By Crown Heights Netzigim
Marking a new era of community involvement and leadership, Crown Heights Shul representatives (Netzigim) invited the new Vaad Hakohol/CHJCC Board of Directors to an inaugural meeting to build on the success of the recent election. The meeting was graciously hosted by Agudas Israel on Tuesday evening 26 Sivan, July 2nd.
The new board includes Berel Hildeshaim, Chairman (and Rosh Hakohol), Shmuly Rosenstein, Vice Chairman, Meir New, Treasurer, Yitzie Kamman, Secretary, Zalman Friedman, Spokesperson and Dovid Halon, Director.
The first part of the gathering saw a significant step forward for Crown Heights: a vote establishing a Bylaws Committee dedicated to reviewing the rules governing community elections and voting. The goal is to update the bylaws to reflect the current needs and realities of our times.
Shul Representatives spoke about the need for broad representation in this transformative process. With every shul sending a representative, every segment of the community can have a voice and a stake in shaping our collective future, fostering an environment of transparency and collective decision-making.
If your shul is not yet participating, please speak with the shul management and encourage them to join. Please contact [email protected] for more information on joining.
Brainstorming future initiatives, the Representatives discussed ideas like developing a unified platform bringing Crown Heights shuls and the broader community together. This would strengthen the bonds within our community and create a more cohesive and supportive environment for all members.
As the Vaad Hakohol and CHJCC Board of Directors joined the session, the Shul representatives extended congratulations on behalf of the community, as well as the community’s eagerness to support their success. The floor was then opened for the Vaad to share their vision and the early progress they have made on various fronts. Representatives relayed questions and suggestions from their respective shul members, offering insights into how the Vaad can further enhance its role in benefiting the community.
The meeting concluded on a high note, characterized by a palpable sense of unity, energy, and mutual understanding—a true embodiment of ‘achdus’. This gathering not only signifies a step forward in community engagement but also sets a precedent for future collaboration and dialogue.
Shul representatives offer heartfelt gratitude to an anonymous sponsor of the refreshments, whose generosity reflected the spirit of giving and community that is the lifeblood of Crown Heights.
Shul representatives: 770 Congregation Lubavitch (Gruenberg) 94 Shul (Kuperman) 96 Shul (Lazaroff) 99 Class Shull (534 Empire) (Rimler, Chanin) Agudas Israel (Karp) Ahavas Achim- Empire Shtiebel (Simon, Lerner) Aliya- Bais Laime (Feiglin) Anshei Lubavitch (Leshes) Anshei Rubishov (Rugalsky) Anshe Moshe (Negin, Pais) Bais Binyamin (Berkowitz) Beis David Gershon (Felberman) Beis Gimpel Chaim (Breshevitzki) Beis Menachem Mendel (lefferts) (Reinitz) Beis Shmuel (Dubroff) Bnei Solomon Zalman-Frankel shul (Caplan, Adelstein) Chabad Sterling (Kahanov) Chovevei Torah- Murphy Shul (Leshes, Zulaf) Chug Yaakov Yehuda (Hecht) Congregation Anash Chabad (935 EP) (Goldstein, Weiszner) Eliyahu Nachum- Adath Israel-Lefferts (Simpson) Getzel Shul (Avrohom Eliyahu) (Plotkin, Spinner) Hadar Hatorah (Weisz) Ktav Sofer (Brownstein, Maness) Menachem’s Shul (Wilhelm) Mitzvah Center (Chayo) Mishkan Menachem- JCM (Berghoff) Nosson’s Shul (Wilhelm) Ohel Nosson (Kaminetzky, Webb) The Besht Center (Freidman) The Shul (Chein) Tzeirei anash (Langzam) Unzer Shul (Simon) The Lincoln Place Shul (Shushan) Rayim Ahuvim (Katzman, Fuss) Torah Utefilah – Shain Cong Tiferes (Shain, Gansburg)
If your shul doesn’t yet have a representative, please reach out to [email protected] for more information
Safety in the community?
