Weiner Courting Votes, Facing a Challenge From City's Orthodox Jews

Anthony Weiner's past is haunting him.

As a lead Democratic candidate for New York City mayor, Weiner's past behavior of sending sexually explicit images and messages to women he knew only online now is proving to be a roadblock in his ability to connect with the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community, The New York Times writes.

Prior to his tweeting scandal, Weiner— the only Jewish candidate running for mayor-- had solid political standing within the Hasidic Jewish communities-- a voting block that represents 40 percent of the city’s 1.1 million Jews.

Today, Weiner is finding his standing amongst Orthodox Jews to be on not-so-solid ground, owed to the community's strict code of moral behavior, particularly regarding interactions between men and women.

“The scandal made him someone I cannot trust,” said Rabbi Yaakov Klein, 50, a teacher at Yeshiva Ohr Yitzchok in Midwood. “His integrity is lacking. If you’re trusting him with public matters, you want his personal life to be beyond reproach.”

Yaacov Behrman, a Crown Heights-based political activist said because of Weiner's actions, he is uncomfortable with him as mayor and as the public face of the city: "It's not my place to judge Weiner's personal path to repentance," said Behrman. And he added, "I have fewer reservations with Elliot Spitzer since he is seeking lower office."

But still, Behrman admitted, regardless of Weiner's past, he plans to support mayoral candidate Bill Thompson.

Ezra Friedlander, a Hasid who is supporting Christine C. Quinn for mayor, pointed to what he views as an even greater problem than Weiner’s actual behavior: his judgment. 

“Everyone understands that men have these weaknesses, but Anthony Weiner tweeting inappropriate pictures is more like what college kids do than a serious candidate for mayor,” he said.