The Agudah Voting Project and the New England office of Agudath Israel of America were pleased to host a conversation with Boston mayoral candidate, Representative Jon Santiago, for the first installment of their Boston Mayoral Candidate Forum Series.

Representative Santiago participated in a robust conversation with community members and reflected on his experience as an emergency room doctor fighting COVID-19, his service as a Captain in the US Army and his work as a state representative. He emphasized that these varied experiences along with his background and upbringing would influence his leadership style if elected as the next mayor of Boston.

Representative Santiago shared his vision for the city, spoke out against antisemitism, and, in response to questions from community leaders, offered his ideas on addressing the housing shortage for middle-income families, providing access to Kosher food for those in need, and making available support services for students attending Jewish day schools. Community members raised the fact that the primary election is currently scheduled for September 14, Erev Yom Kippur, which will pose a challenge to many in the Orthodox community.

“More than one hundred people signed up for this event, sending a powerful message to the candidate that the Orthodox Jewish community is politically engaged and cares deeply about the future of the city,” said Mrs. Ariella Hellman, Director of Government Affairs of Agudath Israel’s New England office. “We thank Representative Santiago for joining us to discuss some of the issues of importance to the community.”

The next event in the series will be held on Wednesday, June 16, at 8:30 – 9:30 PM EDT with City Councilor Michelle Wu. Click here to register.