The following is an op-ed submitted by the 48th City Council candidate, Ari Kagan:
Since I became a candidate for City Council, this question has been raised over and over again. Are you part of “Our Community?” Are you part of the Orthodox community or of the Russian-speaking community?
One of my opponents went even further, accusing me of trying to deceive the Orthodox community because my name appeared in Hebrew on campaign material. And during an interview with a frum publication, I was asked to explain this “deception.”
Let me be clear: I never imagined a fellow Jew would criticize me for using my Hebrew name, for saying that I’m part of “Our Community.” Perhaps I’m naïve and idealistic, but I thought “our community” stands together as one voice – for Israel, for our values and for the freedom to practice our religion. When the Brooklyn College Political Science Department co-sponsored an anti-Israel forum right here in Midwood, I joined my friends and colleagues, including Assemblyman Dov Hikind and Councilman David Greenfield, to denounce the anti-Semitism. I stood together with many Jewish leaders at the press conference near the college. I organized Russian Holocaust survivors to join me at the Brooklyn College campus and denounce this heinous forum. OUR COMMUNITY stood united against anti-Semitism.
When anti-Semites vandalized the Holocaust Memorial Park, I stood together with my close friend, Ben Akselrod – then a candidate for State Assembly – and hundreds of my fellow Jews, as well as many elected officials, including Brooklyn D.A. Charles Hynes, Assemblyman Bill Colton, Councilman Michael Nelson, and many others, to condemn this hate crime and to show our unity and strength. We were all OUR COMMUNITY then.
For the past five years I have joined the Yom Hashoah Mobilization Committee which hosts an annual Holocaust Remembrance event near the Iranian mission to the United Nations. Each year we have stood together against a virulently anti-Semitic and anti-Israel Iranian regime that is supporting Hamas and is building nuclear weapons. This year I was there, together with Jews from all walks of life in solidarity with Israel and in remembrance of the six million murdered in the Holocaust. We were all OUR COMMUNITY then.
Last October I was honored at the Manhattan Beach Jewish Center by the Rachel’s Children Reclamation Foundation for my community involvement and strong commitment to support the State of Israel. We were all OUR COMMUNITY then.
This year I have the privilege of running for New York City Council in the 48th Council District, which includes the neighborhoods of Midwood, Brighton Beach, Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach, Homecrest, Luna Park,Trump Village and Brightwater. We are a strong, diverse community. If elected, I will work hard to represent every community and every neighborhood of our district at City Hall. No matter what anyone says, or what I am labeled, I will stand up for OUR JEWISH COMMUNITY – as I have always done.
On September 10th, I’d be honored to have your support, so I can be OUR COMMUNITY’S voice in City Hall.
Shana tova,
Ari Kagan
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6 Responses
Well said. I do not understand his opponents repeated reference to who is Orthodox or not. It is irrelevant. No one is running to be Orthodox. The candidates are running to represent the Orthodox community. And the Orthodox community has many non-Orthodox and non-Jews successfully and satisfactorily representing us.
You sound as if you are part of OUR COMMUNITY, welcome!
Now matter how he views himself, Ari isn’t yet part of the frum community.
His opponent, Chaim Deutsch is and has been a community activist from many years. I remember him at the 70th Precinct Community Council meetings close to 20 years ago fighting for our community.
Be sure to vote for Chaim next Tuesday if you live in the 48th District.
Ari has been an activist much longer than Chaim. Ari was an activist before he even arrived on these shores.
Ari Kagan has as much right to use his Hebrew name as former Bush spokesman Ari Fleisher (and he is intermarried)
Ari Kagan is uniquely qualified to serve as a uniting voice of the Orthodox and Russian-speaking sectors of our Jewish community. Give Ari Kagan your vote next Tuesday.
Talk is cheap. Anyone can claim to be the best candidate or the only candidate who represents every individual in the district. Anyone can repeat phrases and try to convince you that they are one of us.
We need to see past all the rhetoric. We need to elect Chaim based on his track record. Don’t vote for Chaim because he states he WILL be best for the community; vote for him because he HAS been a indispensable asset to OUR COMMUNITY.
You can put lipstick on a pig, but it is still a pig. We will not be fooled. We know that Chaim Deutsch has ALWAYS had our backs. We also know that we never even heard of this guy Ari Kagan until about 2 months ago. The choice is obvious. We are voting for you Chaim!