Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel of Agudath Israel responded to the new mandate as Chairman of the Committee of New York City Religious and Independent School Officials, representing private schools all across New York City.
Zwiebel sent a sharply worded letter to NYC Health Commissioner Dave Chokshi over the just-announced mandate, writing that “government should be using its bully pulpit to persuade, not its regulatory arm to coerce.
“The reality is that the small percentage of school employees who have chosen not to vaccinate have made a personal choice based on their individual circumstances and personal values.
“Surely at least some of them will continue to resist vaccination even if the city imposes a vaccination mandate – whereupon, pursuant to the terms of the mandate, they will be terminated from their jobs. As a result, the school will have to hire new qualified teachers and other staff to fill the newly created vacancies,” the letter continued.
“In an era when finding high quality teachers and staff is so
difficult even at the beginning of the school year finding high quality
replacement staff in the middle of the school year may be impossible.
Some schools may even be forced to close because of the severe shortage
of teachers.”
Q: How can you tell someone from the Agudah is saying something stupid?
ReplyDeleteA: His lips are moving.