A Letter to Rabbi Rosenberg

My Letter to Rabbi Rosenberg Regarding Allowing The Challenged Candidates To Run


---Original Message-----
From: Zaki Isaac B. Tamir <isaac@tamirgroup.com>
To: XXXXXXXXRABBI.ROSENBERG
Sent: Tue, May 18, 2010 1:55 am
Subject: Let Freedom Reign

If you give a man Freedom he will be able to absorb the result of his own choice, but if you take his freedom away you will hear suffering and wish a different way.

My name is Zaki Tamir, I am a candidate in the upcoming elections for the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council. My affiliation has been in terms of continuous acceptance of Rabbi Osdaba and Rabbi Schwei. I call upon either Rav on halachic matters depending only on their availability. Each Rav will confirm my relationship to them equally if asked, and any differences between the Rabbonim has never changed my opinion of them and it never will, as I respect them both dearly.

Please allow me to address the point of my communication to you. It relates to the most basic freedom expected in a democratic election. It is the freedom to choose one’s leader. It is not a novel idea nor is it distant for us to achieve freedom in its true meaning of the word. We as a community have waited nearly ten years to finally arrive at a free election please find in the light most favorable to the People.

Fourteen people have turned in applications to run in the election. Of the 14, two are being challenged on age (Hackner/28 and Vogel/29); another three are being challenged on administrative affiliation to a Crown Heights Organization (Hecht-NCFJE; Cadaner-Or Menachem; Wilhelm-Benos Menachem). The four incumbents (Poltrack, Cadaner, Sperlin, and Brownstein) are being challenged by some for not following the directives of your Bais Din. That is 14 – 8 = 6. "Six people running for seven seats" is not what you want this election to be, because the people of this town will be very unsettled by such a ruling.

On the other hand if you pick and choose, the risk of bias is apparent and will undoubtedly result in at least partial discrediting of the voted Vaad. It is a difficult decision but there is no other alternative but to allow all the candidates to run, according to your instruction, of course. Let the people of Crown Heights choose their leaders, let it be on the people that vote. Who can challenge a majority vote for a candidate? No one can. Give this tired town its faith in freedom. Let it be known that The People have spoken and this who they have chosen...

This matter comes up in politics all the time, in fact, the Mayor of NYC, Michael Bloomberg was demoted out of “administration” of his own corporation as soon as he won seat for Mayor. Our candidates should be given the same opportunity, allow them accept demoted title within the organization and let them run.

Regarding the underage candidates it is clear that both have met the requirements of the Jewish Community Council Rules (20 years old and married) but there is question as to whether they are qualified according to a different set of rules that applies only to the Vaad but not to the Council. They shall as such be allowed to run for Council not for vaad, unless the vaad waives its requirement or a Rav allows it by psak. But what is clear is that if the vaad org has somehow melted into one existence with the council for convenience purposes, it is not turning out all that convenient.

The incumbents should be allowed to run for the same reasons, we need freedom. Every decision made here should be measured by whether it increases the rights and freedom given to the public or whether it decreases such rights. The best and safest ruling is Let the People go and vote. For who ever they want. Give the people more choices don’t take options away. Please Rabbi the key to success has been entrusted in your hands there are many broken spirits that need healing and this is our chance.

please let me know if you want a petition on this matter, im sure the challenged candidates would have no problem bringing their resources together to back this issue up. please feel free to call me anytime if you have any questions or matters to discuss. my mobile number is 917-755-0494.

Zaki Isaac B. Tamir

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