I am not driven by politics and have no political ambitions; I am simply a longtime Teaneck resident dedicated to building bridges with others, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity or gender. I share the commitment that many have recently espoused to fostering unity within Teaneck. But I also believe that commitment can only be achieved with an equal commitment to the truth and to rectifying — rather than papering over — mistakes.
The letter in The Jewish Link from Deputy Mayor Belcher (“A Word From Teaneck’s Deputy Mayor,” Jan. 16, 2025) is not that at all. It reads like an infomercial, even including Ms. Belcher’s posed photo. Ms. Belcher writes that she is “deeply grateful for the community support” as she assumes the role of Deputy Mayor II. But Ms. Belcher seems to forget that her election to deputy mayor was not “by the community” but by her colleagues on council — and that even they were not unanimous in supporting her.
No matter, Ms. Belcher wastes no time settling into her perch, even taking the liberty to lecture her colleagues on the council. She demands that they “call out and dismantle the harmful and divisive acts when and if they occur.” Apparently, Ms. Belcher does not see the irony.
It was only several months ago that Ms. Belcher was herself regularly coddling the antisemites who turned up at town council meetings to spew their hatred against the very Jewish community who elected her to office. In one meeting, together with a notorious local agitator, she falsely accused the Jewish community of Teaneck of violating the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1967 and the New Jersey Fair Housing laws. The result of her recklessness was a reprehensible and violent protest outside of Keter Torah, a local synagogue.
We are a forgiving community. Teshuva, or repentance, is a fundamental aspect of our Jewish faith. But repentance is not achieved by denying or forgetting our past, but by owning it. And it is high time that Ms. Belcher owned hers.
If Ms. Belcher sincerely wants our community’s support and to be worthy of the leadership position she now holds, she needs to acknowledge the great damage that she caused the local Jewish community and ask for its forgiveness. And she needs to demonstrate that she has really changed and is no longer an instigator but a bridge builder.
Ms. Belcher quotes Rev. King’s daughter that “quoting his words means nothing if we fail to do the work necessary to realize his vision.”
I agree. Talk is cheap. Let’s hope Ms. Belcher’s words are driven by a sincere change, and that her actions reflect it.
