Newly Elected Officials Express Support for Yeshivos at Agudah Event

by Meir Sternhill

Two newly elected officials, one to Congress and the other to Albany, promised to serve as allies and fighters on behalf of the yeshiva system, which is under attack once they begin their positions next week.

Assemblyman-elect Mike Lawler and State Sen.-elect Bill Weber made the pledges on Wednesday evening at the inaugural Chanukah legislative reception hosted by Agudath Israel’s Rockland regional office, which took place at the Crown Plaza in Suffern.

Shragi Greenbaum, the office’s director, set the tone for the evening when he noted that the miracle of Chanukah was all about protecting the Jewish way of life.

“The ancient Greek Empire stretched from the Balkans in Europe to India in the East,” he said. “It was the center of Hellenistic culture. They imposed their customs, art, and social institutions in all the territories they conquered.”

“One little country refused to adopt a culture that was diametrically opposed to their heritage,” he said, declaring that “It was worth fighting over.

“Core values never vary. Right and wrong never change.”

Assemblyman-Elect Mike Lawler, said that when he comes to Washington to begin his term on January 3, he will be working to protect the rights of parents to decide on their children’s education. He referred to the Board of Regents vote in September stretching its authority for the first time over nonpublic schools such as yeshivas and mandating that yeshivas prove that they provide robust lessons on a variety of subjects.

“When it comes to education,” Lawler said, “I think that it’s critical that parents — not bureaucrats, not the teachers’ union, not politicians, but parents — have the ultimate say in their children’s education. I’m a product of public schools — we have great public schools here in Rockland County — but I believe very much in a parent’s right to send their child to a private school, and especially a religious school.”

Lawler, a Republican, won a close race over Representative Sean Patrick Maloney in a nationally watched race since the incumbent was chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. He won by fewer than 1,700 votes and credits the Jewish community with providing that margin.

His contention was echoed by Weber, a fellow Republican who defeated Assemblyman Elijah Reichlin-Melnick in last month’s election.

“What we’ve seen over the last number of years coming out of Albany is concerning,” Weber said. “Religious education is under attack in New York state. We’ve seen what the Board of Regents did — they ignored 350,000 emails, messages, and concerns of people of the community; they ignored it. We need to have someone in Albany like myself and Mike Lawler who’s going to Congress, people who will stand with people in the community and say that what they’re doing is wrong.”

Photo Credit:  Agudath Israel of America/Moshe Gershbaum