Sheepshead Bay • Brighton Beach • Marine Park • Manhattan Beach • Coney Island • Flatlands • Gerritsen Beach • Mill Basin • Bergen Beach
Highlighting oceanfront Brooklyn
Vol. 5, No. 10, April 3 - 17, 2009
The ‘silent victims’ of foreclosure Page 4
• No to Brighton skyline • Signs of abuse • New coaches for Cyclones • Eco-Fest! • Special Ha’Ohr pullout
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Publisher’s Notebook
A sudden perspective On a recent, drizzly Wednesday night, I was walking along Avenue U after getting some late-night groceries, when I noticed a man, probably in his 30s, slowly sit down on the wet pavement in front of a gated storefront, placing an empty coffee cup at his right foot. He looked like he was settling in for the night, although I wondered how many coins he expected to get on a rainy night on an all but deserted sidewalk. I had spent just about all the money I had had in my pocket on the groceries, so I offered him a package of mini hoagies that I had just bought. As I continued on my way, it occurred to me: Here I was on a chilly, wet night, with my usual concerns about personal and business expenses in the souring economy, while this guy sits down on a damp street hoping to get a
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few coins in his paper cup. I have no idea whether he was in this situation because of the current economic crisis. For all I know, he may have been homeless for years, and just happened to pick this spot on Avenue U that night. It doesn’t matter. Whether the Dow Jones goes up or down, whether AIG goes bankrupt or prospers, whether there’s a bear or a bull on Wall Street, there is no reason I can think of why any human being, in Brooklyn, in New York City, in America, should spend the night on a wet sidewalk. If we finally find Osama Bin Laden, if we finally pull out of Iraq and Afghanistan, even if we finally provide health care coverage for everyone, we’ll still be something other than a successful nation if this man, or anyone else, sits down with a paper cup in front of a closed store on a wet street.
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Easy targets
To the Editor: I am writing as a longtime resident of the Sheepshead Bay area to express my concern over the governor’s recently proposed budget cuts. In targeting healthcare and education for his cuts, he will be impacting our most vulnerable populations, namely, the elderly (who frequently have only Medicare and/or Medicaid) and children in our public school system. These are the easiest targets because they don’t have the resources that those who are better off have to fight back. Tell Albany to spread these cuts out more even-handedly and raise taxes on those who can afford it! Timothy Leahy Sheepshead Bay
Sheep’s clothing
To the Editor: My mother lives in Coney Island and feels very threatened by what is going on there with the mayor’s plan and the developers. I see that ACORN and the construction unions are there too. I live in Prospect Heights and as someone whose neighborhood has been victimized by this kind of plan (Atlantic Yards), I can tell you that they are up to no good. As in my neighborhood, the unions are there for the jobs and want to see as much construction as possible no matter what the cost to the community. ACORN claimed to be for the community but acted against it by negotiating a community benefits
April 3 - 17, 2009
agreement without the support of the community. For their efforts showing (false) community support, ACORN was paid by the developer. We were lucky to have a real community group fighting for our rights and with the bad economy the Atlantic Yards Project looks to be dead. I pray that it is and that my mother and other people in Coney Island are saved from the mayor, the developers, the unions and ACORN. Adrienne Johnson Prospect Heights
Shotgun approach
To The Editor: The recently enacted $787 billion economic stimulus plan designed to create jobs includes about $300 billion in tax cuts for individuals and businesses, which will not create jobs because companies are not hiring and consumers are saving their money, not making purchases they can postpone. The Commerce Department recently reported a U.S. savings rate of 5%, which is the highest since 1995. A significant portion of the remaining $487 billion goes to social programs, which will help the needy in some instances, but will not create jobs in the private sector where they are needed. Examples are $50 million to the National Endowment for the Arts; $380 million for Women, Infants & Children’s welfare; $2.4 billion for neighborhood stabilization; $160 million for “paid volunteers” (???) for Community Service; $20 billion for food stamps; $150 million for the
Smithsonian; and $55 million for the Historic Preservation Funds. The Administration’s projection of creating 3.5 million jobs by the end of 2010 is optimistically off target because it is based on an average unemployment rate of 8.1% for 2009, which was hit in February, and it is rising. It now appears the economic stimulus plan will create about 2.5 million jobs, which doesn’t come close to replacing the 4.4 million jobs lost in this recession, plus the 500,000 to 600,000 more jobs lost each passing month. For 2009 the Obama Administration predicts a 1.2% decline in Gross Domestic Product (GDP), but a majority of economists predict a 2.0% decrease in GDP; and in 2010 it’s a 3.2% projected increase by the Administration, but a 2.0% increase predicted by the economists. For the 4th quarter of 2008 the Bush Administration projected a 3.8% decrease in GDP, but the actual decrease was 6.2%. Essentially, the Administrations are generating economic policies based on optimistic projections of our GDP, but prudence might dictate more conservative projections. Maybe the President should end his ongoing campaign mode of governing, curtail his continuous campaign and media appearances, start operating as the chief executive of this country, and concentrate on creating good paying American jobs as his primary objective. Donald A. Moskowitz Londonderry, NH
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CB 13: No Brighton skyline
Community Board 13 has made it clear to the city that Brighton Beach should not be rezoned unless any
Clinic to close
The Bay Primary Clinic at Ocean Avenue and Shore Parkway will no longer be available for area residents needing medical treatment. The city’s Health and Hospitals Corporation plans to close down the facility, which serves some 4,000 patients. More than 20 jobs will be eliminated. The HHC also expects to close four school-based mentalhealth programs at P.S. 90 on West 12th Street, P.S. 225 on Oceanview Avenue, I.S. 96 on Avenue P, and P.S. 229 on Benson Avenue.
‘In the Country of Brooklyn’
BAY CURRENTS PHOTO Winston Von Engle, deputy director of the Brooklyn office of the City Planning Department, makes a point at the CB13 meeting. new construction is limited in height to that of existing structures, and if owners of the small-lot bungalows are able to increase the space around their houses. At its March 30 meeting, the board rejected the proposed rezoning by a vote of 23-9 (with 2 abstentions) for fear that it would allow towering new condos or other buildings in the seaside community. Any rezoning is ultimately up to the City Council. Residents had been pressing the board for months to head off surges in high-rise construction in Brighton. Jeannette LoSciuto, 75, who has lived in Brighton for a half-century, told the board at an earlier meeting that she and other long-time residents feared being forced out of the area by new development. “They don’t want to leave here,” she said. “They don’t want to leave home. They grew up here.” Winston Von Engel, deputy director of the Brooklyn office of the city’s Planning Department, had urged the members to support the proposal with the size limitations and bungalow amendments. But the members feared that the City Council would simply ignore the added stipulations. T. Mong
Long Island University Prof. Joseph Dorinson discusses “In the Country of Brooklyn” at the MadisonMarine-Homecrest Civic Association’s meeting at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 16 at the King’s Chapel, Quentin Road and East 27 Street. Prof. Dorinson frequently writes and speaks on urban politics, life in Brooklyn, sports history (especially the Brooklyn Dodgers), Jewish history and humorists. For more information, call 718-934-8214.
Easter egg hunt
BookMark Shoppe owners Christine Fleglette and Bina Valenzano plan to give away nearly 2,000 items in their “goodie bags” planted in the park for the Bay Ridge Egg Hunt from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. April 11 at. McKinley Park at 75th Street and Fort Hamilton Parkway.
