February 2026
Joshua Zucker
Hodu La’Hashem Ki tov, Ki L’olam Chasdoh! Give thanks to G-d for He is great. Thank you all. I am truly honored and deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve.
A little over nine years ago, when Brother Mike Podber first invited me to join this board board, I remember thinking to myself, “Wow! This means I could be president one day.” Writing this here and now, that thought still feels humbling and a little surreal.
I have been incredibly fortunate to learn from those who came before me. Serving under Brothers Cohen, Strauss, Marcus, Weisbord, and Gelber shaped the leader I am today. I am equally grateful for the guidance, advice, and steady counsel I have received over the years from Brothers Finkelstein and Litwin. I stand here not alone, but on the shoulders of those who invested their time, wisdom, and trust in me.
Mi K’amcha Yisrael? Who is like the Nation of Israel? This is a pivotal moment for us. Not just as an organization, but as Jewish officers and Jewish public servants. We are living in a time of visibility and responsibility. Our Commissioner is Jewish. Our DCPI is Jewish. Our DCLM, DCITB, and senior leadership include proud Jewish representation. At the same time, we are experiencing transition and uncertainty with a new city administration coming in—separate and apart from our own society’s leadership.
We are also navigating a profound loss. For sixty years, Rabbi Kass guided us spiritually and served as a steady presence for our community. While our constitution does not mandate it, tradition has long paired our spiritual director with the role of Jewish NYPD chaplain. At this moment, I cannot tell you who the next Jewish NYPD chaplain will be, or what role —if any— we will have in that process. What I can tell you is that we will soon be forming a committee to search for an Assistant Spiritual Director, and you will hear more about that when appropriate. I ask for your patience and your engagement as we move forward thoughtfully.
There are nearly forty fraternal organizations recognized by the Department. Standing out in that crowd is not easy—but that is going to change under this administration.
I am proud to announce that Brother Josh Farazmand will be serving as our new Entertainment Chair. He has already assembled a strong, energetic team that will primarily focus on elevating our Dinner and Breakfast. In addition, we will be rotating our meetings across four of the five boroughs. My apologies to Staten Island.
This society should be visible. Not only to ourselves, but to the communities we serve. Every week we see organizations sharing candle-lighting times and community reminders. Groups like Shomrim, Shmira, Chaveirim, and Hatzolah do this consistently. And I ask: why not us? Why should the men and women who protect this city every day not also be seen and recognized?
Going forward, we will. Brother Elliot Zinstein will be spearheading a weekly initiative featuring our members alongside candle-lighting times for the boroughs we serve. It is time to remind the public that Jewish police officers and Jewish first responders are here, present, and proud.
I would also like to recognize Brother Harvey Hecker who has served for thirty years as our Newsletter Editor. That is no small task, and his dedication deserves our sincerest thanks. As he steps down, I am pleased to announce that Brother Elliot Zinstein has agreed to step in and take on that responsibility.
After the loss of our historian, Brother Willie Sekzer, Brother Andy Menkes stepped forward in 2022 and answered the call. I am pleased to announce that Brother Elliot Zinstein has agreed to step in and take on that responsibility as well. Finally, I want to speak honestly about an issue that has weighed on me for many years. Like other societies, we participate in reciprocal ticket requests for fraternal and Departmental events. Historically, when an event took place on a Friday night, our policy was to donate in lieu of attending. I had always believed that meant we were not physically represented at those events. I later learned that this was not the case. I will be candid. That realization was painful.
While I respect that we are a diverse membership with differing levels of observance, I believe our society must be clear and consistent in how it represents itself. We are meant to be visible, principled, and respectful of the traditions that define us. That means that while individuals may make their own choices, our organization will not attend events that take place on Friday night.
One of my heroes is former Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin. I would like to quote from a speech he gave to the Knesset in May 1982 regarding El Al, the national airline of Israel operating on Shabbos and Chagim (holidays).
“Shabbat is one of the loftiest values in all of humanity. It originated with us, the Jews. It is all ours. No other civilization in history knew a day of rest……One nation alone sanctified the Shabbat, a small nation, the nation that heard the voice at Sinai.. Ours is the nation that bequeathed this gift to other faiths: Christianity – Sunday; Islam – Friday. Ours is the nation that enthroned Shabbat as sovereign Queen. So are we, in our newborn Jewish State, to allow our blue and white El Al planes to fly to and fro, as if to broadcast to the world that there is no Shabbat in Israel? Should we who by faith and tradition heard the commandment at Sinai now deliver a message to all and sundry through our El Al planes – no, do not remember the Sabbath day. Forget the Sabbath day! Desecrate the Sabbath day! I shudder at the thought that the aircraft of our national carrier have been taking off the world over on the Seventh Day over these many years, in full view of Jews and Gentiles alike.”
I recognize that not everyone agrees with this stance, and I respect those differences. I also understand that a future president may choose to revisit this policy. But under my leadership, this will be our standard.
One of my goals moving forward is transparency. Ticket requests will be shared with the membership so that everyone has the opportunity to participate. After all, that is why we pay dues: to support our members and our mission.
I ask that you give this incoming board some grace over the next few months as we settle into our roles, find our rhythm, and begin the work ahead. I am excited, optimistic, and deeply committed to leading this organization with integrity, visibility, and purpose.
Thank you for your trust and thank you for your support.
Joshua Zucker, President