A galvanized and cohesive Jewish community is gearing up for the November town council elections in Teaneck. Since last October 7, when Hamas invaded Israel, killed more than 1,200 people and took over 250 hostages, Teaneck’s Jewish community has found itself in the crosshairs, bearing the brunt of weekly and sometimes daily protests, rallies and online attacks from pro-Palestinian organizations, including having to endure anti-Israel, anti-Jewish and antisemitic statements in every Teaneck Town Council meeting since Hamas first attacked.
Over the last nine months, Jewish town council members have had to stand up to an array of blistering comments and actions. As the seven council members are elected in staggered four- year terms, this November, 12-year veteran Council Member Mark (Mendy) Schwartz, who also serves as The Jewish Link’s co-publisher, joins four-year Council Member Karen Orgen in seeking re-election for four year terms. They invite the entire community to a kickoff event on August 1.
Both Schwartz and Orgen have spent much of their private, professional and civic lives working for all of Teaneck’s residents. Their goals include keeping Teaneck affordable with high-level services, and keeping Teaneck a safe and crime-free community. They also seek to retain management, both professional and lay leadership, invested in a township they love and a workforce dedicated to serving all of Teaneck’s residents.
Schwartz, who was first elected to Teaneck’s town council in 2012, is seeking his fourth term in office. Orgen, who was elected in 2020, is seeking her second term. While neither of them initially planned to run again, they feel strongly that the community needs their presence on the council in order to keep antisemitic and anti-Jewish sentiment in check, noting that after the last election cycle, many long-serving Jewish supervisory board members were unceremoniously replaced without any stated reason. At this kickoff event, Schwartz’s and Orgen’s goal is to invite their neighbors to participate in their election campaign by adding signatures to their election documents, picking up lawn signs, donating to the campaign, listening to music, enjoying some delicious food and learning more about local politics and how to get involved.
“We want this to be a big community event and to have a cohesive and celebratory atmosphere. We want our campaign kickoff to be bigger this year than it’s been in the past because the community is so much more engaged than they’ve ever been,” said Orgen.
“Our families are entrenched and invested and have always worked for the betterment of all Teaneck’s residents,” said Schwartz.
Registration is required for the campaign kickoff on August 1 in Teaneck. Please sign up here: https://www.realexperiencerealresults.com/, or see the ad on page 6 for a QR code.
