Two Rockland County religious schools cited for ignoring closure order

Two religious schools were cited by the Rockland County Department of Health of violating an order calling for the suspension of classroom sessions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The department issued violation notices to Central UTA of Monsey in Airmont and Kahal Shaarei Tefillah in Monsey; the latter also functions as a synagogue. Both entities were accused of ignoring the commissioner of health’s school closing order, which stated the continued operation of classroom teaching posed “an imminent and significant threat to the public health and safety” in the midst of the pandemic.

The department issued an edict warning that “each date upon which an entity violates any term of this order constitutes a separate and distinct violation subject to a civil penalty not to exceed the sum of two thousand dollars ($2,000.00) per violation per day.”

As of March 25, the Rockland County Department of Health has received 85 complaints related to alleged COVID-19 violations.