Bruce Blakeman, a Republican, was sworn in as Nassau County executive on Jan. 3, the first Jewish person to hold that office. Blakeman had been serving as councilman of Hempstead, the county’s largest town, since 2015. He defeated the incumbent Democrat, Laura Curran, by 2,150 votes in the November elections.

Prior to his official inauguration, Blakeman hosted a number of local rabbis and Jewish community leaders for a mezuzah installation at his new office. In a Zoom interview with the Forward, Blakeman, 66, said, “Hashem and spirituality are important parts of my life. That’s where I derive my strength.”

He is a member of the Jewish Center of Atlantic Beach, an Orthodox congregation. Despite his Orthodox affiliation, Blakeman said he feels a connection to Jews of all denominations.