New York City Schools To Provide Kosher Food As Part Of New Pilot Program

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A $1 million pilot program has been included in New York City’s new budget to provide kosher and halal lunches in public schools for the upcoming academic year.

U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens, N.Y.) hailed the decision, saying, “I have long called for halal and kosher meals to be made available in New York City schools, and I’ve made similar calls on the federal level as well. … I’m pleased that Jewish and Muslim students will finally have lunch options that adhere to their dietary restrictions.”

The New York City public-school system is the largest in the world. More than 1.1 million students are taught in more than 1,700 public schools with a budget of nearly $25 billion. The public-school system is managed by the New York City Department of Education.

A significant number of Jewish children in New York’s five boroughs, however, attend day schools or yeshivahs. According to data by the New York State Department of Education, in 2016, the number of students attending kindergarten through 12th grade in Jewish day schools and yeshivahs exceeded 100,000 enrollees for the first time.

Still, the new program will benefit families whose children attend public schools and observe kashrut.

Earlier this month, Meng sent a letter to City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, asking him to provide these dietary-specific meals to students as part of the city’s school-lunch program.

Thanks to his efforts, she said, students will finally have access to these meals.

“This pilot program is the right step forward in creating a more inclusive approach to school lunches in our city,” said Meng. “Students should feel welcomed at their schools, and including different dietary options is a critical element to ensuring that no one goes hungry.” JNS.ORG

{Matzav.com}


8 COMMENTS

  1. Who is going to supervise the purchase, making , and distributing of the food and where will the food be made. I hope it is not the school dietary person and the school kitchen. We use to call something called brown bagging it, and we can only buy a fluid that went along with the food that we brought with us.

    • Even though they are not observant, the option is much better than pork being forced onto their children for lunch.

  2. For a variety of reasons – such as Special
    Education and OT, PT, and Speech Therapy – many Torah-observant families do send their children to Public Schools.

  3. “Exactly Who is makpid on kashrus and sends their kids to public school?”
    Someone who has a special needs child.

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