Dov Hikind, a New York state assemblyman who has represented Jewish neighborhoods in Brooklyn for more than three decades, is retiring.
Hikind, whose district covers the neighborhoods of Borough Park and Midwood, is an Orthodox Jew who is outspoken in his hawkish defense of Israel and his fight against anti-Israel activists. A conservative Democrat who has sometimes supported Republican candidates and positions, Hikind frequently urges action against anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism, and fights for benefits for his religious constituents.
“I want to thank my constituents — my many friends and neighbors — for these extraordinary 36 years of having the honor to serve them,” Hikind said in a statement Wednesday, which did not give a reason for his retirement. “I thank my parents for instilling genuine Jewish values in me, and my family — my wife Shani and my children — for making it possible to do what I do. But most of all I thank G-d for giving me the strength to allow me to make a difference."
JTA