By COLlive reporter
U.S. Representative Yvette Clarke, who has one of the largest populations of Jewish constituents, hosted a closed meeting on Thursday about the controversial accords over Iran’s nuclear program.
Members of the House and Senate are facing a vote to approve the deal which Israel and most major Jewish organizations say eases Iran’s path to continue developing nuclear capabilities.
At the onset of the meeting, Clarke noted the feedback her office has been receiving from residents by phone and email, praising them for “being so engaged” on the matter.
Congress will vote on whether to reject the deal in September, a measure the White House has promised to veto. Republicans need 44 House Democrats and 13 Senate Democrats to join them to override a veto.
The meeting at the Brooklyn Public Library at Grand Army Plaza was attended by Jewish legislators and activists from the 9th Congressional District, including Crown Heights, Flatbush, Marine Park, Brooklyn Heights, Midwood, and Sheepshead Bay.
“She sat at the front and the room was set up like a courtroom with a panel including Clarke and her assistants. There was a podium with a microphone used by each presenter,” Zaki Tamir, Chairman of the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council (CHJCC), told COLlive.com.
The meeting was opened by thanking the Congresswoman for her past support for Israel with her visits and her voting record to provide necessary funding for Israel’s security. She was credited with attending the speech by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to both sessions of the House about Iran.
“We all impressed on her our deep fear of what this deal would mean for the security of the United States and Israel and our very demonstrable concern that this deal would mean an influx of billions of dollars to Iranian terror operations,” said Kalman Yeger, a political activist from Midwood who spoke at the meeting.
“Representing neighborhoods so close to where the planes hit on 9/11, I hope she understands why we’re so concerned about the prospect of giving Iran the resources to commit horrifying acts of terror against Americans,” Yeger added.
Speakers included Assemblyman Dov Hikind, Councilman David Greenfeld, Councilman Chaim Deutch, Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, Rabbi Chanina Sperlin, Leon Goldenberg, Rabbi Jacob Goldstein, Mr. Ronald Tawil, Mr. David Steinberg and Mr. Harry Klaristenfeld.
A day after the meeting, Congressman Jerry Nadler, Jewish Democrat from New York who was on the fence whether to support the deal, announced that he will be supporting the agreement after receiving a letter from President Barack Obama.
“We are all aware of the pressure the Administration is putting on all members,” Josh Mehlman, Chairman of the Flatbush Jewish Community Coalition (FJCC), told COLlive.com following the meeting.
“Our strongest case remains that the overwhelming majority of Jewish voters in her district want her to vote no. Our job is to make our case and urge our congressional leaders to represent the positions of their constituents. We strongly urge Congresswoman Clarke to vote no.”
Speakers ranged from emotional to discussing specific terms of the agreement, such as the immediate funding for Iran with billions in sanction relief. There is little doubt that these funds will increase terror against Israel the USA, and the entire world, Mehlman said.
In closing, the Congresswoman stated her unwavering support for the safety of Israel and the well-being of the Jewish people. She added that her residence being so close to Crown Heights, and her strong connection to the community, makes her more aware of the community’s concerns.
“She certainly exudes an energy of compassion towards the cause,” Tamir commented about Clarke. “And she appears to have a very good understanding of the deal.”
In fact, the Congresswoman concluded by saying that in addition to the concerns and worries shared with her during the meeting and by residents in the past few weeks, there were points in the deal that “are very troublesome” to her.
Asked what would be the reaction if Clarke votes in favor of the deal,” Tamir said: “I think it will be very hard for many people to digest, she would need to be very transparent about the basis of her decision. Even then, it would take a lot of work to recover from it, if at all possible.”
In related news, a press conference is scheduled to be held next week in front of the Jewish Children’s Museum in Crown Heights calling on “the New York Congressional Delegation (to) vote ‘No’ on the Iran Nuclear Deal.”
Speakers will include David Greenfield, Dov Hikind, New York State Senator Jesse Hamilton, retired Chaplain Colonel of the U.S. Armed Forces Jacob Goldstein and Devorah Halberstam, a mother of a victim of terror.
“Stop the Bad Iran Deal” will be held on Wednesday, August 26 at 6:00 pm on the corner of Eastern Parkway and Kingston Avenue in Brooklyn.
Run for Vaad Hakahal.
I attended two meetings close to 3 years ago to reestablish the Netzigim and elections in Crown Heights and the event was all screaming and yelling.
Just as a example the arguing got chaotic cause many people in attendance didn’t want to acknowledge who are the Rabonim in Crown heights etc….. Total joke, I would probably never attend such meetings in the future. I can just go to a comedy show instead.
So there was one visible elected CH leader at this back scratching closed meeting. THERE WERE TWO UNELECTED “CH LEADERS” THERE. It’s no wonder that voting means nothing to our community. When is the next CHJCC election as mandated by its charter (and long ago approved by the Rebbe)? If we can’t run our own community in a normal democratic manner, why should we waste our time on state, city and national elections in which the outcomes are almost predetermined and depend very little on the votes of our community. I vote in every other election. I also amuse myself… Read more »
After what the “Young Leadership ??? – who, what, when , and where????
Did to Reitport, they should go back to where they came from.
I am quoting you….
There were very good reasons not to vote for Raitport ???
AND CAN YOU SAY WHY????
I am quoting you again….
And the young leaders who laid out the facts about why not voting for him was the correct move were absolutely not responsible for his poor showing only his campaign and backers are responsible for that. ??
I LIVE IN CROWN HEIGHTS MOST MY “YOUNG LIFE”.