Eco-Fest at KCC
Kingsborough Community College hosts its fourth annual Eco-Festival on April 21-24, with the theme, “Living on Earth.” The event, free and open to the public, features speakers, films, lectures, workshops, and other events. “We never thought that from acorns, something like this would grow,” said KCC English Prof. Tara Weiss, who, with Prof. Betsy McCully, started the project. “This year’s EcoFest promises to be just as big as ever. It’ll be a jazzy, multimedia event. We’re
going to open up people’s minds.” Well-known environmental scientist, Dr. Wayne J. Martin is slated as the keynote speaker. “We want these individuals to walk away with a deeper appreciation of planet Earth,” said Prof. Joseph Terry, who will co-chair a panel with fellow professor Kevin Kolkmeyer, “Humanity is Green: EcoExperiences and Philosophies.” “We want them to be ambassadors for Planet Earth,” he said. Patrick Hickey Jr.
Eco-Fest at the museum
The Brooklyn Children’s Museum offers a “Spring Break Eco Fest” from 10 am to 5pm each day from Thursday, April 9, through Sunday, April 18. Program highlights include: Nectar to Honey, Flower to Fruit: Visitors will examine the environmental and ethnobotanical uses of various flowers. They will also explore the life and anatomy of a bee, and “the hive life,” including pollination and honey production. A Different Kind of Garden Party: Get down and dirty during National Gardening Month in the Museum’s Greenhouse and Garden, and find out all about dirt, composting, and planting seeds. Earth Day Art: Get ready for Earth Day! Create your own “Planet Earth” to take home. Green Construction Junction: Enjoy an entire day of construction-related programs for kids. For more information and registration (required for some events) call 718- 735-4400 or visit www.brooklynkids.
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Cover Story
Tenants are ‘silent victims’ of foreclosure By David J. Glenn Bay Currents Publisher Celia has been paying rent, on time, for about six months for her apartment in a multi-family house on a local tree-lined street. She now has two weeks to get out. “I don’t know what I’m going to do now,” she said, trying to hold back tears. “Where am I going to live now?” Celia (not her real name) is being evicted only because her landlord was foreclosed upon. She is among the thousands of what a housing advocate calls the “silent victims” of the current epidemic of home foreclosures. “The tenants are stuck in the middle,’ said Michael Hickey, executive director of the nonprofit Center for New York City Neighborhoods. “It’s an ugly situation.” Hickey said a solid half of the yearly average of 15,000 foreclosures in the five boroughs involve tenants, who are dragged into housing court if they don’t leave – even if they’ve paid their rent faithfully. The judge can give them three or four months to find a new place to live, but they still have the stigma
The Center for New York City Neighborhood’s mission statement The Center for New York City Neighborhoods, Inc. was created to address the local repercussions of the national foreclosure crisis. Through comprehensive citywide programming that includes legal services, housing counseling, and consumer education, CNYCN pursues multiple strategies to assist those at risk of losing their homes to foreclosure - both homeowners and renters alike. CNYCN seeks to support distressed homeowners retain their equity, and preserve New York City neighborhoods by limiting the negative impacts of foreclosure, property f lipping, and abandonment. CNYCN is funded through grants from government agencies, foundations, and financial institutions CNYCN grew out of efforts by local leaders to create a systemic response to rapidly rising mortgage defaults and foreclosure filings, particularly in communities hardest hit by subprime and other unconventional loan products. The City of New York has a strong track record of successful government and nonprofit interventions to address pressing community needs, and worked in partnership with non-profit organizations, financial institutions, and private foundations to create a vision for what CNYCN could be.
CNYCN’s activities include: Raising over $7 million to support housing counseling, legal service and consumer education nonprofit throughout New York City to expand and enhance their programs. Creating a process to award, support, train, and coordinate many nonprofit partners to act as a single system in responding to this crisis Coordinating with 311 to create a streamlined process for those seeking support to find free, local foreclosure prevention advice and counsel. Developing strategies to acquire foreclosed properties from lenders and servicers, rehabilitate them, and sell them again as affordable homeownership opportunities for qualified owner occupants. Initiating a pilot program in the Queens court system with the Office of Court Administration to support homeowners in preparing to meet with lenders and servicers in “settlement conferences” to negotiate a resolution to a pending foreclosure action. Seeking to create a nonprofit mortgage brokerage in partnership with Neighborhood Housing Services of New York City so that homeowners who choose to sell their homes can have the benefits of better consumer protection and reduced costs.
Page 4
of being taken to housing court – a matter of public information that could cause the tenant to be unofficially blacklisted among landlords. “It’s terribly unfair,” said Hickey. Queens City Councilman Tom White has introduced a bill -- co-sponsored by District 46 Councilman Lew Fidler, who had been active in founding the Center -- requiring the bank or other agent foreclosing on a property with up to five units, to notify all the tenants of the building within 10 days of filing the action. “The tenant would now be a part of the foreclosure process,” said White aide Yvonne Williamson, which would avoid the situation like what happened to Celia. The legislation currently is in committee. It’s expected to go before the full council by June. The bill will likely be re-worked to include a requirement that the tenant is also told whether to continue paying rent to the landlord, or to the foreclosing agent, Williamson said, to avoid the landlord simply running off with the rent money on a foreclosed property. The new law wouldn’t apply to “any governmental entity” bringing foreclosure. A White spokesman said that’s routine with new legislation. Whether you’re a homeowner or tenant, if you ere facing foreclosure, call the Center’s foreclosure hotline, 646-786-0888, or call 311.
