On Yom HaShoah, congressional candidate debuts ad honoring Holocaust survivor grandfather
Adam Schleifer is running in NY-17’s Democratic primary to succeed Rep. Nita Lowey
New York congressional candidate Adam Schleifer debuted a new ad on Tuesday — timed to coincide with Yom HaShoah, Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day — detailing his Jewish upbringing and reflecting on the legacy of his maternal grandfather, who survived the Holocaust.
Details: The six-figure ad, airing in the New York City media market, tells the story of Schleifer’s grandfather Rubin Partel, who was kidnapped and sent to a Nazi weapons factory, where he intentionally destroyed munitions, according to an exclusive review of the commercial by Jewish Insider.
Personal pitch: Schleifer, a former assistant U.S. attorney in Los Angeles, is one of 14 Democrats seeking to succeed longtime Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY) in New York’s 17th congressional district. In the ad, Schleifer says that his grandfather’s bravery inspires his work — first as a New York consumer protection regulator and later as a federal prosecutor — and vows that as an elected official, “I’ll do the same for you. It’s time we come together, to get things done.”
Family story: “My grandfather’s entire family was murdered by the Nazis. He was enslaved in a Nazi weapons factory, and he risked his life to sabotage those weapons,” Schleifer shared with JI on Tuesday. “He and my grandmother, who had lost her first husband to the Holocaust, survived, came to the Bronx in 1947 speaking no English and armed only with a 7th grade education, and built lives of dignity, purpose and lovingkindness. My grandfather babysat me as a child while my mom went to law school. He was my best friend and my hero, and he remains my constant inspiration to use the opportunities I’m fortunate to have to ensure that every person gets a fair chance to live their version of the American dream.”
Background: Schleifer, 38, is the son of American Jewish Committee President Harriet Schleifer. His father, Leonard, is the billionaire founder and CEO of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, a biotechnology company. Schleifer previously served as an assistant U.S. attorney in Los Angeles, where he specialized in major fraud, drug cartel and gun crime cases. He was recently endorsed by former Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY).