Tish James Stock Rises in Hasidic Community
Public Advocate Letitia James, who seldom misses an opportunity to court the Hasidic community in Boro Park, appeared as the big winner at Friday morning’s Boro Park Jewish Community Council (BPJCC) Legislative and Community Tribute Breakfast.
As is often the case when Boro Park holds such breakfasts, the event drew a bevy of elected officials, highlighting the importance of this tight-knit community as a major voting and fundraising block to ambitious politicians seeking the Hasidic blessing.
Among those showing up at the schmooze and eat fest were Borough President Eric Adams, City Council Members to Councilman Carlos Menchaca, Mathieu Eugene, Mark Treyger and Brad Lander, Assemblyman Dov Hikind and James Brennan, several district leaders and officials including Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Carlo Scissura, and Human Resources Administration Commissioner Steven Banks.
But it was James who had those in attendance kvelling following her stirring address while accepting the City Leadership Award, in which she praised the Boro Park Community as a “light in this nation” and “the model that everyone shall emulate.”
“I’m impressed with Tish. I’m starting to see a side I didn’t see before. She shows up very well prepared and doesn’t give the typical Hava Nagila speech that a lot of the politicians typically give,” said Ezra Friedlander, whose Friedlander Group has a growing reputation citywide and nationally as a public relations group specializing in government.
“She (James) doesn’t come to pander. She substantive and doesn’t just speak in generalities or semantics. She’s very shrewd like proposing the use of police cameras and now they’re being used. She understands the Jewish community and the DNA of each neighborhood. She also eluded to the recent stabbing in Crown Heights and made it clear she supports the NYPD,” Friedlander added.
Ground Broken on Affordable Housing at Atlantic Yards
Mayor Bill de Blasio will be on hand this morning as the partnership between Forest City Ratner Cos. and the U.S. arm of China’s Greenland Holding Group is set to break ground on the first all-affordable residential building at Pacific Park, better known as the former Atlantic Yards project.
The 298-unit building, also known as 535 Carlton Avenue is one of 15 that the two companies are partnering to build. The partnership also plans to immediately begin construction on a 275-unit market-rate condo building at 550 Vanderbilt, and then in June to begin work on 30 Sixth Ave., another 100% affordable building that will contain 300 units.
Greenfield Offers Thousand Dollar Reward for Tire Slasher
Midwood City Councilman David Greenfield is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for slashing dozens of car tires in Midwood/Madison over the weekend.
“We must have zero tolerance for this rampant crime spree in our neighborhood. A single tire costs hundreds of dollars, not to mention the time and energy that must be expended to replace it,” said Greenfield. “That’s why I am offering this reward – this kind of behavior is outrageous and quite frankly it doesn’t go unnoticed that this happened in a predominantly Jewish community.”
At least 35 cars had multiple tires slashed causing tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage over the weekend.
