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4 Nissan 5761 - March 28, 2001 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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NEWS
NYC Mayoral Candidates Present Themselves at Agudath Israel Forum
by Yated Ne'eman Staff

The four major candidates for New York City Democratic Party's nomination for mayor presented themselves and their visions to a gathering of an estimated 150 Orthodox Jewish activists last week in lower Manhattan.

The "invitation only" forum, co-sponsored by Agudath Israel of America's political affairs and young leadership committees, featured Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer, New York City Public Advocate Mark Green, City Comptroller Alan Hevesi and City Council Speaker Peter Vallone, each of whom made a short presentation and took questions and comments from those in attendance.

Mr. Vallone, who spoke first, was introduced by Agudath Israel activist and former Koch administration official Avrohom Biderman; Mr. Hevesi, who was next to take the podium, was introduced by Dovid Moskovitz, a New York businessman and president of the Masores Avos school in his native Hungary; Yati Weinreb, co-chairman of Agudath Israel's Vaad Hanhala, introduced Mr. Ferrer; and Menachem Shayovich, co-chairman of Agudath Israel's Commission on Legislation and Civic Action introduced Mr. Green.

Agudath Israel's executive vice president for government and public affairs, Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, chaired the evening forum.

The candidates recounted their records on an assortment of issues of general concern, as well as matters of special interest to the Jewish community and especially the Orthodox community. Much attention was paid, both by the candidates in their formal remarks and by questioners in the audience, to the subject of governmental aid to nonpublic schools -- "an issue of vital importance to our community," said Mr. Zwiebel, "especially in New York City, where we have nearly 100,000 students enrolled in more than 200 yeshivos." While there were nuances of difference between the candidates, the consensus among the four was that they would not support school vouchers but that they would seek other ways to help financially strapped nonpublic school families.

Other issues that were discussed included relations between the Police Department and minority communities, intergroup harmony among the city's diverse ethnic and racial populations, moral issues like abortion and government funding for offensive art, and the special housing and social service needs of the Orthodox community.

Said Mr. Zwiebel: "This was a useful exercise. We had an opportunity both to see and to be seen -- to get a sense of each of the candidates' vision for the future of New York City, and also to convey to them some of the priority concerns on our community's agenda."

A spokesman for Agudath Israel stated that the organization plans to engage in similar dialogue with other candidates for high office -- including contenders for the Republican mayoral nomination "as soon as we know who they are."

 

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