At a recent Rockville Centre Village Long Island board meeting, a woman got up and urged the board to take precautions so that “what happened in Five Towns doesn’t happen here too”. She opposed the amount of Orthodox Jewish Shuls on “every block” in our community amongst other complaints.
Bruce Blakeman made the following statement about the incident:
Freedom to practice religion and freedom to live where one chooses are rights guaranteed by the Constitution. The remarks made by the resident at a recent Rockville Centre Village Board meeting were offensive and un-American. It is the duty of responsive public officials to condemn the type of anti-Semitic hate speech that was in evidence at the Rockville Centre Village Board Meeting. I am hopeful that the Members of the Board will also respond forcefully in this matter.
See the video below:
Governor Hochul responds to antisemitic rhetoric used at Rockville Center Board meeting:
Everyone is welcome in New York.
The despicable and antisemitic rhetoric used at a Rockville Centre board of trustees meeting has no place in our state.
We must root out hate wherever it rears its ugly head.
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) April 11, 2022
NY AG calls out the “antisemitic, hateful remarks”, see statement below:
The antisemitic, hateful remarks made by an individual at the Rockville Centre board meeting are despicable.
New York stands with its Jewish community and all of our communities, and this kind of bigotry won't go unchecked.
— NY AG James (@NewYorkStateAG) April 11, 2022
Statement from Ari Brown & Missy Miller:
“Proclaim Liberty Throughout the Land unto All Inhabitants thereof”. This biblical inscription on the Liberty Bell proclaims that Religious Freedom is a right guaranteed by our Constitution. When hate speech attacks this right, it is incumbent that people of good conscience, including public officials, to speak out against it. At a recent Rockville Centre Village Board Meeting, a resident embarked on a hate filled tirade that was unacceptable and offensive. Accordingly, we reject the content, tone and tenor of the speakers remarks in the strongest possible terms, and will be working with the community to find resolution.
Statement from Senator Todd Kaminsky:
This was Anti-Semitism, full-stop. The trope of “Jews taking over” has been a hallmark of white supremacy for ages. RVC has a history of tolerance that welcomes all. Stand up for what’s right and call this out loudly 🚨🚨🚨No place for hate.https://t.co/dt02eGt1TC
— Todd Kaminsky (@toddkaminsky) April 10, 2022
Statement from Rep. Tom Suozzi
Regardless of the intent of the speaker, the remarks are anti-Semitic and must be called out.
— Tom Suozzi (@RepTomSuozzi) April 10, 2022
Statement from Avi Posnick, Regional Director StandWithUs Northeast & New England:
We are deeply disturbed by the comments made by a Rockville Centre, NY, resident at the village meeting on 4/4/22. Her comments were overtly antisemitic and deeply offensive, because she singled out Jews. While there are legitimate concerns about noise, traffic, and proper ordinances when it comes to creating houses of worship in residential areas, there is no reason to single out Jews. It is also concerning that no one, not the Mayor nor any trustee, questioned her comments as directed only against Jews, but instead said it will be looked into. We call upon the Village to apologize and condemn these hurtful and antisemitic comments. Rockville Centre and all towns should be safe and welcoming for all people.
Chaskel Bennett Shares thoughts:
Worse then the rantings of a lone bigot, the seeming acquiescence of @VillageRVC Board is glaring & disgraceful. No other community would tolerate this kind of unveiled prejudice. Rest assured, WE WONT EITHER! Thank you Governor for consistently standing up against discrimination https://t.co/sr8cpfU7QE
— Chaskel Bennett (@ChaskelBennett) April 11, 2022
Statement from Rep. Kathleen Rice:
My statement on the antisemitism at last week’s Rockville Centre Board meeting: pic.twitter.com/rKiOPBpUVS
— Kathleen Rice (@RepKathleenRice) April 11, 2022
I’m sorry but this is not “hate speech”. As a 5 Towns resident, I never “forced” stores closed on Shabbos or “pushed” anyone to sell their home. So the way she presented her side of the story is not very accurate or factual, although it is true that some shuls did start out in homes. But she didn’t accuse Jews of actually anything harmful, call for anything bad to happen to us, or stereotype us. She’s just not happy how the 5 Towns changed – which I get. I would hope Bruce Blakeman would know better than to refer to the constituent’s language in Rockville Centre as “anti semitic hate speech”. Overreacting and throwing on career ending characterizations is standard procedure of the wacky Left, not exactly something to emulate, even if it is to defend our community.
