FIRESTORM Erupts Over Felder Mailer Suggesting Storobin is Not Jewish

October 10, 2012  9:47 PM Leave a comment (5) Go to comments

The Jewish Voice Reports: In a 15-page mailer targeting Boro Park’s frum community, Felder referred to Storobin as a “son without a name,” explaining that he is “not even to be considered as a candidate for our community.”

According to a report by the local online publication Capital, a spokesman for Felder clarified the statement, explaining that the initial translation was “too literal,” and that the phrase is comparable to saying, in English “he isn’t known around here.”

At this point, we’d like to offer a tip of our collective hat to our colleague, political commentator and occasional JV contributor Jacob Kornbluh, who helped bring this issue to the attention of those of us not fluent in Yiddish, and who then decided to dig a little deeper.

It seems that six months ago, when the leaders of Agudath Israel were behind Storobin, Hamodia had no qualms describing the state senator as “an Orthodox Jew, who belongs to a shomer Shabbos shul,” noting that he was both “a frum Jew and a descendant of Holocaust survivors.” But wait, it gets better.

Back in 2001, Kornbluh explains, it was actually Simcha Felder who wasn’t considered “frum enough” to be taken seriously as a candidate “for our community.” Hence the following passage in the Gotham Gazette:

“Simcha Felder, an aide to longtime Assemblyman Dov Hikind and the leader in the money race, is Orthodox but, according to press accounts, not Orthodox enough for candidates Ezra Friedlander and Elya Amsel, who are Hasidic. ‘I am not interested in being a Jewish leader,’ Felder says. ‘I am interested in being the council person from the 44th district.’ He adds, ‘If someone comes along and says they are holy, I can’t compete.”

It seems the chalitzah shoe is on the other foot! But we’re not done.

Kornbluh also points out how, in 2008, Councilman Felder, running against State Senator Kevin Parker, told Vos iz Neias not to vote for him based on his Jewishness:

“I happen to be Jewish, and I am very proud of it, but that shouldn’t be the reason to vote for me. When you buy food, clothes, or cars, or when you hire a plumber or electrician, you compare the options and see which one is the best.”

News,
  • lamden

    seems like u also don’t know how to read yiddish unless the couple of dollars that the storobin campaign is working your head cause other wise doubt you would put up such a article!!! but hey looks like money shapes your policy on the news !!sad used to think that you were a honest reporter!!!

    • http://twitter.com/YossiGestetner Yossi Gestetner

      The JV article has a perfect translation.

  • lamdin

    so can you show me where in the article it says that storobin is not jewish???

  • lamden

    well if you are so sure about the translation where did you get lost when it came to showing me in the article where does it say that………………………u look lost !

  • webmacher

    It is pointless to waste time discussing the translation of an attacking mailer. In the Human Resources world, when looking to hire someone, the rule of thumb is that the best indicator of future performance is past performance.

    Regardless of whether Felder claims Storobin is a “mamzer” or not, Storobin has made his position on issues clear and voted in a way that is much more aligned with the frum community. Felder, on the other hand, is a lifelong Democrat. You cannot take it out of his mindset. When Dean Skelos made a backroom deal to carve out this “super jewish district” for Felder, he wanted Felder to become Republican. If Felder became a Republican, we would not have a race right now. Felder could not do it because he does not truly have the Republican values that most of the Chassidish community has. The only way he was able to win the Conservative party line was through some sort of political chicanery. In a primary where he only need 100 votes to win, who knows, maybe he just paid a kollel or two to register as conservatives.

    Felder supported Obama and did not oppose gay marriage. Now, as we are getting close to the election, he is trying to distance himself from his true beliefs to appeal to the Chassidic community that has very traditional values.

    The Chassidic community of Midwood and Flatbush almost unanimously backed Storobin in the special election in March. Look around, they are not rushing to endorse Felder, because his values are not aligned with those of the Frum community.