![Sen. Schumer at Abe Biderman's home in Borough Park (L-R) Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Rabbi Nosen Sherman, [standing] Abe Biderman](http://www.vinnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/ezr5-400x211.jpg "ezr5")
Brooklyn, NY – A group of community leaders from Brooklyn got a rare glimpse into the personal life of U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer at a fund raising breakfast Sunday morning in the home of Abe Biderman in Borough Park. Schumer spoke warmly about his heritage and explained how the family name, Schumer, is actually an anglicized version of the Hebrew word “Shomer”, guardian, as his father’s family guarded the ghetto wall in their European hometown.
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Schumer’s paternal grandfather, Jacob, one of eighteen children, came to America in 1890 as a young child and as a teenager, became involved in the labor movement, eventually becoming a union organizer, who ultimately assisted many Jews in upstate New York by organizing those who worked in the paper mills. Schumer’s maternal grandfather came to America in 1860 and was a builder in Borough Park, in addition to being president of Temple Emanuel in Brooklyn
Schumer’s father, a World War II navigator, flew dangerous supply missions over the Himalayan Mountains and later ran an exterminating business in Bedford-Stuyvestant. Schumer recollected that his parents, who have been married for sixty years, hoped he would pursue a career in law, but his first love was politics and he was elected to the New York State Assembly in Flatbush at age twenty three, the youngest person elected to the legislature since Theodore Roosevelt. Schumer continued his family legacy of being a shomer, by being tough on crime, and in his long career as a public servant, has enforced the three-strikes-and-you’re-out policy, wrote the federal death penalty law in Congress and enacted legislation to ensure that convicted felons actually serve the majority of their sentences.
Ezra Friedlander, CEO of The Friedlander Group, a New York City and Washington DC based public affairs consulting group, who was present at the fundraiser told VIN News that hearing Schumer speak, “the audience realized the importance and value of having Senator Schumer in the US Senate, serving as the “shomer” on issues of concern to the Jewish community. His passion and commitment was very reassuring to those assembled, that when decisions at the highest level will be made, a Senator of the stature of Senator Schumer will be advocating on our behalf.”
Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Executive Vice President of Agudath Israel of America, who was also in attendance told VIN News, “Chuck Schumer occupies an important position in the U.S. Senate today, and he may occupy an even more important one in the not too distant future. It is essential that we maintain open and ongoing lines of communication with him in these challenging times.”
Video and photos by Shimon Gifter for VIN News
I believe his name is from the Russian “shum” meaning noise or a fuss. Chances are in any case it is some Ellis Island version of a longer name with no connection to the word shomer.
Its a smart move to stay close to Schumer he has a Jewish Hartz and will fight for our needs when necessary.
Chuck Schumer is nebbech a tinnuk shenishba that shtamms from a very choshuvve family of Tschortkover Chassidim from Galitzia over a hundred years ago.
He knows about it and is very proud of it.
When there was a seuda in Ateres Chaya seven years ago in honor of the 70th Yahrzeit of the second Tschortkover rebbe, he didn’t have to be asked twice and came running to attend it.
Where has he been while the Obamba administration has been demonizing Israel?
he was on obamas side, the whole time he just want another term in senate.
Schumer has been kowtowing to Obama with the healthcare bill and almost cost NY billions per year in the first version. He holds a news conference every weekend , you see his name in the paper every Monday. But has he taken a front position with Obama re Israel? No. Tuition credits? I dont think so. Lower taxes, definite no. Is he on some powerful committees? No. A shlepper. WHy is Agudah, Biederman hosting him?
Must be re-election time approaching!
Notwithstanding the headline and first couple of sentences, this is not a rare glimpse; it is a story that Schumer tells to orthodox jewish groups as often as he can. Is it really newsworthy that Aguda is trying to be cozy with Schumer or others in power from time to time?
why is schumer quiet while obama is attacking israel. why are these jewish leaders sucking up to one of the most liberal self hating jewish senetor .is it abour money .wake up while israel is being thrown under the boss.
who was the fundraiser for?
Have hakores hatov. Senator Shumer has done so much for yidden around the world. Just because you don’t always hear about it or see it in the newspapers does not mean he doesn’t have a good heart.
