Cuomo Won Satmar Rebbe’s Endorsement After Promising Hands Off Yeshivas
Gov. Andrew Cuomo Image by Getty Images
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo reportedly promised not to interfere with the state’s yeshivas before receiving an endorsement from the Satmar Rebbe of Williamsburg, Gothamist reported.
Cuomo visited Rabbi Zalman Teitelbaum at his home Thursday, where they came to the agreement, according to multiple reports. Yeshiva World translated the initial reporting by Israeli blog BeChadrei Chareidim, tweeting, “The Governor reassured the Rebbe that he would not interfere in Yeshiva education.”
For my non Hebrew reading friends: Last week Gov. Cuomo met with the Satmar Rebbe, one of the most influential rabbis in the world, in Williamsburg, and promised him “not to interfere with yeshivas” and received the Rabbi’s support. @CynthiaNixon https://t.co/Y75dCtw2Pb
— Daniel Atwood (@AtwoodDaniel) September 2, 2018
Teitelbaum controls the central Satmar congregation in Williamsburg and the Satmar Yeshiva in Queens, according to Gothamist. Much of Brooklyn’s Hasidic community votes as a bloc, giving it significant pull in state and local politics.
The agreement comes as New York City officials move forward with the investigation into allegations that ultra-Orthodox schools do not provided enough secular education.
Alyssa Fisher is a news writer at the Forward. Email her at [email protected], or follow her on Twitter at @alyssalfisher
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news. All donations are still being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000 until April 24.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
