"The Lakewood community has a group of private citizens who represent the community and advocate on its behalf. Although some of us hold positions in non profit institutions our work is on behalf of the general public Not for our institutions."
This statement was a pathetic attempt to dissuade people from the obvious. The VAAD led by Aaron Kotler obviously does not care about the general needs of the community. Just by saying the opposite will not keep people from realizing the truth. All these years of telling people who to vote for has obviously been for specific VAAD needs..
Rabbi Kotler goes on to discuss the MESORAH of Hakaros Hatov (gratitude) that we have to elected officials that "work with us, listen to our point of view, represent us fairly,, and give us the attention WE deserve."
Rabbi Kotler left out what should be done when it is discovered that those elected officials are also stealing from us with the knowledge of those that placed them into power.
Aron Kotler also misrepresents the psak of R' Aaron Leib Shteinman, alluding that an institution that represents Torah Judaism should be allowed to endorse and support a known Meshumad, an apostate, that is the polar opposite of everything that we as a Jewish nation stands for. A person that R Shteinman personally told me that it is forbidden to even look upon him. And our "Leader" that speaks for our community, our CEO of the largest Orthodox learning institution brought that very same man to shake hands with R Shteinman knowing all too well that if he told our Gadol Hador who he was touching, R' aaron Leib would have recoiled in disgust.
Perhaps AMI magazine should do better research before deciding who speaks for the Jewish people of Lakewood. Perhaps we as a community should do the same. Ask yourselves if any of the people we have been told to vote for all these years have done anything to help US. Ask yourself if now is finally the time for a complete change.
HH