Ten Orthodox Jewish legislators headed to New York Albany state legislature

Ten Orthodox Jewish legislators headed to New York Albany state legislature

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Orthodox New Yorkers Are No Longer Asking for a Seat at the Table

David Greenfield told JNS late Tuesday night, “Orthodox New Yorkers are no longer asking for a seat at the table. They are helping set it, and every New Yorker will be better for it.”

The election results delivered exactly that shift. Ten Orthodox Jewish state legislators are now headed to Albany—a metaphorical minyan in the Capitol, as Greenfield, the CEO and executive director of the Met Council, described it at 10 p.m. as returns continued to arrive. In the Assembly, the winners include Simcha Eichenstein, Kalman Yeger and Joey Cohen Saban from Brooklyn; Sam Berger, David Weprin and Pesach Osina from Queens; Aron Wieder from Rockland; and Ari Brown from Nassau. Upstairs in the Senate, Sam Sutton of Brooklyn and Lisa Vider of Nassau will represent their districts.

A Voice Amid Hostile Rhetoric

For Sam Berger, who represents Queens in the Assembly, the sweep carries weight beyond the numbers. “I know many Jews are feeling scared right now amid the increasingly hostile political rhetoric,” he told JNS. “But against that backdrop, seeing so many Orthodox Jews represented in Albany is a source of real strength and encouragement.” He added, “At a time when some are trying to silence our community, we have a voice at the table. Make no mistake—we intend to use it.”

Ari Brown, the Nassau County Assembly member, framed the moment differently. As the first yarmulke-wearing Republican ever elected to the New York state legislature, he told JNS that he respects all his colleagues, but warned against blind party loyalty. “When your party aligns with Mamdani, Ocasio-Cortez, Chevalier, El-Sayed and Omar, you must ask whether party loyalty is coming before protecting the Jewish community and all Americans,” he said, referencing figures including New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who are frequent critics of the Jewish state. “Securing funding for an institution or an ambulance is a short-term victory, but the bigger picture matters,” Brown added.

Historic Firsts in the Senate

Lisa “Malkie” Vider’s election marks a milestone: she will be the first Orthodox woman to serve in the New York state Senate.

“As the first Orthodox Jewish woman to serve in state Senate, it is deeply meaningful to be part of a growing Orthodox presence in Albany,” she told JNS. Serving in the Senate majority gives her “an opportunity to help shape decisions that affect our community and turn our priorities into meaningful results.” Her agenda, she said, runs from “combating antisemitism, ensuring our security and protecting religious freedom to supporting our schools and making life more affordable.”

A group of orthodox jewish students and their teacher at a rural school in upstate york

Vider also emphasized the bridge-building aspect of the role. “This special opportunity also gives us a responsibility to build relationships beyond our own community, understand our neighbors’ needs and find common ground,” she said. “I want to be both a strong voice for our community and a necessary bridge to others, because those relationships make us all more effective advocates for everyone we represent.”

From Voting Bloc to Governing

The ten legislators span the spectrum of Orthodox life—Chassidic, Sephardic and Modern Orthodox—and cross party lines as Democrats and Republicans. They hail from Borough Park and Midwood, Far Rockaway and Kew Gardens Hills, Monsey and the Five Towns. Greenfield noted that for decades, the Orthodox community “was treated as a voting bloc to be courted every few years.” Now, he said, “today it is a community that governs.”

Kalman Yeger, who succeeded Greenfield in the New York City Council’s 44th district before becoming a state representative in 2025, told JNS he is “honored by the opportunity to continue representing my neighbors.” He pointed to the practical experience the incoming group brings: “Many of the incoming legislators have long records of service and know how to get things done.” He even joked about the unglamorous realities of Albany life, looking forward to “having fellow travelers in the challenge to find kosher food in Albany.”

Greenfield underscored the demographic reality driving the political shift: the Orthodox community is among the fastest-growing parts of New York Jewry. “It votes, it organizes and it shows up for its neighbors of every background,” he said. The ten were elected not only by Orthodox voters but by the neighbors who share their districts and trust them to deliver.

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