The Zalonim sect of Satmar in Williamsburg are set to endorse Bill de Blasio as their choice for mayor, sources tell YWN.
Republican mayoral candidate Joe Lhota tried reaching out to Satmar and requested a meeting with Rabbi Moshe Dovid Neiderman, but was declined. Mr. Lhota has recently said he’s fully supportive of the Metiztzah B’peh ritual, an issue dear to the heart of the Orthodox community, and is committed in reversing the current rule, while Mr. de Blasio has remained mum on the issue, only promising to revisit the issue and sit down with the Rabbis.
In their previous endorsement, when the community backed Bill Thompson for mayor, Rabbi Neiderman cited the issue of Metzitzah B’peh as a determining factor in their endorsement. It is not clear, however, whether Rabbi Neiderman got Mr. de Blasio’s commitment to reverse the regulation or not.
We will update as soon as we get more information.
(Jacob Kornbluh – YWN)
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7 Responses
No surprise whatsoever. de Blasio is the sure winner and a shoe-in for mayor. Lhota has no chance. Why endorse the guy you know will lose? Endorse the obvious victor so at least you’ll have some influence and connection with him once he is mayor.
Smart move.
Now I know who I am NOT voting for.
Metzitzah B’peh is not the main i$$ue.
We’d be lucky if de Blasio doesn’t ban all forms of brit mila. The real agenda of communists is the eradication of religion, not just capitalism.
Why does YN refer to them as a sect, when a “faction” is a more appropriate term?
Why are they supporting a commie? Their brains are being squished when they sit!
#5 yaakov: Because the term used has more negative connotations and sells more papers.