Brooklyn, NY – Councilman David G. Greenfield (D-Brooklyn) was joined by dozens of Jewish community leaders today to protest the creation of the one so-called “Super Jewish” district that was drawn to replace the six senators currently representing the predominantly Orthodox neighborhoods of Borough Park, Midwood, Flatbush and Kensington.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
At a press conference today in Borough Park, Greenfield ripped the proposed district drawn by New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment as the product of a backroom political deal that will only serve to dilute the voice and power of the largest Orthodox Jewish population in the United States of America.
“Let’s be clear, this is not a Super Jewish district but rather a Super Ghetto district that if allowed to remain in place will cause the Jewish community to lose multiple voices in Albany. That will mean less services, less funding and less political power for America’s largest Jewish community right here in Brooklyn. Quite frankly, it will be very easy for the political establishment to marginalize the one senator representing the entire Jewish community. Right now we have six senators representing the Jewish community, and to go to one simply makes no sense. We need at least two, if not three senators, to maximize the community’s political power. That’s why I urge the Governor to recognize this proposal for what it is – backroom politics at its worst – and to veto it,” said Greenfield.
Greenfield was joined at the corner of 16th Avenue and 45th Street outside his district office by dozens of local leaders and representatives from community groups to demand that LATFOR go back to the drawing board and produce district lines that serve the public’s best interest, instead of the political party or incumbent’s best interest. Collectively, these leaders represent tens of thousands of members of the Jewish community. Among those speaking out against dumping all of Brooklyn’s Jews into one Senate district were Chaim Deutch, founder of Flatbush Shomrim, Rabbi Chaim Goldberger of Satmar, Mendel Zilberberg of Community Board 12, community leader Rabbi Berish Freilich and Rabbi Yechezkel Pikus of Council of Jewish Organizations of Flatbush.
Also on hand were representatives from Chaveirim, Yad Ephraim, Boro Park Shomrim, Igud L’ Hachzokas Torah, Bikur Cholim of Boro Park and Bina Ezras Cholim. In addition, the leaders of local yeshivas including Belz, Gur, Boyan, Gan Yisroel and Satmar joined Greenfield for today’s press conference.
“Having just one person, no matter who that person is, represent us is a step backwards and a step in the wrong direction. I commend Councilman Greenfield for taking this issue up and speaking out against the proposed lines. Diversity in our society not only makes us stronger, but it brings us closer together,” said Chaim Deutch of Flatbush Shomrim.
“It is wrong to segregate people based on religion, race or any other factor. This isn’t about establishing a super district for Jews, it is about segregating us. We are all one people, citizens of the United States who just want to live our lives under a government that represents them. The community did not ask for this,” said Rabbi Chaim Goldberger of Satmar.
Last September, before the lines were drawn, Greenfield stressed two key points while testifying before LATFOR (the redistricting committee). He urged the committee to consider the local Orthodox community’s staggering growth over the past decade, when Borough Park was the city’s only neighborhood of 100,000 plus residents to see a population increase in the recent census, and to keep in mind the community’s unique needs and priorities. Greenfield encouraged the redistricting committee to ensure that the Orthodox Jewish community had “at least two but preferably three senators.” Unfortunately, the committee ignored Greenfield’s recommendations and instead proposes reducing the Jewish community’s representation to a single senator.
Today, Greenfield explained that if the Jewish community were split into two or three districts the community would still be the most sought-after constituency in each of those two or three districts. “If we have a choice to make up 30 to 40 percent of two or three districts or 70 percent of one district, I think it’s obvious that we want to be big enough to make a difference but not too big to be marginalized,” said Greenfield. As proof, Greenfield pointed to the recent election of US Congressman Bob Turner. While Jews made up only 23 percent of that district, because of Jewish interest in the seat, they made up 33 percent of the vote and clearly were the determining factor for Mr. Turner, who won with only 8 percent of the total vote.
Following today’s press conference, Greenfield sent a letter to Governor Cuomo explaining the reasons behind his request and asking the Governor to veto the lines as drawn. In that letter, Greenfield reiterated the negative impact that forcing an entire community into a single district can have, including the loss of a strong collective voice in Albany and reliance on one individual for services, funding and representation. Instead, Greenfield asked the Governor to split the local Orthodox Jewish community into two or three Senate districts to ensure the community is not marginalized or ignored.
Very interesting, every minority Latinos, Asians and others are asking for their own district and not to be spread out in different districts and the whole Democratic establishment is agreeing that their should be districts representing the people of the district, so I don’t get why Greenfield is the only one complaining when we Jewish people got what everyone else is asking for?
