New YorksexismNew Yorkfirst amendment

Women Barred From Lhota Visit To Brooklyn Synagogue

Lhota Stands By Orthodox Synagogue That Refused Female Reporters Entry
By 

Contributor

Open Image Modal
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 14: Republican New York City mayoral candidate Joe Lhota marches in the 69th Annual Columbus Day Parade on October 14, 2013 in New York City. With dozens of floats, marching bands and politicians on hand, the annual celebration of Italian American culture and heritage draws large crowds along 5th Avenue. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

During a walking tour of the Borough Park section of Brooklyn Tuesday, Republican mayoral candidate Joe Lhota took some time to stop at the orthodox Shomer Shabbos synagogue, during a service, with reporters and members of his staff tagging along. Upon arrival, however, the women following Lhota at the event-- a reporter, a campaign aide, and a member of Lhota's security team-- were all asked by members of the synagogue to leave.

Male reporters were allowed to stay.

Reportedly, Lhota did not object and stayed to make a charitable donation. When later asked about the incident, he defended the rights of the synagogue officials. "Throughout the orthodox world, the orthodox Jewish world as well as the orthodox Muslim world, there are certain places that women are not involved in,” Lhota said according to a New York Daily News report. “I will not as mayor violate their First Amendment constitutional rights for their religious practices."

The brief visit was not planned, according to Yeshiva World News reporter Jacob Kornbluh, and the uncomfortable situation was simply a case of poor timing. Orthodox synagogues can have separate services for men and women and Lhota's campaign happened to stop in during the men's service.

Jessica Proud, Lhota's spokesperson, confirmed the situation to WNYC reporter Andrea Bernstein. "This was not a planned stop on the schedule, but they were walking through the neighborhood and Joe was invited into a synagogue to look inside," said Proud. "They were having a service and he just popped in to see. He only stayed for a minute along the way to the next event."

It is not uncommon for candidates for public office to meet with members of the influential orthodox community, but these events are usually kept private and press is generally not invited to attend. There was one exception: during Tea Party candidate Carl Paladino's 2010 campaign for governor, female reporters were banned from a campaign-sponsored orthodox Jewish community event.

Democratic mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio's spokesperson, Dan Levitan, said de Blasio has never invited press to an event where some reporters might not be granted access.

Our 2024 Coverage Needs You

As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.

Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.

to keep our news free for all.

