Mayor Eric Adams Visits Staten Island
Edited by: TJVNews.com
Borough religious leaders, community members and community-based organizations gathered at the Yeshivas Sanz Staten Island, Port Richmond, on Thursday, July 28, to meet with Mayor Eric Adams and department commissioners to discuss some of the problems currently facing Staten Island and the City of New York.
“We spend a lifetime pulling people out of the river, but no one goes upstream to prevent them from falling in the first place. We are a downstream mindset in New York and in this country — all we do is wait downstream for people to fall into the river,” Adams said as he addressed the more than 150 people gathered at the event.
“I’m not going to have a downstream government. I’m going to have an upstream government, and part of an upstream government are my houses of worship,” he continued, as he spoke about some of the city’s biggest issues, including: homelessness; undiagnosed dyslexia; gun violence; unemployment; mental health issues.
The mayor said that houses of worship are not only vital to the community, but vital to his administration. He said that the best way to maximize city resources is through partnerships with houses of worship, because they’re already doing the work on the frontlines of their community.
“Because you’re doing it for the people, not for the profit,” said the mayor. “We’re going to take our city upstream and start doing what you do every day.”
Prior to Adams’ arrival, commissioners and representatives from various New York City agencies had tables with information to share with community members. Among them was Fred Kreizman, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit; Joel Eisdorfer, Senior Advisor to the Mayor and Inspector Richard Taylor, commanding officer, Community Affairs, Community Outreach, NYPD. A scrumptious breakfast was sponsored by the Staten Island Council of Jewish Organizations (COJO), Yeshivas Sanz Staten Island, Bnos Chaya, and Project Hospitality.
Mendy Mirocznik, president of COJO remarked, “we the united and diverse community of Staten Island are honored and pleased with the mayor’s historic visit to Staten Island and appreciate that he took the time and patience from his hectic, grueling and busy schedule to address our concerns. Sadly, what is missing in politics today from the conversation all too often is listening and paying attention to the concerns of the public. Government has become dysfunctional and fails to stay attuned to the needs of the public which it serves. People feel frustrated and alienated and believe that government does not care, or that government is the problem. Mayor Eric Adams is different, his leadership is refreshing, a breath of fresh air and he truly cares and takes his job as Mayor serious. The mayor made it crystal clear in a strong resounding way that he is listening and is paying attention to the needs of the everyday New Yorker and his dream is to make the City of New York be the best City in the world. We here in Staten Island are horned to join him and to partner with him on this important task, and we firmly believe with the help of the Almighty Mayor Eric Adams shall succeed.”