(By: Chaskel Bennett)
The headlines have taken dead aim and unless you have been sleeping you know the Orthodox Jewish community is under attack, in the media, online, and most dangerously in the halls of government. Our Torah way of life is being challenged on many fronts. From attacks on eruv, shechitah, kaparos and bris milah to end of life issues and now the outrageous assault on traditional Yeshiva chinuch, our deeply-held beliefs and customs are ever more frequently requiring exhaustive efforts to prevent government’s destructive meddling. High tuition costs are severely impacting families across our community. State and local governments continue to balk at providing meaningful tuition relief to struggling private school parents, thanks in large parts to union influenced politicians. Hot button moral challenges are being forced upon our society by an energized and well organized growing progressive movement with no reprieve in sight. Where are we?
With so much at stake we must collectively be engaged in dealing with these dramatic changes happening in front of our very eyes. If these issues worry you (and they should) it’s time to stop complaining and time to start doing. We must vote!
Being remiss in civic duty is inexcusable in the best of times; in the present precarious state of local, national, and international affairs, it is unforgivable. We must not voluntarily silence our own voice. How can we make our feelings known and our voices heard at the highest and lowest levels of government? Voting changes the equation. In a democracy it is the great equalizer. The time to stand up is now.
This Thursday, September 13, Orthodox Jewish voters in Boro Park and Flatbush have a unique opportunity to make our voices heard in a way that will resonate all across the state by re-electing Simcha Felder to the State Senate. Simcha is being challenged by progressive Democrat Blake Morris, who is unabashedly running on a platform to undo all of the good work Simcha has done for our community. Enhanced school bussing, increased school security funding and assistance for special needs families are just some of Simcha’s most recent accomplishments. Most importantly Simcha has been a fearless fighter and champion of our community in a state legislature that has been growing more unfriendly to our issues. Mr. Morris on the other hand is being supported by the same liberal progressive wing of the party that heralds far left extremist candidates Cynthia Nixon for Governor and Zephyr Teachout for Attorney General. Proudly and unapologetically progressive, Morris, Nixon and Teachout are not supportive of Orthodox issues and all three should be strongly rejected by Orthodox voters.
After the shocking and unexpected defeat of Queens Congressman Joe Crowley by a socialist political neophyte, leftists all across the country have become emboldened and are actively looking for their next victim. Simcha Felder is being seriously challenged by those very same forces. Do not underestimate them. So important is this race to the far left establishment they have dispatched outside resources and dozens of volunteers to OUR COMMUNITY with the sole mission of defeating Simcha Felder. We have the power and the votes to prevent that. It’s time to use it or the ball game over.
Knowing that it’s the week between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Democrats and Republicans across the State will be carefully watching to see if Brooklyn’s Orthodox Jewish community shows up on Thursday to defend their state Senator or are too busy to be bothered. Make no mistake, this coming election is not only a referendum on Simcha Felder, but a direct challenge and threat to the Orthodox Jewish community that supports him.
One of the most consequential actions our community can do at this important time is VOTE! The Gedolim of the previous generation have mandated voting as a chiyuv of Hakoras Hatov.
Re-electing Simcha Felder in this Thursday’s Democratic primary with a resounding victory, will not only deliver a clear and unequivocal message that the Orthodox Jewish community cannot be bullied, but it will also show that our community rewards those who stand up and fight for us. For our community’s future, we must come out and vote to re-elect Simcha Felder on Primary Day. The political world is watching.
Chaskel Bennett is the co- founder of the Flatbush Jewish Community Coalition (FJCC)
NOTE: The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of YWN.
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14 Responses
Thank you, Mr. Bennett!
Or he could just switch parties.
“……dramatic changes happening in front of our very eyes. If these issues worry you (and they should) it’s time to stop complaining and time to start doing. ….”
Start doing by urging Jews to make Aliya.
Even if the Dems lose in Nov., even if Trump wins in 2020, even if Felder get re-elected, it’s treading water against a rising tide of progressivism that’s gaining ground and unfortunately will, sooner than later, succeed.
Same thing is happening in Britain, now it’s over here. All forms of religion under attack and Judaism is no exception.
What did you say ?… Happening In Front Of Our Eyes..? And…..???? Vote? Eventually, we’ll be outvoted whether legit or not…
Hashem has His ways. Sometimes it’s persecution, violence or as we see currently….. progressivism, socialism, communism and border anarchy.. … Let’s look at the signs.
Won’t help you to move to Jackson, Mahwah, Florida, Rochester N.Y. or new heimishe community with brand new mikvah in Boiberik, USA…. Stop kidding yourselves..
Stop scaring people. This has nothing to do with torah,bris,shchita, mila or yeshiva and all to do with polititions.
Last i checked we are alowed to have yeshivos,do brissim and schchita.
If your worried about morals then why have you voted in politicians who are pro gay and gay marriage?
Stop the hock and vote who u think is best for you.
Stop letting politicians and so called rabbanim trying to sell you a bill of goods.
Good article from Bennet
which prompts us to suggest:who caused us to be in the mess?
Were fellows asleep at the rudder;
overly immersed of parochial/$$ affairs??
No one is “after us” b’H, they are interested to see if we vote though.
The Orthodox Community voting for Democrats, is like a chicken voting for Colonel Sanders. For those of you who don’t know, Colonel Sanders was the original owner of a major treif fast food chain called Kentucky Fried Chicken.
How anyone who claims to be Torah observant can vote for a Democrat, that leaves me baffled. Look at the Democrat platform. Everything they stand for, everything they hold true to themselves, goes against everything of Torah. They believe in abortion, they believe in toayva “marriage” etc. EVERYTHING!! There is nothing that they believe in, that we believe in as well.
They call themselves Progressive, because if they would call themselves what they are, namely Socialist Liberal Democrats, they would get less votes. Progressive sounds like progress, yet there is nothing about their agenda that has anything to do with anything related to progress.
So yes, Simcha Felder, is running as a democrat in party name however, we know where he stands on the issues. In the way that New York has lurched left, the only way he has a chance of winning is to run as a Democrat.
Jersey Jew- a gut gebentched yohr, I have wondered how any Torah observant Jew could vote for trump?
Rt because the other choice was Hillary
Takes2,rt,
First they came for the …, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a ..
Then they came for the …, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a …
Then they came for the … and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a ….
Then they came for me
No one is “after us” b’H, they are interested to see if we vote though.
Rt
Yet you would say trump and the anti Semitic republicans are after us
🙄
Stop the hypocrisy. Stop scaring people. This has absolutely nothing to do with torah,bris,shchita, mila or yeshiva and all to do with polititions.
Last i checked, we are alowed to have yeshivos, shuls do brissim and schchita.
If your worried about morals then why have you voted in politicians who are pro gay and gay marriage.? The torah calles it תועבה
Stop the hypocrisy and the hock and vote who u think is best for you.
Stop letting politicians and so called rabbanim trying to sell you a bill of goods.
takes 2-2tango
then you get insulted when we point out what anti torah hashkafe you have,
huh…http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/israel-news/1589433/one-person-rl-niftar-2700-people-treated-in-uman-over-rosh-hashanah.html
TAKES2-2TANGO
You mocked the yidden who didnt escape before the churbin…then it also look like now….they also said its nothinG till too late.Ok noW Mr Tango lets see you start fleeing