New York City Mayor-elect Eric Adams has decided to delay the start of his inauguration until the evening of January 1 – a departure from the traditional daytime inaugural ceremonies.
The reason: Orthodox Jews would not be able to attend the ceremony during the day, since January 1 falls on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath.
Adams enjoyed wide support among the Orthodox Jewish communities of Brooklyn in the elections.
“The Mayor-elect is setting an example for the country, showing that In New York City, we care about all cultures, and all groups – including the Jewish community,” said Rabbi Yaacov Behrman, director of Operation Survival and founder of Jewish Future Alliance in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.
“We appreciate the fact that he is accommodating the Jewish community,” the Crown Heights, Brooklyn-based activist said, noting that he will be attending inauguration. “I look forward to it,” he added.
“We applaud NYC Mayor-elect Eric Adams for delaying his inauguration to better accommodate Jewish residents who observe Shabbat,” the American Jewish Committee praised Wednesday in a tweet.
Born in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, Adams – who currently serves as Brooklyn Borough President, grew up among Jews. A former state senator and retired NYPD police captain, Adams this week also announced his decision to appoint Nassau County’s Police Chief of Detectives Keechant Seewall to become the city’s first female NYPD Police Commissioner.
Flatbush Jewish Community Coalition chairman Josh Mehlman welcomed the appointment, saying he was “Looking forward to a safer New York” under Adams.
Welcome Chief Sewell.
Looking forward to a safer New York under the leadership of Mayor Eric Adams. https://t.co/c7dpSMbC4S— Josh Mehlman (@JoshMehlman)
The incoming mayor described Sewell as a “proven crime fighter with the experience and emotional intelligence to deliver bot the safety New Yorkers need and the justice they deserve.”