By COLlive reporter
Photos: Shalom Burkis/COLlive
New York State Governor Kathy Hochul was the guest speaker at the annual Crown Heights Jewish Community Council Brunch on Sunday.
The Governor was a special guest at the brunch held at the Razag Hall, along with Mayor Eric Adams, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, New York State Attorney General Letitia James, and many other City and State elected officials and community leaders.
Rabbi Michael Miller – CEO Emeritus of Jewish Community Relations Council of New York served as the Master of Ceremonies, and remarks were given by Rabbi Chanina Sperlin – Exec VP of Crown Heights Jewish Community Council and Rabbi Eli Cohen – Executive Director, Crown Heights Jewish Community Council.
The honorees included Adrienne Adams – Speaker, New York City Council, Joel Eisdorfer – Senior Advisor to the Mayor, Ingrid Lewis-Martin – Chief Advisor to the Mayor and Isaac Werzberger – Entrepreneur and Philanthropist.
Also receiving honor were the Commanding Officers of NYPD 71st and 77th precincts, Jeremy Nicholson – Volunteer Coordinator for the Crown Heights food pantry during the COVID pandemic, Michael Cohen – Simon Wiesenthal Center Eastern Director, and Avi Lesches – Community Activist.
In her remarks, NY Governor Kathy Hochul, who has visited Crown Heights in the past, said she was delighted to be back in the neighborhood once again, and praised the efforts for a united community in Crown Heights.
“The [Crown Heights Jewish] community council and the collaboration across geographic, ethnic, racial, and religious boundaries, the way this community has come together for a common purpose, to lift all people up, is really a model that I want the rest of the nation to see,” Governor Hochul said. “30 years ago, our nation had a different perception of what it was like in Crown Heights. And the way this community has come together is a powerful testament to me, that in 2022 when we need signs of hope, just look at what has happened in Crown Heights.”
Governor Hochul praised the outreach in Crown Heights “to make sure that we are inclusive and honor the traditions steeped in this community,” she said.
“One of those traditions, that I have visited many times, is the education that is delivered to our Yeshivas,” the Governor said, as she pledged she will “stand by the community and the Yeshivas.”
The Governor also said she plans to continue to provide funding for STEM education as well as for security grants for the Yeshiva schools, saying that what happened in Texas last week was a “wakeup call.”
The event also celebrated One Crown Heights, a coalition working to bring together members of the African American, Jewish and Caribbean communities to create a more harmonious
atmosphere in Crown Heights and in the City as a whole.
In attendance were: Master of Ceremonies Rabbi Michael Miller – CEO Emeritus of Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, New York State Attorney General Letitia James, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, Rabbi Eli Cohen – Executive Director, Crown Heights Jewish Community Council, NY City Council Members Crystal Hudson, Rita Joseph, and Chi Osse, Chair of the Jewish Caucus Council Member Eric Dinowitz, Adrienne E. Adams – Speaker, New York City Council, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, Rabbi Chanina Sperlin – Exec VP of Crown Heights Jewish Community Council,
Honorable Ingrid Lewis-Martin – Chief Advisor to the Mayor, Joel Eisdorfer – Senior Advisor to the Mayor, Assembly Member Brian Cunningham, Assembly Member Simcha Eichenstein, Assembly Member Elect Monique Chandler-Watterman, Assembly Member David Weprin, Assembly Member Stephanie Zinerman, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office – Fred Kreizman, Isaac Werzberger – Entrepreneur and Philanthropist, Police Commissioner Kechant Sewell, Chief Michael Kemper – Patrol Borough Brooklyn South, NYPD Inspector Richie Taylor, Deputy Inspector Tony Brown – Commanding Officer 77th precinct, Inspector Joseph Hayward – Commanding Officer 71st precinct, Consul General of Israel Assaf Zamir, Deputy Consul General of Israel Yisrael Nitzan, Jeremy Nicholson – Volunteer Coordinator food pantry during the COVID pandemic, Michael Cohen – Simon Wiesenthal Center Eastern Director, Avi Lesches – Community Activist, Deputy Commissioner Caban of NYPD, David Haskiel – Police Liaison for the Sphardic Community, Pinny Hikind – from Comptroller Brad Lander’s office, Congressional Candidate NY-D10 Brian Robinson and Deputy Commissioner of Office of Emergency Management Ira Tenenbaum.