As with every year as summer comes in the heat bears down on us. Crime goes up. As we’ve R”L saw sone incidences the last week or 2. Are you guys talking about it? Care about it? Interested at all to confront this issue in any way ???
Real politicians whining and dining, talking about everyone else’s problems while patting themselves on the back. What about us, the constituents? It’s been weeks, and we’ve seen no progress or change. My fear is this will drag on for the next 14 years. The election felt like a summer color war—a nice spectacle, but where’s the תכלית
Sad reality. Seems like History is repeating itself.
The time of elections promises were a dime a dozen. We were all hyped. Seeing the outcome of voters. Etc etc etc.
so disappointing. So sad.
Same to you as above
This is all a waste of time. It’s been almost two months since the election, and nothing has been accomplished. The same old bureaucracy at play! A Bylaws Committee? More like a stalling tactic to avoid real change. All this talk about broad representation and transparency is just that—talk. We need action, not more meetings and empty promises. The so-called “early progress” is invisible to the rest of us. It’s just the same people acting like they’re doing something important while the community sees no real improvement. Enough with the empty words—it’s time to actually get things done!
They’re calling for more shuls to join. How about your shul joins and gets them to do things.
Makes no sense to tell a group of volunteers, which are calling for more to join them and help them get things moving, that they aren’t doing anything.
And never heard back
One month in.
And all we have is photo ops.
Looks like more of the same.
None from Chevra
Did anyone at Chevra ASK for a seat at the table?
Dear Committee Members,
We urge you to contribute generously to our local schools today. By investing in education now, we can lift the burden from families, enabling them to thrive. This will, in turn, create a more prosperous community that will give back in the long run.
The schools in c.h. are going Bananas with tuition costs, maybe the new leaders can help figure out a solution to this problem.
Keep dreaming
You elected the Mayor too. Why don’t you asked him to solve this issue?
The senator and representative too.
How about the president of the US.
Please don’t think anyone who got elected for something specific now needs to care for all you needs.
Especially if they are volunteering.
The lack of female representation of a 50% (at least) portion of the community is astounding. We can do better.
Female input and suggestions are always welcome. And the vaad welcome Input and suggestions from all (2) Genders, Especially on topics pertaining to woman’s issues. But as you can very well understand its not tznius to have men and women together in such a role. If you are married ask you husband to mention it or your local netzig on the shull you go to. The 50% claim is ridiculous. Why are there not 50% women construction workers, or ceo’s or Astronauts, Neurosurgeons, Scientists, etc. Don’t drink the new age cool aid. The reality is there are certain areas in… Read more »
I have yet to hear of a reasonable explanation why women can not vote for community board elections. What aspect of the voting process requires any level of tznius different than any regular community process? Even shuls which involve prayer and some heightened level of tznius, there’s mechitzas, but women are welcome. What is going on here? Are the men afraid of women? (I’m male, btw).
please explain how you expect to get an answer if CAN’T put your name. you don’t want an explanation you simple want to make noise.
According to Equal Protection Clause of the 14th amendment, women have an equal right to be treated equally under the secular law which the CHJCC is subject to because it is a non-religious secular corporation whose function is distribute public grant funds and assist in providing affordable housing, which is different than the Vaad Hakol which is a religious corp – The problem is there should have been separate elections and separate bylaws for the Vaad Hakol(religious corp) and CHJCC ( non religious corp).
Equal opportunity does not mean 50% quotas or having pianos placed in shuls.
Jay S,
There are separate bylaws for the vaad and the chjcc
it’s important to remember that these individuals are volunteers. They have families, jobs, and personal responsibilities, just like the rest of us. Their commitment to our community is commendable, but there are limits to what they can achieve. Some community members seem to expect the Vaad Hakohol to arrange their Pesach and summer vacations or to explain why no one from our community has won the lottery. These expectations are unrealistic. The Vaad Hakohol were elected to address specific issues, and they have only recently begun their work. It’s unreasonable to expect them to have already built five subsidized apartment… Read more »