Adams Gets Endorsement of Far Rockaway Jewish Alliance

New York City mayoral candidate Eric Adams received the endorsement of Orthodox Jewish activists in Far Rockaway, who cited the candidate’s experience, record of being tough on crime and standing up to antisemitism, and support for resiliency projects in coastal areas.

Adams is “the right person to lead the city out of these difficult times as we look for a leader that is familiar with all of our struggles,” said Pesach Osina, a chair of the Far Rockaway Jewish Alliance, at an endorsement event Friday at the Beach 9th Street boardwalk.

The Alliance, which includes more than two dozen Far Rockaway community activists like Richard Altabe, Baruch Rothman, and Boruch Ber Bender, said it was supporting Adams — who currently serves as Brooklyn borough president and is a former state senator and NYPD captain — due to his record of friendship with Jewish communities and standing with them against antisemitism, as well his general position on crime-fighting, among the most conservative in that regard of all the Democratic candidates. The Jewish community in New York City has recently faced a wave of assaults by supporters of Palestinians, that began during the recent hostilities between Israel and Hamas.

“We’re endorsing Eric,” said Altabe, “because he has a proven track record in this city, a real record, and for his commitment to public safety and rooting out antisemitism wherever it rears its ugly head.”

Rothman told Hamodia the support for Adams is due to “his being tough on crime, having a long career of delivering for New York City, and because he has years of experience and will be able to hit the ground running on Day 1.”

The activists, who represent a coastal neighborhood impacted by Superstorm Sandy, also cited Adams’s resiliency projects for communities that remain vulnerable to flooding.

Adams said he was “thrilled to have this community on board,” and that “their support reflects the diversity and strength of our growing coalition.”

“I have worked to protect this city for more than three decades of my public life, and now we are witnessing a growing pandemic of hate in our city,” said the candidate. “And I will work harder than anyone to protect these communities as mayor.”

Adams has previously won endorsements from elected officials representing the area including state Sen. Joseph Addabo Jr., Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato and Councilwoman Selvena Brooks-Powers, who participated at Friday’s press conference as well.

Most polls have shown Adams at the top of the Democratic field for the June 22 primary, along with Andrew Yang, an entrepreneur and former presidential candidate who has never held public office. Yang and Adams also lead the way in endorsements by the Orthodox community: In addition to the Far Rockaway Jewish Alliance, Adams got the support of a coalition of Crown Heights activists on Tuesday, and has also been endorsed by The Jewish Press. Yang has endorsements of a coalition of activists from Chasidic groups in Boro Park and Williamsburg, as well as Assemblymen Daniel Rosenthal and Simcha Eichenstein, and Councilman Kalman Yeger. The only other mayoral candidate to receive an Orthodox endorsement in the race is city Comptroller Scott Stringer, who got the support of former Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder, whose district included Far Rockaway and other parts of southern Queens.

An important endorsement still to be handed out is that of the Flatbush Jewish Community Coalition (FJCC). A source familiar with the matter told Hamodia that the group has narrowed the field to three candidates: Adams, Yang and former Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia. Garcia had been near the bottom of the polls until recent endorsements by The New York Times and Daily News boosted her candidacy. One recent poll, by Emerson College and PIX11 News, showed her leading the field for the first time.

In this first mayoral election to use ranked-choice voting, some endorsements have included more than one candidate. The Williamsburg Chassidic activists who endorsed Yang as their first choice, also supported Adams for the second spot on the ballot and Stringer third.

The Far Rockaway Jewish Alliance on Friday only endorsed Adams for first place, but sources told Hamodia that it in the coming days it will likely endorse Yang second, and either Garcia or former Citigroup executive Ray McGuire third.

On voters’ actual ballots, they may rank up to five candidates in order of preference. If one candidate receives more than 50% of first place votes, he or she is the winner. If no candidates receive more than 50% of first place votes, counting continues in rounds: in each round, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated. Once a voter’s top-ranked candidate is eliminated, that voter’s vote then goes to the next-highest-ranked candidate on the voter’s ballot. The process continues until there are only two candidates left, and the candidate with the most votes wins.

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rborchardt@hamodia.com