For the Jewish community, the idea of being recognized as an important and determining voting bloc in this year’s mayoral and citywide elections has prompted many leader and heads of organizations to lock arms together and form a coalition to drive the cause for that purpose. In the past few months, the newly founded FJCC (Flatbush Jewish Community Coalition) group of 50 prominent activists and leaders in the Orthodox Jewish community, in Midwood/Flatbush, has already held numerous events with public officials, candidates and leaders in the community. The most notable event was the FJCC mayoral candidate forum for the Democratic candidates, that was held in June and widely reported in the general media, and the most recent robust and 48th Council District candidate forum, last week.

This Sunday, the FJCC held a special candidate screening board meeting, in which the Republican mayoral hopefuls along with the Community’s elected officials and candidates running for citywide offices addressed the crowd on the importance of the elections and discussed their vision and core beliefs on issues that matter to the Jewish community in Brooklyn.

Assemblyman Dov Hikind, Senator Simcha Felder and Councilman David Greenfield stressed the urgency of getting registered and going out to vote, letting our voice be heard and receiving the help the community would need from our elected officials once they get elected with our help.

The three Republican mayoral candidates, each envisioned how the City would be kept safe, and their policies are implemented if one of them becomes the next Mayor of NYC. Joe Lhota received a warm reception for promising to keep public safety as one of the highest priorities, along with pushing Albany to pass the Tax-credit bill for yeshiva and parochial school parents. John Catsimatidis also got his share of applause when he promised to freeze all taxes comes January 3rd.

Video of the Republican Mayoral candidates addressing the FJCC Screening board meeting:

Also addressing the crowd were: Senator Eric Adams, who’s running for Brooklyn Borough President; Former Governor and candidate for NYC Comptroller, Eliot Spitzer; Former City Councilman and Democratic mayoral candidate, Sal Albanese; Assemblyman Alan Maisel, who’s running for City Council in the 46th District; Senator Daniel Squadran, who’s the leading candidate for NYC’s Public Advocate’s office and Councilman Jumaane Williams, who started off his remarks with “Shalom Aleichem. Ma Nishma?”.

(Jacob Kornbluh – YWN)