January 28 Update

This week Agudath Israel signed onto a letter to President Biden along with other organizations asking to increase the nonprofit security grant program (NPSG) for $180 million dollars to $360 million dollars. To see the letter, please click here.

I also had the honor of joining other Jewish organizations and faith groups at a press conference with Senate majority leader, Chuck Schumer, advocating as well for an increase in NPSG to $360 million dollars. Please click here or see below for a video of my remarks.

The NPSG is a federal program which provides grants to houses of worship and other facilities at risk of terrorism and hate crimes with grants to increase their security. The program started at $90 million dollars and has since increased to $180 million, and the current ask is to increase it to $360 million.

For more coverage, please see here and here.

This week I was interviewed by Reuvain Borchardt in Hamodia’s Prime magazine on the state budget and its ramifications for yeshivas and nonpublic schools. To see the interview please click here.

This past Wednesday, Agudath Israel, represented by its Chief of Staff, Avrohom Weinstock, was one of two nonpublic school groups to testify before members of the NYS Senate and Assembly at the 2022 Joint Legislative Budget Hearing for Elementary and Secondary Education.

To view the testimony, click here or see below.

The testimony stated a case for equity, explored substantial equivalency, and encouraged the legislature to triple the Nonpublic School Safety Equipment (NPSE) grant, as the Agudah had successfully championed Governor Hochul to do in her recently released Executive Budget. Tuition paying parents need all the help they can get, so this testimony also contained a novel proposal to directly assist parents. While such proposals are not typically popular in Albany, that won’t stop the Agudah from fighting for them!

To see the full written testimony, click here.

 

Agudath Israel Testifies at NYS Joint Legislative Hearing to Advance Yeshiva Equity, Security, and Tuition Assistance