Simon L. Belsky Democratic candidate for City Council District #48 Integrity Accountability Productivity Leadership Advocate for Community Quality of Life Better pay for our Teachers, Police, Fire and EMS personnel (No layoffs) · Smaller class sizes in our schools · Computers, programs and materials for our schools · Programs for our seniors and veterans · Better development of our parks and recreational facilities
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April 3 - 17, 2009
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Scam Alert In the interests of helping our readers avoid becoming victims of Internet scams, we like to share with you from time to time some of the many e-mails we get promising everything from millions of dollars in lottery winnings to hefty inheritances from recently deceased “relatives.” We’ d like to present here an example of a puppy scam that we recently received. These may be particularly nefarious, since who can resist the prospect of getting an adorable little puppy? But many e-mail recipients don’t realize that they have a better chance of landing on Mars than actually getting a puppy, and that even if the e-mailer were to really ship a puppy, it’s of questionable legality to do so, not to mention the cruelty to the animal. Here is our back-and-forth correspondence with “Hazel Stanfield” (we’re keeping all her grammatical and spelling mistakes intact). We used the address of the 61st Police Precinct in our responses: Hello, Thanks for your interest, I only have one left and is female puppy available for adoption,Name Lacy is still very much available adoption. she is 12 weeks old,This puppy health is %100 OK!, 1st shots, AKC registered,Baby is so animated and will keep you entertained for hours. She really had her own distinct personality.Loving and very affectionate personalities are standard with other animals. She is very affectionate and like to give kisses all the time. This Female pup presently weighs about 2.1 lb .live here in Jasper,Alabama (USA) with the baby .Am going to ship to you via express delivery on same day delivery, so if you are interested in having the puppy, i want you to get back to me with your full name,address,phone number including the nearest airport to you. Please if you know that you are not going to take very good care of my baby, do not reply me because i am not giving because of bad condition or anything i am only giving this puppy out because we don’t
have time to take care of the puppy again due to my work here.She is priceless therefore she will be going for free, so i will like you to get back to me with your full name and full address including your nearest airport so that we proceed with the adoption process and also find out shipping cost,I want you to know that you are paying for the shipping cost. i will like you to get back to me with your full name and full address including your nearest airport so that we proceed with the adoption process and also find out shipping cost,I want you to know that you are paying for the shipping cost. Best Regards. Thanks The name and address is: (fake name) 2575 Coney Island Ave Brooklyn, NY 11223. The nearest airport is JFK. Hello, Thanks for conversation I really appreciate it,I will have the puppy ship along with her certified health certificate, vaccination and worming record, copy of USDA paper, AKC registration application for the puppy, its pedigree and your puppy’s guarantee.also the airline ticket, an approved carrier with a soft, comfortable bed, health certificate from my vet, a puppy pack including sample food your pup has been eating, a tube of nutri-cal,I also include a special gift to your puppy from me.Everything you will need will be taped to the top of your puppy’s carrier.I want you to confirm your shipping info below: Julian Davis 2575 Coney Island Ave Brooklyn, NY 11223. The nearest airport is JFK. Shipping of the puppy is $300 and $80 For care/feeding the total amount is $380,All the papers will be coming with the puppy,I will be very happy if you can promise to update me with her picture every month.This baby is very good with registered/registrable (AKC, NKC, etc.), Current vaccinations, Veterinarian examination, Health certificate
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Additional information,I will be looking forward to hear from you. Thanks What is the procedure now? And, how can I be assured that I will receive the puppy once I send the money? Below is the information you need to wire the payment ,carefully put down the correct receiver details :Receiver’s name : Hazel Stanfield Address: 801 Viking Dr City: Jasper State: Alabama Zip: 35501 Country : USA Test Question : XXXXX Test Answer: XXXXXX As soon as i confirm the payment i will send you the booking info which you can confirm via American airline and also get back to me with the Western Union details Sender’s name: ________________________ Sender’s address:________________________ Sender’s city:________________________ Sender’s Zip code:________________________ Sender’s state:________________________ Amount sent:_______________________ MTCN: _____________ (money transfer control number) Go to any nearby (GROCERY) store around you and have the payment made via Western Union to the information above, I await your reply with the MTCN(# ) and sender information exactly as it’s on western union form filled , As soon as the payment is confirmed i will have the baby schedule for shipping and get back to you with the airway bill number so as to enable you to track the shipment status . I expect to read from you soon. My regards
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Financial Currents Nannies and the IRS: A taxing situation If you have a cleaning lady, housekeeper, nanny, babysitter, health aide, private nurse, caregiver, house cleaner, yard worker or similar domestic worker, and If you control the work that is performed (how the work is done, what work is to be done, when, you provide the tools), and if you pay them $1,500 or more during the year, then You are a household employer. Congratulations. The main tax issue is the amount of control you exercise – what is done, and how it is done. The pay frequency is not important (hourly, daily, or weekly), and it makes not difference whether the job is full-time, or part-time. Example 1: A family hires Victoria, a caregiver, for their elderly mother 4 days a week in their home, for a total of 25 hours. The family gives Victoria instructions about the caring, needs, and other household duties. In addition, the family provides all of the supplies Victoria uses to do her work. Victoria is a household employee. Example 2: A family hires Lenny to care for their lawn. Lenny works for other homeowners as well, and provides his own tools and supplies. He also hires and pays any helpers he needs. Lenny is considered an independent contractor, not an employee of the family. Lenny is responsible for all employment taxes. Even if you consider Victoria an ‘independent contractor’ and give her a 1099 form at the end of the year,
she is still considered to be YOUR employee. What taxes and related expenses are involved? For you, the employer: Social Security and Medicare: 7.65% of the Gross Federal Unemployment Insurance: up to $56 a year. State Unemployment: up to $349 a year (first year). Worker’s Disability Insurance: About $200 a year. Worker’s Compensation Insurance: About $400 a year. For your employee: Social Security and Medicare: 7.65% of the Gross. Federal, State, Local Income Tax (Based on Marital Status and allowances.) Are there exceptions? (Is this the Government?) Your Spouse. Children under age 21. Your parent, if: (1) You have a child (under 18) living with you, who has a physical or mental condition that requires the personal care of an adult for at least four continuous weeks in a calendar quarter; and (2) You are divorced (not remarried), or you are a widow/er, or you are married and living with a person whose physical and mental condition prevents him or her from caring for your child for at least four continuous weeks in a calendar quarter. An employee under 18 at any time during the year. For example, a student’s “principal occupation” is not providing household services, so you would not have to pay
FICA and Social Security taxes for a high school student who is working for you as a babysitter, even if the wages exceeded $1,500. Tax Implications: Possible child-care credit, Possible medical deduction, Reduced possibility of vacation at Club-Fed. For more information: 1.IRS http://www.irs.gov/publications/p926/ index.html 2.NY State http://www.tax.state.ny.us/pdf/ publications/multi/pub27_1207.pdf 3.Your tax preparer.
Accountant Joseph Reisman 2751 Coney Island Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11235
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OP-ED
Cherry Hill vital to community By Simon Belksy What’s so terrible about the revival of a quality seafood restaurant at the Lundy Bros. site, and the addition of a gourmet market with quality offerings of deli, cooked and cold foods, bakery items and gelato, to be enjoyed in a café atmosphere as well as taken home for dinner? What is so terrible about having organic foods and a quality bakery where none exist? What is wrong with trying to resurrect an area in Sheepshead Bay which has been deteriorating for the past 30-plus years? Ever since the demise of the original Lundy Bros. restaurant in 1977, the landmark building has been vacant for the last three decades except for two short-term failed attempts to open a seafood restaurant on a much smaller scale. It is clear that just a restaurant in this massive building cannot survive, as the clientele that filled Lundy Bros. no longer exists. In 1973, with all of the best intentions for the community Sheepshead Bay was designated as a “special district” to promote and strengthen the unique character of the area as a prime location for waterfront and recreational development and to help attract a useful cluster of shops, restaurants and related activities. Unfortunately, whether it was due to the changing
makeup of our diverse community or the changes in the economy, it appears that the “special district” zoning in some instances have been more of a hindrance than a help to the community. Vacant lots and vacant buildings only led to an abundance of garbage, rodent infestation and crime further deteriorating the community. A July 9, 1995 article in The New York Times it states, it was clear to Mr. John E. Nikas, Community Board 15 Chairman and Mitchell Corby, Director of the City Planning Department’s Brooklyn Office that “We’ve just got to accept that the district’s goals were never realized.” Why can’t the few complaining pundits wake up to the reality of history and the existing situation and help Cherry Hill resolve the zoning issue? Recently my wife and I spent two hours with David Isaev, president of Cherry Hill Gourmet ,discussing his plans and objectives in detail regarding the new Lundy Bros. Restaurant and Cherry Hill Gourmet. I have come away with an understanding: • The exterior of the building will be completely restored to conform to the Landmark Preservation requirements. • The original Lundy Bros. lettering and awnings will also be restored to its original condition even though the
What is wrong with trying to resurrect an area in Sheepshead Bay which has been deteriorating for the past 30-plus years?
