Agudath Israel Leads Advocacy Mission to Albany with Queens-Long Island Community Leaders

This week, Agudath Israel led a delegation of Orthodox Jewish advocates from the Long Island and Queens areas to Albany to advocate for our community’s needs. This was the second installment of Agudath Israel’s three annual advocacy missions to Albany, which give community representatives the opportunity to speak to their legislators about issues of concern to New York’s Orthodox Jewish communities.

The participants spent the day meeting with state Senators Joseph Addabbo, Leroy Comrie, Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Jack Martins, James Sanders and, Toby Ann Stavisky, and Assemblymembers Stacey Pheffer-Amato, Ari Brown, Brian Curran, Alicia Hyndman, Charles Lavine, Daniel Rosenthal, Nily Rozic and, David Weprin, as well as staff members of state Senator John Liu and Assemblymembers Khaleel Anderson and Andrew Hevesi and Counsel to the Speaker Miguelina Camilo.

A highlight of the day was Assemblymember Stacey Pheffer Amato introducing Agudah’s Queens and Long Island delegation on the Assembly floor.

Agudah’s new KnowUs initiative, which was launched at the start of the year to correct wrong and dangerous mischaracterizations of the Orthodox Jewish community, was presented to the legislators. “Most of the legislators know our communities well and were very receptive and encouraging about our new initiative,” said Rabbi Ami Bazov Esq., Associate Director of Yeshiva Services

One of the main issues discussed with the legislators was that of a change in the language of New York State law regarding Mandated Services Aid (MSA) in this year’s executive budget. MSA is a law that was passed in 1974, due in a large measure to the advocacy of the late Agudah president Rabbi Moshe Sherer z”l, that allocates funds to reimburse nonpublic schools in New York State for services that schools are mandated by the state to provide. The proposed change in language would cap reimbursements to the amount allocated, thus removing the state liability for full reimbursement.

Another issue discussed with legislators was the Non-Profit Security Equipment grant (NPSE). With the rise of antisemitic attacks, specifically in New York, making sure our schools are given the funding they need to be able to protect themselves from such attacks is of the highest priority. Advocates asked the legislators to increase the program’s funding allocation to $60 million.

The delegates also discussed other issues – including expanding childcare funding, universal free lunch, and immunization reimbursements – with the legislators.

“What Agudah does better than any other organization is connecting, building, and accomplishing,” said Mrs. Sorolle Idels, founder of the Queens Jewish Alliance. “Thank you to all the elected officials who took the time to meet with us and listen to our concerns.”

: Top row: Rabbi Chaim Schauder, Rabbi Yaniv Meirov, Rabbi Yehuda Deutsch. Second row: Rabbi Joel Kaplan, Rabbi AD Motzen, Rabbi Hayim Schwartz, Rabbi Dovid Kramer, Rabbi Ami Bazov, Rabbi Yosef Levin, Rabbi Ahron Rosenthal, Israel Peskowitz. Third row: Susana Yakubova, Rivka Lock, Rachelli Kraut-Hackel, Adrienne Mittan, Jonathan Katz, Rabbi Moshe Katz, Rabbi Avraham Fridman, Rabbi Baruch Polatoff. Bottom row L to R: Tova Fried. Faigie Horowitz, Sorolle Idels, Esty Horowitz, Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, Rabbi Ari Ginian

: Assemblymember Stacey Pheffer Amato introducing Agudah’s Hudson Valley delegation on the Assembly floor

: Top row: Rabbi Yaniv Meirov, Rabbi Chaim Schauder, Rabbi Yehuda Deutsch. Second row: Rabbi Ami Bazov, Rabbi Ahron Rosenthal, Israel Peskowitz. Third row: Rabbi Joel Kaplan, Rabbi Hayim Schwartz, Rabbi Yosef Levin, Jonathan Katz, Rabbi Moshe Katz, Rabbi Avraham Fridman, Rabbi Baruch Polatoff. Bottom row: Rabbi AD Motzen, Rabbi Dovid Kramer, Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, Rabbi Ari Ginian