Gina Levy Abadi Nominated to be NY Supreme Court Judge

Gina Levy Abadi, an Orthodox woman, has been nominated by to fill an open bench seat on the Kings County Supreme Court.

She has served as a civil court judge since 2019, and prior to that served as a law clerk for Judge Donald Kurtz the Civil Court and County Supreme Court for 17 and half years.

Levy Abadi is a member of the Syrian Jewish community of Brooklyn, and has spoken about how her parents fled antisemitism in the Middle East to the safety and religious freedom of the United States. Her parents, who did not have significant education, encouraged her and her siblings to study and learn.

“To achieve what they came to the country for was a driving force” for her, Levy Abadi told Hamodia.

She was one of seven women nominated for the court; her nomination was put forward by Councilmember Mark Treyger, who represents Coney Island, Gravesend, and Bensonhurst.

“My district and I are so grateful to Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair Rodneyse Bichotte and to all of my colleagues for their support to advance Judge Gina Levy Abadi as the Democratic nominee for New York Supreme Court,” said Treyger in a statement. Her nomination was supported by the Sephardic Community Federation and many leaders of the Syrian community. Levy Abadi singled out Sam Sutton and Ron Tawoil for their backing of her nomination.

Bichottee threw her support behind Levy Abadi and even seconded the nomination when informed of Levy Abadi’s significant support.

Levy Abadi’s nomination was supported by a group of local party members that call themselves the “Reformers,” led by Democratic District Leader David Schwartz. She praised Schwartz as “instrumental” to her nomination, but also said she was supported by “not just the Syrian community, nor just the Orthodox community, but communities all over Brooklyn.”

In a statement to Hamodia, Schwartz said, “The Brooklyn Judicial system will greatly benefit of Gina Levy’s fairness, compassion and thoroughness. Gina will be the first Orthodox Jewish Sephardic judge to the Brooklyn supreme court, and I know that she will make us proud on the bench.

“Thank you to all the District Leaders who were helpful to get this done, Councilman Mark Treyger and Soon to be Councilman Ari Kagan who were supporting Gina from day one, County Leader Rodneyse Bichotte Hermylan, District Leader Frank Seddio whose institutional experience was a key asset here, and especially thank you to Assemblywoman Maritza Davila and the group of reform Districts Leaders whose support were instrumental in putting Gina over the top.”

She would be replacing judge Noach Dear, who passed away in 2020. Dear himself was Orthodox, and was well known for advocating for the community.

Levy Abadi told Hamodia she hoped her nomination would be an inspirational example to the women of her Syrian community. “Women in my community, we’re capable of anything,” she said. “We can do great things.. and I’m just one example of women who are doing it.”
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smarcus@hamodia.com