“Your Brother Helped Me Believe Again”

By COLlive reporter
Photos: Sholem Srugo/COLlive

New York State Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul visited Crown Heights to express support and encouragement to the community after the attack on the Chabad House in Poway, California and other unfortunate incidents of anti-Semitism over the past few weeks.

“On behalf of the Governor and the people of this State, I have come to tell the residents of Crown Heights that we stand with you and will assist in any way we can at this difficult moment,” she said.

The Lieutenant Governor was introduced to Rabbi Sholom Ber Goldstein, brother of Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, leader of Chabad of Poway in California who was injured in the shooting attack on his synagogue.

“Your brother’s beautiful words following the attack helped me believe again in humanity,” Hochul told him.

Rabbi Yosef Braun, member of the Beis Din of Crown Heights, joined Goldstein and Rabbis Eli Cohen and Chanina Sperlin of the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council in a wide-ranging discussion about ways to address the increase in violence.

Particularly, they spoke about the “Moment of Silence” proposal which would allow children in public schools a moment each day at school to contemplate that which is important to them.

The Lieutenant Governor promised to bring the ideas back to the Governor and the Legislature.