ORGANIZATIONS Speaker of the Assembly Sheldon Silver (in the middle) took the time to meet with the Brooklyn Delegation Delegation from the Sephardic Community Joins OU Advocacy-Teach NYS In Albany To Advocate for Yeshivah Funding At the top of the 2014 legislative The Brooklyn delegation and In addition to the lieutenant priorities for OU Advocacy-Teach the joint delegation from Manhattan, governor, the delegations met with NYS are the Education Investment Riverdale and Westchester visited other members of the state leader- Incentives Act, full funding of the Albany. Composed of lay leaders, ship, including Senate Co-Leader Comprehensive Attendance Policy day school and yeshivah leaders, Jeff Klein, Speaker of the Assembly (CAP) and Mandated Services as well as students, the two delega- Sheldon Silver, and Assistant Senate Reimbursement (MSR) programs— tions included representatives from Majority Whip Martin Golden, who is two state initiatives that provide Yeshivat Darche Eres, Yeshivah of the prime sponsor of the Education funding for anti-truancy programs Flatbush, Magen David Yeshivah, Investment Incentives Act. They and mandated services required by and Barkai Yeshivah, as well as also met with Senate Education private schools—and including non- Ramaz, SAR, Manhattan Day Chairman John Flanagan, Senators public schools in the universal pre-K School, Solomon Schechter School George Latimer, Brad Hoylman (UPK) legislation and the Smart of Westchester and Westchester and Kevin Parker and Assembly Schools bond initiative. Day School. Members Peter Abbate, Jr., Anthony Future leaders, 11th graders from the Yeshivah of Flatbush on the floor of the Assembly Brindisi, David Buchwald, Joseph Each delegation was offi- Borelli, Edward Braunstein, Karim cially recognized on the floor of Camara, Steven Cymbrowitz, Jeffrey the Assembly by Majority Leader Dinowitz, Andrew Garbarino, Phillip Joseph Morelle and welcomed by Goldfeder, Peter Lopez, Nicole Assembly Member Jeffrion Aubry, Malliotakis, Shelley Mayer, Amy Speaker Pro Tempore. Paulin, Gary Pretlow, Dan Quart, Nily Rozic, Sean Ryan, who is the “We have done more for private prime sponsor of the Energy Parity education in the last three years with Act, David Weprin and Keith Wright. CAP and MSR than we have in the In addition, they met with Michael last 20, that’s real money and we Laskawy, Senior Policy Advisor to are proud of that accomplishment. Governor Cuomo, and David Lobl, However, the non-public school Jewish Liaison to the Governor. community has many more needs Assemblyman Phillip Goldfeder that deserve to be funded and we will work on getting those needs met,” said Assembly Member Phillip Goldfeder. “We have a duty to make sure everyone gets a great education,” said Senator Jeff Klein. He noted that he believes in public schools, but he also believes that private schools should thrive, adding “How will public schools accommodate students if private schools fail?” Senator Klein also told the group that coming to Albany really makes a difference in “educating legislators about the role yeshivahs and Jewish day schools play in the community.” Mitch Vilinsky, a parent in the Yeshivah of Flatbush, reflected on LT. Governor Robert Duffy Continued on page 00 ORGANIZATIONS Continued from page 00 Senator John Flanagan (in the middle) surrounded by the Brooklyn Delegation Majority Whip Senator Martin Golden the impact government funding for non-public schools can have on the Jewish community. “Parents receiving tuition assistance get help from the school and nowhere else. Any additional government assistance to schools would relieve significant stress from both the parents Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz and IMAGE Magazine’s and the schools and will help our schools provide schol- Managing Editor Steven Matsas arships to many more students.”.