Andrew Goldsmith runs for village justice

Lifelong Cedarhurst resident Andrew Goldsmith is running unopposed for the four-year term of village justice after serving as the acting justice for the past 12 years. Current Village Justice Martin Zuckerbrod decided not to run for re-election.
Voting will take place on March 19 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. in Cedarhurst Village Hall at 200 Cedarhurst Ave. in Cedarhurst.
Goldsmith, 43, was appointed acting justice by the village board and adjudicated cases when Zuckerbrod was unavailable. “The village justice sits in twice a month for trials and pre-trial hearings,” Goldsmith said. “Most of the matters are vehicle and traffic law. Cedarhurst village court is one of the largest in the state.”
As a village justice, Goldsmith would attend court five times a month, on three Tuesdays and two Wednesdays, and adjudicate nearly 200 cases.

Ronald Goldman, a Lawrence resident and attorney, has known Goldsmith for at least 15 years. “[Goldsmith] is fair, equitable and brings dignity to the position,” Goldman said. “He knows the law and knows the people who appear in front of him and cares about both.”
Though Goldman said he is deeply disappointed that Zuckerbrod is stepping down from the position, he knows Goldsmith will be a good fit. “I can think of no finer replacement,” Goldman said of Goldsmith, who works full-time as an attorney for Yeshiva University.
Making a difference in people’s lives is what spurred Goldsmith to become a lawyer. “Being a lawyer is a good vehicle to do that,” he said. “Every now and then you get to help somebody.”
After living in Cedarhurst for more than four decades, Goldsmith views Cedarhurst through a positive prism. He thinks the village is a wonderful place to raise children. “It’s Norman Rockwell,” he said. “I’ve seen the neighborhood change, but I’ve seen the village evolve with the change too.”
Cedarhurst Deputy Mayor Benjamin Weinstock, also an attorney, met Goldsmith socially through village functions and has known him for 15 years. He nominated Goldsmith as a candidate for village justice.
“I support his election completely and without reservation,” said Weinstock, adding that Goldsmith’s legal knowledge and interpersonal skills will serve him well as village justice. “He is sensitive to the needs of the public and to every person that appears before him in court,” Weinstock said. “He dispenses justice with wisdom and fairness and is a wonderful example of how a public figure should conduct himself.”
If elected, Goldsmith said, he looks forward to serving his village. “It’s an honor and a privilege to be asked to serve,” he said. “It’s a pleasure to give back to the community that I’ve received so much from.”

Andrew Goldsmith
Age: 43
Profession: Lawyer
Education: Undergraduate, Yeshiva University: St. John’s Law School
Family: Married, six children