VIDEO: Full event remarks
VIDEO: Rabbi Eli Cohen addresses ProtectChinuch.com.
Did anyone have the necessary pride to question her on the proposed mandates for NYS yeshivos that we all have been signing petitions to combat?
Is she promising to veto any bills that are detrimental to Yeshivos?
That’s a big promise.
The Governor cannot interfere in certain governmental processes–there is a system set up already.
Talk, talk, talk.
How’s the “new” Governor working out for you in NY? How about that “new” Mayor?
People like this new Governor because of the endless food stamps she is giving them while the middle class is just getting poorer……I work with nothing to show for it. And the new mayor, well, he did put a homeless task force on the streets to “ask” the homeless if they would like to go to the shelters. You know, it’s not right to “force” people. Did you see the homeless screaming down montgomery ? These people are a danger!
Hey brother, I’m moving this summer to Florida. I totally hear you.
Furthermore, the Governor can implement “policies” and “mandates” that may ultimately be challenged in Court but that can take a long time.
Is she promising that her policies and/or mandates will not be harmful to Yeshivos?
Will the Governor stand by us in our times of need? How about that new Mayor?
Oh, how was the food? The smiley photos look nice…
It’s an election year so she says what we want to hear the same people in that room told us de blasio and Cuomo were our friends
I think we’re safe for at least the next month
איזה צלם! תמונות מושלמות!
The Governor can fire officials who are looking to stir up problems in the Jewish and Muslim communities. The Governor *should* fire such anti-semitic and anti-Muslim secularist bigots. The Yeshivos need to be protected and anything short of actively stopping the proposed guidelines, which will be stopped from Above if necessary, turns any other comments and appearances into insults. Her words are spot on if there’s corresponding action and are insulting mockery if there isn’t. The choice is her’s and that of other NY offiicals.
Its time to tell these elected officials that they should allow Chabad women and men to speak in the public schools. Both in elementary and in high school. In order to combat all the lies told to these kids about Jews/Chasidim living in Crown Heights!
Just by the fact that these kids would see and hear us it may change some of their misconceptions of Jewish people
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Can you imagine if there was a demonstration outside with hundreds of kids holding signs “stay out of our yeshivas” wouldn’t that be much more effective than signatures on a piece of paper?? In any case, it would’ve been a very strong statement! Oh but wait, that wouldn’t look good for the photo ops, oh well. Which actually brings me to my next point, the dysfunction is unbelievable!! Here you have a community fighting against NYS and at the same time, the same community is inviting the governor for brunch!! It would be hilarious if it wasn’t sad…
on the Jem video they made about the Rebbe’s view on anti semitism, from my understand the Rebbe didn’t like demonstrations and protests, that they dont accomplish much. The way to deal with it is through building connections and peaceful communication…. with the politicians.
That was in connection to the USSR, that demonstrations would actually harm the Russian Jews.
Well actually dialog and having strong relationships is the best way to change minds, get people to see you point of view, and influence legislation – which is exactly what they are doing.
If you want to have your voice heard – you contact your local politicians. Its very easy to be critical
Her wording was very vague. “I will stand by the Yeshivas”. Her concrete pledge is to fund STEM and security for Yeshivas, but we need a concrete pledge to protect the CURRICULUM and AUTONOMY of Yeshivas, not a vague, general show of support.
Come on, Crown Heights leaders, don’t you know the old phrase, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times, shame on both of us.” How is Mayor Adams who you all supported, working out for NYC??? I mean SERIOUSLY, are you really going to support those Democrats AGAIN??!! For shame!!!