By COLlive reporter
New York City Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa paid a late-night visit to the Crown Heights neighborhood on Thursday.
He visited the Sukkah of local resident Noochie Gross and participating in the joyous Simchas Beis Hashoeiva all night dancing on Kingston Avenue.
The Guardian Angels founder, who is facing Democrat socialist Zohran Mamdani and former governor Andrew Cuomo, was joined by former NY Assemblyman Dov Hikind.
During his walk through the community, Sliwa reflected on several powerful memories and connections that deeply moved him.
Sliwa shared that during the Crown Heights riots of 1991, he visited the neighborhood and attended a farbrengen with the Rebbe. He recalled vividly how “the Rebbe was staring at me,” an image he says has stayed with him ever since.
When the group reached the corner of President Street and Brooklyn Avenue, Sliwa immediately pointed out the exact spot where Yankel Rosenbaum was murdered during the 1991 Crown Heights riots. He remembered the details clearly, reflecting on the tragedy that shook the Jewish community and reaffirmed his longstanding connection to the neighborhood.
Sliwa also spoke emotionally about Shmuel Schrage, founder of the Maccabees Volunteer Safety Patrol, who passed away in 1979. “He inspired me to start the Guardian Angels,” Sliwa said, crediting Schrage’s vision for community protection as the model that helped shape his own organization.
As Sliwa made his way through Crown Heights, residents and visitors alike embraced him, cheering him on and expressing their support. He later visited R’ Moshe Rubashkin’s Sukkah, where a crowd of out-of-towners recognized him and eagerly came to meet him.
While viewing photos of the Rebbe and his father, Harav Levi Yitzchak Schneerson, Sliwa asked thoughtful questions about their history—inquiring about Reb Levik’s imprisonment in Chile and his long separation from his son, the Rebbe. “He really wanted to know the details,” one attendee said.
Even as the night stretched past 2:00 a.m., Sliwa showed no signs of wanting to leave. “His staff had to remind him it was time to go,” one observer recounted. “He wanted to walk back to the crowd again—it was amazing.”
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Curtis is great, but him staying in the race is securing zohran memdani to be the next mayor.
Let cuomo leave and it will be republican vs democrat, as it should be.
A republican is not winning in the current climate in NYC
That’s what it looks like to me also. If he’s genuinely concerned about the future of NYC and/or possibly the Jewish community he would concede and drop out, as I’m sure he’s aware he has zilch chance to win in this mayoral campaign. Sorry but I don’t think he’s such a truly sensitize or caring person.
Cuomo should drop out
And then easy victory tor the Islamist, New Yorkers of today are so leftists they’d rather vote for an Islamist than a Republican
Halacha says we vote for whoever’s policies are closest to Torah lchavdil because none of them are actually Torah. The other two candidates have policies that go against Torah. We do what we’re supposed to rather than speculating about the odds within nature. We want Moshiach now. We busy ourselves with avodas Hashem, serving Him bsimcha etc. and at this time, a little bit of hishtadlus (plan to vote and vote) and a lot of Torah, tefilla (including tehillim) tzeddukah. In any case, it’s good to show that there is support of a candidate who has good policies. Politicians see… Read more »
So nice to see!!!!! Quick question: why is Williamsburg endorsing Mamdani???????? They’ve invited him to thru Sukka with big Askinim President !!!!! It’s slap in the face to all yidden!!!!!!!!
At least some people (Williamsburg askanim) are preparing a plan B.
Where was the preemptive action for this disaster that everyone thinks mamdani will bring?!?
Where was the mezuza campaign? The wave of shabbos candles and Tefilin wrapping? Where were the hours of extra learning? Where was everything that everyone did post October seventh for Israel?
Let’s get real hamas published a statement that they will bring October seventh to NY. Let’s not let it happen. Together.
Because they realize he’s gonna win… better to have him as friend when it happens than am enemy.
Because you think he will be a friend ? That’s that kind of profoundly naive thinking that led to the pogrom of October 7th, you clearly have learned nothing from history, same goes for Williamsburg eventually they will be packing including you , we had many Mamdani in Europe already in the last few decades and we tried to make friends but it always ended bad just ask the Belgium or French Jews
Obvious not voting for him , but since he has a real chance it was a meet and greet to keep the door open a crack
A vote for him is a vote for Mamdani
If this putz would just get out of the race, we would stop Mamdani. The polls show that Cuomo can win. And I say this as a registered Republican, who almost only votes for Republicans. Cuomo is a bad man, but he is not an unrepentant antisemite like Mamdani. Sliwa will never be forgiven if he remains in this race.
Cuomo was supposed to stop running when he lost dem primary and let Adams stay in the race as the one independent, as Adams had announced he would do well before the primary. And Eric Adams is actually independent. He looks at what works rather than if it’s according to party lines. Sliwa looks at what works too. Falling into all these strategies based on contrived polling systems (If there was a poll in CH BEFORE Adams dropped out, he would have had the overwhelming majority from all demographics in CH — except maybe the secular yuppy voters, though maybe… Read more »
A majority of hardcore sliwa voters have reported that they would rather vote for no one than vote for cuomo/mamdani. If sliwa drops out, a big chunk of voters would just stay home instead of voting.
if everyone who thought sliwa was the right choice would vote for him, who knows who would win. but since everyone assumes there’s not enough sliwa wanters they say to vote for someone who is not as preferred to avoid someone who is wanted even less. but if someone simply wants to vote for who they want to be mayor, they’re manipulated into not voting who they want. so, basically, clean and honest people are being asked to play politics.
Hey nice work
Curtis should Join Cuomo to beat Mamdami – Please
Might as well vote according to your conscience and who you actually support and who actually supports you.
Satmar were always smart! They will get more money, food stamps, benefits etc from Socialist Mandami. That’s what matters. To help their kehilah! They are smart. They take care of themselves. Screw everyone else. Are we smart?
Enough with this selfish fool. I am a registered Republican who almost always votes for Republicans exclusively. I will not forgive him if he stays in the race, as it is clear that we can stop Mamdani if Sliwa leaves. We need to stop indulging him. No community will be damaged more by Sliwa’s continued presence in the race, than ours. I do not like Mr. Cuomo, who is a bad man, but he is preferable to the antisemite.