Democratic voters in Brooklyn have primaries they can vote in today that in most cases will determine the eventual winner of the election. The most hotly contested race in the Jewish community is between Mordechai Avigdor, the former lawyer for Agudas Yisroel of America and Ruchie Frier the founder of Ezra’s Nashim – an all female ambulance service. They are vying to replace Noach Dear in the civil court for Boro Park and parts of Flatbush. Judge Dear was recently promoted to State Supreme Court – New York’s main trial court.
Also today, is a county-wide race between Connie Melendez and Odessa Kennedy for Civil Court.
There is also contested race for New York State Assembly and Senate in Southern Brooklyn. Senator Roxanne Persaud is being challenged by Mercedes Narcisse. Senator Persaud has the support of most elected officials. However, Mercedes Narcisse has the backing of Charles & Inez Barron.
In the New York State Assembly, AssemblyMember Pam Harris is being challenged by Kate Cucco. AssemblyMember Harris has the support of Councilman David Greenfield.
Also in the New York State Assembly is an open seat to replace Assemblyman Jim Brennan. Attorney Robert Carrol is running as is Troy Odendhal, a radio producer, and Rob Curry-Smithson, a history teacher. Mr. Carrol used to work for Councilman Greenfield who is supporting his candidacy, as well.
Finally, there are four local uncontested races today that don’t require any votes and because they have no completion these four are essentially guaranteed to be elected in November: Senator Simcha Felder is running unopposed on the Republican, Democratic and Conservative lines. Assemblyman Dov Hikind is running unopposed on the Democratic line. Hikind also resigned from his leadership post in the a Democratic Party and hand-selected his 22 year old aide to replace him as Democratic Male State Committeeman. Hikind’s young aide, Duvid Schwartz, is running unopposed for the unpaid party position. He will join Sharon Fuchs who also works for Assemblyman Dov Hikind and is also running unopposed for Democratic Female State Committeewoman.
(Charles Gross – YWN)
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22 Responses
Ruchie has been a leader in advocating a greater role for frum Jewish women in the tzibur in both religious and civil matters. Her persona, knowledge and derech eretz throughout this campaign are a model as to how political debate should be conducted. She should have the support of the progressive segment of the frum electorate who are too captive to the traditional male politicians who grovel for the vote by pandering to some rabbonim and askanim at centralized organizations for block vote endorsements and then just more of the status quo.
Gadolhador, most people don’t agree with you. I know Noach Dear personnaly and he is committed to help all citizens. No need to seek greener grass or insult our civil servants.
#1 is right, since the frum politicians know they get the block vote the tuition crisis exists as nothing changes. sounds very democratic to have all the frum people running unopposed just like in the soviet union.
No one is saying that Noah Dear or any of the other politicans are “crooked” or engaging in anything inappropriate. However, most of the names listed are part of an “old boy” network (literally and figuratively who follow the same model of getting elected and focusing on getting reelected by satisfying block voting constituencies. My only point is that Ruchie would be a change from the status quo and has run her campaign in a refreshingly positive manner.
Thank you to the arrogantly and ignorantly named Ms. Gadolha”bore”a for encapsulating your anti Torah shitah in one post.
Though Mrs. Frier has done much admirable work for the tzibur including founding the Ezras Noshim group, that was with the haskama of Rav Yechezkel Roth shlita one of the Rabonim of whom you insinuate are part of the status quo. I am not aware of Mrs. Frier advocating for a greater role for frum Jewish women in religious matters. In addition any Rav or organization that is tax exempt is prohibited from endorsing politicians. So your whole mocking groveling shtick is a figment of your “progressive” imagination. It’s high time for you Ms. Gagglehabora to stop groveling at the altar of your progressive womanmade religion.
Regardless I haven’t seen any campaign promises from Mrs. Frier to upend the status quo. I must say though that both Mr. Avigdor and Mrs. Frier have waged exemplary positive campaigns which should be a model for all politicians. Interestingly I only saw a poster from several not as well known Rabonim endorsing Ms. Frier entirely in Hebrew to avoid the above issue. I guess she must have groveled for it! I didn’t see any such signs for Mr. Avigdor. So I guess according to your fantasy world view she is from the status quo regime. I didn’t even discuss the Halachic issue of a women serving in such a public position. That is a another whole discussion.
KarlMarx!?; Candidates run unopposed because nobody challenges them. Though it does seem unseemly for candidates to run on both the Democrat and Republican lines.
Regarding the tuition crisis, that can only be resolved once we get rid of the Blaine amendment in the state constitution.
Agree with #1-Go Ruchie.
He won’t agree with me on this one: It’s Trump Time- Throw the previous bums out once and for all.
