Bill de Blasio campaigns in Yiddish to save faltering presidential bid
New York City’s Mayor Bill de Blasio is marshaling his supporters in the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community to solicit donations in Yiddish to support his presidential campaign.
Leaders in the Satmar movement who are close to de Blasio have sent out an appeal online and over the WhatsApp messaging platform urging chasidim to donate at least $1 to his campaign, according to Politico. The message says that de Blasio has been a reliable advocate for the Satmar movement’s interests as mayor.
The Satmar movement is divided into two factions, one of which supported de Blasio’s mayoral campaign. He since has backed their policy priorities in office.
De Blasio has been earning little to no support in polls of the Democratic presidential candidates. He needs 130,000 individual donors in order to qualify for next month’s party debate. That’s why he’s asking for only one dollar; here, he’s going less for money than for numbers.
The Satmar appeal, according to Politico, is made in the name of people “who work together with the faithful [community leaders] who are in constant contact with the government to lobby on a number of issues on behalf of our holy institutions and communities and for individuals who need help and to represent your interests.”
“By donating the dollar you support your needs, the entire Haredi Orthodox public and our rights and needs,” the appeal said.
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
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