Oldest Alderman Does a Mitzvah

By COLlive reporter

Chicago’s mayoral candidates have drawn the big headlines, but there are also 43 smaller political battles brewing in neighborhoods across the city, the Sun Times reports.

They?re Chicago’s contested aldermanic races. And while they haven?t drawn the same sort of attention, they have managed to attract some fair-sized political contributions from the business community, unions and everyday people.

One of them is the 50th ward which encompasses part of Chicago’s far North Side and includes the West Ridge, West Rogers Park and Peterson Park neighborhoods.

The 83 year-old Jewish alderman Berny Stone, who is also Vice Mayor of Chicago, is running for re-election and had a chance Wednesday to do a Mitzvah.

Meeting with Rabbi Levi Notik, Director of Development of FREE of Chicago, he was offered to put on Tefillin and say Shma Yisroel.

Following the good deed, the oldest serving Chicago alderman and the Shliach discussed many of the issues pertaining the Jewish community in general and specifically the Russian community.

Rabbi Notik told COLlive.com that while his organization doesn’t endorse any candidate, he “profusely thanked Stone for all his assistance.”

Another Mitzvah was done at the Stone campaign headquarters when PR man Paul Miller agreed to put on the Tefillin, the second time in his life since his participation at the Lag Baomer Festival organized by Chabad of Illinois.