In a further sign of his close relationship with the Orthodox Jewish community, Councilman Lew Fidler today confirmed that frum political strategist Kalman Yeger will be managing his campaign for New York State Senate. This is Fidler’s latest salvo in an effort to appeal to the key voting bloc of the Orthodox Jewish community. Most recently, Fidler ran ads touting his many years of support for the Orthodox Jewish community including securing $15 million in government funding for dozens of Jewish groups including Hatzolah, Shomrim and Agudath Israel of America.

Yeger is a long-time political strategist who has managed many campaigns and is also a leading expert in the area of campaign finance in the city of New York. Most recently, Yeger was the senior adviser to David Greenfield’s successful campaign for New York City Council. He is also a senior adviser to Bronx Borough Present and rumored mayoral contender Ruben Diaz, Jr. Yeger has lived his whole life in the Midwood district that Filder seeks to represent.

Insiders speculate that the hiring of Yeger indicates that Greenfield will endorse Fidler for Senate. While Fidler had nearly a dozen elected officials and another 200 community leaders at his announcement for New York State Senate yesterday at City Hall, neither Greenfield nor the other Orthodox Jewish power-broker, Dov Hikind, were present. Hikind, who has committed in the past to supporting Fidler has recently indicated that he may flip-flop and support Storobin instead. Those who know Hikind say that he may be concerned about upsetting the Republican Party as he seeks to obtain their party line for the 2012 election. In the last election, the Republicans ran a non-Jewish candidate against Hikind who received an astounding 40% of the vote against Hikind in his super-Jewish district.

As for Greenfield, those close to him say that he is pleased at the hiring of Yeger as campaign manager. Apparently, one of the main reasons that Greenfield would not endorse Assemblyman David Weprin in his race for Congress was that Weprin refused to take Greenfield’s advice about outreach to the Orthodox community including apologizing for giving a speech stating that same-gender marriage is compatible with Orthodox Jewish religious beliefs. Weprin, who is Orthodox, refused to apologize for his controversial speech and went on to lose his race for Congress. By hiring Yeger, Fidler is sending a clear message to Greenfield that he values his input and will continue his record as a friend of the Orthodox Jewish community these sources say.

One Greenfield associate who spoke on the condition of anonymity, explained that Greenfield will meet this week with Fidler to discuss his positions on increased funding for yeshivas. “Funding for yeshiva education is Greenfield’s number one issue in the State. Fidler has a great track record in the City on these issues, but in the State these issues are more complex,” the source explained. “If Fidler agrees with Greenfield’s positions, it will go a long way in locking down his full support for Fidler’s senate race.”

(Daniel Miller – YWN)