Assemblyman Hikind is having a bad week. In an obvious error of judgment the long-time lawmaker donned blackface, an afro & a gold chain to dress up on purim as a “black basketball player.” For many years blackface has been used to insult and denigrate the black community. It has the same connotations to blacks as a SS Nazi costume would have to Jews. Dov first tried explaining his costume away saying that “It was purim. People dress up.” Later the Assemblyman held a press-conference to apologize to “those who were offended.” However, Mr. Hikind reserved his true anger for members of his tribe on the Zev Brenner radio program last night.
On the program, Hikind seethed that “certain Jews go into the mud to curry favor with certain segments. It’s pathetic.” It seems like Hikind was referring to the comments of his colleagues who were apparently taken aback not only by Assemblyman Hikind’s costume but by his refusal initially to apologize. Those include Councilman David Greenfield who when asked for comment on Hikind’s refusal to apologize said, “I disagree with him. He should have known better.”
Greenfield was later backed up by Senator Simcha Felder who told the New York Times ‘the costume was regrettable. “Purim is a happy time, a happy day, and it should not be at anyone else’s expense,” Mr. Felder said.’ about Hikind’s insult to the black community. Perhaps even more distressing to Hikind is that the world’s leading expert on bigotry and Anti-Semitisim, Abe Foxman of the Anti Defamation League slammed Hikind saying “he showed terrible judgment.” Last but, certainly not least, Hikind’s superior in the New York State Assembly and the most powerful Orthodox Jewish political leader in New York, Assembly Speaker Shelly Silver, called out Hikind saying his actions were “inappropriate and offensive.”
A political source close to Felder and Greenfield told YWN “They were appalled. Both Felder and Greenfield know that the purpose of Purim is not to dress up, get drunk and make fun of other people. The purpose of Purim is to thank Hashem for the nes (miracle) that saved the yidden (Jews). Dov turned the meaning of purim into Halloween and in the process insulted the black community. He was mad at them? That’s crazy because they were furious at how he distorted the true meaning of purim.”
(Jason Burger – YWN)
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27 Responses
Tsk tsk Dovie, first doing something as boneheaded and insensitive (particularly for someone who loves to talk about how anyone and everyone is an anti-Semite) as dressing up in blackface, and now using nivel peh?
Sounds like someone is losing it…
Hopefully, Hikind will have the maturity and good sense to leave quietly with his reputation generally intact and not make himself the onoging poster child for racism among the orthodox Jewish community. Its time for him to go and for others to shut up and move on. With all the issues facing our elected leaders, we cannot afford an ongoing sideshow like this to divert attention from real priorities. Even his Republican colleagues have now joined in and said that this action is simply mindless and shows blatant disregard for normal racial sensitivities.
Just that you all know….people dress up on Purim to celebrate our freedom from Haman and his cronies…people dress up as soldiers, policemen, monkies, clowns,rabbis, pirates, etc. People have been dressing like Hikind was on Purim for years and years….I remember in the 70’s and 80’s teenagers putting on curly wigs and black paint on their faces with peace symbols on their shirts and NOONE ever said anything. After all, it’s just a costume!! On Halloween people dress up and it’s all in good fun. NOONE takes offense or criticizes. We’re all making a big deal about nothing. Purim is over and so is this topic!!!!!!!!!!!
I agree with DOV on this one. I have not heard 1 single black person thinking he did something wrong – not one
#4- Your living in a cave. You know how many black politicians have slammed Hikind?!
******NEWSFLASH***** Apparently, our frum “leaders” (SATMAR & AGUDAH – Rabbi Niederman and Rabbi gedalia Weinberger & many others) have no problem with this lowlife using filthy language while wearing a yarmulka on the steps of NYC Hall.
You don’t believe me? Watch this shocking video, and skip to 4.25 into the video.
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/article.php?p=70855
Hikind is the lowest dirt around, and he is our frum representive in Albany.