lettering is not part of the façade and not a requirement of Landmark Preservation. • The restaurant part of the business will be promoted and marketed to make every effort to revitalize the Lundy Bros. name and restaurant stature. • The restaurant will be opened approximately 4-5 months later, due to construction timetable. • Baskets in the gourmet area will only be allowed to exit the rear of the building into the parking lot. No baskets will be allowed on Emmons or Ocean Avenues. Isaev has invested an enormous amount of money rebuilding a structure in shambles with the hope of building a successful business and revitalizing an area which is in desperate need of help. The work he has done in the parking lot appears to be a bigger investment that most businesses in the area have made. Almost everyone I have spoken to that has seen the interior and had a preview of the plans are extremely positive and are eagerly awaiting the Grand Opening of the Cherry Hill Gourmet and Lundy’s New 4* Restaurant. The battle needs to end for the benefit of the community. The issues regarding Landmark Preservation appear to be resolved. With Loehmann’s and condos already on Emmons Avenue, I believe, the zoning has changed dramatically from its original intent. It is time to sit down and together move forward with a solution instead of pointing fingers for politics or personal desires. The community should also immediately address possible solutions for additional parking areas and a multitude of promotions to bolster the viability of our fishing/cruising fleet. Simon Belsky is a candidate for City Council in District 48
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The Legitimization of Ignorance By I. Friedin Bay Currents columnist In the world of 1960, society was moving ahead rapidly. Technology and progressive thought were the order of the day as we were moving forward in an ever more enlightened direction. New Deal thinking prevailed as lessons learned from the recent calamities of the Great Depression, World War II and the Holocaust dominated the national psyche. Planning for a bright future via the scientific method was the national discussion as civil rights and the eradication of poverty were the battlegrounds of the day. America was curing its ills and working toward creating America’s version of the perfect society. The original New Deal administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt, elected at the height of the Great Depression in 1932, included those from the field of business as one would expect, as well as more intellectuals than any that had preceded it. President Roosevelt, having come from old money, was considered a “traitor to his class” for even thinking of allowing any sort of empowerment for the general public or such open-minded thought to take precedence in the national capital; heretofore the realm of the financial elite. The least corrupt administration in our history, it took a small but significant step toward the American ideal of “government of the people, by the people and for the people”. After World War II, impetus in fulfilling the American ideal accelerated. Fledgling television networks brought the news into our homes where we watched as issues played out before us; a major element in the movement for civil rights and later, the movement against the War in Vietnam. Aah, but there was the catch; that war; the quagmire in Southeast Asia. The country became aroused, polarized and completely distracted from the mission. The evils of
our government were displayed for all to see. Believers in the mission were completely turned off while ultrapatriots, those who accepted policy without question, stood up against them. The nation was divided along political as well as racial lines. The assassinations of charismatic leaders Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert Kennedy, and earlier of John Kennedy, decimated progressive leadership. Enter Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew. 1968 was a year of turmoil. The war in Vietnam raged, Americans rose up and the inner cities continued to explode as the civil rights movement turned more and more violent. To those who opposed the war, an American flag on a lapel branded one an enemy of peace, truth and justice. America was at war with itself. Outside the Democratic convention in Chicago, police bashed the heads of youthful protesters as the cameras rolled. Americans were sickened at the sight…and this was the party of progressives, of the New Deal, of civil rights, of the war on poverty. The candidate, Vice President Hubert Humphrey, an old New Dealer, was the nominee and made it one of the closest elections in history. But Nixon prevailed. Before personal corruption doomed the entire ticket, irreparable damage had been done. Nixon kept an “enemies list” consisting of his political opponents and New Deal legislators, who he purged from office by pouring money against their campaigns. Perhaps the greatest harm was done to the American mindset however, by Vice President Agnew. His speeches, legitimizing “the silent majority” and condemning progressive thinkers as “effete snobs”, served to encourage the simple, those of backward thought, those steeped in ignorance, to literally come out of the closet. And the wheels were set in motion for the usurpation of our nation by the forces of ignorance and
Is Coney Island doomed? In the years since Coney Island has fallen from grace, the city government had held on to the concept of “America’s Playground,” refusing to buckle under to developers by maintaining C7 (amusements only) zoning. Now the greed that permeates our society has caught up with the iconic amusement area. The Coney Island Development Corporation came to Coney Island with a plan to revitalize the area by rezoning and upgrading. Its plan, catering to much more upscale patronage, encouraged major developers to speculate on the land with Thor Equities buying up a large part of the amusement area and Taconic Investment Partners planning
a number of high rise condominiums on the periphery. This not only dooms the amusement area but threatens the existing community in western Coney Island as well. Since the CIDC has been in Coney Island, the attractions that formerly lined Stillwell Avenue as well as Astroland Amusement Park and several other concessions and attractions have been lost. Is this how the mayor is trying to convince us that his plan is an improvement? After driving out most of the amusement owners, the residents of western Coney Island are sure to follow in the (unstated but obvious) effort to transform the area into a luxury residential resort.
The Atlantic Yards project is dead According to a report, the Atlantic Yards Project is dead. The monster development Downtown Brooklyn with an arena and huge office and apartment complexes would have created chaos in the quiet residential neighborhood and create more congestion in the already overburdened area. Despite the best efforts of developer Forest City Ratner, much of the city government and outside groups rushing in to partake of the multi-billion dollar project, the efforts of Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn (DDDB), the actual community group fighting the
project, along with the failing economy, will not allow the project to proceed. In addition to fighting the developer and the city, DDDB had to contend with outside organizations claiming to represent the community while, in reality, there to benefit themselves. (Sound familiar Coney Island?) A salute to DDDB and those elected officials with the courage to support their community! We hope that Forest City Ratner’s threats to resurrect the project will go unfulfilled.
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greed. Ronald Reagan capitalized on this thinking by supporting the religious right and opening wide the doors for the exploitation of the public by corporate greed. More and more, encouragement was given to right wing fundamentalists. The Moral Majority, founded by Jerry Falwell in 1979 as an organ for right wing Christian fundamentalists to advance this agenda. Cultural battles became the norm, distracting from real issues while the economy was raped by corporate gluttony and entitlements for the people drastically reduced. The Moral Majority’s agenda was anything but moral, advocating a right wing political agenda that denied the rights of the needy and women. Preaching their brand of morality, many televangelists took advantage of naïve believers to solicit money for their lavish lifestyles. Much of this came crashing down as many became embroiled in scandals. Yet, although greatly diminished, they still exist, preying on ignorance and giving false hope. Another phenomenon created in the Reagan years was right wing talk radio. Throughout this period, media was becoming more consolidated under corporate ownership and mindset as the FCC became more and more lax. The repeal, in 1987, of the Fairness Doctrine, which provided for equal time for opposing opinions on TV and radio stations, saw a deluge of commentators with right wing agendas flooding the airwaves. Disregarding the truth to further their agendas, Rush Limbaugh and others of like mind raised fiction to a level equal to fact as truth and falsehood blurred into simply differences of opinion. If the truth hurts, people could take comfort in believing the lie. After all, they heard it on the radio! Among the greatest political disservices perpetrated on Contined on page 20
The Passing of a Giant A salute to the life of John Hope Franklin We are all aware of Jackie Robinson breaking the color line in major league baseball right here in Brooklyn. In 1956, with Jackie playing his final year and integration well under way in the majors, Brooklyn was the site of another barrier coming down. John Hope Franklin was appointed Chairman of the History Department at Brooklyn College, the first African-American department chair in the nation outside a primarily black college or university. There is one thing to be remembered however, lest we forget the times.
