Brooklyn, NY – For the first time since the Bloomberg administration adopted a policy prohibiting churches from renting space in public schools, a chasidic kehillah organization has been adversely impacted and was nearly forced to cancel a popular and important annual event this past weekend. Councilman David G. Greenfield (D-Brooklyn), who rallied against the change in policy before the mayor’s State of the City Address last month, is now calling on Albany to immediately pass legislation overturning the misguided decision by the Department of Education banning religious groups from renting public school space for services.
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Each year, as many as 1,000 local Orthodox Jewish residents who are supporters of the Toldos Avrohomm Yitzchok Chasidus gather in Borough Park to welcome the Rebbe, who travels from Eretz Yisroel to Brooklyn annually for this event. The event, a Shabbos tish, is usually held in the rear yard of PS 180 at 16th Avenue and 56th Street. Greenfield normally facilitates this and other religious gatherings through his relationship with the Department of Education. However, Greenfield’s efforts to secure the location this year were rebuffed for the first time due to Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s decision to prohibit religious-based organizations from using any public school property for services, even though the groups only use the facilities after school hours and pay the same rental fee that all non-profit groups pay. Organizers of the Borough Park event scrambled to secure a new location and to redirect hundreds of attendees at the last minute.
A bill overriding the mayor’s policy decision was approved last week by the state Senate but remains stalled in the Assembly. Meanwhile, the Bloomberg administration has gone to great lengths to keep this policy in place, including sending Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott to Albany to lobby against the bill, despite lack of support from city residents for this policy. A Quinnipiac Polling Institute survey earlier this month showed that just 33 percent of city residents think it is a good idea to ban the rental of public schools for religious services, with 58 percent saying it is a bad idea. Those feelings were reflected across all five boroughs, both major political parties, men and women, and white, black and Hispanic respondents.
In light of last weekend’s incident and the public’s overwhelming opposition to the policy, Greenfield is calling on leaders in Albany to immediately pass legislation overturning the ban, which has forced about 70 congregations around the city to find new meeting space in banquet halls, homes, and even in the street. The policy went into effect following services on February 12.
“In a city that is supposed to celebrate diversity, it’s shocking that the administration would discriminate against religious freedom. The time has come for Albany to resolve this issue so that groups aren’t punished simply for their religious beliefs. I urge the Assembly and Governor to immediately approve legislation overturning the Department of Education’s misguided decision,” said Greenfield.
Following this logic, I think that soon the law will state that if you are a religious person, you are not allowed to attend a NYC public school
This mayor is so out of touch with reality on almost every important issue facing the people of NYC, including this issue, that if not for his billionaire status one would compare him to the tipish ‘Emperor with no clothes’.
I wonder what Mr. Greenfeld would do if a Muslim group would asked to use the public school in borough park????? just thinking out loud
This is a perfect example of why we don’t want religious groups using public school property for “events”. We don’t want some government bureaucrat to have to evaluate each group and their agenda to determine whether they are “appropriate” to use public facilities. Would a muslim religious group that is not regarded as a terrorist group but advocating joint-ownership and control of har habayis and other religous sites be an “appropriate” renter”? What about yiddeshe extremists such as the Kahane group (classified as terrorists by the Justice Department) who wanted to celebrate Rav Kahane’s yahrtzeit? Would a Shabbos tish in honor of Rav Weiss from the Eidah who has implicitly supported the violence against women in EY be an “appropriate” rental? Given that there are many shuls, hotels and simcha halls in New York that would be happy to rent space for the visiting rav from Toldos Avraham Yitzchak, keep this event out of the school property.
As I have said way to many times: leave NY as I did and don’t be involved with the immense narishkeit that eminates from everyone distracting you from focusing on what is truly meaningful and important in life – spending time with your family and self growth.
I don’t understand why Bloomberg doesn’t let them have it at least for money for Bloomberg everything is money
At first glance I agreed with the Mayor, however, now that I have thought it through, my taxes pay to upkeep the building, so therefore if I need the space for my needs and go through standard procedures to secure, it should be my right.
Did it ever occur to any of you that Bloomberg might be doing this to help us all? Stop and think about it!! Any cult or even a terrorist group calling themselves a religion could rent space and endanger children! He knows the City doesn’t have the resources to do a background check on each group. He also knows if he allows one group and bans another, they could sue the city for discrimination. So he is doing the only thing possible: no religious groups renting in schools. Wake up !!!
Next year no permits for sukohs on city streets
What a joke. Councilman David Greenfield now claims he “facilitates this gathering through his relationship with the Department of Education”
FACT: the rabbi has been having his tish there for ten years now. That means he started eight years before Greenfield has a politician.
It is unbelievable how these politicians think we are all crazy.