Kiryas Yoel: New York Democrats Block New ‘Hasidic’ Village

by FrumNews.com exclusive report!

Monroe, NY: Last summer, New York Republican State Senator Bill Weber who proudly represents the Jewish community of Rockland County, roundly criticized Democratic Senator James Skoufis (who’s district includes Kiryas Yoel and Monroe in Orange County) on the Senate Floor for targeting Chasidim in a bill explicitly created to block a Chasidic village from forming. At the same time, Weber called out Skoufis for making unsavory comments in newspaper articles and social media posts regarding “Chasidic villages” and “wealthy developers making a buck.”

Despite denying any Antisemitic intent at the time, right before the bill’s passage in the Senate in June 2023. Last month Skoufis trumpeted the bill’s passage in a campaign mailing where Skoufis proudly credited with being able “to block [a] new Hasidic village.” Which was going to be the village of Seven Springs.

Senate Bill S7538, sponsored by State Senator James Skoufis and Assembly Bill A07754 co-sponsored by NYS Assemblymember Chris Eachus (who’s district includes Kiryas Yoel and Monroe) changed village incorporation laws and was signed by the governor on December 22, 2023.

The law tripled the number of residents required to create a new village, thereby halting the formation of the proposed Village of Seven Springs, located adjacent to the Village of Kiryas Joel, a village Skoufis and Eachus adamantly opposed since it was first proposed.

Skoufis’s campaign mailing proves that when Senator Weber questioned Skoufis’s remarks last year about his antisemitic tropes, Senator Weber was entirely on target despite Skoufis’s show of vehement denial required to allow for the passage of the bill.

“When an elected official is negatively laser-focused on one community over all others, their harmful bias needs to be called to task,” said Senator Weber about his demand for answers from Skoufis last year.

“In this case, the clear Antisemitic intent of Senator Skoufis’s bill needed to be publicized, and I made an effort to expose his underlying motive before the vote. Those who pander in antisemitic tropes are not going to go unchallenged under my watch.”

“This has nothing to do with religion, nothing to do with any of what you described,” Skoufis responded from the Senate floor last summer, deflecting Senator Weber’s line of questioning and completely sweeping under the rug his constant public focus on the Chasidic villages and Chasidic developers.

Skoufis additionally shamelessly touted his antisemitic agenda by posting an election campaign video on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, September 23, about passing a bill that blocked a new Hasidic village, further proving his June 2023 coverup of the truth to the New York State Senate and Senator Bill Weber.

“Senator Skoufis needs a reality check,” Senator Weber said. “I am not sure who he thought he was fooling by lying to the Senate and hoping all would be forgotten or ignored a few short months later. He will certainly know that, going forward, at least one Senator there on the Senate Floor in June was not taken in by his bald-faced lies and will make sure to call out Antisemitism in any form whenever necessary.

Senator Skoufis being questioned by Senator Weber on the NYS Senate floor about his anti-Jewish bill

pic.twitter.com/pIqWOqvkzy

— FrumNews.com (@Frum_News) November 5, 2024

Challenging the Democratic Senator and Assemblyman that sponsored and co-sponsored this bill against the Jewish community, are two local Republican candidates who share our views and values, they are friends and allies to the Jewish community.

Monroe Councilwoman Dorey Houle is running for the 42nd State Senate District and Tom Lapolla is running in the 99th NYS Assembly district to represent Monroe/Kiryas Yoel and the Orange County Jewish community.

Many community activists and Askunim in Kiryas Yoel have informed FrumNews.com that the community is deeply dissatisfied by the current Democrat elected officials. For the first time ever, it’s estimated that a majority of the Orange County Jewish Hasidic community in Upstate New York will be voting Republican down the ballet line Regardless of whom the KJ “Election Committee’s recommended candidates” are.

In a statement one local resident said:

• “Not only the current local Democrat politicians do nothing to benefit our community. But even worse at every opportunity they deliberately fight against the interests of the Kehila. The Yiddishe Klal are fed up with their failed socialist leadership. Council Member Dorey Houle and the slate of Republican candidates share our Heimishe views, values and understand our Chasidish Community’s concerns.”

👀 🫣 In campaign ad, State Sen. @JamesSkoufis, a Dem from Orange County, highlights passing a bill “to block new Hasidic village” and approach to “stopping overdevelopment” of Orthodox housing for the benefit of his district. https://t.co/y3elEBkwJw pic.twitter.com/FLBfAYOb5a

— Jacob N. Kornbluh (@jacobkornbluh) September 23, 2024

Important to note: Since the day New York Republican State Senator Bill Weber took office on January 1, 2023, he has been advocating for the benefit of the Rockland County and NYS Jewish community at large.

Senator Weber’s record of helping the Rockland County community is well known and appreciated by all its residents. But notably something even more special, that while most elected officials in the NYS legislature were silent about this “anti-Hasidic village” law. Senator Weber took it upon himself to fight against this bill in Albany for the greater good of the Monroe/Kiryas Joel Jewish community and all its residents.

On an individual level—Senator Weber has done phenomenal work the past two years, he has always been there for all his constituents. It’s not just about the “big stuff”, the bills, legislation and public events. Senator Weber’s office constituent services go beyond and above to everyone in the 38th Senate District. His office coordinates with city, state, and federal agencies to give the best service possible to everyone living in his district. Senator Weber revels in his ability to make a difference and the betterment of the life of every day Rockland County residents, regardless of which neighborhood they’re in.

Today Senator Bill Weber is up for Re-Election, he is from the strongest supporters of the Jewish community and we strongly recommend all our Rockland County readers to vote for Senator Bill Weber.