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Elmont isn't bad, I would stay away from Hempstead tpke heading west. I also like Lawrence...look at other towns...don't limit yourself to those in the post. You may be surprise at what you can afford now a days..strike while the iron is hot
1) Great Neck does provide limited kosher food. There are very few shomer kashrut Jews in public school, so how many schools provide kosher food (even leaving aside the issue of catering to a religious requirement)? On top of that, the value of a school lunch is $2.02. (That is what the federal government reimburses for every free lunch.) As it is, Great Neck charges extra for kosher options, and I don't know how they mesh that with free lunch--on a large scale it would require the paying students to subsidize the nonpayers. It would be difficult to provide kosher food within the limits of that budget, and you cannot cook both kosher and treif food in the same kitchen--it would have to be brought in. (And preparing it in house would require a mashgiach temidi at a substantial cost.) So a large-scale kosher meal program in schools is simply not viable.
2) The athletics schedule is not decided by the school board or the principal; the schedule is drawn up to serve all schools in the league.
BTW, we never had a pageant or any Christmas related activity. We had a generic "winter concert" which was matched by a "spring concert" at a similar point in the 2nd semester. I think they played one or two carols at said winter concert.
Lawrence, Inwood, and Cedarhurst are nice. They have a noticeable west Indian(trini and Guyanese community). As well, I think Long Beach has a decent size population. But it seems like your family lives mostly in Eastern Nassau. The community from 5 towns to over there can be pretty long. Their are nicer areas around the communities where they live.
... even leaving aside the issue of catering to a religious requirement ...
On the contrary, serving only Gentile food violates the Separation of Church and State as it favors one religious group (Christians and non-observant Jews) while it disfavors a different religious group (more observant Jews).
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Originally Posted by AlexisT
On top of that, the value of a school lunch is $2.02. (That is what the federal government reimburses for every free lunch.) As it is, Great Neck charges extra for kosher options, and I don't know how they mesh that with free lunch--on a large scale it would require the paying students to subsidize the nonpayers.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's national kosher food depository, that supplies food to such things as the free school lunch program, is in New Cassel ("Westbury, NY 11590" mailing address). Receiving institutions are required to have kosher preparation facilities to prepare kosher meals from this USDA food.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AlexisT
It would be difficult to provide kosher food within the limits of that budget, and you cannot cook both kosher and treif food in the same kitchen--it would have to be brought in. (And preparing it in house would require a mashgiach temidi at a substantial cost.) So a large-scale kosher meal program in schools is simply not viable.
Depending on the number of students requiring a kosher meal, a school district can either purchase pre-packaged kosher meals (like the kosher meals served on airplanes) or build a kosher kitchen.
Actually, if enough students request a kosher meal, a school district can convert their pre-existing Gentile kitchen into a kosher kitchen, and supply kosher meals to all students. Bear in mind, Christians are neither required to eat Gentile food nor prohibited from eating kosher food, while many Jewish students are prohibited from eating Gentile food and can only eat kosher food.
School districts are not required to have a kitchen facility, and do so only after deciding that a hot meal is educationally advantageous. If the school district then provides only hot Gentile meals and not hot kosher meals, it then, according to the school district's own words, places Jewish students, who only eat kosher food, at an educational disadvantage.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AlexisT
2) The athletics schedule is not decided by the school board or the principal; the schedule is drawn up to serve all schools in the league.
If enough school boards instructed their districts athletic department head to change the league schedule, then the league schedule would be changed. Rather than schedule games for Friday night or Saturday, these leagues could schedule their games for Friday afternoon, Saturday night or, even, Sunday. Playing sports on the Christian Sunday Sabbath does not violate any religious prohibition.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AlexisT
BTW, we never had a pageant or any Christmas related activity. We had a generic "winter concert" which was matched by a "spring concert" at a similar point in the 2nd semester. I think they played one or two carols at said winter concert.
Most districts do have a Christmas pageant, and, in many cases, these pageants verge on a religious service.
Last edited by Walter Greenspan; 08-28-2009 at 06:41 PM..
It's not just about "superfluous costs"; it's viewed, by both sides, as a fight over a limited pool of resources. The money issues are not really about "reducing waste" except insofar as that means lower taxes for a population that does not use the public schools and has very high tuition bills.
Exactly. Anyone who believes otherwise is kidding themselves.
I grew up in Inwood an still have friends in the 5 Towns. It's a weird situation overall. In addition to the busing thing, they have have closed down 2 public schools already. With the most recent closing (Woodmere Middle School), it was found out that the school is being sold to a developer for an Orthodox school. Imagine you realized your school board was targeting the most prized real estate in the school district and selling it!
That being said, I have friends with children in the public schools and they say it's fine. You get out what you put into it.
Those Orthodox Jews are real nasty people. They only care about themselves. Their motto is " Sccreww you if your not JEW ".
The non-orthodox Jewish population were the first to leave 5T, maybe because they were harassed the most by the Orthodox, many high school friends of mine left.
Mod cut: not necessary
Last edited by Viralmd; 08-29-2009 at 12:16 PM..
Reason: hate speech
The non-orthodox Jewish population were the first to leave 5T ...
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In many cases, when Torah-observant Jews begin to move into to an area, the first to leave are the secular, non-observant Jews to the amazement of their Christian neighbors.
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... it was found out that the school is being sold to a developer for an Orthodox school. Imagine you realized your school board was targeting the most prized real estate in the school district and selling it!
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Are you suggesting that, in violation of the law, the property was not put out for public bid, and the highest bidder was not the final buyer?
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