Press

Comptroller Mark Levine Backs Stephanie Ruskay for State Assembly (Feb. 20, 2026)

“New York City Comptroller Mark Levine today will endorse Democratic Assembly candidate Stephanie Ruskay. Levine said in a statement: “Democrat Stephanie Ruskay is the real deal — a public school parent, tenant, and multifaith organizer who personally understands the issues impacting Upper West Side and Morningside Heights families.” Ruskay is running for the seat held by Democrat Micah Lasher, who is vying for the House seat being vacated by Rep. Jerry Nadler.“

An Interview With State Assembly Candidate and HSMSE Parent Stephanie Ruskay (Feb. 13, 2026)

“I especially support creating affordable access for everybody to be able to prepare for the test. If someone is going to a specialized school, it should be because they excel, not because they have money for a tutor and someone else doesn’t.”

Columbia alumna Stephanie Ruskay leads in campaign donations in District 69 race (Feb. 13, 2026)

As the race to represent District 69 in the New York State Assembly heats up, Columbia alumna Stephanie Ruskay has scored a sizable financial lead. Looking ahead, Ruskay added that she is excited to “continue building a broad coalition who wants an Assemblymember who delivers results on housing and affordability, while standing up against ICE and MAGA extremism that threatens the values shared by New Yorkers.”

Community Members Protest Ongoing Gate Closures At Rally (Jan. 22, 2026)

“On a daily basis, I feel disappointed and angry,” Stephanie Ruskay, an alum of the School of General Studies and the Jewish Theological Seminary and a candidate running for New York’s 69th State Assembly seat, said at the rally. “I feel annoyed at how much of the sidewalk all of the guards take up and the people waiting to get in. I know people who get their health care at Columbia, and they lose an enormous amount of time and emotional energy worrying about whether they’ll be able to get in.”

Ruskay’s Fundraising Haul (Jan. 14, 2025)

Manhattan Democratic Assembly hopeful Stephanie Ruskay today will report raising $130,305 in the two months since launching her campaign. “The outpouring of support from across the Upper West Side and Morningside Heights has been humbling and overwhelming,” Ruskay said in a statement. “Meeting local residents at their doors, at house parties, and subway stops across the district has shown me that voters are ready to elect strong women leaders who will stand up to Trump and fight for safety and a more affordable city for our families.”

Rabbi Running for Office (Dec. 22, 2025)

In an interview with Emily Frances, Stephanie said: “"With the changes we are seeing in Washington and the challenges facing our city, we need a fighter who understands that housing, education, and safety are moral imperatives. I am running because my faith teaches me that we cannot stand idly by.”

Meet the Rabbi Running for State Assembly on the Upper West Side (Dec. 10, 2025)

In a profile, Stephanie said: “If I take seriously the things that I teach about and preach about related to caring for the poor and making a community that is safe for people and where people can thrive — that is some of what our texts teach, and the way you do that is you go be involved in how their lives unfold and be partners.”

Rabbi Stephanie Ruskay Announces Candidacy for UWS, Morningside Heights Assembly Seat (Nov. 24, 2025)

“Ruskay, a first time candidate, describes herself as a public school mom, rabbi, tenant, and community organizer. She spent part of her childhood on the Upper West Side, specifically growing up in a Mitchell-Lama building on West 97th Street.”

Rabbi Stephanie Ruskay Enters 69th Assembly District Race (Nov. 19, 2025)

In an interview, Ruskay said: “I know this district, I know its families, and I am ready to go to Albany to make sure that the real problems we are facing are addressed by our state government, and that we don’t miss opportunities to make society more connected and resilient.”

State Assembly Race Takes Shape (Nov. 12, 2025)

“Democrat Stephanie Ruskay will launch her bid for a West Side Assembly seat today. If successful, she would be the first woman to represent the district in a half century and the first female rabbi to hold state office in New York history. She’s already received her first endorsement with the backing of former Manhattan Borough President Ruth Messinger.”