Weiner Problems also Ended Brooklyn's Jewish Congressional District Tradition

The Importance of A Brooklyn Jewish Congressional Seat 
By Gary Tilzer
Former Congressman Anthney Weiner not only ended Hillary Clinton chance of becoming president with his wife's secret emails from her employer Secretary of State Clinton, found on the same computer he used to abuse a minor.  Weiner helped end Brooklyn's tradition of a Jewish Congressional seat that started with the election of Manny Cellers in 1923.  Cellers and later another Brooklyn Congressman Steve Solarz had a tremendous impact on Jews in New York, America and the World. 

Jews Forgetting History

Few people remember Congressman Steve Solarz's work a generation ago to bring Soviet and Sephardic Jews to Brooklyn. Now that both groups are strong working their way to the American Dream not a single institution in those communities is named after the late congressman.  What is even more dangerous to the future of the Jewish communities is that today's Brooklyn Jewish leaders and pols do not understand the importance of keeping a Jewish congressional district in Brooklyn.  In the 2012 redistricting Weiner was able to move most of his district to Queens to avoid challengers from Noach Dear or other members of Brooklyn's growing conservative orthodox Jewish population.

Celler's Tally for Israel

A Brooklyn Congressman Cellers Helped Create the Nation of Israel

The tradition of the Jewish Brooklyn congressional not only brings power to that borough but to Jewish interest world wide.  On November 29, 1947, the United Nations General Assembly voted to partition Palestine into two independent states--Jewish and Arab. Displayed here is Brooklyn Congressman Emanuel Celler's tally sheet, which he used to keep track of the vote; it also includes his handwritten notes quoting from the delegates' speeches. Congressman Celler played an important role in pushing The White House to support the creation of the Jewish state.  The lesson lost is all the progress by Jewish people because of a strong Jewish power base in Brooklyn is lost and thereby endangers our future.  If as some had said that the Weiner scandal will give incumbent congress members a chance to make a deal to cut up the 9th district to protect theirs all the power base that accomplished so much will no longer be around to protect future Jewish communities and interests. If Brooklyn loses the 9th Congressional District that me in the same of 20 years lost two districts.  In 1992 Steve Solarz lost to Nydia Velazquez after his district was eliminated to make room for a minority district.  (More to come) * Like Weiner, District’s Future Now Uncertain  Scandal could put 9th CD on chopping block, potentially weakening clout of Jewish communities (Jewish Week)