Op-Ed: Crown Heights’s Deep State
by Anonymous
The neighborhood is buzzing with conversation about the upcoming elections for Vaad Hakohal.
Unfortunately, there is a systemic issue, that if not addressed, will prevent any real change from coming to our community.
You see voting in the Vaad Hakohal elections is futile when considering the entrenched bureaucracy that persists. The Crown Heights Jewish Community Council is dominated by long-standing apparatchiks. An entire nomenklatura, many of them entirely unelected, functions essentially as a Crown Heights deep state.
Over the years of their presence, they have consistently failed to deliver meaningful value to the Crown Heights Jewish community.
Consequently, many vital programs and services come from external organizations rather than the Council itself.
These individuals get money from the state and from large umbrella Jewish communal organizations, but beyond what’s needed, it seems, to pay for their own salaries, they do little to help members of the Shchuna.
For instance, residents often travel to Williamsburg for benefit sign-ups. Innovative and exciting programming to help our youth with job prospects and the like in Crown Heights are more likely to offered by others, like Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island, than our own CHJCC.
This reliance on outside assistance highlights the CHJCC’s utter inefficiency. Until there is a significant change in the status quo, and the klepotocracy is replaced, the elections are unlikely to bring about the necessary improvements. The entrenched nature of the current bureaucracy ensures that new leadership alone cannot overcome the deep-seated issues, making participation in these elections appear pointless.
Fully Agree!
Unless they new Vaad totally cleans house and replaces EVERY single person currently working at the CHJCC nothing will change. The entrenched useless bureaucracy will not suddenly start doing its job because of a few new volunteers on the time. The new Vaad will throw in the towel as quickly as the last one.
Yungerman
Not so fast! Government agencies also have an entrenched bureaucracy. Our entrenched bureaucracy is able to navigate theirs.
Thank you
Thank you for saying the truth
meyer cheinYe quessAnother
Just a lot of hot air blowing Unless they can get Popack and others to donate houses to Chabad. All those throwing dirt are just plain idiots. They can join the pro hamas protestors
meyer cheinYe quessAnother
This election will only achieve hatred in the community. Look at it Gantz is also calling for elections in Israel in middle of war. Crown heiights News must be making money from all these co-ops that spew hate
Mendel
Perhaps the new board cam create change
Why not come and vote. If more people vote they will be empowered and not fear to fire those that are necessary to fire and stand in the way of self acting wolves. If a low voting population comes out, they won’t change anything perhaps feeling they lack large community support.
Efraim T
The idea of nothing will change so don’t even show up for any chance of
change…is self fulfilling
Sam
The question isn’t if we should vote or not. Vote!
But whoever takes over needs to clear house and send the entrenched unelected burrocrats and bloveators to the curb.
Small Change
I’ll be okay even with a small change. People who say they’re gonna change everything usually end up doing nothing. Small steady changes is usually the way to go.