Former Teaneck deputy mayor joins growing Democratic Assembly field in LD-37

Former Teaneck Deputy Mayor Emil “Yitz” Stern launched a campaign for Assembly, joining the growing Democratic primary field in the 37th legislative district. 

In his campaign announcement, Stern said he hopes to improve housing affordability, modernize the state’s infrastructure, and achieve fair school funding. Stern touted other public work he’s done, including his current work as a fiscal officer for the Bergen County Department of Public Safety and his time as a commissioner on the NJ State Commission on Holocaust Education and the New Jersey-Israel Commission.

“I’ve spent much of my life working to uplift the people of this district, whether as a local official or through my leadership roles in Bergen County,” Stern said in a release. “We need strong representation in Trenton, someone who understands our communities and knows how to deliver real solutions on housing costs, roads and transportation, and school funding.”

Stern spent 12 years as a Teaneck councilman before losing reelection in 2014, one year after he endorsed former Republican Gov. Chris Christie for re-election.

Stern is challenging Assemblywomen Ellen Park (D-Englewood Cliffs) and Shama Haider (D-Tenafly), who are both seeking a third term in the lower chamber. Also in the fray are Tenafly Councilman Dan Park and Tamar Warburg, a Teaneck Democratic leader and general counsel of the Jewish Community Foundation of MetroWest NJ. The latter two are backed by Jersey City Mayor and gubernatorial candidate Steven Fulop, who is backing Assembly primary challengers across the state.

Stern’s launch comes with the endorsement of Teaneck Mayor Mark “Mendy” Schwartz and former Teaneck Mayors Elie Y. Katz and Paul Ostrow. Also endorsing Stern is prominent Teaneck Rabbi Daniel Fridman and the Bergen County Jewish Action Committee.

“Emil ‘Yitz’ Stern is a dedicated public servant with decades of experience, endowed with a rare combination of profound humility, deep faith, unimpeachable integrity, and exceptional competence,” Fridman said in the release. “At a time when the Jewish community faces unprecedented antisemitism, the relationship between New Jersey and Israel is under attack, and our state lags behind many others in providing financial support to families with children in private and parochial schools, Emil ‘Yitz’ Stern is exactly the representative we need in the State Assembly.”

Stern plans to officially launch the campaign later this month, according to the release.