NEW JERSEY (VINnews) — Agudah’S NJ Legislative Director Shlomo Schorr has been highly instrumental in helping Ocean County’s prosecutor remain in office for a likely second term.
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Bradley Billhimer has almost certainly won a second 5 year term, after the state Senate Judiciary Committee voted unanimously to send his nomination from Governor Murphy to the full upper chamber of the Legislature.
On Monday, one member of the orthodox Lakewood community testified against Billhimer’s reappointment. He claimed that Billhimer hadn’t done enough to support the Jewish community after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks.
“Whenever a threat to the Jewish community arises, the Prosecutor’s Office fails to act in a timely or professional manner to keep the citizens aware of the nature or existence of that threat,” he asserted. “As a result, it has engendered distrust of that office as well as a widespread sense of fear, apprehension, and anxiety. Sadly, many people are now afraid, if not terrified, to practice their religious beliefs in public.”
However Mr. Schorr refuted those claims and affirmed that Bilheimer has been a close friend of the Jewish community, as well as a unifier and someone who has made the county safer..
Schorr, who works closely with the community, its leaders and askanim, described Billhimer as someone actively preventing and prosecuting hate crimes across the county, attending interfaith meetings, and working to promote harmony among different religious groups.
VIN News spoke exclusively with Mr. Schorr, who said, “Right before [my testimony before the committee, I spoke with local askanim as well people within BMG.”
He continued, “As I said in my testimony, Prosecutor Bilheimer has been there for our community, every minute of the day, for all 5 years. I would add that he gets no personal benefit, he does not have to run for reelection, and does not raise money. And yet he gets hate on social media for no reason.”
In reference to the opposing testimony, Schorr said, “It is simply not factual, I don’t know anyone who is afraid to practice their religion in public. In fact dozens of people told me they do not feel that way.
The New Jersey State Senate Judiciary Committee has unanimously approved Governor Murphy’s nomination of Ocean County Prosecutor Brad Billhimer to a second, 5-year term. The nomination now moves to the full Senate. https://t.co/isLxrMq56j
— Shlomo Schorr (@OneJerseySchorr) December 19, 2023
At the hearing, Schorr addressed the criticism regarding the Prosecutor’s Office’s support for Lakewood’s Orthodox Jewish community following Oct 7. He emphasized that Billhimer had indeed taken appropriate actions in collaboration with the Lakewood Police Department and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office.
In response to the allegations, Prosecutor Billhimer challenged the other man who claimed to represent the Lakewood community, stating, “I do not believe that he represents the community in Lakewood.”
LISTEN TO AUDIO OF SHLOMO SCHORR’S TESTIMONY: