By COLlive reporter
Incoming New York State Senator Jesse Hamilton held an Inauguration Ceremony and Swearing-In on Sunday, January 18, a day before Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
A culturally diverse crowd showed up at the St. Francis de Sales School for the Deaf Auditorium on Eastern Parkway reflecting his constituency at Brooklyn’s 20th district.
Speakers at the inauguration included Mayor Bill de Blasio and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, Hamilton’s predecessor and top political backer during the elections.
Honored with delivering the invocation for the 1,000 people in attendance was Rabbi Shimon Herz, Director of the Shalom Senior Center in Crown Heights.
Among the musical performances at the event was a Jewish one: Students from the Lamplighters Yeshivah singing about uplifting our surroundings and bringing light into this world.
“This is a song we sing every morning as we prepare for prayer,” student Meir Schack said. “We start our day with the awareness that each one of has been granted a G-d-given mission to increase light and uplift our surroundings.”
He said the words of the prayer Ma Tovu Oholecha Yaakov “reminds us of the Jewish tenet to love each and every person like ourselves and to dedicate ourselves to bettering the world for all humankind.”
go zaidy!!!!! u rock
I believe the rabbi was correct singling out Israel. Most African Americans are unaware the Dr martin luther king was a big supporter of Israel and the Jewish people. Many Jews were at the forfront of the Civil movement. There fore the rabbi was totally correct to single out Israel.
I understand that the rabbi’s usual way is to express such a prayer that includes Israel. I think that in this case it would be appropriate to mention other places in the world that are suffering or in conflict. Or just make a sincere general prayer for all places in the world that are struggling in some way. It is my opinion that when asked to speak to a varied public, one consider all of the people to be included in the prayer. I felt the rest was great. I’d be interested in opinions about this. I’m not looking for… Read more »
Rabbi Shimon very nice put!!! The Rebbes man to the world … New York leads the way B”H B”H B”H
What a great Invocation. Covered all grounds. A real kiddush hashem
Shimon, your friendship and loyalty is immensely appreciated.
Morning minyan: (PART II, if you know what I mean).
PS they haven’t been breaking my chops lately).
The rabbi spoke beautifully. We are the lamplighters of the world and we should never forget that
Go Lamplighters Yeshivah!