I DON”T REMEMBER ELECTING YOUNG LEADERS, TO DECIDE FOR ME..
בנין נערים סתירה …….
.
I live in the community my entire life.
Eli Slavin is a really nice guy, he makes a honest living working for the Congreswoman. Many people call him and he always tries his best to be of help.
Do you guys realize how irrational you are ( you should all be ashamed of yourselves ) obviously the Congreswoman will make decisions that we won’t like!!!! He can’t always change her mind. Please be thankful and respectful and act like Mentshen. I will not call out people by name ( although it’s very tempting ).
Hon. Congresswoman Yvette Clarke.
This is your moment.
Please be the Esther of our time, and vote to defend Israel, the great United States of America, and the world.
VOTE NO ON THIS HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE AGREEMENT.
G-d Bless.
If I say I’ll not vote for someone, it means something.
Can you say the same?
Imaging if the WHOLE Crown Heights (and Boro Park for that matter) could say that?
Get it?
If you don’t vote, what’s calling the office going to do?
Don’t get me wrong, CALL their offices, but that’ll only sway them if they know you VOTE in elections, so they’ll fear your power.
There were very good reasons not to vote for raitport and the young leaders who laid out the facts about why not voting for him was the correct move were absolutely not responsible for his poor showing only his campaign and backers are responsible for that.
David greenfield actually lives in Clarke’s district and its possible that Hikind also does.
Bottom line is do we want to save Eretz Yisroel /western world from 1938 2.0 or do we want to remind ourselves of pettty politics?
The reason you wrote this “incoherent” comment, is on the advice of some other incoherent person…
Stick to the issues at hand, and don’t get personal.
And now those that advised you to get personal with ES, ask why they made a “Chilulu Hashem” (חילול השם) by undermining Ritport in the last election?
Now they are trying to save the world.
Go to Boro Park and make news conference, where Nadler is your representatives.
Why don’t Hikind and Greenfield c lean there house first.
Let them focus on Nadler first, who is their congressman.
The reason she called the meeting is probably on the advice of Elie slavin when she asked him what to do about stopping our harassing phone calls. Gilibran said she is voting for the Iran deal. We should call and email her office.
Let’s be real. We had a JEWISH member from OUR community, who ran for office, just three months ago.
And what did two, or three individuals from OUR community do?
They denigrated, undermined and bad mouthed Reitport.
This caused that ONLY 1,500 out of 10,000 eligible voters voted
We are the laughing stock in the public arena.
And yes, now the same ASKONIM that caused the Reitport fiasco, are now trying to save Klal Yisroel ??????
1) Clarke has NO EXCUSE to vote for the deal!
2) YOU have NO EXCUSE to NOT vote in elections!
Nobody votes in Crown Heights, so don’t expect her to listen to you (the “you” is the one who doesn’t vote but whines).
Maybe the lazy Kvetches will finally pick themselves up and go VOTE next election.
Most people don’t vote, so of course no one listens to us.
Doesn’t take a genius to figure it out.
If she felt we’d vote her out of office, she’d vote against the deal in a blink.
But alas, MOST of us DON’t vote.
See the problem?
The same congressman who voted against funding Yeshivas after Sandy, and he used the constitution as his excuse. Though all during all his other votes he wasn’t concerned about spending too much money or about the constitutionality of said item.
(Think “Individual mandate” as an example.)
I don’t know why Boro Park voters don’t throw him out of office.
Let’s set the record straight. 1. Our Congresswoman sat there for 2 hours listening to questions and statements by 9 highly educated individuals that brought up everything that could have possibly been said. 2. She was very respectful, and had every person introduce themselves, and thanked us all personally for attending. 3. She made it very clear that she had not made up her mind yet how she will ultimately vote. 4. She’s part of the black caucus and is very democratic I can’t imagine her going against party lines and not doing what Obama asks of her ( as… Read more »
Most people don’t vote, so of course no one listens to us.
Doesn’t take a genius to figure it out.
Why is there no mention of Yaakov Behrman? He’s been working tirelessly on this issue!
He’s right and you’re wrong.
Maybe next election everyone will go vote so they’ll see we have political power after all.
I have news for you, most people in our community DON’T vote, and it’s not a secret to anyone.
Sure you have the RIGHT to complain, but don’t EXPECT anyone to listen to you, since you have no political power by your own choosing, and all the elected officials know that.
She knows most Crown Heightsers don’t vote, so she’s not afraid nor does she feel compelled to listen to us.
Maybe if everyone actually voted, she’d take our concerns, complains and demands seriously.
Thank you Congresswoman Clarke.
Thank you for always supporting Israeli in US House of Representative.
We are especially thankful for your attending the speech of Prime Minister Netanyahu recently at the US Capital.
We know that you are a person of principal and conciseness, and will do the right thing.
It was a pleasure speaking to one of your staff member in your DC office.
Good luck in your work as a public servant.
Many of us vote, what you are saying is nonsense. We just need more people to show up and we need to become more active. And even those who don’t vote have a right to say their piece, the government is supposed to work for us not the other way around.
BS”D
these attendees deserve a lot of credit, accolades and Blessings for the effort they are making,
keep up the good work and may Hashem and the Rebbe give you the strength to do so and be successful
No one in this community votes, but everyone loves to complain!
Action matters, not words and kvetching!
The meeting was originally scheduled as a town hall style meeting. Attendees were told that they would be allowed to ask questions. They decided at the last minute to change the format and questions were not allowed. Clarke did not address any of the particulars of the deal so it’s impossible to know whether she has an understanding or not.