Highland Park’s newly appointed mayor, Elsie Foster, met with community rabbis and lay leaders on the afternoon of Sunday, February 5 at a local residence. Foster, a borough council person for 22 years, is completing the remainder of the term of the former mayor, Gayle Brill Mittler, who resigned in December.

Rabbis and leaders of Agudath Israel, Ahavas Achim, Etz Ahaim, Ohav Emeth, and Ohr Torah, The Raritan Valley Orthodox Jewish Community Association (The ROC), the Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey, Chaverim of Middlesex County and others gathered to hear the new mayor’s key objectives and projects and to express their concerns and ideas.

The mayor stated that she is working on enticing a replacement grocery store for Stop & Shop, scheduled to close in March; completion of the reevaluation of the town’s ratables for tax purposes; and enhancing safety for all residents. Foster feels partnerships and dialogue with community stakeholders are essential. Attendees at the informal “drop-in” session expressed concerns about the safety of local synagogues, the imminent closing of the local grocery store and the dangers of the increased deer population, as well as increased levels of antisemitism at the local, state, national and global levels.

By Deborah Melman