It’s curious that the article states that one of Ms. Freier’s major accomplishments, in fact her poster child accomplishment was the institution of an all female ambulance crew.
Firstly the vast majority of Rabbonim were vehemently opposed to it and secondly, as of today, it is virtually non-existent! If that’s her major accomplishment, oy v’avoy!
Reply to #1, Gadolhatorah, the way you denigrate Rabbonim makes me wonder if you’re from Korach’s progeny! You seem to even be plagiarising his diatribe!
Just voted for Ruchie Frier.
Uncle Ben,
I’m curious about your comment that ,
“In addition any Rav or organization that is tax exempt is prohibited from endorsing politicians.”
Uncle, please, we’re not naïve.
Word gets around the block what the deal is.
The fold knows which politico sitting at the large rebbe/rav table wearing a kipa, surrounded by fresh fruit and onlookers is the favorite.
Come on, Uncle, you know the deal.
I just voted against her.
Its interesting to note that the one with a “very positive campaign” manage to get a major New York City newspaper too destroy her frum opponent.
Plus, Uncle;
Some of us can read the heimishe loshon kodesh pashkevillin plastersd on lamp posts , some signed, some not, urging the faithful to vote for a specific candidate.
These come from orders.
To No. 6
“I didn’t even discuss the Halachic issue of a women serving in such a public I didn’t even discuss the Halachic issue of a women serving in such a public position”
You were wise to avoid getting into such a stupid debate over the inyan of women serving in office and whether or not it creates an issues under your distorted notion of halacha or daas torah. Currently, 25 percent of the MKs in EY are women (virtually all Jewish women with a few arab women MKs; 20 percent of the U.S. Congress are women; from your misogynistic views of women (crudely cloaked from a “uber-frum” perspective), they should stay home in the kitchen and be subordinate to men. Well crazy uncle Ben, they have not and will not. Ruchie is just one of a growing number of women who are not the WoW crazies or other stereotypes you’d like to create. They are an integral part of the leadership of the tzibur, whether you like it or not.
Check: He stole only $750,000.
Also the disbarment proceedings are technically for failing to make full and accurate disclosures on his Ethics Commission Financial Disclosure form filed as part of his application to run for the bench seat,
EZRA’S Nashim? I am not aware that Ezra has any nashim at all. The ambulance group that Ruchie started is called Ezras Nashim, meaning help for women and not Ezra’s women, as implied in the article.
Wow! Ms. Gagglehabora, you must have been really frothing at the mouth to unleash such a silly venomous diatribe against something I didn’t even say! You display your absolute ignorance of any Halachic matter by assuming because I said Halachic issue that I meant to imply a Halachic position. Perhaps you think the word issue means issur. There are two or more sides to many if not most Halachic issues including this one. I will still not discuss it as I am not qualified, unlike you who thinks that anyone who supposedly disagrees with your royal highness is exhibiting a “distorted notion of halacha or daas torah”. Seems that gadolhadora pen name is really affecting your thought patterns. Your mentioning of the number of women in the Knesset (a non halachic body) or the US Congress as a halachic reference is highly peculiar and very telling of your mindset. I have not exhibited any craziness in my posts so your petty name calling is just childlike schoolyard behavior as you refuse to defend your improper, arrogant and ignorant pen name.
Ziongate; I hear your point, however very often I see pictures of the same Rebbe/Rav meeting with opposing candidates. Also I suspect that many of the Yiddish pashkevilin come from paid activists for a specific candidate.
Hey – I’m not so sure that Livni or Zoabi consulted with their Daas Torah before running for parliament so let’s leave the gender make-up of the Knesset as a halachic presedence out of this discussion.
My reference to the numbers of women sitting in the Knesset and the U.S. Congress was in no way meant to imply that the changes in secular cultural norms had any relevance to Halacha, since there is no longer any question of whether women may hold public office under either secular or halacha. If the religious party MKs who take their direction from gadolei yisroel are comfortable sitting in the Knesset, debating with and voting along with women MKs, I would assume its not a big deal for them but perhaps in your mind it is. No chashuve rav has ever questioned the rights of women to run and serve for public office, but again, that’s NOT the reason to vote for Ruchie Frier and in a few hours we will know how many of BP’s voters agree with you.
Who did Ezra Friedlander support? I would ALWAYS vote AGAINST anyone he supports because they’re usually bad for Yidden and terrible for the USA.
Only lowlifes like Toayvah Quinn, Fat Jerry Nadler and other ousvorfes pay Ezra to promote their candidacy.
Historically, Brooklyn judgeships are sold to the highest bidder. The Democratic Party endorses the candidate that brings in the most money to the party and then the candidate continues to patronize the party by hiring employees selected by the party bosses.
In return the candidate has no opposition in November and runs under multiple lines.