NEW YORK (Yaakov M / VINnews) — Lee Zeldin is about to get an extremely rare endorsement from a leading Rabbi, underscoring just how perilous the current situation is for religious Jews in New York.
Join our WhatsApp groupSubscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
As first reported in Hamodia by Reuvain Borchardt, Harav Yisroel Reisman is set to endorse the Republican, mainly due to the looming threat to yeshivas from the State Education Department.
For months, Charedim have wondered whether Rabbanim would publicly endorse Zeldin. Orthodox leaders often refrain from endorsing candidates, in part because of the risk of alienating the opposition.
However we are living in unprecedented times. The community has been afflicted with rampant antisemitism, and the vicious campaign against yeshivas has culminated in catastrophic restrictions.
While one of the candidates clearly stands with our community, the other, despite support from askanim, has repeatedly alienated orthodox Jews.
CLICK TO LISTEN TO RECAP OF THE ZELDIN-HOCHUL DEBATE >>
Unlike Hochul who has avoided taking a stand on the secular equivalency issue and refused to defend yeshivas, Zeldin has been a staunch and unwavering supporter of the yeshiva curriculum, even months before the equivalency guidelines were passed by state officials.
“Our lives as Orthodox Jews in this state have never been so threatened as they are now, with the current education regulations,” Rabbi Reisman, Rosh Yeshiva of Torah Vodaath and Rav of Agudah of Madison, told Hamodia. “Lee Zeldin had the courage to speak up for our yeshivos many months ago, not just as the election is coming down to the wire.”
He added, “We would support Zeldin for his stances on crime and inflation anyway. But our community is laser-focused on the attack on our yeshivos. And we are very motivated to get out and vote.”
Rabbi Reisman is scheduled to announce the endorsement on Sunday. In addition, a letter sent this week to alumni from Yeshiva Chaim Berlin urged them to vote for Zeldin, saying “Our chinuch and way-of-life” are “at stake.”
Several weeks ago, VIN News endorsed Zeldin for governor.
BH the frum community is finally getting the message. Now if both Satmars and Bobovs and Severe and Vishnits will do the same we have a chance of extending our stay in this city state etc
If you don’t get out and vote, and vote Republican, then what happens to the yeshivos and our community next is on you.
Get out and vote Republican
Great news. But Lee Zeldin should get our vote for many other reasons as well, even if it weren’t for this yeshiva issue. Kathy Hochul must be thinking, “great, couldn’t they wait until after the elections to make this anti Yeshiva ruling”? 🙂
As a teacher for many years in Chasidishe schools I can tell you that the #1 issue with having a better secular studies department is interest and involvement from the parents. It starts and ends there.
Doesn’t FJCC and Aguda which BOTH claim to follow daas Torah and in particular rabbi reisman now HAVE TO endorse zeldin, cats out of the bag. Why is FJCC still not helping zeldin?
Rabbi Reisman is a true tzadik he was used by the toeiva supporting UFT member Steve Saperstein a Democrat over a frum girl named Inna Vernikov to imply he was supporting him, when in fact he was not. FJCC you now have a chiyuv to help Zeldin.
For the record, Rabbi Yaakov Bender, Rosh Hayeshiva, of yeshiva darchei Torah has already endorsed Lee zeldin
Zeldin is now endorsing Choc Bubke
It is certainly more interesting when races are close.
He is happy because Torah Vodaath already has a good English department, but why isn’t he concerned about Our children’s Chasdishe Yeshivos that do not have a decent English department.
I’m nervous to vote for him because he is extremely anti abortion