Although many Brooklynites were very proud of being the home to these progressive events, Professor Franklin, despite his stature in academia, was unable to find a home in the vicinity of Brooklyn College because of his race. A noted academic, author and participant in the civil rights movement, Professor Franklin continued his career at several other institutions. On March 25, at age 94, the great man died of congestive heart failure. We remember his accomplishments as well as his travails as we salute his life.
Bergen Beach in brief Though originally intended to serve as a resort area, Bergen Beach maintains much of the serenity and natural beauty experienced by the Canarsie Indians and early European settlers. In the early 1600s the Dutch West India Company set up a trading post on nearby land, then called Mentelaer’s Island. During the American Revolution, British officers used the island and the Bergen House as an outpost. In the 1850s, the land officially received the name Bergen Island. In the 1890s, developers Percy Williams and Thomas Adams Jr. transformed the Bergen House into a resort. In 1905, Williams added an amusement park to the island. The resort and amusement park, accessible by the Flatbush Avenue streetcar, featured a casino, roller-skating rink, boardwalk, and Vaudeville Theater. In 1918, a landfill project connected the island to the mainland.
April 3 - 17, 2009
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PASSOVER 2009 • Passover in 30 Minutes • The Seder: A Spiritual Journey • Blessing of the Sun • A Russian Passover • The Inner Meaning of Matzah
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Passover 30
Make It MeanIngful if Passover this year is just like all the others in past years, it will not have the same meaning. Here are six suggestions for how you can make this Passover even more meaningful than all the others: 1. Money well spent: Don’t settle for the free Haggadah that comes with the coffee. Purchase one that features inspiring insights and explanations with which you can spice up the discussion at the seder. There are hundreds to choose from. 2.Prepare in advance: Take some time prior to the seder to read up on the events and their meaning so that you can share inspiring and meaningful content with the participants. 3.all kidding aside: ask important as it is to get the kids involved, the adults must be engaged as well. as each participant ahead of time to prepare something short to share with the others so the conversation revolves around Passover, not politics. 4. Read the book: This year, skip the movie and read the book instead. “let My People Go” by shmuel Deutch details the events of the Exodus in a gripping and suspense-filled narrative that remains loyal to traditional sources.
by Rabbi ElazaR MEisEls
(AbriDGED vErSiON)
Passover Personalities Abraham – The first person to promote ethical monotheism to the masses, he entered into a covenant with G-d at the age of 75. Our enslavement in Egypt was part of this agreement. Moses – The youngest child of Amram and Yocheved, the leaders of the Jewish community in Egypt, he advocated on behalf of the Jews and led them out of Egypt. Aharon – The older brother of Moses, he led the people prior to Moses’ arrival and served as Moses’ spokesman. Pharaoh – The Egyptian ruler, he greatly feared the Jewish ascent to power in Egypt and enslaved them for 210 years. Yocheved and Miriam – The mother and sister of Moses, respectively. The leading midwives for the Jewish people in Egypt, they risked their own lives by disobeying Pharaoh’s orders to commit infanticide. Basya – Daughter of Pharaoh and the foster mother of Moses, whom she rescued from the Nile.
The Seven Days of the Exodus Thursday, 15 Nissan: The Jews departed Egypt in the morning after a night of eating Matzah and the Paschal Lamb and which saw the demise of every firstborn in every Egyptian household. They arrived in Sukkot on this day and were encircled with seven protective and illuminating Clouds of Glory. Friday, 16 Nissan: They journeyed to Etham at the edge of the wilderness. Shabbat, 17 Nissan: They remained in their place and did not travel. Sunday, 18 Nissan: Preparations were made for further journeying. Pharaoh’s messengers urged them to return to Egypt but they refused. A battle ensued and many of the messengers were injured. The Jews travelled backwards toward Egypt to appear as if they were returning to Egypt and withdrew to Pi-HaChiros – a journey of 1½ days. Monday, 19 Nissan: Pharaoh’s messengers returned to him with the news that the Jews had fled. Tuesday, 20 Nissan: Pharaoh mobilized his forces to pursue the Jewish people and reached them that evening encamped by the sea near Pi-HaChiros.
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Wednesday, 21 Nissan: The eve of the 21st the Jewish people descended into the Red Sea which split and allowed them passage. They emerged at daybreak on Thursday. The Egyptians, who followed them into the sea, met a raging body of water that drowned them all and the Egyptians no longer threatened the Jewish people. The Jews joyously sang a Song of Praise to the Almighty.
5. Take your time: Passover comes only once a year. Make it count by prolonging the Seder instead of ending it in time to get home before dark. 6. Think of others: A Seder can be a powerful spiritual experience. Yet, it is best when celebrated with others. Think of the less fortunate among us who may need an invitation and invite them to grace your Seder with their presence.
The Essential Mitzvot of the Seder Matzah – This reminds us of our enslavement and redemption. It is eaten in haste to recall the haste with which we were redeemed once the appropriate moment arrived. Maror – It reminds us of the embitterment of our lives at the hands of the Egyptians. It is dipped in Haroset, which recalls how the Jewish people sweetened their bitterness with anticipation of the redemption.
Points to Ponder
Four Cups of Wine – These represent the four stages of the redemption: 1) freedom from the bitterness of enslavement, 2) independence from any form of servitude, 3) the crushing blows the Almighty dealt the Egyptians to disable them from further persecuting the Jews, 4) the taking of the nation by the Almighty to be His nation.
• Is it really so hard to refrain from Chametz for the full holiday of Passover? • What is the definition of “freedom,” and how can we apply it to make our lives more meaningful?
Hagaddah – There is a scripturally ordained obligation to recount the story of the Exodus in a question and answer format. Hallel – A collection of Psalms recited to recall great miracles performed on our behalf.
• Why are we considered to still be in exile when we enjoy religious freedom to such a great extent?
Measure for Measure
• Why do so many Jews celebrate a Seder, even the unaffiliated? • Why was it necessary for an outsider like Moses to lead us to freedom? Why couldn’t we accomplish it on our own?
The Ten Plagues were carefully calculated to help the Egyptians realize their evil ways and repent. Here is a brief description of how each plague mirrored the oppression to which the Jews were subjected.
• Are we proud to be the Almighty’s Chosen People? Do we live up to that designation as we should?
1. Blood – They kept the Jews thirsty in the hot sun, now they knew the pain of thirst. 2. Frogs – The Egyptians forced the Jews to work at night and deprived them of sleep. The frogs raised such a ruckus that no Egyptian could sleep.
• Why can’t someone other than Aunt Bertha make the matzoh-ball soup for a change?
3. Lice – They forbade the Jews to bathe which caused them to suffer from lice. The Egyptians now enjoyed the very same lice experience.
• If there’s one lesson to take from the Passover experience, what would it be?
4. Wild Beasts – The Egyptians forced the Jews to hunt wild beasts for them as sport. Now they had an up close and personal encounter with those beasts. 5. Pestilence – The Egyptians forced to Jews to become cattle-herders under harsh conditions. 6. Boils all over the body – The beatings administered by the Egyptians caused the Jews to break out in sores constantly. 7. Fiery Hail – The Egyptians took the liberty of stoning Jews. Hailstone rained on their heads in return.
