Candidate For New York’s Governor Seat Visits Crown Heights To Meet With Community Leaders
by CrownHeights.info
Candidate for Governor of New York Tom Suozzi visited Crown Heights Thursday afternoon for a meeting with community leaders and activists.
The meeting was coordinated by Crown Heights activist Rabbi Yaakov Behrman and Jacob Scheiner Tom Suozzi’s office and held at the offices of NCFJE on Eastern Parkway, were community leaders and activists including NCFJE’s Rabbi Shea Hecht, Rabbi Yaakov Behrman, Gadi Hershkop from Crown Heights Shomrim, Rabbi Laizer Avtzon from the Association of Crown Heights Shuls, Avi Lesches, Yosef Hershkop, and Crown Heights businessman Shaya Gordon.
Thomas Richard Suozzi is an attorney and accountant who recently represents New York’s 3rd district in congress. Suozzi was the county executive of Nassau County from 2002 to 2009, and was first elected to the post in 2001 after four terms as mayor of Glen Cove, New York.
One thing is for sure, Suozzi definitely knows Chabad.
“It looks like he is genuinely close to chabad,” said Yosef Hershkop, a Crown Heights activist and healthcare executive. “He was able to name thirty shluchim on Long Island without having to be couched.”
A look in recent history shows Suozzi having been in attendance at multiple Chabad events in the area of Long Island which he represents.
At the meeting, important topics and relevant issues were raised, including lowering taxes, Yeshiva education, and the mandating vaccinations.
Wholeheartedly agreeing with the issues raised, Suozzi noted the need to work through the issues created by the vaccine mandates which have been causing small businesses significant harm. He also made his belief that yeshivas should not be forced to conform to state instituted educational guidelines, saying that only in extenuating circumstances does he believe state intervention is warrented.
Suozzi showed his understanding of the needs of the Orthodox Jewish community, mirroring his own religious – if not Jewish – upbringing.
He also recognized the dedication made to the Crown Heights Jewish community by Gadi Hershkop, a coordinator in Crown Heights Shormim, by presenting him with a special coin he hands out to those who dedicate their lives to their community.
Following his meeting, Suozzi was taken on a tour of the Rebbe’s Library, where he was shown the Chabad treasures there, and impressed on the mesiras nefesh given for their escape from Russia.
The visit is notable as Crown Heights was the first Chassidic community to endorse Eric Adams for mayor garnering for Adams some 4500 votes.
Crown Heights United released a statement following the meeting :
“Tom was impressive, and has a serious track record of leadership and experience in government.
Crown Heights United has not yet endorsed a candidate in the race for Governor. We will continue to meet with candidates as we get closer to election day, and are committed to consulting and working with local Mosdos and Askonim before making an endorsement. Our hope is that we can all come to an agreement as a community and throw our support behind one candidate”
