BROOKLYN — Republican presidential hopeful Sen. Ted Cruz toured Brighton Beach Thursday, helping children make matzo at a local bakery, community leaders said.
Cruz first headed over to the Chabad Neshama Model Matzah Bakery at about 4:45 p.m., where he met with Chabad Director Rabbi Moshe Winner and made a piece of matzo.
He then met with community leaders at the Jewish Center of Brighton Beach at 2915 Ocean Parkway for about 45 minutes, where he talked "about our shared concerns, he talked about Israel, and the fact that we should stand together, and about foreign policy," said former New York State Senator David Storobin, one of the organizers of the meeting.
Rabbi Winner said his organization was not endorsing Cruz and does not officially support political candidates.
“I’m going to tell him that we’re happy that’s he’s here to support the Jewish holiday” of Passover, Rabbi Winner told DNAinfo before the Cruz visit. “Matzah is all about freedom.”
Winner added that the Cruz campaign reached out to the center “because of our connection to the community.”
Dozens of supporters surrounded the candidate, yelling "Jews for Cruz" while he entered the bakery.
"I believe in his very conservative values, he stands up for Israel all the time, he talks about the Jewish people all the time, he makes a point that he will be there for us," said supporter Victoria Grazi, 31.
The Texas senator won the Wisconsin primary on Tuesday, but still trails Donald Trump 743 delegates to 517.
The New York primary is set for April 19, with more Trump-friendly northeastern states like Connecticut and Pennsylvania set to vote on April 26.
