State member candidate visits Jewish House
Labor candidate for Heffron, Ron Hoenig has met with The Jewish House CEO, Rabbi Mendel Kastel to discuss ways of working together – if he is elected in the forthcoming by-election.
Ron Hoenig, Rabbi Mendel Kastel and Walt Secord
Mr Hoenig paid tribute to the work of the Jewish House and their efforts to support the Russian Jewish community, particularly, the elderly who live in the Redfern-Waterloo area.
The Heffron electorate is Sydney encompasses Cleveland Street in the north to Kingsford Smith Airport in the south; and from Railway Parade in the west to Anzac Parade in the east.
There is a significant Russian community in the electorate with 1209 people identifying as of Russian ancestry.
“The Jewish House does a fantastic job, supporting families and I want to work in partnership with Rabbi Kastel and his staff,” Ron Hoenig said.
Mr Hoenig and Rabbi Kastel were joined by Labor Upper House MP, Walt Secord, who is also NSW Parliamentary Friends of Israel deputy chair and a former Australian Jewish News journalist.
Ron Hoenig, 59 is the ALP candidate in the August 25th by-election in the State seat of Heffron vacated by former NSW Premier Kristina Keneally – who resigned to become chief executive of Basketball Australia.
He is a leading criminal barrister and is a senior lawyer with the office of the NSW Public Defender was also one of Australia’s longest serving local mayors. He has been Mayor of Botany Bay since 1981.
Ron Hoenig is a member of the Maroubra Synagogue and is the oldest child of the late Ernest and the late Edith Hoenig – who both migrated to Australia after World War II.
His mother, a Holocaust survivor was born in the former Czechoslavkia and his father was born in Austria.
Hoenig’s two sons attended Mount Sinai College (Primary) and Moriah College.
“Ron Hoenig has a fantastic record in public service and representing the local community,” Mr Secord said.
“Ron Hoenig was born and raised in the local area and has been delivering for the area for the past 30 years.”
NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell has announced that the Liberals will not be fielding a candidate in the by-election.
