The following is an Op-Ed by Josh Mehlman, Chairman of the FJCC (Flatbush Jewish Community Coalition):
This past January in the re-districting process, our community was divided by certain political interests, with the goal of diminishing our voting power.
The result: we lost being the majority in our own community’s’ City Council district. Last night, we won our district back. Against all odds, with tremendous Siyata Deshmaya, our community mobilized, VOTED, and the results are obvious.
The Flatbush Jewish Community Coalition, FJCC, was established with strong Rabbinic backing to unite the greater Flatbush community, and insure we are organized to work within the political process for the betterment of all.
Many Yeshivas and Bais Yaakovs, Shuls and klal organizations, worked seamlessly with us to educate and get out the vote. Kudos to all our members who worked relentlessly to make this a reality. We are honored to have on our team many, very talented, politically savvy askonim in Flatbush who work day and night letovas haklal. It is inspiring to witness their dedication. Special thanks to our Honorary Co-Chairman, Malcolm Hoenlein for his guidance, encouragement and involvement.
Our unprecedented Mayoral forums for the Democrats and Republicans held in our neighborhood, addressed our issues. Leadership meetings with multiple candidates for citywide and local elected office, have put the Flatbush Jewish community back on the map where it belongs. As a community, we must build on this success to generate the much needed support for our Mosdos and struggling families. It is apparent to all how so few votes truly makes all the difference. Our Gedolim and Rabbonim always took the time to vote, and stated that it’s a Mitzvah to do so. The FJCC was founded to give the community a voice in democracy. For that voice to be heard we must all continue to work together and come out even stronger on November. The elected officials have taken notice.
Photo Credit: Brooklyn News
(Josh Mehlman – FJCC)
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3 Responses
Dear Josh Mehlman,
It ain’t over till its over (or the fat lady sings.) There is still a General Election, in case you may have forgotten how the democratic system operates. And Chaim isn’t going to have a cakewalk winning in November. Former State Senator Storobin has significant support in the community.
This article is a shameless load of bunkum. It is a self-congratulatory diatribe by the head of a group so narrowly focused that it does not provide any information or explanation about what the author and his organization supposedly accomplished. I am not saying they did not accomplish something – just that the author is speaking only to people whom he believes know what he is so happy about.
So what’s wrong with this article? Here goes:
The first paragraph refers to “our community,” without defining it. Presumably, he means the Flatbush Jewish community, which of course assumes that there are no gentiles in Flatbush community. He further refers to some “redistricting” which deprived “our community” of representation. Is he talking about the state senate, state assembly, city council? He reports – you guess. To say that “our community” was deprived of representation suggests that the author or the FJCC wanted its state senate, assembly or city council district gerrymandered to allow the FJCC to control the outcome of elections. That is not a right, and maybe not even a respectable political goal.
The second paragraph says the results of the FJCC’s efforts are obvious – so obvious, evidently, that the author does not tell us who won elections, or who was defeated, or anything else, because … it’s obvious.
The third paragraph speaks of the “betterment of all”. Who be “all”? Frummers? Jews living in Flatbush? Gentiles living in Flatbush? All of the above?
The author speaks of “our issues”. What are those issues? And how are they different from anyone else’s issues?
Just to be clear: I have no objection to the any community’s organizing to advance its interests. I just wish the FJCC, and YWN, would be clear about what those interests are.
And just to be clear, where I come from, JCC means a gym and swimming pool that closes on Shabbos.
Wasn’t Siyata Deshmaya the name of one of the candidates from India?
As one of the people who got ‘redistricted’ out, I unfortunately won’t benefit as much as some of my bretheren. But, yes – I know very well what he is talking about, even though I admit he is vague and self-congratulating.