YSR.

Agudath Israel of America appeared before the MTA board to press the agency over inappropriate advertisements that continue to appear across New York City buses, despite months of objections from community leaders and parents.

Avrohom Weinstock, Agudah’s chief of staff, told MTA officials that the ads promoting an adult-oriented museum are offensive to many riders and unsuitable for children who encounter them while traveling or walking through city neighborhoods.

The testimony came after months of outreach by Agudah, including a four-page legal letter sent to MTA leadership in July. The organization has urged the agency to remove the campaign and reconsider allowing similar advertisements on public transportation.

In a written response to Agudah, the MTA said the advertisements would rotate off the system within 60 days. However, multiple reports have indicated that the museum’s sizable advertising contract is scheduled to continue through the end of the year, raising questions and frustration over how soon the ads will actually disappear.

The concern became more urgent after the museum indicated that a later stage of the campaign could include advertisements covering the entire exterior of buses and featuring more inappropriate imagery. Agudah said raising objections during the current, more limited phase was therefore especially important.

Agudah urged the MTA to apply its existing advertising standards, which restrict certain advertisements promoting adult-oriented services and call for a safe and welcoming environment for riders and employees, including minors. The organization said it does not believe the current campaign complies with those standards.

“Please curtail this offensive ad campaign,” Weinstock told the board, while also urging the MTA to consult with representative community organizations to prevent similar situations in the future.

He also acknowledged Assemblymembers Kalman Yeger and Simcha Eichenstein and Councilwoman Inna Vernikov for voicing the community’s concerns and urging the MTA to withdraw the advertisements. Weinstock thanked the agency for engaging with Agudah, while emphasizing that more work remains.

Rabbi David Zwiebel, Agudah’s executive vice president, noted that much of the organization’s advocacy centers on tangible needs such as school security funding and financial assistance for mosdos. This effort, he said, offers no material benefit, but remains deeply important because it helps parents raise their children with kedusha.