3 Responses
I thought Queens and Long Island had a very high percentage of Bukharians/Sfardim. Does Aguda not represent them?
[1] Jews cannot rely on paid security guards to defend them, because most paid security guards are paid very little.
Viewed from the perspective of the paid security guards, it is not logical for them to risk harm to themselves, for the sake of their low-paying jobs.
[2] Jews cannot rely on paid security guards to defend them, because almost-all of them are not members of our people, and many of them belong to ethnic groups that have a long history of contempt towards Jews.
[3] Jews cannot rely on paid security guards to defend them, because one or two of them cannot possibly defend against a mob of dozens (or hundreds) of angry people, even if the mob has no weapons, and how much more so if the mob does have weapons (G*D forbid).
CONCLUSION: Jews must take an active and personal role in their own self-defense, EVEN WHEN THEY HAVE PAID SECURITY GUARDS, and even more so, when they do not.
Our young people must be sent to summer camps where get hands-on experience with guns AND rifles, and also learn how to fight with sticks and knives.
Every yeshivah must have at least two teachers who carry loaded guns at all times. The more the better.
Every bus that drives our students home from their schools should have one or two adults, armed with loaded guns, that they know how to use
This problem cannot be solved by writing checks or making donations.
Our personal participation is required.
THIS IS NOT “Bitul Torah”; it is Pikuach Nefesh.
Is it normal to have multiple meetings with elected officials and have someone taking pictures at every single turn?