Congressman Ritchie Torres Meets with Orthodox Jewish Community and Business Leaders

By BoroPark24 Staff

On Sunday, Congressman Ritchie Torres, a prominent figure within the Democratic Party, convened a private meeting with community and business leaders in Boro Park to address the escalating prevalence of hatred, anti-Semitism, and other challenges confronting the Orthodox Jewish community in New York City and beyond.

As a Bronx Democrat, Torres has been a leading advocate for the pro-Israel movement within the Democratic Party. He is currently embarking on a tour of New York State in preparation for a potential candidacy for higher office, which he has not explicitly ruled out. Among the potential targets are a run for New York Governor.

The Yeshiva education issue dominated the discussion, which has been a contentious matter for Orthodox Jewish voters since the State Education Department’s ongoing conflict with private Yeshivas. The department’s efforts to intervene in the quality education provided to tens of thousands of children have been a source of contention.

Torres emphasized that bureaucrats in Albany should not have the authority to determine the substantial equivalence or necessity of our Yeshivas. He underscored that the quality education provided by these institutions has consistently delivered not only a sound and fundamental education but also fostered a thriving community that exemplifies low crime rates and high standards of living throughout the state.

“I stand unequivocally for the First Amendment rights of the Hasidic Jewish community, whose free exercise of religion is facing an unprecedented assault from the New York State Board of Regents,” Rep. Torres said. “The State of New York should stand with Hasidic Jewish communities, rather than stand against them.”

Healthcare leaders who participated in the discussion addressed the issue of CDPAP, a program implemented by Governor Hochul to reduce the number of fiscal intermediaries involved in home care services for over 250,000 individuals in New York State. This move will likely disrupt service and reduce the quality of care provided to those in need, according to industry insiders, and potentially losing thousands of jobs for New Yorkers.