New York State Senator Bill Weber met with Rabbanim and Askonim in New Hempstead on Tuesday night, October 15. The meeting took place at Kehillas Zichron Yakov (KZY) in New Hempstead and was attended by Rabbi Yosef Kaiser, Rav of KZY, Rabbi Shlomo Perlstein, Rav of Summit Park Shul, and Rabbi Moshe Dagani, Rav of Shaarei Tefillah of New Hempstead. (Rabbi Chaim Schabes, Rav of Knesses Yisroel of New Hempstead, met with the Senator during a separate meeting at an earlier meeting at Rabbi Avrohom Neuberger’s home). Abe Sicker, Mayor of New Hempstead and Trustee Shaya Schiffman, were also in attendance along with Avi Goldstein, New Hempstead community activist, and other community members.
Discussions included pressing concerns of how the Senator would be able to help the community with critical needs, including protecting Yeshiva education, ongoing crime, migration issues, high taxes, and ongoing issues with the exorbitant tax increase in the East Ramapo School District.
One particularly pertinent question that seemed to address the elephant in the room was when the Senator was asked how he, as a Republican, would be able to provide meaningful help on all of the issues brought up in a state where the Democrats hold the supermajority.
Rising to the occasion, the Senator’s words struck home when he pointed out that when Elijah Melnick served as the Democratic senator before losing his re-election bid to Senator Weber, he accomplished very little of value for the community. He actually did more harm than good, proving that even being a Senator in the majority doesn’t guarantee the delivery of meaningful assistance to the community.
“Not everything is about being in the position of power,” Senator Weber told those in attendance. “Our track record over the past two years proves that we have the wherewithal to pressure state agencies to assist constituents when needed. They don’t ask if I’m a Democrat or Republican when I call.”
“Micheal Rydelek, the Senator’s Director of Constituent Services, who I know personally is an absolute powerhouse,” Avi Goldstein said. “He is a wizard at being able to pressure state agencies and actually get things done in ways I can’t remember anyone else being able to accomplish. He is a major reason the Senator’s office was able to assist more than 1,500 individual cases over the past year.”
The Senator’s stalwart support of Yeshiva education, even beyond his work as a member of the New York State Education Committee, was recognized and was another integral component that brought about the support of the New Hempstead Rabbanim and Askonim on no uncertain terms.
“Senator Weber has a proven track record of success in working for the needs of our community,” Goldstein stated.” He deserves our support.”
“I am grateful for the support the New Hempstead Rabbis and community leaders have thrown behind my campaign,” Senator Weber stated. “I truly value their endorsement and plan to be worthy of assisting on all fronts discussed plus more.”
Are there only 2 Rabbunim in new Hempstead?