Letters

Jews thrive best in healthy democracies

Having read Mr. Berman’s opinion selectively blaming the Jewish democratic left as being collectively complicit in the rise of Mayor-Elect Mamdani, as a fellow New Jersey Jewish attorney I share a different perspective.

For the record, I am not a supporter of the mayor-elect, and if I were a resident of New York City would certainly have voted for an alternative candidate. With that being said, one cannot just conveniently ignore or overlook the broader economic and social conditions negatively impacting lower-income and middle-class NYC residents, i.e. the affordability crisis, along with the mayor-elect’s natural gift for retail politics. All of this particularly resonated with younger generations, Jews and non-Jews alike. To further insinuate that American Jews who participate in political and social causes that are not one hundred percent aligned with the opinion writer’s political viewpoints are somehow causally related to the rise of the mayor-elect is misplaced and only serves to inflame divisions in the American Jewish community.

Yes, it is possible for American Jews to hold two truths, proudly supporting the people of Israel along with preserving our fragile democracy. If history is any guide, Jews thrive best when democratic institutions are healthy and intact.

Marc Sapin
Wanaque

Our right to peaceful protest

I was so disturbed by Ari Berman’s opinion piece regarding Mamdani.

His position really had less to do with Mamdani than wanting to voice his MAGA principles.  Does he realize that mostly all social changes that have occurred in this country, especially for equal rights, have been mostly due to people speaking up, rallying, and peaceful protests?

He has demeaned women for marching for their rights, he has demeaned our Black community for marching for their rights, and he has demeaned the No Kings march, which represents the people wanting our government to abide by the Constitution and not allow a dictator to be king.

His constant use of the term “woke”‘ is right out of the MAGA playbook. The word’s roots started in Black American culture but has applied to all human rights, as a warning to be aware of systemic injustice, prejudice, and violence. It is a call for our citizens to be vigilant and informed about social issues.  It is not a negative, especially now for the Jewish community.  Social injustices are happening every day to the Jewish community, and being “woke” is an awareness of the injustices happening all around us.

I agree the Jewish community failed New York — but the choice of candidates, especially for the young population, was abysmal.  Unfortunately, he energized them, which no one else did, and perhaps we failed to educate them.  However, Mr. Berman spouting the rhetoric that the Republican party has been spewing is disgraceful.

Our right to peaceful protest is exactly that — a right — and we should all be proud of change that can come from making our voices heard.

Sandi Kleinman
Old Tappan

Why Beth Rishon almost wasn’t built

An article appeared in the Oct. 31 issue of the Jewish Standard about the 50th anniversary of Temple Beth Rishon of Wyckoff. Most of it is accurate, but I was a witness to the backstory behind the public explanation. The opposition to the building of Beth Rishon had nothing to do with traffic congestion. It solely was antisemitism!

At that time, I was the vice-chairman of the Wyckoff Planning Board. I was able to get unanimous approval of the site-plan application. The opposition’s attorney claimed that as the sole Jewish member of the Planning Board, I should be excluded from voting, even though I was not a member of that synagogue. My answer to that was why were the Christian members of the Board allowed to vote on the 12 churches. That ended the argument.

The Township Committee then introduced an ordinance requiring distance between houses of worship in order to prevent Beth Rishon from being built. I and others requested that Beth Rishon be grandfathered. There were five men on the Township Committee. Jake Van der Eems and Harold Galenkamp favored the grandfather. Hank McNamara and John Mader did not. The mayor, Jim Sheehan, did not have a position. Without his support Beth Rishon could not be built.

For the record, all five men are deceased.

I lobbied the two “no” votes and the mayor. The mayor told me traffic had nothing to do with the opposition. Those opposed “did not want Wyckoff to become another Teaneck.” They did not want Jews in Wyckoff. This is what they were telling Mayor Jim Sheehan. When the mayor suggested they go public they told him no because they would be labeled as being antisemitic.

The night before the vote Mayor Sheehan called me and said he was going to vote to allow Beth Rishon to be built. The vote was 3 to 2.

Robert Yudin
Wyckoff