FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Howie Beigelman
212-613-8311
July 17, 2009

COMPTROLLER THOMPSON MEETS ORTHODOX JEWISH LEADERSHIP
City’s top fiscal watchdog and mayoral hopeful visits Orthodox Union headquarters, meets key lay and professional leaders

Yesterday, New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. visited the world headquarters of the Orthodox Union (Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America), the world’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization, to meet with key lay and professional leaders and discuss priority issues for New York’s Orthodox Jewish community.

In addition to updating us on how the Comptroller is using the power of his office to keep pressure on Iran and Sudan, several other issues were raised over the hour long visit, including particular areas where New York’s Orthodox Jewish community are being especially hard hit in today’s stated economy. The Comptroller expressed his support, borne from his experience as former president of the NYC Board of Education, at ensuring all children, including those in nonpublic schools, receive equal access to legally mandated services, including special education, as they are all “our children”. As well, participants raised the issue of day school tuition, advocating for an education tax credit to help families and, given recent events, they raised the need for increased protection of Jewish institutions from terror attack.

Howie Beigelman, OU Deputy Director of Public Policy stated:

We appreciate Comptroller Thompson taking the time to meet with the Orthodox community and learn more about our needs and issues. Bill Thompson has been a longtime friend to New York’s Jewish community and it was our pleasure to host his first time visit to the OU. As a community keenly aware of the threat of terror, his actions on Iran and Sudan are most welcome. His commitment to assisting children in need is also most appreciated.

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Note to Editors: The Orthodox Union has a long history of elected officials, candidates for public office and other notables speaking to their leadership, including Samuel Alito, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Alberto Gonzalez, Al Gore, Tom Kean, Jr. and George Pataki.

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