Below are The Jewish Press endorsements for the November 7, 2023 General Elections in New York.
Surrogate Judge, Kings County (Brooklyn)
For the Surrogate’s Court in Brooklyn, The Jewish Press urges readers to come out and vote Bernard Graham for Supreme Court Justice; he currently serves as the Acting Surrogate, after he was chosen to replace the retired Hon. Carol Eadmond in 2022. Justice Graham has had a long and distinguished career on the bench following more than a decade in the private practice of law.
Justice Graham was elected to the Civil Court in Brooklyn in 2004 and in 2011 was appointed Acting Supreme Court Justice. In 2013 he was elected to the Kings County Supreme Court for a full term. He is widely respected by attorneys who have appeared before him over the years who praise his knowledge of the law, sense of fairness and civility.
The Surrogate’s Court deals with estate matters, primarily the distribution of assets after someone passes away. Surrogate Judges are typically responsible for handling wills and adoptions, appointing and supervising guardians for minors and overseeing trusts.
Justice of the New York State Supreme Court – 2nd Judicial District
(2 choices for 2 out of 7 seats)
1) The Jewish Press endorses Civil Court Judge Rachel Freier for Justice of the Supreme Court in the 2nd Judicial District in Brooklyn. The district is one of thirteen judicial districts in the State of New York and one of the five judicial districts that make up New York City.
Judge Freier has been serving on the Civil Court bench since 2016 and more recently as an Acting Justice of the Supreme Court by provisional designation of the Office of Court Administration, which speaks well of her judicial record. Indeed, she brought important credentials to the 2016 race. She had practiced law for 10 years dealing with the broad range of issues that typically find their way into the courts – contract disputes, personal injury claims, family law matters and the like. She was also a prominent activist with a well-earned reputation for working to help those in need.
In addition to her legal practice, she made headlines as the founding director of Ezras Nashim, an all-woman voluntary ambulance corps that responds to emergency calls from women in Brooklyn in the interests of modesty and where she volunteered as an EMT and licensed NYS paramedic. She was also the founder of B’Derech, a GED program for Chassidic men.
We were proud to endorse Judge Freier in 2016 and are proud to do so now. She has more than vindicated our trust and we look forward to her bringing her demonstrated legal acumen and sense of justice to the Supreme Court bench for the long term.
2) Civil Court Judge Caroline Piela Cohen
New York City Council
42nd Council District (Brooklyn – most of East New York and part of East Flatbush): Chris Banks
43rd Council District (Brooklyn – Bay Ridge Dyker Heights, Bath Beach and parts of Bensonhurst): Susan Zhuang
44th Council District (Brooklyn – heavily Orthodox Jewish neighborhood of Borough Park in southwestern Brooklyn, also covering Ocean Parkway and parts of Bensonhurst and Midwood): The Jewish Press endorses Heshy Tischler in the 44th CD.
Heshy Tischler has an impressive record of serving our community for many years although he has never held elective office. Among his contributions to the commonweal are his longtime work with soup kitchens, Bikur Cholim and regular visits to frum Jews in prison for whom he has established a fund to provide commissary money on a regular basis and provides help in securing hosing post-incarceration.
He has been an outspoken advocate for vouchers for yeshiva parents and after school programs funded by the city. He has been a champion of the special needs community. He has been a volunteer mediator in family disputes. He has been a referral resource or those in need of legal help. During the Covid-19 pandemic, at great personal risk, he openly challenged the selective enforcement against our community of state and city Covid rules.
Going forward he vows to never compromise our community’s values on such fundamental issues as LGBT legislation and he commits to always being accessible to his constituents.
46th Council District (Brooklyn – parts of Canarsie, Bergen Beach, Mill Basin Gerritsen Beach, Georgetown, Marine Park, Flatlands and Sheepshead Bay): Our choice is Mercedes Narcisse.
As a councilwoman she has made a difference by creating initiatives to support small businesses, improving public transportation, protecting the environment and increasing access to affordable housing. Most recently she has come out in support of Israel since the October 7 massacre: “My heart goes out to the innocent lives affected by the attacks in Israel. Every individual deserves to live in peace, and I stand firmly against any action that disrupts that peace. Let us unite in condemning these heinous acts and pray for the safety of all those affected.”
47th Council District (Brooklyn – parts of Gravesend, Sea Gate, Bensonhurst and Bath Beach): We support Ari Kagan. As a longtime professional journalist turned public servant, he proved himself on Jewish issues as well as issues facing the general public.
He was the longtime host of radio and TV show, focusing on tenants and immigrants’ rights and raising civic awareness. In the aftermath Superstorm Sandy, he helped secure relief payments for Coney Island residents. During the Covid pandemic he worked to secure unemployment benefits for victims and coordinated private donations.
48th Council District (Brooklyn – parts of Brighton Beach, Homecrest, Manhattan Beach, Midwood, Sheepshead Bay and Coney Island): We urge a vote for Inna Vernikov.
She is a highly regarded immigration and matrimonial lawyer and staunch advocate for our community’s interests. As a member of the New York City Council she pulled $50,000 in Councilmember funding for CUNY Law School when it’s faculty passed a resolution supporting BDS. She organized a march against anti-Semitism after two Jewish teenagers were assaulted for wearing a hoodie with the logo of the IDF.
