Zeldin to Receive Important Endorsement from HaRav Yisroel Reisman, Shlita
Edited by: Fern Sidman
Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin is expected to receive an important endorsement as he continues his campaign in the New York gubernatorial race. A recent report indicated that another major political prognosticator has shifted the tightening of the New York governor’s race in Zeldin’s direction — after predicting for months that incumbent Gov. Hochul would cruise to victory.
The respected Cook Political Report changed its rating from “solid Democrat” to “likely Democrat” on Friday, acknowledging a closer-than-expected race that New York Dems are rushing to help save. The rating revision came two weeks after RealClearPolitics declared the Hochul-Zeldin contest to be a toss-up.
On Saturday evening, Zeldin appeared with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis at a Long Island rally. DeSantis told the crowd at the rally that a Republican governor has not been elected in New York since 2002 and that if Rep. Zeldin should win it “will be the 21st century version of the shot heard round the world,” as was reported by Politico.
The Vois Es Nais web site reported that on Sunday, Zeldin is expected to receive an extremely rare endorsement from a leading Rabbi, underscoring just how perilous the current situation is for religious Jews in New York.
Harav Yisroel Reisman, Shlita, of Flatbush will be giving his endorsement to Zeldin due to the existential threat that New York yeshivas face from the State Education Department. The department has threatened to institute a secular studies curriculum that would replace the lumdei kodesh studies that make up the bulk of student learning. Rabbi Reisman’s endorsement was first reported by Reuvain Borchardt of the Hamodia newspaper, as was reported by VIN.
Vois Es Nais also reported that 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.
Due to rapidly changing times, the Jewish community in New York has faced a dramatic escalation in anti-Semitism, and the city as a whole has witnessed a meteoric rise in violent crime. The Orthodox Jewish community has expressed serious concerns about the vicious campaign against yeshivas that has culminated in catastrophic restrictions.
Vois Es Nais also reported that unlike the incumbent in the race, Governor Kathy 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.”
VIN also reported that 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.”