Support HuffPost

Before You Go

NYC Primary Day 2013
Anthony Weiner, Jordan Weiner(01 of26)
Open Image Modal
Democratic mayoral hopeful Anthony Weiner holds his son Jordan as he leaves the voting booth after casting his vote at his polling station during the primary election in New York, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (credit:AP)
Anthony Weiner, Jordan Weiner(02 of26)
Open Image Modal
Democratic mayoral hopeful Anthony Weiner, with his son Jordan, is surrounded by reporters while speaking to an unidentified woman and her child after casting his vote at his polling station during the primary election in New York, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (credit:AP)
Anthony Weiner, Barbara Morgand, Valerie Grant(03 of26)
Open Image Modal
Democratic mayoral hopeful Anthony Weiner's aide Barbara Morgan, right, speaks with Board of Elections coordinator Valerie Grant before Weiner arrives to cast his vote at his polling station during the primary election in New York, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (credit:AP)
Anthony Weiner, Jordan Weiner(04 of26)
Open Image Modal
Democratic mayoral hopeful Anthony Weiner holds his son Jordan as he speaks to reporters after casting his vote at his polling station during the primary election in New York, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (credit:AP)
Christine Quinn, Kim Catullo(05 of26)
Open Image Modal
City Council Speaker and New York City Democratic mayoral hopeful Christine Quinn, right, embraces her wife, Kim Catullo, after Catullo voted in the primary election, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013, in New York. Quinn led the polls for most of the year but has seen support disappear as her rivals linked her to the bitter debate to let Mayor Michael Bloomberg run for a third term in 2009. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) (credit:AP)
Christine Quinn, Tim Gunn(06 of26)
Open Image Modal
City Council Speaker and New York City Democratic mayoral hopeful Christine Quinn, greets supporter Tim Gunn at a campaign stop on primary election day in New York, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013. Quinn led the polls for most of the year but has seen support disappear as her rivals linked her to the bitter debate to let Bloomberg run for a third term in 2009. Gunn is the "style czar" for "Project Runway." (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) (credit:AP)
Christine Quinn, Kim Catullo(07 of26)
Open Image Modal
City Council Speaker and New York City Democratic mayoral hopeful Christine Quinn, center, and her wife, Kim Catullo, right, sign in to vote in the primary election with an unidentified poll worker in New York, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013. Quinn led the polls for most of the year but has seen support disappear as her rivals linked her to the bitter debate to let Bloomberg run for a third term in 2009. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) (credit:AP)
Eliot Spitzer(08 of26)
Open Image Modal
A board of election worker, right, helps Democratic comptroller hopeful Eliot Spitzer in the voting booth before he cast his vote in the primary election at his polling station in New York, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (credit:AP)
Eliot Spitzer(09 of26)
Open Image Modal
Democratic comptroller hopeful Eliot Spitzer exits the voting booth after casting his vote in the primary election at his polling station in New York, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (credit:AP)
Scott Stringer(10 of26)
Open Image Modal
Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer emerges from a voting booth with his 20-month old son Max after casting his ballot during the primary election, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013, in New York. Stringer is running against Ex-Gov. Eliot Spitzer for city comptroller. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow) (credit:AP)
GOP Mayoral Candidate Joe Lhota Votes In NYC Primary Election(11 of26)
Open Image Modal
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 10: Republican mayoral candidate Joe Lhota, former CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, votes in the New York City mayoral primary on September 10, 2013 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Lhota is running against businessman John Catsimatidis on the Republican side. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
GOP Mayoral Candidate Joe Lhota Votes In NYC Primary Election(12 of26)
Open Image Modal
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 10: Republican mayoral candidate Joe Lhota, former CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, speaks to the media after voting in the New York City mayoral primary on September 10, 2013 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Lhota is running against businessman John Catsimatidis on the Republican side. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Scott Stringer(13 of26)
Open Image Modal
Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer leaves a polling station with his 20-month old son Max after casting his ballot during the primary election, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013, in New York. Stringer is running against Ex-Gov. Eliot Spitzer for city comptroller. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow) (credit:AP)
Bill de Blasio, Chirlane McCray(14 of26)
Open Image Modal
Mayoral candidateBill de Blasio and his wife Chirlane McCray leave after casting their primary votes on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013, at the Park Slope Public Library in the Brooklyn borough of New York. New Yorkers head to the polls Tuesday in a primary election that begins the process of replacing Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire mayor who has defined their city for 12 years. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) (credit:AP)
Bill de Blasio, Chirlane McCray(15 of26)
Open Image Modal
Mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio and his wife, Chirlane McCray, arrive to cast their primary votes, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013, at the Park Slope Public Library in the Brooklyn borough of New York. New Yorkers head to the polls Tuesday in a primary election that begins the process of replacing Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire mayor who has defined their city for 12 years. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) (credit:AP)
(16 of26)
Open Image Modal
Elsie McCabe Thompson left, stand with her husband, New York City Democratic Mayoral hopeful Bill Thompson, as they get ready to vote in the Democratic primary election, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013 in the Harlem section of New York. New Yorkers head to the polls Tuesday in a primary election that begins the process of replacing Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire mayor who has defined their city for 12 years. (AP Photo/Jin Lee) (credit:AP)
(17 of26)
Open Image Modal
New York City Democratic Mayoral hopeful Bill Thompson votes in the Democratic primary election, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013 in the Harlem section of New York. New Yorkers head to the polls Tuesday in a primary election that begins the process of replacing Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire mayor who has defined their city for 12 years. (AP Photo/Jin Lee) (credit:AP)
(18 of26)
Open Image Modal
Democratic mayoral hopeful Anthony Weiner makes his concession speech at Connolly's Pub in midtown Tuesday, September 10, 2013 in New York. Public Advocate Bill de Blasio held a clear lead Tuesday night in New York City's mayoral Democratic primary as polls closed, according to early and incomplete voting returns. (AP Photo/Jin Lee) (credit:AP)
(19 of26)
Open Image Modal
Democratic mayoral hopeful Anthony Weiner makes his concession speech at Connolly's Pub in midtown Tuesday, September 10, 2013 in New York. Public Advocate Bill de Blasio held a clear lead Tuesday night in New York City's mayoral Democratic primary as polls closed, according to early and incomplete voting returns. (AP Photo/Jin Lee) (credit:AP)
Bill De Blasio, Chirlane De Blasio(20 of26)
Open Image Modal
New York City Democratic Mayoral candidate Bill De Blasio, left, and his wife Chirlane wave to supporters at De Blasio election headquarters after polls closed in the city's primary election Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) (credit:AP)
Bill De Blasio(21 of26)
Open Image Modal
New York City Democratic Mayoral candidate Bill De Blasio dances on stage after addressing supporters at his election headquarters after polls closed in the city's primary election Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) (credit:AP)
Bill De Blasio, Dante De Balsio, Chiara De Blasio, Chirlane De Blasio(22 of26)
Open Image Modal
New York City Democratic Mayoral hopeful Bill De Blasio embraces his son Dante, left, daughter Chiara, second from left, and wife Chirlane, right, after addressing supporters at his election headquarters after polls closed in the city's primary election Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2013, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) (credit:AP)
Bill Thompson(23 of26)
Open Image Modal
New York Democratic mayoral hopeful Bill Thompson speaks to his supporters after the polls closed, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013 in New York. Thompson and opponent Bill de Blasio are locked in a tight race in the Democratic primary. Thompson is holding up three fingers, indicating that he is hoping for a runoff election to determine the Democratic nominee in three weeks. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) (credit:AP)
Christine Quinn Campaign Holds Primary Election Night Event(24 of26)
Open Image Modal
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 10: New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn speaks next to her wife Kim Catullo (L) during her concession speech in the New York Democratic mayoral primary elections on September 10, 2013 in New York City. Quinn, who lead early in the polls and who was endorsed by all of New York's major newspapers, saw her lead slip away in the final weeks of the campaign. Quinn would have been the first woman and lesbian to hold the job of mayor. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Christine Quinn Campaign Holds Primary Election Night Event(25 of26)
Open Image Modal
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 10: New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn gives her concession speech in the New York Democratic mayoral primary elections on September 10, 2013 in New York City. Quinn, who lead early in the polls and who was endorsed by all of New York's major newspapers, saw her lead slip away in the final weeks of the campaign. Quinn would have been the first woman and lesbian to hold the job of mayor. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(26 of26)
Open Image Modal
Former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, at the podium, delivers his concession speech at his election night party after losing the Democratic primary race for New York City comptroller Tuesday Sept. 10, 2013 in New York. (AP Photo/Tina Fineberg) (credit:AP)
Suggest a correction
|
Submit a tip