Brooklyn, NY – Over 500 people gathered at Franklin D. Roosevelt High School on 20th Avenue in Boro Park, Brooklyn on Sunday, May 2, 2010 to pay tribute to Councilman David G. Greenfield at an inauguration ceremony that marked the beginning of his tenure as a member of the New York City Council. Greenfield began his work as a city councilman 25 days ago, but because of sefirah, he waited until Lag B’Omer to celebrate his inauguration.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
In a Special Election held on March 23, 2010, Greenfield was overwhelmingly elected to represent the 44th Council District and won every single neighborhood in his district including Boro Park, Midwood and Bensonhurst.
United States Senator Charles Schumer administered the oath of office to Councilman Greenfield. For religious reasons, Greenfield “affirmed” the oath rather than “swear” it. In his glowing remarks about Greenfield, Schumer cited Greenfield’s vast experience as an attorney, education advocate and community leader as preparing him for this important job. Schumer explained that, “Greenfield won this race the old fashion way – by working hard.” Schumer went on to state that Greenfield’s inauguration was a “great day for him, a great day for his family, a great day for his district, and a great day for America.”
Greenfield began his inaugural address by noting the importance of the day – Lag B’Omer – and explaining that we can learn great lessons from Rabbi Akiva and the loss of his 24,000 students at the hands of a plague because of their lack of mutual respect for one another.
“I really believe that one of the things that we have lost in politics is our civility,” said Greenfield. “This comes with dire consequences. After all, if we can’t even agree to disagree, how are we ever expected to agree on anything? That is why immediately after the election, I reached out to those that did not support me to ask them to join with me and work together on behalf of the community. Campaigns and elections are one thing; getting things done is another.”
MARTY MARKOWITZ SPEAKING AT GREENFIELD INARGURATION
During his remarks, Greenfield reviewed some of his accomplishments in the 25 days that he has been in office including, rescheduling a tree-pruning that fell out on Pesach, increasing pre-Pesach garbage collection for parts of the community that never had it before, meeting with all of the yeshivas in the community to talk about their priorities, forming a group of elected officials to advocate on behalf of the restoration of Priority 7 vouchers, meeting with every major social service agency in the community to talk about their needs during the budget process, securing a commitment from the Deputy Mayor to create a committee to explore his plan for free door-to-door transportation for students, and working to prevent hate crimes and robberies in our community by offering cash rewards to highlight these crimes and ensure that the perpetrators get caught.
SENATOR SHUMER DOING THE OATH FOR COUNCILMAN DAVID GREENFIELD
In addition, Greenfield listed several of his major priorities that will take some time to achieve, comparing these to the rock that Rabbi Akiva discovered that had a hole in it from years of dripping water. These priorities include, devising a way to help those who are unemployed and losing their homes in our community, trying to build affordable middle-class and senior housing in the community, looking at how the city assess taxes on homes and condos and make sure that those assessments are fair and equitable, ensuring that students keep their free Metrocards to get them to and from schools, ensuring that access-a-ride stays intact, and making certain that our senior centers are open. As Greenfield explained, “In short, we have a lot more work to do and we will do it, but we are mindful that like the water dripping on the rock, some of these changes will take time.”
DAVID GREENFIELD INARGURATION SPEECH
In addition to Senator Schumer, over twenty federal, state and city officials attended Greenfield’s ceremony, including Congressman Jerry Nadler, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, Comptroller John Liu, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, Deputy Comptroller Simcha Felder, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, Senators Carl Kruger and Marty Golden, Assemblymembers Peter Abbate, Alec Brook-Krasny, Steven Cymbrowitz, Dov Hikind, Alan Maisel, Rhoda Jacobs and Helene Weinstein, and City Councilmembers Gale Brewer, Mathieu Eugene, Vincent Gentile, Letitia James, Brad Lander, and Domenic Recchia.
Shea Rubinstein singing national anthem
In addition to the many elected officials that attended, numerous community leaders and prominent religious leaders joined together with Councilman Greenfield at his inauguration ceremony.
“I am grateful for the show of support that I have received from the entire Brooklyn community,” said Councilman Greenfield. “Joining together with family, friends, fellow elected officials, constituents, and supporters to mark the beginning of my term as a City Councilman was a humbling experience. I look forward to working with all of these leaders to make New York City more affordable and to enhance the quality of life of all of our residents.”
Photos from the event are below. Video and photos Credit Shimon Gifter for VIN News
Is Marty kidding about Sephardim hiring Ashkenazim? The Syrians only hired Greenfield, because they feel that type of work is below them. Wake up Marty!
Congratulations David and I hope your tenure is a fruitful one.
Having said that, the celebration is over and now lets get to work. Talking, meeting, securing, prioritizing, joining coalitions, resuming etc. will not get us anything substantial. Those thing that “will take more time” are the things most needed and where the government seems to be ripping us off. Cutting services and increasing the tax
Garbage collection, not feeding pigeons, alternate side suspension on purim and restricting flier distributions are a distraction that his predecessor used for years. I believe David will be more active in making noise, which is important, but what we need is action, court challenges and protest, Hikind style.
We are being robbed at every level with higher real estate tax, not seen before bloomberg bacame Mayor and the same thing with tickets, fees, water, electric, sales tax and the most unfriendly city in the union. Crime status is manipulated as well as the value of property. Everyone knows that property value is down, but Bloomebrg estimated upwards. Bloomebrg finds the back door way to increase taxes and it’s a disgrace that our representative almost always went along with it.
Truth is, it was a neat event. You got to see some very powerful national and local politicians in action and what fun it was to watch all the chassidishe hocker / machers in the crowd. It was better than going to the zoo, ‘cuz they had a buffet afterwards 🙂
just wondering is the number of people 500 just pulled out of a hat? the auditorium was 75% empty…
And who’s this priest in the photo lineup?
He had priests, hockers, politicians, and press. How about real people or Rabbanim?
I was there and it was not 75% empty!! It was attented by those invited and he got a rousing standing ovation!! I dont understand the hate being heaped on him!! Give the guy a chance. You prefer a guy in office that really means himself?? or do you want a guy that at least thinks he can make a difference. He is certainly not stand ing by doing nothing and he doesnt have any of the schmutz on him that the other politicians are caked with. Perhaps he will make a difference. He was not a politician and that makes a difference. He was elected by the people fair and square. Even with all the arm twisting going on. I was home that day and received a minimum of 6 calls from my childrens talmud torah endorsing Joe Lazar. I am quite sure I wasnt the only one receiving those calls that day. The people voted.
One picture speaks a million words: Schumer administers the oath to Greenfield.
We’re in deeper than we bluffed ourselves to have been. But nothing: our quality of life will continue to sink; our taxes, tolls and fines continue to soar; our safety continue to plummet and our children’s life will just be curtailed that much more.
Go Greenfield!
(Nope! I’m not a pessimist; I’m a realist… Mark my words…)
Can Shea Rubinstein sing Hatikva the same way he sang the national anthem?
I was at the event. It was wonderful and there were well over 500 people there – an impressive turnout for Lag BaOmer. I really give David credit for making the event on Lag BaOmer instead of during sefirah and for picking a venue that was large enough to ensure truly separate seating. Thanks!