A runoff election for three candidates who received the top votes, but failed to receive the majority vote, in the Crown Heights elections this month will take place next week.
In the June 13 election, only one candidate, Zaki Tamir, passed the 50% mark required to be elected for the Vaad Hakohol – Crown Heights Jewish Community Council.
On Monday, Monsey Dayan Rabbi Avrohom Rosenberg, joined by Kiryat Gat Chief Rabbi Moshe Havelin, Ramat Gan dayan Rabbi Binyomin Kuperman, Eilat Chief Rabbi Yosef Hecht and Lod’s Chabad Rabbi Baruch Yurkowitz, ruled that the runoff will take place on Tuesday, July 6 between the three other top contenders.
The runoff will include Fishel Brownstein, Yossi Hackner and Shea Hecht, numbers 2, 3 and 4 respectively both in the initial count and in the recount.
The Beis Din also settled other issues raised after the elections, such as:
• If any of the parties will ask that the polls shall be open for an hour or two later on election day, they may accommodate that request if they get it in a timely fashion.
• The election board shall be the same board that took care of the initial election, with the cost to be borne by the CHJCC (Vaad Hakohol).
• The polling place shall be the same as the initial elections. Security and monitors shall be provided as at the initial election.
Rabbi Rosenberg also stressed that campaigning must remain positive, and candidates should refrain from negative campaigning against their opponents, noting that “unfortunately, some of the campaigning for the initial election was negative, and consisted of name-calling etc.”
He suggested that “this campaign should be waged by pointing out the virtues of the candidates, instead of the negatives of the competing candidates.”
A second letter Rabbi Rosenberg sent to COLlive on Tuesday, Tammuz 17:
As I am getting emails and seeing internet postings, questioning why the runoff didn’t happen earlier, and throwing blame on certain people that it’s their fault, I feel compelled to set the record straight.
1. The election took place on Sunday, June 13.
2. Before doing the runoff we needed a recount.
3. It was very clear that my presence is needed during the recount, and during the runoff.
4. I was not available (due to prior commitments) the whole week of June 13.
5. On Monday, June 21 my daughter got married.
6. I was available for a few hours on Sunday the 20th, Tuesday the 22nd and Wednesday the 23rd.
7. The recount took 2 days.
8. If we would of started Sunday the 20th we would of ended Tuesday the 22nd. Instead we had a meeting Sunday the 20th and we started Tuesday the 22nd and ended next day Wednesday the 23rd.
9. Regardless if the meeting was important or not, it delayed the recount by 1 day.
10. During the Sheva Brochois of my daughter I couldn’t schedule a runoff.
11. Thereafter I was not available yesterday the 28th and tomorrow the 30th (due to prior commitments). Today is a fast day.
12. So the first available day was this Thursday, July 1st.
13. At the meeting all participants felt that next Tuesday is more suitable.
14. So if anybody is to blame it’s my schedule and my Simcha.
15. During the last week the Bais Din was busy dealing with several issues regarding the runoff which were explained in a previous email. This didn’t cause any delay.
I just want to understand: why are we having a runoff between these three? Why don’t we just take the next two and not have any runoff? Did they all receive over a certain percentage or something? Otherwise, why stop the runoff at the top three (after the winner)??
Don’t speak for g-d, he can speak for himself.
The Rebbe never said there must be Yechi signs in 770, and the Rebbe never said ‘You must say Yechi’ either.
By the way, it seems that you disagree with you fellow ‘Yechiest’ in No. 28 who says it’s Halachah because Rabbi Marlow said so. And that’s the normal thing that happens with pathetic practices, first you start the practice and then you find a reason…
Where is the Psak, what does it say
Was it a PSAK or did he ALLOW it?
And since when does one Rov’s psak have the strength of the Shulchan Oruch?
TO NUMBER 30 DEVAR HASHEM IS HALACHA THE REBBE SPOKE ABOUT SAYING YECHI ON THE 2ND OF NISSAN SO ITS HALACHA…………………………………………………………………………………..
