Politics

Catskills

Monticello mayor targets Haredi political operative in sting operation, feigning a quid pro quo solicitation

Working with the Sullivan County DA, Monticello mayor George Nikolados demanded Yermia Solomon deliver Haredi votes in exchange for a police job

Elections

Councilman Kalman Yeger to run for Assembly, after Helene Weinstein announces retirement

Yeger has already been endorsed by various community leaders, including Weinstein, whose seat he is seeking, and David Greenfield, CEO at Met Council for Jewish Poverty

Elections

Rockland Hasidic legislator Aron Wieder, a Democrat, to run for state Assembly

A Wieder win would flip the district from Republican to Democratic, and place a second Hasidic lawmaker in the Assembly

Legislation

NYS bill seeks to raise minimum SNAP benefits, a program widely used by Haredim

The proposed new law would quadruple the minimum benefit amount from $23 to $100

Skver

Skverer rebbetzin, Chaya Chana Twersky, wife of Skverer rebbe of New Square, dies at age 81

A scion of numerous Hasidic dynasties, her funeral on Sunday drew thousands from across New York State and beyond

Antisemitism

NYS Attorney General Letitia James meets with Rockland Haredi leaders to discuss antisemitism, mental health

“Because of your leadership,” said Mona Montal, Ramapo town supervisor’s Chief of Staff, "we can stand proud and say, ‘We’re not afraid to be Jewish.’”

Elections

Tom Suozzi, a Democrat with ties to Haredi leaders, wins former congressman Santos’s seat

Suozzi defeated Republican Mazi Pilip, an Orthodox Jew, to represent a district that includes parts of Queens and Long Island

Antisemitism

Chabad rabbi Shmuel Gancz delivers invocation at New York State Senate

Gancz, who is the director of Chabad of Suffern, was invited by state senator Bill Weber, and reminded legislators of their duty to fight hatred and antisemitism

Politics

Councilmember Kalman Yeger loses chair on Ethics and Standards Committee

“It’s good to change things, it’s good to reorganize, it’s good to get new energy behind different desks,” Council Speaker Adrienne Adams said

Politics

Hochul proposes expanding list of hate crime offenses following sharp rise in antisemitism after Oct. 7

All forms of first-degree rape, gang assault, graffiti, arson, and more will now be eligible for prosecution as hate crimes

Haredi Life

Year end reflections on Shtetl’s first ten months of reporting: the top issues of 2023

With the intimate familiarity of insiders but free from the usual top-down oversight of Haredi media, we reported on everything from the Satmar rebbe's bragging about deceiving legislators to Agudah's efforts to keep the Times from winning a Pulitzer