Hochul Vows To ‘Honor’ Jewish Education Amid Yeshiva Debate

Governor Hochul made an apparent show of support for New York’s embattled yeshivas on a campaign stop Sunday.Ms. Hochul pledged to “honor the great traditions and forms of education” in the Jewish community. Her remarks come as the gubernatorial race heats up, with many prominent Orthodox figures and groups endorsing her opponent, Representative Lee Zeldin.“I continue to fight for the Jewish people and keep them safe, their safety and security, and also to honor the great traditions and forms of education in everything we do as governor,” said Ms. Hochul in a video posted by a reporter of the Forward, Jacob Kornbluh.She did not comment specifically on the new regulations on Jewish educational institutions recently passed by the Board of Regents, the oversight body for the state’s department of education. The regulations subject yeshivas to regular reviews by local public school districts, which will determine whether the instruction provided in Jewish schools is “substantially equivalent” to that of public schools. Critics of yeshivas have, over the past five years, alleged that the schools, which emphasize biblical and Talmudic studies, do not provide a “basic education” by secular standards.Several yeshivas and Jewish advocacy organizations have filed a lawsuit against the Regents at the state supreme court. They say that the regulators and critics do not account for the value of religious education, and that the rules violate the Jewish community’s First Amendment right to free exercise of religion.Ms. Hochul has maintained an ambiguous position on the issue, ultimately stating that overseeing yeshivas does not fall within her purview.“There is a regulatory process in place, but the governor’s office has nothing to do with this,” she said in September. The Regents, who approved the regulation, are appointed by the state legislature — not the governor. Meanwhile, Mr. Zeldin, has been unflagging in his support for yeshivas. He called the new regulations “wrong,” and slammed Ms. Hochul for being “totally AWOL” by not expressing her opinion on the matter.“Yeshiva education teaches values that have their students living law-abiding, productive lives,” he said in a statement last month. “As Governor, I will promote more school choice, not less, and do everything in my power to fight for students first, and empower parents to be in control of their family’s destiny in life.”Mr. Zeldin, has racked up crucial endorsements in the Empire State’s Orthodox Jewish community. On Sunday, the Flatbush Jewish Community Coalition, led by Rabbi Yisroel Reissman, endorsed Mr. Zeldin. The Flatbush endorsement is the latest in a list of endorsements for Mr. Zeldin from Orthodox Jewish community groups, including the Queens Jewish Alliance, the Far Rockaway Political Action Committee, and the Five Towns Jewish Alliance.Ms. Hochul’s remarks came as she visited the grave of the Lubavitcher rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson, at Queens with Lubavitcher chasidim. Since the rebbe’s death in 1994, his grave, also known as the Ohel, has become a pilgrimage site for tens of thousands annually. The Ohel has also become a popular campaign stop. Mayor Adams paid a visit in June of 2021, and Jared and Ivanka Trump visited the ohel just days before the 2016 election that made her father president.The Lubavitcher chassidic community does not officially make political endorsements, but a prominent Lubavitcher leader, Rabbi Shea Hecht, recently endorsed Mr. Zeldin.

Hochul Vows To ‘Honor’ Jewish Education Amid Yeshiva Debate

Hochul Vows To ‘Honor’ Jewish Education Amid Yeshiva Debate

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