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8. Locusts destroying crops – They forced the Jews to tend their vineyards and fields. 9. Darkness – When the Egyptians held their parties, Jewish slaves had to stand at attention, with torches on their heads, to illuminate the scene. 10. Slaying of Firstborn – The Egyptians, and in particular the firstborn, practiced murderous designs against the Jews. In return, their firstborn were slain.
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The Fragility of Freedom By Rabbi Berel Wein In the measured cadence and soaring beauty of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address (a speech that American students were once required to commit to memory) there appears a phrase at the end -“a new birth of freedom.” Lincoln hit upon a basic value in Jewish life and in the Torah. Freedom, rather than being a permanent and expected state of being, is fragile and rather rare in human history. Because of its very fragility and scarcity, freedom has to be treasured, appreciated and constantly renewed – it requires, as Thomas Jefferson observed, “constant vigilance.” Every person and every society regularly requires a new birth of freedom to maintain its hardwon liberty. This is a key message of Passover. The Haggadah teaches that “in each and every generation the Jew has to envision himself or herself as though he or she just left Egypt and its bondage.” Passover is not merely a commemorative holiday, though it is that as well, but more importantly, it is a holiday of constant rebirth and renewal. In our prayers, we refer to Passover as zman cheruteinu -- the time of our freedom. This implies not only past freedom but current freedom as well. Passover demands from us that we continue to struggle and appreciate our freedom. It is not without dangers and weaknesses. It must therefore be zealously guarded and always renewed. The question naturally arises: “What is the true
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definition of freedom?” Where is the line between anarchy and licentiousness on the one hand, and responsible exercise of free rights on the other? All free societies
grapple with these questions and issues. Freedom is undoubtedly limited by values, public concerns, other people’s rights and a sense of choosing between right and wrong, justice and corruption. Even if a consensus is reached as to the best definition of responsible freedom, who is to enforce that decision? The police? The courts? Personal conscience alone? The rabbis of the Talmud defined freedom in conjunction with Torah and its laws and values. The concept of freedom according to the Talmud is engraved on the very stones of the Ten Commandments. But in being so engraved, it is also circumscribed by those commandments and the Torah. “There is no free person without the study and discipline of the Torah,” was the motto of the Talmud. Physical freedom without spiritual strength and its necessary limitations on human behavior
becomes narcissism, addiction and dangerous foolishness. Thus supposed freedom can turn into a bitter case of self-tyranny, the worst form of slavery. One of the understandings in interpreting the words of the rabbis of the Mishna -- “a good heart” and “a bad heart” -- is precisely that point. A “good heart” knows limitations and discipline. A bad heart” is wild, uncontrollable, capricious and ultimately self-destructive. The Torah warns against following the dictates of such a heart. There is a thread that runs through many of the books of memoirs written by Prisoners of Zion regarding their experiences in the gulag and under Soviet persecution. That thread of similarity relates to their spiritual highs even in jails and punishment cells. The inner serenity of knowing one is right and morally upright ennobles a person to strive to be truly free -- free of one’s desires and pressures, and free to view life and one’s holy role in it in a clear and unbiased fashion. This is truly a gift of freedom. It is the new birth of freedom that we all crave. Our bad habits, our lack of discipline in speech and behavior all combine to make us addicts and slaves. We all know that merely telling an addict to stop does not bear positive results. The addict has to want to stop more than he or she wants to continue his or her addictive behavior. Passover provides the forum for us to stop our addictive behavior and to refashion ourselves for the good. It helps inject within us the new birth of freedom that can alone guarantee our future success in life, family, community and work. So at the Seder table this Passover, we should truly see ourselves as being newly freed not only from the ancient Pharaoh but from our own modern selves as well. How spiritually uplifting and delightful that feeling of freedom will be! Rabbi Berel Wein, founder and director of The Destiny Foundation, has been identified for more than 20 years
with the popularization of Jewish history through lectures worldwide, his more than 1,000 audiotapes, books, seminars, educational tours and, most recently dramatic and documentary films. From Aish.com
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The Seder: A Spiritual Journey By Rebbetzin Tzipporah Heller From Rebbetzin Heller’s website, www.tziporahheller.com The Passover Seder is God’s order for how to proceed from spiritual slavery to spiritual freedom. The Seder, or “order,” is a journey from darkness to light. The Seder is our window into G-d’s order.
KADESH
As the first step of the Seder, Kadesh, we recite the Kiddush over a cup of wine. There is a profound principle that states: In spiritual reality, you get what you want. In physical reality, you get what G-d thinks is good for you. The first step in spiritual growth is to want to live a holy life. This is expressed through Kadesh, through committing yourself to holiness. Maimonides warns, “Don’t drown in materialism.” Why does he use the word, “drown”? The Hebrew word for the material world is gashmiut. Gashmiut is derived from the word geshem, which means “rain.” G-d vivifies the world through rainfall. If you dedicate your awareness to the world and not to its Source, you drown. You’re inundated by all of God’s giving to the point that you loose track of Him completely. So holiness means being aware of G-d.
URCHATZ
The next step of the Seder is urchatz, or “washing.” It involves washing your hands from a cup, pouring water
twice over each hand. No blessing is recited. Washing at this point in the Seder is very artificial. After all, the karpas (green vegetable) could have been eaten with the meal, in which case there would be no necessity for washing twice. This would be more convenient. But again, this isn’t our order, which has to do with convenience and efficiency. This is God’s seder. The statement here is that if you want holiness, your hands have to be clean. A verse in Psalms proclaims: “Lift up your hands in holiness and bless God.” What does this mean?
KARPAS
The third step, karpas, is eating a simple green vegetable, such as celery or parsley, after
reciting a blessing. Karpas suggests the simplicity that the first humans were forced into after the sin in the Garden of Eden. Before the sin, the food in the Garden of Eden was essentially different from what we know food as today. The physical manifestation of the fruit in the Garden of Eden was the same as its spiritual root. An apple in Eden, for example, was an expression of Godliness, and it was perceived as
such. The joy that the first humans had when eating that fruit was qualitatively different than the pleasure we get from eating. The Maharal of Prague, the 16th century mystic, explains that G-d created this world in order to give us the ability to be conscious recipients. When we say a blessing over food, thereby becoming conscious recipients, we have validated G-d’s entire purpose for creating the world.
YACHATZ
For Yachatz we take the middle matzah of the three matzahs on the Seder table, and breaking it into two uneven pieces. The larger half is put away for the Afikomen; we recite the entire Hagaddah over the smaller piece. Yachatz shows us that in order for us to truly move toward redemption, some aspect of ourselves has to be broken. A verse in Psalms declares: “God is close to those who are brokenhearted.”
MAGGID
Maggid, or “telling,” is the main part of the Seder, the recitation of the story of the Exodus as it is told in the Hagaddah. “Telling” is different from “saying.” “Telling” implies telling a story. A story, by definition, has a beginning, a middle, and an end. If you could see the events in your life all the way from their true beginning until their true end, you would observe the way God directs the world. The purpose of Maggid is to give us the long view, the wide perspective that starts generations before the Exodus with our ancestor Jacob and goes through the decades of suffering until the redemption, which so many of the Israelite slaves never lived to see.