Dayan Rosenberg has been a Shliach min HaShomiyim.
Hopefully once the chjcc vote is completed, he can stir the process for the election of a a third experienced, honored and independently spirited Rov for our community
#28 ? Hello? What halacha in Shulchan Aruch? Chelek? Chapter? Verse?
You sound like one of those who go around saying “We need achdus.” Seeing that the matter is closed then why not have achdus? Just conform to your opinion.
We can’t vote on a psak din. Rabbi Marlow already decided to have the Yechi signs in 770. This psak is Lolom Voed
It is just like voting whether we should fast on Tisha B’av,
If a referendum on an important issue were bundled in the runoff of 7/6, it would boost turnout. HOWEVER it would need to be a non-binding referendum on an issue upon which community opinions should anyway be analyzed. What issue? As suggested on one of these blogs: Yechi signs. VOTE: (a) Don’t care either way; (b) Absolutely stay; (c) Leave them; (d) Prefer removal with consensus; (e) Offensive and must go. Communal opinion is important to know (we can safely assume out of town opinion) for the following basic practical reason: Everyone wants a new building; No building permit will… Read more »
If we are concerened about L.H. (as we should be) skip the election and make it a 4 man VAAD
Er.. so you want to fill up an entire summer with endless losh horah and rachlius?
No way , better now than never. if you think its important you will be there.
If not just write on a blog and complain, how your summer vacation is more important that the future of CH.
I think the Rabbis are brilliant for having it now as the number. All you are doing is narrowing down the 2,3,4 in a truly representative election. 2 out of these three are gong to be the winners. Even if brownstein wins the majority of the three will be the new voice of CH. if brownstien loses then all three willbe th enew voice. either way the old vaad will not have the majoarity powere they had. Let’s just do teh vote and move on. The bottom line is that On July 7th our community will have a functioning vaad… Read more »
Why cant we wait to have the run off the same time as the third rabbi election? Traditionally run off elections brings out a very small turnout. This would not be a true representation of the community.
Just because some people want it now are we doing what is good for the community?
If everybody must vote for at least 2 candidates, it is inevitable that 2 candidates will receive 50 percent of the vote, and there is always that possibility that there will be a tie between 2 at exactly 50 percent, in which case I would imagine would create another runoff…
you are in the country for 2 months a year the rest you live in this community. Should you not make it a priority to vote? Besides which July 6 is a Tuesday, no one is taking away your inviolable weekend!
In the runoff, do candidates still need over 50% of the vote to get in, or do the two candidates with the highest number of votes (even if that is less than 50%) get in?
Why didn’t they make this runoff right after the election?
Remember vote early and often.
TO # 3: YOU ARE 100 % RIGHT, IT’S NOT GOING TO BE A FAIR ELECTION!!!
Can we arrange an absentee ballot. The results of the election will not truly reflect the voice of the Crown Heights residents if it takes place July 6 when so many are away. There might be alot of bad feeling over the results because of that.
If people feel this is important then they will make it a priority to be here for the election! People often change their plans because some urgent matter came up. This matter is urgent for the community, for our children and for the Rebbe who put so much time and effort into bringing peace to our community!
People work
maybe a ballot via a link on COL, ha ha now THAT’S a plan
nobody is interested anymoe
you lost momentum
There must be a way to vote remotely for us already in the country.
Can there not be a postal ballot, or a ballot upstate?
As much as the turnout at this last election was by far the biggest in CH history, the same way will this runoff be the smallest in CH history.
can anything be arranged for those who will be away. perhaps they can vote early. i am here now but i am not planning to be here then.
It’s good you put it into respective, a vote for fishel brownstein is a vote for kadaner/poltrak
The Rabbi deserves it big time!
Will this be a fair election if so many of CH residents are already away for the summer?
Vote for shea and kadaner – with zaki, this will be a great team bringing peace and oir to our shchunah.