I am writing this in response to the letter Yaakov Gold wrote. He starts off describing Councilman Lew Fidler, his history and accomplishments. He then attacks David Storobin for inaccuracies written in an opinion article — which may have been done unintentional.
There are many issues raised, but Mr. Gold went about this all wrong.
First, it makes no difference why David started to go to shul, and I have no personal knowledge when he started to go to shul. The very fact that David chose to start at an orthodox shul is a huge step in the right direction. If David really changed his name from Dimitri to David, then we should be commend him for wanting a Jewish name. Even if David started going to shul and went through a name change to benefit his campaign, the Gemara says, “Mitoch shelo lishma, ba lishma” (Pesachim 50b), which means one who does the right thing for reasons other than Hashem, will eventually do so for Hashem.
Second, David is considered a non-observant orthodox Jew. His beliefs are rooted in Orthodox Judaism, but he is not yet completely practicing. He strongly believes in the Torah and the Gemara. According to Jewish law, he is considered a tinok shenishba (captured infant).
Third, absent extraordinary circumstances, a person’s personal religious life should not be taken into account when voting for a candidate in American politics. This is a position I have publicly written to Yeshiva World News when I ran against Steven Cymbrowitz in 2010. It is more important to look at a voting record and/or current political positions that are important to our community. In September, we voted for a gentile over a Shomer Shabbat Jewish person because of same-gender marriage.
Fourth, there is no intentional lies here. It is a matter of miscommunication. Of course the job of an editor is to fact check information, but it is completely wrong to attack David for a mistake. It is true that Fidler never called Storobin a Nazi, but Fidler attacked Storobin, for having “ties to skinheads, and neo-Nazi groups, and white supremacist groups”. Also, if David wins, he would be the first [Republican] Russian-American elected to [public] office in [New York]. You can’t blame David if the interviewer misunderstood him. In addition, David never claimed to be observant-orthodox. He prays in an orthodox shul, so people made an assumption.
Finally, David is endorsed by many rabbis. These rabbis include Rabbi Haim Benoliel of Bnai Yosef (AKA the Sitt shul), Rabbi David Ozeirey of Yad Yosef, Rabbi Avrohom Schorr of Kahal Tiferes Yaakov, Rabbi Shlomo Stern (AKA the Debreciner Rav), and Rabbi Avrohom Nelkenbaum of Mirror Yeshiva.
Joseph Hayon
Mr. Hayon ran against Assemblyman Steve Cymbrowitz in 2010 on the Republican line. While he lost, he earned a respectable 43% of the vote.
NOTE: The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of YWN.
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10 Responses
I would much rather have a non-Jew or a non-frum Jew who shares strong values than a frum Jew who doesnt share frum values. America needs more true politically conservative politicians!!!
Well written. Straight and to the point. I’ll be voting for David Storobin come March 20th. Avrahom Rosenberg was able to pull off 25% of the vote in 2010 against Carl Kruger, with only $1000. It defiantly seems like Storobin is spending more then that. One less democrat in the office, is one more step in the right direction.
I met david storobin Motzai shabbos. He was asked point blank if he was fully orthodox. He answered clearly that he tries to keep laws of kashrus and observe shabbos and belongs to a frum shule and tries to observe other mitzvos. I was very impressed as this was a very straight forward answer from a politician, and showed that he was not at all trying to fool people that he was 100% frum.
Headline is slanted and shows bias. This is something we expect from the AP. We expect better from YWN.
I almost always vote for Democrats. However I am very upset @ let Fidler for taking away our right to vote a few years ago when he voted to extend Term Limits when this vote came up in the New York City Council a few years ago when the voters of NYC not once but twice voted for term limits. Therefore I am leaning towards voting for David Storobin since altough he never had a vote did not vote for this bill. If David Storobin wins it will send a big message to elected officials that we will not accept them taking away our right to vote.
Ummmmm…lots of typos ….you want this guy as an adviser to Dimitri??
While we always need to be dan l’kaf zchus, let’s not be blind sided nor fooled by Dimitri’s joining a frum shul – he’s not a stupid man but he IS a politician and has calculated well in advance that this move would likely score him needed brownie points in the frum circles.
Do we know when and why he changed his name?
Many more questions folks…
Yaakov Gold, YOU ROCK!!!!
I am amazed at the mean-spirited remarks of some of you regarding Storobin.
Personally, I know a lot of Rusian Jews who are trying to do their best to become more frum. To attack them for not being fully frum yet is DESPICABLE.
With all due respect to YWN, your headline —
“Storobin Adviser Admits He’s Not Frum” was unfair.
So what IS frum? If someone is lenient regarding “factory milk” (cholov stam), is he not frum? If someone is lenient regarding yoshon, is he not frum? If he doesn’t wear a gartel? If he doesn’t wear a hat for davenning? If he “shaves”? He eats gebrochts? Doesn’t use olive oil for Chanukah licht? Doesn’t daven Nusach Ari? Doesn’t go to the mikveh every day? Eats non-Glatt meat? Davens from an ArtScroll Siddur? Learns only 3 hours a day. Doesn’t daven k’vasikin? Davens at 9:00 on Shabbos?
Rabbosai, we are pushing away our brothers by presenting an all-or-nothing Yiddishkeit. Nobody is perfect. We all have weknesses.
To be frum, Yeshivish, or a Ben Torah, means one is committed to growth regardless of what level one is on. If growth and change are part of the curriculum, one is frum. If not, he could have the longest beard and payos, the longest coat, widest gartel, tallest shtreimal, longest Shmoneh Esrei, most selective kashrus, etc. and still not be frum. On the other hand one could wear a kippah serugah (sometimes), daven on Shabbos, try earnestly (to the best of ones knowledge) keep Shabbos and be frum. Amnon Yitzchok was shaving with a razor when he was already giving shiurim in Kitzur Shulchan Aruch! He hadn’t reach the section about shaving. But he was growing in his commitment, and helping others do the same.
Wow, this Storobin guy is out of control. He tries to accept more mitvos. Says he will support things that the community really wants. He tries to appeal to Rabbanim and Jewish leaders. What a buffon?
Hello, Mr Storobin, we only want money for Yeshivas. To Albany with the whole Torah talk… We want empty promises and a good Conservative Jew who stands for everything we dislike.
Save your pandering for a community that cares. We don’t. We just want to be lied to and represented by people that don’t care about us.
Enough of your trying to reach to our community and go to shul and be more frum.
No thanks. We already have a same sex relationship with the Democrats.
Frelichen Purim!
Rav avrohom schorr never endorsed anyone!!