NYC Department of Health closes Torah Academy for Girls in Far Rockaway

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The Torah Academy for Girls in Far Rockaway sent out a letter to parents on Sept. 23 saying that the school had been temporarily closed by the New York City Department of Health.

The school’s dean Rabbi Meyer Weitman said that school officials were surprised by the closing. 

“At 9:30 this evening (Sept. 23), we received a phone call from the NYC Department of Health ordering that the school be closed effective immediately,” he wrote. “We have not been provided with any specific details as relates to the reasons, causes or duration of the closure. We anticipate a meeting with the DOH tomorrow morning at which we hope to receive additional information which we will share with you.”

The school, which has students from grades Pre-K to 12, did not provide a further update when asked for a comment the morning of Sept. 24. The DOH did not return a request for comment. Far Rockaway has been identified by the NYC DOH as a cluster with a higher rate of infection. The Five Towns, where a portion of TAG students live,  has had an uptick of Covid cases.

Weitman added that the school will transition to virtual learning via Zoom video as soon as possible. 

“We apologize for this late notification; however, we were given no warning that this closure was pending,” he said. “Indeed, as you all know, TAG’s Covid policies met and exceeded all published State and CDC Guidelines."

This story will be expanded with further comments.