Uch un vei. and shame on the Agudah (every single one of them) for never saying one word about this. Know why? Because it’s all about KAVOD AND MONEY.
do u know what he said on the zev brenner show last night?
“[The blackface costume was] all in the spirit of this very special holiday. But in the bottom line, would I do it all over again? I would look at additional alternatives. Because it’s not about being a black person or Indian – or maybe I would be a gay person on Purim. Would that be OK, Zev, if I played a gay person next year?”
Wow. What a lovely kiddush hashem.
can someone quickly go spray a swastika on a public bathroom in a truck stop in oklahoma so dov will be able to divert the attention over there?
Hikind’s son’s facebook page: “u needa figure out who showed this to the media and then let us deal with them… if its a jewish person they should be hung….threw us all under the bus…”
His son must be the leader in the Mafia.
Keep in mind that Hikind got his start with JDL so the kids comments aren’t surprising. I don’t have Facebook so it wasn’t me and the young man also shouldn’t.
I wish I could remember how the almighty Simka Felder (hey, that’s what Nanny Bloomingidiotberg calls him) dressed on Purim till he became a groysa knaker without a “nun.” Yeah, those days on 18th Avenue were something!!
“It has the same connotations to blacks as a SS Nazi costume would to Jews” Mr. Burger, Really?
Gadolhadorah the dor is not feminine, you are. Should be gadoleshador.
The comments attributed to his son (via Facebook) only worsen a bad situation if they are true. Dov did much good in his years of service to New York and was amazingly helpful to EY on some issues. However, his comments on this issue after the fact display an incredible lack of common sense and will undo much of his legacy. As noted earlier, he should quickly step aside with his reputation largely intact.
Rikki in comment #3. Thank you for the only common sense comment.
Hikind has always been a “loose cannon.” maybe it’s time for him to retire.
I suggest he do penance by volunteering for community service in the Black community, perhaps as a chauffeur for Al Sharpton!
I think next year Hikind should dress up as John Galliano.
This article an appalling hatchet job on Hikind, (who YWN has opposed for quite a while).
YWN, you should be ashamed of yourselves.
This is an attempt at payback for all of Hikind’s foes such as Shelly Silver (who by the way is not Orthodox by any stretch, he’s the most liberal politician in the state.)
More puzzling is the response of Simcha Felder, a man who owes his entire career to Hikind. But then again, is anyone surprised at the lack of gratitude from a politician?
Let’s get off his back. He is and has been the first one to call & get involved protecting and defending Jews.
I have no use for Abe Foxman he’s a leftist Obama hack.
Do the editors and commentors think they are getting olam habbah for this story and comments. At least you are not over al tisnah achicha bilvaveche. Your hatred is out in the open. Shame on all of you.
I warned you people not to vote for Felder! You idiots threw David Storobin under the bus and now you see what you get out of the MICHANEFF!
I wish we can start a count to see how many days YWN can go without knocking hikind.
This site is laughable and if there is a more pathetic “news” site out there I’d love to see it.
Same story different day
AS private citizen Kane do whatever you want, however you currently have the garb and represent us a public office. The stupidity stops here.
I think Hikind made a bad judgment call and I dont approve of his language. He obviously is no Tzaddik for using nivul Peh and he needs to watch his mouth it is unnaceptable for a frum Yid to talk that way. That being said, the sinas chinam here is making sure that we don’t get out of this Galus any time soon. Great job all involved in hacking away at someone who truly cares about our community and does a lot of good.
“Shelly Silver (who by the way is not Orthodox by any stretch”
He is more orthodox than the folks who post motzi shem ra on the internet, as you just did!
Once again a political career is threatened by social media. The problem isn’t that Dov impersonated a black person, it was just such an over the top parody of a black person that people are bothered by it. Had Dov put on a Brooklyn Nets jersey, ditched the afro and gone black face there wouldn’t have been as much backlash. He truly is proud of Brooklyn. I feel bad for Yoni though, he has a much smaller chance of carrying his father’s torch now that people see from his comments- he’s not really suitable to represent any of us.