The Blessing of the Sun G-d made the two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. And it was evening and it was morning, a fourth day. Genesis 1:16, 19 Every 28 years the sun returns to the same position, at the same time of the week, which the Torah relates it occupied at the time of its birth — on the fourth day of Creation. A special blessing –Birkat Hachamah, “the blessing of the sun” – is recited. Since this occurs only once every
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28 years, the prayer is customarily recited amid large public gatherings of men, women and children. In its apparent motion of the sun in the ecliptic, the sun has four ”’turning points” which mark the beginnings of the four seasons. The sun crosses the equator at the beginning of spring and autumn respectively, and ”’turns” from one side of the equator to the other; and the two solstices, when the sun is at its maximum distance, or declination, from the equator, at one or other side of it, at the beginning of summer and winter respectively, and instead of progressively increasing its declination it “turns” to decrease it progressively. This year, Birkat Hachamah begins as the sun rises on April 8 -- right before Passover, which begins when it sets. The blessing is traditionally preceded and followed by a short selection of Psalms and prayers. “Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, King of the universe, who reenacts the works of creation.”
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The Inner Meaning of Matzah By Rabbi Pinchas Stolper Eating matzah is an act of defying the laws of nature, time and history. Why is matzah so basic to the celebration of Passover? Why is Passover called Chag HaMatzos, “the Holiday of Matzos”? Why is this simple food a foundation of Jewish experience and ideology? Why has matzah come to symbolize human freedom? Matzah has many aspects. It is the “bread of affliction,” poor man’s bread, eaten by slaves. It is also the bread of liberation and freedom. Bread is the staff of life, but matzah is the most basic bread, the simplest food made by man. Matzah involves the amalgamation of the three basic elements that define civilized man: grain, water and fire. No external element beyond flour and water is permitted to define or influence its form. Matzah is made of flour and cold water -- nothing more. If the mixture of flour and water was allowed to stand for more than 18 minutes, the process of fermentation has already begun to take place. Yeast bacteria, found in the air, invade the dough, multiply by the millions and cause fermentation. The yeast microorganisms are an uninvited invading army, intruding on the flour and water mixture, helping themselves to a delicious meal of sugar molecules. As the yeast microorganisms multiply by the billions, they release the carbon dioxide gas that sours the dough, causing it to rise and become airy and light. The intervention of this outside force is a symbolic expression of the intrusion of outside forces on man; forces that sway people from their chosen determined path and entice them to sin, compromising human independence, autonomy and choice. Yeast microorganisms begin their work independent of human will, independent of the person who combined the flour and water which constitutes the dough mix. Fermentation, i.e. chametz, represents these negative forces. It represents the inclination to evil, the urge to sin, the influence of alien ideas, pleasures and forces. It is the uninvited voice that sways us to ignore the presence and power of evil, until it is too late. What is the difference between chametz (leaven) and matzah? Time. Nothing else. The ingredients are the same. By definition, dough made of flour and water that stands for more than 18 minutes before it is fully baked becomes chametz, leaven. Because matzah is bread that is not leavened, it represents man in control of his passions -exercising his independent, disciplined will, uninfluenced by external forces. Matzah is the opposite of chametz.
To paraphrase Rabbi Chaim Friedlander, a leader of Jewish thought in our generation, fermentation demonstrates cause and effect in the world of nature. When we witness nature at work -- apparently doing things by itself, without any outside intervention -- we see how natural processes have the effect of concealing the Hand of G-d. Matzah is baked quickly, in an effort to overcome the influences and limitations of time. We bake flat, crisp matzah in order to reenact the Exodus, when the Children of Israel fled Egypt in a hurry, as the Torah says: “You shall eat matzah during seven days...bread of suffering, for you departed Egypt in great haste.” This mitzvah teaches that God’s control of nature and history is above and beyond the constraints and limitations of time. G-d does not require cause and effect. He does not need time in order to accomplish His goals. On Passover, we too must emulate G-d and become creative spiritually by hurrying time, by acting with zeal and speed, by living life beyond time, in partnership with God who is above time and is timeless. We respond to God’s Will by acting in defiance of nature, by breaking the limits imposed by time and nature. The hasty departure of the Jews from Egypt was due to the Plague of the Deaths of Firstborn Egyptians, which convinced Pharaoh that if he did not respond to God’s pressures without an additional moment’s delay, all of Egypt faced immediate collapse and destruction. For Egypt to survive, Israel must leave immediately. And for Israel to survive, Israel had to flee immediately. G-d forced Pharaoh’s hand. He did this to teach Pharaoh and all of mankind that behind the normal course of events, which can be described as the workings of cause and effect, God’s Hand compels the forces of history and nature to conform to His agenda. As the Maharal (Rabbi Yehuda Loewe ben Bezalel, a seminal figure in Jewish thought) explains, it was necessary that mankind become aware of the fact that the Exodus was the direct result of the Will and intervention of God. What was the hurry? Why, after 210 years of slavery, did G-d finally decide to press the Egyptians to eject the Jews with speed and force? The Sages teach that the Jews had reached the 49th degree of decadence. As soon as they would enter the 50th degree, a development that
The prohibition of leaven teaches us that nature does not operate independently
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was imminent, they would have reached the point of no return and would be beyond redemption. Once they would succumb to the infamous immorality, materialism, decadence and paganism of the Egyptians, their Abrahamic origins would become unrecognizable and they would sink into the morass of Egyptian society and disappear. The Sages explain that each additional degree of decadence involved a geometric progression, something like the Richter scale where each number is ten times as great as the previous number. So long as Israel had not passed the 50th degree of impurity, their Abrahamic origins were still recognizable, though sullied. The Sages teach that during their 210 years of enslavement, the “Israelites, to their credit, had not changed their names, their culture, their language or their dress,” clearly indicating that despite unremitting pressures and taunts they remained Jews in every way. The Hebrew names of the Jews as reported by the Bible demonstrate that they had continuously worshipped the true God of Israel and remained true to their heritage. But after 210 years they were close to losing this heritage. They had to overcome the pressures of time by becoming a timeless, eternal people. This necessitated Divine intervention; God snatched His People from the jaws of history, by liberating them in such a way as to telescope time. Their miraculous liberation therefore defied the laws of nature, time and history. The Maharal explains that it is for this reason that they were commanded to eat matzah when they observed the Passover of their liberation and for every subsequent Passover throughout all eternity. Matzah is the only food whose manufacture demands that it be created without time -- beyond time as quickly as possible. The prohibition of leaven also teaches us that nature does not operate independently but is controlled by G-d. Nature is the Will of G-d concealed in the natural world. Where applied to the human being himself, the Sages teach that the “puffed up” nature of chametz symbolizes the character trait of arrogance and conceit. The flat, unleavened matzah represents total humility. Humility is the beginning of liberation and the foundation of spiritual growth. Only a person who can acknowledge his shortcomings and submit to a higher wisdom can free himself from his own limitations. When we eat matzah, we internalize the quality of humility as the essence of faith. By not eating chametz, we rid ourselves of arrogance and self-centeredness. We see in this way that, the words “mitzvah” and “matzah” are analogous. Our Sages teach, “mitzvah she’haba’ah leyadcha al tachmitzena, when a mitzvah comes your way, do not allow it to ferment” -- when the opportunity to do a mitzvah arises, do it quickly. This teaching applies the urgency of baking Passover matzah with alacrity to all mitzvot. The Jew is expected to conquer time, to live beyond time, to associate his life with G-d, Who is timeless and eternal. The Jew never wastes time; the present is now -- this is why it is so precious. The Jew employs time to bend this time-bound world to the goals of eternity. This is done by making time a precious commodity -- by filling it with Torah, mitzvot and chessed (goodness). From “Living Beyond Time”, Artscroll Publications.
