As the sun set on September 15, Sorolle and Shimmy Idels welcomed neighbors and community leaders onto the deck of their Kew Gardens Hills home for a campaign reception with a clear message: Queens cannot afford to lose its only Jewish voice on the New York City Council – Lynn Schulman.
New York State Assembly Member Sam Berger, speaking as both an elected colleague and a neighbor, emphasized the stakes. “When we have someone like Lynn Schulman in the City Council – where we have very few allies – we need to do everything we can to support her. If we don’t, then we have no voices. I see firsthand how much she cares for her district and how far above and beyond she goes for the people she represents.”
Sorolle Idels reflected on meeting Schulman just before the onset of Covid-19, when she was still largely unknown. “I wasn’t even in her district, but we met, and immediately there was a spark. We became friends, and I helped with her campaign. Lynn doesn’t just work for her district; she works for all of us.”
To illustrate the point, she recounted the recent incident of a “Free Gaza”-styled banner illegally strung across a portion of the Grand Central Parkway just off the entrance ramp from Forest Hills during Labor Day weekend. “It wasn’t in her district, and it was a Sunday holiday weekend. Within an hour of Shabsie from Queens Shmira calling her, it was gone. That’s Lynn.”
She also noted Schulman’s success in securing a street naming for Rabbi Moshe Newman zt”l, longtime principal of the Bais Yaakov Academy of Queens – an accomplishment that typically requires years of persistence in New York City politics.
When Schulman addressed the crowd, her words echoed the urgency of Idels’ examples. “Representation matters. Out of 51 members of the Council, only six are Jewish, and not all are active in the Jewish caucus. Too often, when there’s an antisemitic incident or something happens in Israel, I’m the one who issues the statement. My colleagues may be supportive, but if you’re not Jewish, you don’t feel the urgency in the same manner. That’s why our voice matters.”
She reminded attendees how, after the October 7 Hamas attack, she convened NYPD Counterterrorism with Jewish leaders from across Queens to address security concerns, and how she worked with UJA-Federation of NY and JCRC-NY to prevent a ceasefire resolution from advancing in the Council. “I can talk to people across the spectrum. I’m friends with Republicans and Democrats alike, because at the end of the day, we need to keep things moving for our community.”
Her remarks resonated because of recent hate-filled episodes: Swastikas and anti-Semitic graffiti appeared in Forest Hills and Rego Park, including near schools. A few months later, another anti-Semitic act unsettled Forest Hills. Each time, Schulman pressed the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force to act. More recently, she condemned a spate of anti-Semitic graffiti in Forest Hills and supported the establishment of the Mayor’s Office to Combat Anti-Semitism.
Howard Schoenfeld, a veteran activist from Kew Gardens Hills, recalled spotting “Free Gaza” graffiti on an E-train last Thanksgiving. “I tagged Lynn on X, gave her the car number, and it was removed right away – on a holiday. That’s not something you forget.”
Shimi Pelman, district leader and president of Tomchei Shabbos of Queens, highlighted Schulman’s practical impact. “Every week, we’re able to deliver food because the city supports us. Lynn makes sure that happens. Without her, I’d be knocking on your doors every week asking for more money. She doesn’t just talk; she delivers.”
As the reception wound down, Schulman spoke about the campaign ahead. “This is my first fundraiser of the season, and I need to raise enough to max out what I can spend under campaign finance rules. We’ve started our field operation, flyers are ready, but I need your help. The Jewish community is very important to me. I will keep fighting every day, but to keep our voice alive in City Hall, I need your support.”
Guests lingered into the night, sharing stories of moments when Schulman stepped in where others had not: graffiti at Queens Center Mall, a quiet intervention for a yeshivah, a favor for a local shul. Again and again, the same truth emerged: She shows up, even outside her district, even on weekends and holidays, because silence is not an option.
“Without her, Queens Jews lose their voice.”
By Shabsie Saphirstein