The senator has done so much for us and New York State. Hillary Clinton is someone who we should run 500 miles away from but Shumer is good at what he does.
Why is Hikind such a Hillary fan? This is the question that would concern me more.
I’ve heard that story at a Hasc concert years ago. He was and is proud of it but I’m not proud of anyone who voted for that UNhealth drivel Obama is selling.
senator schumer has been an outstanding fighter for the US israel relationship and uses his clout and power to help the jewish community whenever needed,,,,,,,we should all support him
I don’t see Schumer defending Israel from Obama.
Baloney !!! Schumer is a manuvel gamor. Schumer supports 9 Months Abortion, Homosexual Laws, Mafia Union Organizing Voting, Anti-Religion Laws, Anti-Tradition Laws, Anti-Conservative Laws of any type. He is pro-liberal laws for anything disgusting and anti-Torah. I am NOT proud of him at all. He is a busha for Torah Yidden. He SUPPORTS Obama 100%. He SUPPORTS Jimmy Carter even. I say wake up and listen to Mayor Koch before it is to late. Schumer is no friend of frum Yidden. May HKBH protect us from this menuval politician. Amen.
He obviously is not used to speaking in front of Orthodox Jews. He is wearing a satin yarmulke, and without a metal clasp, not a felt yarmulke with a metal clasp. It looks like he had to borrow a yarmulke for the occasion. He keeps crossing his fingers when he talks, which is a no-no for Orthodox Jews. I still remember him running to Al Sharpton at the National Action Network when he won his Senate race in 2006. Not to any distinguished rabbi, not to Hadassah, not to Emunah, but to Sharpton. And I don’t like how he jumped on the Obama bandwagon when Obama picked Sonia Sotomayor, who has expressed her prejudice against white males, for Supreme court judge. I think Sotomayor was chosen by Obama at Schumer’s suggestion.
No. 21. Are you angry ?
BEARS REPEATING:
“Where has he been while the Obamba administration has been demonizing Israel?”
ANSWER:
NO WHERE.
D’Amato was right, Schumer is a putz. We have the most anti-Israel administration EVER in the WH, we have the most PRO-MUSLIM AND PRO-SOCIALIST admin in the WH, and Schumer is on TV screaming about airlines charging for carry- on luggage.
He has a gun permit but stands for unconstitutional laws that deny law-abiding citizens the right to defend themselves.
He stands with Rahm the Kapo, he is for more taxes on all of us, if he is a shomer, than its for the enemies of America and Israel.
Anyone who stands with this schm*ck is a fool. He will be doing his photo-op smile the day HvS, Israel is nuked by Iran.
“serving as “shomer” on issues of concern to the jewish community” HaHa what a joke!
Charles Schumer made a bet with Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania concerning the recent World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Yankees. If the Phillies won the World Series, then Schumer would give Specter a cheese cake from Junior’s.of Brooklyn. The OU hechsher was removed from Junior’s in April 2007 when it was discovered that they were baking cheese cake during Passover. They now claim to be under Kof-K supervision. If the Yankees won the World Series, then Specter would give Schumer a Philadelphia cheese steak. So the Yankees won the World Series and we were treated to a photo of Schumer wearing a Yankee cap, jauntily perched to the side, and biting into a Philadelphia cheese steak. Both of these senators are Jewish, but they showed a profound lack of empathy for the sensitivity of observant Jews in both states when they engineered that bet. It’s one thing to choose a life style that is not in step with traditional laws of kashruth, but it’s another thing to publicly flaunt their non-traditional life choices in front of observant Jews. .
We would be better to have Pataki (if he would run) or someone like D’mato or another Daniel Patrick Moynihan than this self hating fake Jew.
When you want to use the fact that he is Jewish, remember Obama’s senior advisor David Axlerod is Jewish and Emanuel Rahm is Jewish andit has done nothing, maybe actually more harm than good.
Look to Obama’s recent silence on Israel for proof of that.
Let’s pray for a good goy rather then this fake jew.
Schumer has been silent on the Obama anti-Israel stance. This is irresponsible. He needs to be voted out of office – he no longer can claim to represent his constituents – certainly not me.
Shumers record on Israel is waffle. He is not what I consider a solid strong supportter of Israel. He is wishywashy.