I watched this video prepared to be outraged, but I’m not, I understand this woman. Ms Zengary (I spelled that phonetically, I hope it’s correct) seems to feel like the community she grew up in was subverted and taken away from her, forcing her to move away from her beloved hometown. I’m not saying that’s what actually happened, but that’s how she FEELS, that is her PERCEPTION, and I believe that is what motivated her speech that has upset so many of us in the frum community. If we display some sensitivity, empathy, and compassion, and engage with her and the village of RVC, we will ALL come out better off
Where is our new assemblyman ari brown???
Wow
She’s a racist bigot
You’d have thought they were burning the neighborhood down. Someone puts a menorah on their front lawn and she’s triggered.
Sounds just like a Nazi
I didn’t find her speech particularly hateful but I don’t agree with her statements either. At least in Woodmere and Cedarhurst, all the shuls I can think of are on major thoroughfares like Peninsula and West Broadway. I get that it’s hard to see your neighborhood change. But we’re not exactly a bad element that changes neighborhoods for the worse, are we?
I looked up what’s at the address she mentioned. It’s a Chabad House. She doesn’t understand that Chabad goes anywhere and everywhere and just because a Chabad house moved in, that doesn’t signal a coming influx of Orrhodox Jews. RVC is expensive so I personally don’t see what the attraction would be. It’s just as or more expensive than the Five Towns and there’s no Jewish infrastructure. I’d sooner see the Five Towns expanding into VS and Lynbrook but not RVC. I think she has nothing to worry about. Just my two cents.
As long as the Jewish community is not violating any laws what is the problem? This is outrageous! I never heard that people went to a place of business and asked them to close for Shabbos but even had they done that what law are they breaking? This is really so nasty. This is obviously hate! She moved to be near the Cathedral (code for getting away from the Jews, obviously). It is very clear.No wiggle room. I understand she wants the neighborhood to remain the character that it is now. It is her right to have an opinion but all people have a right to live where they want because this is America!
And if Jews moved in what law would they be breaking?
mi k’amcha yisrael!!!! ufarazta yama v’kaydma tzefona vanegbah!!!!!!!
What would the board have done if she said she didn’t want black people moving in to rvc with their little Baptist churches, which jic you didn’t know take every tax exemption on the books as well? They would have all been horrified at her blatant racism. Seems to be it’s ok to generalize about and trash the orthodox Jewish community. Poor thing she couldn’t stay in the five towns. No one harassed her here or forced her out. She chose to leave. End of the day all those runaways from the five towns ran smiling ear to ear all the way to the bank, having sold their homes at huge premiums to Orthodox Jews. And the bagelry is still open on Saturday. Keep running lady, don’t let the door hit you on the way out. Orthodox communities are thriving, caring, and safe. Smart business people cater to the demographic and prosper.
The Links Golf and Country Club….how many Jewish members belong there?
Real estate in RVC was highly highly discouraged for Jews.
Even in 2002, a friend – husband a prominent dentist made her last Jewish name sound less – in order to purchase a small home there.
Very difficult to “belong” in RVC so far. Known fact.
Yay Eva!! Well said!!! So very, VERY true!!
Neighborhoods change. When my parents moved to the West Bronx in 1960, it was a beautiful area, with parks and neatly trimmed lawns and many leafy trees. By the time they moved out in 1970, it had become a crime-infested hellhole. I’m sorry that this person doesn’t like the changes to her area but nothing lasts forever. And what is she complaining about anyway? After the Orthodox move in, this woman will be able to sell her house for $1 million plus.