A Jewish leader is not ‘just a man with a beard,’ women rabbis tell NYC Mayor Adams

(New York Jewish Week) — New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams met with 55 ladies rabbis and cantors Thursday in what one of many rabbis referred to as a “productive and respectful” dialogue on points that included combating antisemitism, local weather change, homelessness, closing Rikers Island, healthcare, reasonably priced housing and extra.

The clergy sought the assembly earlier this week out of concern that the Orthodox Jews Adams recurrently consults don’t characterize the political or spiritual range of town’s Jewish neighborhood.

At a press convention following the 45-minute assembly at Metropolis Corridor, nonetheless, Adams stated the ladies clergy raised the identical considerations he’s heard from the Orthodox neighborhood.

“They need secure streets,” Adams stated. “They need to have the ability to have housing. They need to be certain that their youngsters are educated. They’re involved in regards to the surroundings. There could also be alternative ways in [of] carrying out that, however all of us need to get to the identical vacation spot.” 

New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams meets with 55 ladies rabbis and cantors at Metropolis Corridor, Could 19, 2022. (Gilli Getz)

Noting that it’s not at all times straightforward to “come collectively,” Adams stated that “now we have to start out speaking and speaking, and I’m going to do this.” 

“I’ve been criticized for assembly with those that are diametrically against what I imagine, however I’m going to proceed to do that,” he stated. “That is just the start.” 

Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum of Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, an organizer of the assembly together with the New York Jewish Agenda and Rabbi Rachel Timoner of Congregation Beth Elohim in Park Slope, stated the assembly was essential to point out Adams that not each rabbi or Jewish chief is “a person with a beard.” 

“They’re all completely different,” Kleinbaum, who has led her LGBTQ synagogue in Manhattan since 1992. “They’re folks of shade. They’re lesbian, bisexual and transgender.” 

“He listened to us,” Timoner stated after the assembly, which she referred to as “productive and respectful.” “He was taking notes. He was asking questions for clarification. He was clearly asking us to accomplice with him.” 

Kleinbaum, who has labored with Metropolis Corridor for many years as a rabbi, stated that the mayor was “honest about constructing relationships.” 

“It was not an adversarial dialog,” Kleinbaum stated. “We had been there to start out a relationship. That’s the essential factor.” 

Timoner advised the New York Jewish Week that the assembly was not about pushing Adams on explicit points, however as an alternative on beginning a relationship. “It’s essential for him to listen to the deep considerations of most New Yorkers,” Timoner stated. “We characterize that. We’re second to no man, we’re the precise faces of Jewish management in New York.” 

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“Particularly,” she added, “the priority was that his administration was solely consulting haredi [Orthodox] leaders, as in the event that they spoke for the entire neighborhood.”

The ladies in attendance represented a cross-section of Jewish denominations, in addition to all 5 boroughs of town. Amongst them had been Rabbi Angela Buchdahl of Central Synagogue, Rabbanit Bracha Jaffee of Hebrew Institute of Rverdale-The Bayit and trans activist and rabbi Abby Stein.

Adams had broad assist from the haredi Orthodox neighborhood throughout his marketing campaign for mayor on account of his tough-on-crime insurance policies and the relationships he had constructed over time as Brooklyn borough president. No less than three Orthodox Jews have been appointed to the Adams administration’s senior employees.

And but, the majority of American Jews have constantly recognized with the Democratic Occasion lately, whereas the Orthodox minority has leaned Republican. Within the New York space, the big haredi Orthodox neighborhood usually courts ties with and helps sympathetic Democrats.

Adams, who has tacked between progressive and conservative positions since taking workplace in January, gained his election regardless of shedding Manhattan, on common New York’s most liberal borough.