Can Greenfield explain the true motives behind his request not too have a Jewish district?
Kevin Parker represents half of Borough Park and every time we tried to get rid of him we failed remember 5 out of the 6 state senators who represent Frum Jews in southern Brooklyn voted for toaivah marriage.
Diane Savino has a decent part of BP who we couldn’t get rid of if every single Jew voted against her twice.
how about John Sampson who takes in some of the most Jewish parts of Flatbush in to his super majority black district.
or how about Eric Adams who takes in just a few block in Borough Park
right now we have influence over only 2 state senators Marty Golden and who ever wins the special election and if we get the super Jewish district we would still have influence over only 2 state senators except one of them we would have almost complete influence.
Can someone tell me what the current 6 State Senators delivered to the Jewish Community? Money? Does anyone know who got money? Funding? Can the Yeshivas mentioned in this press release explain why tuition is so high if they got all these funding from these 6 Senators?
Why are the Latinos and the Asians together with the Democratic establishment screaming they want a district like the one proposed for the us? Is everyone wrong but the few that were at the press conference?
I feel there is a motive behind this whole group trying to undermine the people who work hard for this community.
When the Democrats were in the majority why didn’t they the 6 Democratic State Senators deliver TAP and over 50 school buses for our yeshivas? The Republican State Senators that don’t even represent us were the ones that delivered it.
Sounds like this new Super District is bad for MR. GREENFIELD!
The Councilman is right. But using the same logic, voting in a candidate with little to no bureaucratic experience, like David Storobin, will result in the Jewish people losing a voice of experience in Albany, even if he is part of the Majority. We need to keep electing people with long political and civic engagement BECAUSE it helps us in the end.
He is playing into the democrat political agenda, what bluff.
This is the best thing that ever happened.
Remember vote republican and you will start getting things like tax deductible on school tuition
Dear Council Man Greenfeld:
If you really believe what you are saying then we should split your district in 3 also. Let’s not have a jewish city council district. Let’s split up boro park in four districts.
Do you advocate for that?
VIN had last week the opposite
Dov Hikind Praises Proposed ‘Super Jewish’ Senate District
http://www.vinnews.com/99796/2012/01/28/new-york-dov-hikind-praises-proposed-super-jewish-senate-district/
“Also on hand were representatives from Chaveirim, Yad Ephraim, Boro Park Shomrim, Igud L’ Hachzokas Torah, Bikur Cholim of Boro Park and Bina Ezras Cholim. In addition, the leaders of local yeshivas including Belz, Gur, Boyan, Gan Yisroel and Satmar joined Greenfield for today’s press conference.”
Interesting that Belz & Yad Ephraim was at the press conference and not Bobov.
Does anyone know who Igud L’ Hachzokas Tora & Bina Ezras Cholim is? What do they do and who are their leaders?
Who is “Mendel Zilberberg of Community Board 12,” who does he represent?
It seems obvious, form the comments here, that no one has even the foggiest idea what Greenfeld’s problems is all about?
this is just a question of what part of the government do you think we are supposed to have.
David has strayed from his semi conservative stances, and has picked bigger government over the last few years.
see, if you want more money from the government, then yes, more [politicians covering an area is better. but we treied that and all we have gotten is more laws, more rules, toeivah lawsincluding and besides marriage.
if we want to have a REPRESENTATIVE in government who works for us, not vice versa, then we want ONE person to represent us, so OUR wishes are truly heard.
David is just plain wrong here. funny how all the people behind him represent organizations, but he couldnt get regualr tom dick and shmerels to come out and show support. it is because us “little”people are catching on.
Vote Conservative. Vote David Storobin!
You just have to wonder why david greenfield has been quite this whole time and all of a sudden comes out against it today…. I mean this is in the making for months now. Why didn’t he say a word until today?
It seems to me (I don’t know this for sure, just my assumption) that David is not liking the frum Jewish candidate (candidates) that Agudath Israel is putting forth.
If anyone knows of other reasons, please I would like to hear them.
עם אחד, מפוזר ומפורד בין העמים
except even though this wasn’t the best this is still better then we had before
Before The Jewish community had 6 state senators representing us in Southern Brooklyn and (based on our political power) the ear of only 2 of them, now we have 3 state senators and still have the ear of only 2 of them but have complete political control over 1 of them. I’m very afraid that Greenfeld’s shenanigans are going to bring us back to the old lines (because the dems (his party) will never allow 3 potential senate seats in Brooklyn that could go easily Republican with out a fight)