Legislator Aron Wieder Says Traditional, Jewish Education is the Only Way to Raise “Proud, Religious Jews”

By Yehudit Garmaise

After leaving most of their relatives in piles of ashes in concentration camps, so many of the few surviving Orthodox Jews headed to the US, where they sought not just to escape Europe’s devastating brutality, but freedom of religion, said Rockland County Legislator Aron Wieder.

All four of Legislator Wieder’s grandparents, “came here not only because they felt it would be safe for them, but more importantly, they knew that right here, my grandparents would be able to transplant their traditions, practice their religion, and raise their children and grandchildren as proud, Chassidic, religious Jews,” said Wieder, who shared his the letter to the NY State Board of Regents on Monday night at RC’s Legislature meeting.

Only by providing solid, traditional Jewish education would Wieder’s grandparents’ descendants grow up to be proud, productive, American Jews, which they did, explained Wieder, who added that he and his classmates have also become “successful, contributing members of society.

“We are living proof that the ‘alleged’ necessity for the proposed guidelines is unfounded.”

“Throughout the year, New York celebrates many cultures and ethnicities with great, great pride, such as Black History Month, Irish American Heritage Month, and Arab American Heritage month,” said Wieder, who pointed out that 250,000 Jews celebrated Jewish Heritage Month in May by defending yeshiva education by writing letters to the New York state Department of Education (NYSED).

“Hundreds of thousands of Orthodox Jews have besieged the NYSED to join in them in the nationwide celebration of Jewish heritage and allow the yeshivas to continue to educate its students as they did for millennia,” said Wieder, who took it upon himself to drive to Albany to hand-deliver 80,000 letters from statewide residents who asked the Board of Regents not to interfere in yeshiva education.

“To the members of the Board of Regents, please celebrate with us in the Month of May, Jewish American Heritage Month, and do not adopt the proposed guidelines that will interfere with traditional, religious, Jewish education.

“Please do not, do not let my grandparents down.”