Honor Judge Noach Dear

Senate Resolution No. 3147 BY: Senator PARKER MOURNING the death of The Honorable Noach Dear, New York Supreme Court Judge WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to mourn publicly the death of prominent citizens of the State of New York whose lifework and civic endeavor served to enhance the reputation of the State; and WHEREAS, It is with feelings of deepest regret that this Legislative Body records the passing of The Honorable Noach Dear, New York Supreme Court Judge, noting the significance of the loss of a man whose altruistic spirit will be greatly missed; and WHEREAS, Judge Noach Dear died on Sunday, April 19, 2020, at the age of 66; and WHEREAS, A native Brooklynite, Noach Dear was a member of Eli Lipsker's Pirchei Agudath Israel Choir, and sang on its first New York album; and WHEREAS, Noach Dear attended Yeshiva Torah Vodaath and went on to Brooklyn College where he graduated in 1975 with his bachelor's degree; he furthered his education by attaining a master's degree in social work from Yeshiva University's Wurzweiler School of Social Work and his Juris Doctor degree from Brooklyn Law School in 1991; and WHEREAS, As a well-respected and active member of the Jewish community of Midwood in Brooklyn, Noach Dear was an ardent and vocal supporter of various Jewish issues and Israel; as a prominent member of the New York City Council from 1983-2001, he championed the issues of the communities he represented and worked tirelessly with his colleagues and former Mayor Ed Koch; and WHEREAS, Upon the completion of his tenure, Noach Dear was appointed as Commissioner of the Taxi and Limousine Commission for a seven-year term; and WHEREAS, In 2008, Judge Noach Dear began his long and esteemed career on the bench, serving first as a civil court judge, then as an acting Supreme Court Justice in 2010, and finally in 2015, as a permanent justice in the Brooklyn Supreme Court; and WHEREAS, Judge Noach Dear became the ranking judge in Brooklyn in consumer debt issues, and developed a manual for judges on credit card debt; later, he began hearing cases regarding foreclosures in Brooklyn and established a program called "Friend of the Court" which helped pro se litigants get representation; and WHEREAS, A well-respected public servant, Judge Noach Dear truly understood that his position should be used to help the most vulnerable and downtrodden; and WHEREAS, A legal scholar with a keen mind, good judgment and, above all, an unfaltering sense of justice and fairness, Judge Noach Dear set an example for all individuals by exemplifying what it means to give of oneself; he was a beautiful light in the lives of all those with whom he came in contact; and WHEREAS, Armed with a humanistic spirit, imbued with a sense of compassion, Judge Noach Dear's life was a portrait of service, a legacy which will long endure the passage of time and will remain as a comforting memory to all he served and befriended; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to mourn the death of The Honorable Noach Dear, New York Supreme Court Judge and former member of the New York City Council; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to the family of The Honorable Noach Dear.