Thank you Dov

The following is an article exclusively done by VIN News, and it is a follow-up to the speeches that Rabbi nuchem has been preaching for 4 weeks. Thank you Dov for standing up for the right issues and not bending to the pressure of the rotten ones. Chazak Dov!

VIN News - New York - Assemblyman Dov Hikind has been spending many sleepless nights in recent weeks, as parents whose children have yet to been accepted into schools turn to Hikind in desperation, after receiving little or no help from their local Rabbonim and community leaders. Hikind estimates that he himself has gotten approximately ten children into school in recent weeks, but that there are still countless children who have no place to go.

Hikind spoke exclusively to VIN News about this explosive issue, following up a video interview with an emotional phone interview at his office.

"People ask me why I am involved in this issue," said Hikind. "When a Jew comes to my office for help, I have no choice but to get involved. Where are the Gedolim? The Rabbonim? The community leaders? If they listened like I listen, if they feel what I feel, if they could put themselves in the shoes of these people, they wouldn't be able to sleep at night. And they shouldn't be able to sleep at night."

Hikind stressed that many of these children have literally done nothing wrong and are just victims of circumstance. Some attended schools that have closed down. Others are thrown out of school for reasons that defy logic. And while there are some children who have been expelled from their previous school for making mistakes, it is imperative upon schools to give these children a second chance.

"We beg Hashem on Yom Kippur to give us a second chance. We all mistakes. Why else would we be klopping 'Al Cheyt' on Yom Kippur?" questioned Hikind. "But we are unwilling to give these kids a second chance. Everyone is worried about the reputation of their school but no one is worried about their reputation with Hashem."

Hikind revealed that he has countless hours persuading, cajoling and literally begging schools to take in some of the many boys and girls who sit home every day because no school will accept them. Many do not even leave their homes, afraid to endure the questions and looks they receive as people wonder why they are not in school. Hikind called the rejection and embarrassment these children suffer "a recipe for creating at risk kids, with some of them going off the derech completely."

Hikind stressed that people shouldn't just empathize with parents and children involved in this difficult situation.

"People shouldn't just feel other people's pain here. They should do something. They shouldn't just kvetch or write comments on a website. People need to take action, do something. If everyone pretends this is their son, their daughter and then we will get results."

This issue has reached the forefront in recent weeks, with Rabbi Aaron Krausz of Williamsburg delivering a scathing drasha on Shabbos Parshas Lecha Licha, condemning schools that expel talmidim or only accept top tier students, as reported originally on VIN News. Hikind reports that this is issue is also on the agenda for the upcoming Agudah convention.

"No parent should be sleeping well tonight," proclaimed Hikind, who called upon community leaders and schools to accept responsibility for all children. "Something is terribly, terribly wrong. We are not talking about kids who got into major trouble who will corrupt the whole class. We are talking about kids who didn't do anything wrong."

While Hikind said he understands that there are elite students who need a more rigorous program, he denies the need for elite yeshivos, saying that any yeshiva should be able to accommodate the best and brightest students.

"You don't get s'char in shomayim for accepting only the best children. You get schar for helping people."