Not only Obama • First Orthodox Senate of the State of New York

Due to the victory of President Barack Obama, the orthodox communities in New York and New Jersey present a number of achievements.

Simcha Felder, is a senior Orthodox politician, who won a seat in the New York State senate. Felder overcame lawyer, David Storbin, a Jew who also received support from the ultra-Orthodox.

Felder will be representative of the so called 'Super Jewish region', where Borough Park and Flatbush are located. The role will no doubt be a springboard for him. Felder, who serves as Rabbi of a synagogue, began his political career as aide of Dov Hikind who wears a knitted skullcap and is a member of the legislature of New York. Now Hikind helped him in the election.

So far Felder served as a member of the Council of the City of New York, where he ran for municipal elections and managed to get into the city council as a representative of the Orthodox neighborhoods. During his tenure as a council member, he managed to walk between the drops and not be drawn into disputes between the Hassidic courts and gained their trust.

Felder knew very well how to use the power in his hands and would bring New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, to the Hasidic courts and Rebbes.

Bloomberg, so some say, owes his present term to Felder. This time Bloomberg supported him in every way possible.

Felder placed his headquarters in the heart of Borough Park, on 13th Avenue, across the mythological 'Shomrei Shabbos' shul.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg congratulated Felder on his victory and said: "Simcha Felder is an independent politician who makes independent decisions and thinks independently, just like I do. He is interested only in what is good for his constituents. I consult and rely upon his advice on issues large or small, because he is a real personality who says what is in his heart."

Other Orthodox winners are two of the city's ultra-Orthodox politicians of Lakewood, New Jersey: Mayor Menashe Miller and City Council member Meir Lichtenstein, who won reelection.

Miller, Lt. U.S. Air Force, was first elected to the Lakewood City Council in 2003, together with Meir Lichtenstein, since then they have both been working together.

Miller is very popular among the orthodox public and non-Jewish alike.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!