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.