Volume 67, Issue 4

Moving Up the Political Ladder: Ramapo Planning Board to Run at N.Y. State Assembly
by Jonathan Mazurek

Following the 2000 presidential election and the possibility of the first Orthodox Jew serving as the Vice President of the United Sates of America, the idea of a religious Jew participating in public service has become plausible.  Yet, the notion that a Yeshiva alumnus is currently running for a seat in the New York State Assembly is still rather extraordinary.

Ryan S. Karben (D), Yeshiva College ’96, is no newcomer to politics.  In fact, his rise to political heights has been well documented in previous issues of The Commentator over the past few years.  However, come this Election Day, Ryan Karben will be striving towards a new goal – the opportunity to serve the people of New York in Albany.

Karben is currently vying to represent the 95th Legislative District in the New York State Assembly, a position that is being vacated by retiring Assemblyman Sam Colman (D).  His opponent is a 56-year-old former town councilman, Gerald Walsh (R).  District 95 includes all of Orangetown and part of Ramapo, including Spring Valley, Chestnut Ridge, Airmont, New Square, Kaser, Monsey and part of Suffern – towns with overwhelmingly Orthodox populations.

If elected, Karben said he intends to “help working families, and expand health care for senior citizens.  You know the bread and butter issues that are important to everyone.”  He also plans to work on legislation and programs that directly affect the Jewish community.  He particularly looks forward to working closely with another Orthodox Jew, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, to fight discrimination at the workplace.  Karben views the prospect of working with Silver as a great honor and privilege, a person who he describes as “a great leader [for the Jewish Community] to have up in Albany.”  Additionally, Karben intends on obtaining insurance coverage for infertility treatments – an extremely important issue for Jewish families – as well as obtaining better government funding for “our yeshivas in ways that are constitutionally viable.”

Yet, one of Karben’s key issues, both as an Assemblyman and more importantly as a member of the Jewish community, is the State of Israel: “In such a hostile time and climate, probably the most dangerous time in Israel’s existence, it’s important for all officials to be consistent in expressing solidarity with Israel.  We need to be vocal and vigilant when it comes to Israel, especially as members of the Jewish community.  New York is a bastion of Jewish support, but nevertheless the ugly head of anti-Zionism is rearing itself in universities across the state, and as a Jew in public office I must try my hardest to prevent this from continuing,” he related.

Karben’s interest in politics and public service began as a child.  “Even as a kid I was fascinated with elections.  My parents were involved with local civic boards,” Karben explained.  It was only logical then, that at the tender age of 18, Karben would begin his political career.

While still a student at Yeshiva, Karben was appointed to a seven-year term on the Planning Board of Ramapo.  Because of his youth, Karben was under constant scrutiny, and therefore felt added incentive to prove himself to both his peers and his electorate.  During his last year at Yeshiva, Karben ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Rockland County Legislature.  He vied for the same position in 1997, this time as a second year law student and a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar at Columbia University.  That year he received 61 percent of the vote, and was elected to represent the Town of Ramapo in the Rockland County Legislature.  Karben was the youngest person to ever serve in the Legislature, and was the youngest county lawmaker in New York State.  He was re-elected to the Legislature in 1999 with 97 percent of the vote, and in 2001 Karben was selected by his colleagues to serve as Majority Leader for the 2001 Legislative Session.  As both a member of the Planning Board and as a Legislator, Karben was a staunch supporter of legislation and programs that protected the environment, and recently was a very outspoken opponent of the Indian Point nuclear power plant.

While at Yeshiva, Karben served as the Executive Editor of The Commentator, as well as the chairman of the Student Affairs Committee.  When asked about how he currently looks back on his years at Yeshiva, he described them as “some of the best years of my life.”  He considers his rebbe, HaRav Meir Goldwicht, one of his greatest influences in Yeshiva, declaring that Rav Goldwicht’s “exuberance in Jewish living was contagious.” Nevertheless, Karben contends that his greatest motivation at Yeshiva came from his fellow students.  “My fellow students had the greatest impact on me, with their commitment to hang onto their values while still being active participants in the greater world.”

What do you think? Click here to send a letter to the editors.
All content is copyright © Yeshiva University Commentator.