CROWN HEIGHTS — New York Republican gubernatorial nominee Bruce Blakeman visited Crown Heights Wednesday morning, July 15 for a community tour focused on the concerns facing the neighborhood and New York's Jewish community.
Hosted by the Crown Heights Republican Committee, the tour brought Blakeman together with local residents, business owners, community leaders, activists and elected officials. Yitzchok Rimler led Blakeman through the neighborhood, including a walk along Kingston Avenue and stops at local businesses.
Among those joining the tour were State Senator Bill Weber, Assemblyman Michael Novakhov and Joseph Hernandez, the Republican candidate for New York State Comptroller. Julie Milner, a judicial candidate, also attended.
Blakeman visited Judaica World, Raskin's Fish Market, Holesome Bagels, Hamafitz Judaica, Bread & Dairy, House of Glatt and Kingston Pizza Kosher, speaking with business owners about the rising cost of doing business, high taxes and the financial pressures facing New York merchants.
Local activists also helped Blakeman, who is Jewish, put on tefillin during the visit.
At Bread & Dairy, Novakhov praised the store as an example of the strength of the Jewish community and said protecting Jewish-owned businesses and the community's way of life requires more than simply supporting local commerce. The meetup for the tour was near the iconic 770 Chabad-Lubavitch headquarters located in the heart of Crown Heights.
The event concluded with a discussion with members of the community, focused on public safety and quality-of-life concerns, including the placement of large homeless shelters for formerly incarcerated individuals in and around Crown Heights. Blakeman said local residents deserve a voice in major policy decisions affecting their neighborhoods.
“Standing with New York's Jewish Community,” Blakeman said, emphasizing his pledge to listen to and support Jewish communities across the state.
Hernandez said Crown Heights was “a remarkable community built on faith, family, and tradition,” adding that he and Blakeman would stand with Jewish families, work to lower costs and fight to keep neighborhoods safe.
The visit comes as Republicans seek to challenge the direction of New York State under Governor Kathy Hochul and NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Mr. Blakeman is expected to have similar tours of Queens Jewish communities in the very near future.
Robert Pearl
