By Yossi Gestetner

As is well known to the public, Baruch Hashem, I have been involved in community affairs for many years, particularly in local matters affecting our area.

More than twenty years ago, back in 2003, I was already writing campaign materials for local elections in which promises were made to widen Maple Avenue and implement other improvements. At the time, many people believed these promises were nothing more than election propaganda.

However, over the years, we have seen that when elected officials remain committed to their promises, they can accomplish great things. On the other hand, we have also seen that an elected official can have the best intentions, but if he is not in the right position, his ability to accomplish anything is severely limited.

It is like someone trying to assemble something using the wrong tools. He may be the most skilled craftsman, but without the proper tools, he will not be able to achieve the desired results.

This does not mean that a candidate is automatically the right choice simply because he belongs to the party that controls the government. Far from it. In fact, before the 2022 elections, we had a state senator who belonged to the majority party in Albany, but whose approach at the time was deliberately antagonistic toward our community. That was one of the reasons I worked so hard in 2022 to help Bill Weber win the State Senate seat. The calculation was that even if Weber would serve in the minority, the first priority was to remove the previous senator from a position in which he was causing harm.

In 2024, we once again supported Bill Weber, despite having already seen the limitations of his position as a member of the minority in Albany. Nevertheless, we felt that perhaps he deserved more time, since he was still a relatively new state senator, and perhaps over time he would develop the connections and capabilities needed to deliver meaningful results.

But now we are in 2026. After four years at the table, it is clear that Weber is not in a position where he can realize his potential for Rockland County. This is not a personal criticism of Bill Weber. He is simply in the wrong position. The government is large enough, and there are other positions where someone with his qualities could benefit the community and Rockland County as a whole. But we cannot continue to suffer simply because he has not switched parties over the past four years, when doing so could have enabled him to accomplish so much.

And this brings us to candidate Joe Rand. Rand serves as mayor of Nyack, a village of only about 7,000 residents, and he has succeeded in bringing approximately seven million dollars in funding to his village. That is an extraordinary achievement for such a small village, approximately one thousand dollars per resident!

Imagine what that could mean for an entire county like Rockland, with 350,000 residents. I am not saying that Rand will be able to bring 350 million dollars to Rockland, but when you have someone who has already demonstrated that he knows how to work hard, and who can also have the party connections necessary in Albany, that is a combination that deserves serious consideration.

We see the same principle with Congressman Mike Lawler. When Lawler won in 2022, Republicans also took control of Congress. That gave him greater opportunities to accomplish things. Lawler is a hardworking individual, but his effectiveness as a representative is not solely the result of his personal abilities. His political position and connections also play a major role, particularly because Republicans control Congress and, even more importantly, the White House.

We see something similar with our representative in the State Assembly, Reb Aron B. Wieder, where longstanding connections in Albany can make an enormous difference in the ability to help the community in ways that would be severely limited if he belonged to the minority party.

Rand is running on more party ballot lines than Weber’s opponent did in 2024, making the election easier for Rand. Additionally, this year is generally a difficult political year for Republicans. These two factors, combined with even a portion of Weber’s voters from 2022 and 2024 switching their support to Rand, mean that, with Hashem’s help, Rand can win.

I supported Bill Weber in 2022 because I believed it was the right decision for the community. I supported him again in 2024 because I believed he deserved another opportunity. But supporting a candidate in the past does not mean one must support him forever. The primary consideration must always remain what is best for the community and for Rockland County. Bill Weber did not change political parties despite the benefit that doing so could have brought to the community that elected him. He did what was best for his political interests. I have no complaints, but in 2026, we must make a change for the benefit of the community and put partisan considerations aside.

Rabbosai, it is time for a change. Please join together, for the benefit of the community and every individual, and vote for Joe Rand in the upcoming State Senate election. Early voting begins at the beginning of Parshas Vayeira. Please go out and vote for Joe Rand for State Senate, Reb Ben Zion Wieder, may he live and be well, for State Assembly, and Congressman Mike Lawler for Congress. Thank you.

The views expressed in this letter do not necessarily represent those of Monsey Scoop. Have an opinion you’d like to share? Send it to us for review.