Boro Park, NY – As Primary Day approaches us, we need to take our responsibility very seriously whom we vote for on September 15. Voter education is very important, and not misleading the community on the positions of the candidates is a major component of being truthful to yourself and to those you are purporting to care about.

Recently, our community has been the subject of a major effort by the supporters of John Heyer to garner support and votes. So far so good. It is healthy and indeed important for our community to take an interest in this race and to express its positions on matters and issues both minor and major. Additionally, everyone should be encouraged to support the candidate of their choice.

What’s particularly troubling is to observe the hysteria that is being organized from the John Heyer camp against Brad Lander, portraying Brad as someone who is not a friend of the community and does not respect our values. Nothing could be further from the truth. But that’s not what this letter is about. I‘m entitled to have my opinion and you are entitled to have your opinion.

A member of the City Council has specific responsibilities. They are: voting to pass laws and legislation in the city of New York as well as ensuring that the communities in their respective districts receive their fair share of city resources. Perhaps not very glamorous, but nevertheless, a very important job.

However if you read the emails and propaganda emanating from the John Heyer camp (supporters) you would think that a city Councilman has the power to enact tuition tax credits or tuition assistance. Nothing could be further from the truth. While I’m sure that John Heyer would like to provide that sort of funding, should he be elected to the City Council, that simply can’t happen! What could and should happen is for City Government to be creative in allocating funding, providing that it can pass Constitutional muster in the realm of funding the cost of transportation for students to get to and from their Yeshivas. Brad has a laid out a detailed plan how to accomplish that goal.

Brad has also come under fire for being in favor of same gender marriage. I hate to break the bad news to the community but John Heyer’s position has the same effect as Brad Lander. Please read John Heyer own words:

John Heyer, on same-gender marriage, in his own words (from a written statement he made, that was posted on Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn):

”With regard to same gender marriage: I am advocating for a wholesale change to the law under which the state would offer legal unions for all couples, regardless of gender or sexual orientation. Under this system, “marriages” would be performed only by spiritual institutions, and would carry no legal weight.

This would achieve the goal of total marriage equality … The point is: I do support total equality of rights for all couples. This is my stance.”

Here is a video of him expressing this position:

In this interview, he says:

“I’m not conservative.  I would never consider myself a conservative … I’m more progressive [on the marriage issue] than Barack Obama.”

He makes clear that he would allow same gender marriage performed by any spiritual institution (even one registered on the internet) to be considered a “marriage.”  A marriage ceremony, he says, could be “whatever you like.”

From the perspective of the Orthodox Jewish community, he has the same position as Brad Lander –whose position is that the government should treat all couples in the same way, from a legal/civil perspective, but that religious institutions should be totally allowed to practice and live according to their values, and that no rabbi, shul, yeshiva, or religious organizations would ever be required to perform or recognize a same-gender marriage.

So I ask? Is it fair to attack Brad Lander when John Heyer’s position is basically the same when you look at it from the perspective of an Orthodox Jew?  Why the hysteria? If Kevod HaTorah is your motto, are you allowed to convey a false impression to Rabonim about your candidate just because he’s the candidate of your choice? Furthermore, I ask what is wrong with simply sticking to the facts. Is it because you need to tear someone down because there is little you can say positive about your candidate?  When asked, a candidate should be allowed to express his/her position on issues that we differ but the same exact position should be stated in all communities—not different positions for different communities.

I am supporting Brad Lander because he is the candidate that in my opinion has the strongest qualifications based on his experience as a housing advocate and someone who understands the needs of our community. I am grateful to Brad Lander for taking the initiative to get to know the community on a personal level not just three weeks before an election. Brad is not only bright but creative in his approach to finding the mechanism to fund community based organizations and Yeshivas who so desperately need all the funding they can get.

Although I‘m for Brad, I think it’s good for our community to be involved and take a strong interest in this race and all future races. We need more voter turnout on Primary Day.

In conclusion, I urge everyone in the 39th Council District to vote for Brad Lander for City Council for the following reasons:

Brad is the only candidate that has taken the time over the past two years to get to know our community and its community based organizations.
Brad is an expert on affordable housing and has devoted his career on behalf of an issue of paramount importance to our community.
Brad is sensitive to the unique traditions and customs of our community and both understands and respects the religious component of our lifestyle.

[Click HERE for a previous article written be Ezra Friedlander regarding Brad lander]

Thank you.

Ezra Friedlander is CEO of The Friedlander Group, and is not representing any candidate in the 39 Council District race.

(Ezra Friedlander – YWN)