| By: Sandy Eller
We never thought it could happen here.
But our beloved educational institutions have come repeatedly under attack, a reality that has only underscored the need for the Yeshiva Summit, imbuing the annual event with a definite sense of urgency.
Over 400 attendees, including leaders of 140 different schools, gathered at Terrace on the Park on Thursday, January 12th for the Yeshiva Summit, a project of Agudath Israel of America's Yeshiva Services department. Titled Upstream, the 2023 summit focused on forging ahead in a difficult environment, directly addressing security, educational and funding issues, as well as other growing challenges that threaten New York's yeshivas and day schools. In keeping with Yeshiva Services' mission of advocating for schools all across the spectrum of Orthodoxy, the summit proved to be a valuable and timely resource, and participants spent a full day hearing from community leaders, elected officials and experts in their respective fields about a variety of topics directly impacting New York State yeshivas.
Among the highlights of the summit were divrei chizuk from Mesivta of Long Beach Rosh Yeshiva HaRav Chaim Yehoshua Hoberman, who praised the yeshiva system in New York for its part in creating thriving Orthodox communities. Participants had an opportunity to hear daas Torah imparted by Rabbi Hoberman during a Q&A session regarding practical issues relevant to all yeshivos while Roth&Co co-managing partner Zacharia Waxler provided practical guidance on best practices for working with special education agencies and other vendors.
Sessions throughout the day offered pragmatic advice on using security grants to protect teachers and students in schools, getting ahead of impending New York City energy regulations, and understanding the legal ramifications of hiring and firing practices. Also addressed were funding opportunities for Title services and state-funded Nonpublic School Safety Equipment grants, with New York State Education Department Assistant Commissioner Christina Coughlin coming in from Albany to discuss changes in reimbursements for school safety and health expenses.
Multiple elected and government officials, including State Senator Joseph Addabbo, Assemblyman David Weprin, City Councilman Kalman Yeger and Mayor Eric Adams' Deputy Chief of Staff Menashe Shapiro, expressed their support for yeshivas and the Jewish community. State Senator Leroy Comrie and Assemblymember Stacey Pheffer Amato participated in an afternoon political panel, while United States Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer joined the conference on Zoom to speak about increases in security funding, burgeoning anti-Semitism and his close relationship with the Agudah dating back to his decades of friendship with the legendary Agudath Israel long-time leader, Rabbi Moshe Sherer. Queens Borough President Donovan Richards condemned the New York Times' obsession with the Orthodox Jewish community, and praised local yeshivas for offering educations that he described as "phenomenal," singling out Beis Medrash Hagadol D'Satmar, Torah Academy for Girls and Yeshiva of Central Queens by name. The summit offered participants significant networking opportunities as well as the ability to meet with more than 40 on-site vendors representing a variety of businesses and services.
Having government and elected officials express their confidence in the yeshiva system and describe the quality of the individuals and communities that they produce as proof of their effectiveness was extremely reassuring, said Yeshiva Services Director Rabbi Yehoshua Pinkus.
"It is a real testament to our schools to see so many administrators and principals taking time out of their busy schedules to attend the Yeshiva Summit in order to continue providing students with stellar educations," said Rabbi Pinkus. "Yeshiva Services unites the entire spectrum of yeshivos, day schools and Bais Yaakovs, advocating on behalf of each one. We are grateful to be able to provide our assistance to the entire yeshiva community, both in our day-to-day operations, and through events like the Yeshiva Summit." | 
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