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Why is this Passover different from all others? By Olga Privman Bay Currents writer The warm aroma of grandma’s matzo ball soup, the sweet, tantalizing taste of Seder wine and an inviting, familial atmosphere are all stalwart symbols of Passover for many American Jews. For many residents and frequenters of Brooklyn’s Bay area, however, a long tenure of life in the former Soviet Union had nearly robbed them of such rich cultural gems. “The Soviet Union was atheistic, but it wasn’t like [religion] was completely shattered,” said Igor Ostrovskyi, 37, a first-generation immigrant from Belarus, who runs an ambulette service in Sheepshead Bay. “We had synagogues, but they weren’t popular.” Holding any religion went directly against the doctrines of communism, which often led to social, political or financial penalties for the practitioner. “If you were religious in the Soviet Union, you couldn’t get promoted. If you were in the Communist Party, then you know that you’re going to get promoted and move up. It was not a good thing to be religious. My grandparents celebrated it secretly,” said Ostrovskyi, to whom Passover is more of a family holiday than a spiritual celebration, much like New Year’s Eve is for many post-Soviet residents. Although many older generations of Soviet immigrants
remember the religiously-restrictive lifestyle in the communist dictatorship, their offspring were raised in an environment conducive to religion, often leading to a renewal of the celebration, if not always of faith. “Even my non-religious siblings celebrate,” said 20-yearold Berryl Tyetelbaum. “Usually my family gets together for the first Passover Seder, but this year my parents are traveling to England for Passover and six of my siblings will be celebrating at my sister’s home in Brooklyn.” The Kingsborough Community College student’s grandmother continues to tell the story of her father, who often risked his life to uphold the tenets of Judaism. “My great grandfather hid my great grandmother and their children in a synagogue so that they could freely practice the Jewish religion,” he said. “This eventually led to my great grandfather being shot in the head by the KGB.” For many descendants of Soviet Jews, the decision to adhere to Jewish practice is wrought from hardship and sacrifice. “My grandparents upped their religious practices after the Holocaust,” said KCC tutor Esther Michelle Gabay, 27, part of whose family comes from Poland. “I think it was
“My great grandfather hid my great grandmother and their children in a synagogue. This eventually led to my great grandfather being shot in the head by the KGB.”
because they were so thankful for getting out alive. After going through something like that, I’m sure you have no idea who to thank and can’t imagine how or who spared your life.” For KCC-graduate Julia Fishenfeld, 25, religious interest rose out of the spiritual deprivation in Soviet Poland. “I think that the reason Passover, or any other Jewish holiday, is important to my family is that it wasn’t part of their childhood,” Fishenfeld said. “It’s after they came here that it became more a part of their lives. When my grandparents died 12 years ago, my mother and uncle became more observant – particularly my uncle. He was the head of the family now and as such felt that it was his duty to maintain the Jewish traditions and legacy.” Fishenfeld’s family augments the children’s hunt for Afikomen, the hidden matzo, with puzzles and riddles, courtesy of her father being his “wonderfully creative, playful self,” while Tyetelbaum’s makes a unique egg soup, composed of mashed, hard-boiled eggs mixed with cold salt water. “I, personally, am not religious,” said Tyetelbaum. “But I think the fact that my grandmother and parents fought so hard to keep their Jewish traditions has had a major impact on my family as a whole.”
Have a happy, no-tech Passover ignored my trusty Treo. To my great surprise, the world By Rabbi Yerachmiel Milstein This Passover, break free from ruthless hi-tech servitude. survived completely intact. When I was finally back to my normal, out-of-breath I’ve noticed that every new hi-tech contrivance, and out-of-my-mind self, it struck me like an epiphany: I ostensibly meant to make our lives easier, instead seems needed to do this more often! I needed to free myself from to place yet another new demand on our rapidly declining the shackles of 21st century servitude and tend to the really available time. important matters of life. A case in point: my new smart phone. It’s a calculator, Then it dawned on me that I had just discovered Passover. camcorder, digital camera, game console, global The Torah paints a rather bleak picture of Jewish positioning satellite navigation system, internet surfer, existence in ancient Egypt. They were forced into slavery, mobile telephone, mp3 player and personal information starved, beaten, had their children taken from them and manager (PIM). But mostly, it drops e-mail right into my they were compelled to do “avodat perach,” -- ruthless pocket, so that I am available 24/6 to work. Some rabbis explain ruthless be contacted, queried, corresponded I needed to free myself work as being descriptive not just to, criticized and spammed. the quality of the labor they Tethered as we are to the multiple from the shackles of 21st of performed, but also the quantity. leashes of work, relationships century servitude and tend They were not only worked hard, but and social obligations, when are also constantly, to such an extent that we supposed to catch our breath? to the really important they weren’t even provided the time Whatever happened to the notion of matters of life to allow themselves the luxury of setting aside time to pay attention to thought. They were too busy to think our spiritual selves, our families and straight. Worse still, they became our friends? Where is self-actualization and fulfillment accustomed to their pitiful existence, accepted it and supposed to fit in? thought their miserable lives to be “normal.” I got the answer when my adult son was rushed to the Perhaps, had they been able to contemplate their own hospital suffering from acute appendicitis. He’s a strapping terrible conditions, they could have cried out in heartfelt 6 feet tall, and when he’s not studying Torah, he can more prayer to the Almighty who may have hastened their than hold his own on the basketball court. To see him redemption. Pharaoh violated the very humanity of the doubled over, holding his belly in agony and writhing in Jews by taking away their ability to introspect, the first pain was more than my wife and I could handle. As the required step of spiritual growth and self-actualization. emergency unfolded, my cell phone rang, flashed and The 21st century is certainly a marvelous time in which vibrated merrily on, oblivious that I had more important to live. Space exploration, computerization, the taming of matters on my mind. vicious diseases are all truly amazing feats. But we also It took the better part of three days before my son would suffer more burnout, mental exhaustion, attention deficit leave the hospital, during which time I all but completely disorders and high blood pressure than ever before. They To advertise call 718.676.5434
are no doubt the effects of our own hi-tech servitude. Like it or not, we’re ruthlessly on call to someone for something all the time. And, we call it “normal.” Well, on Passover everything comes to a halt. It begins with the destruction of the chametz, leavened foodstuffs, our daily bread. What could be more symbolic of the mundane, ordinary and routine than a piece of bread? We scour our homes and clear every morsel. The “normal” is simply unacceptable for eight days each year. Then we turn off our cell phones, close our places of business and sit down to a Seder with all the time in the world to discuss the Exodus experience. And, while many of us cringe at the seeming never-ending questions our kids can annoyingly ask the rest of the year, on this night they’re encouraged to ask the four questions, along with any others they might have. As for the rest of Passover, the simple commandment prohibiting us from eating leavened foods automatically creates a huge paradigm shift for a whole eight days whereby our regular routines go out the window. We are free of fast food restaurants. Free from the mundane obligations and vicissitudes of life. Passover is freedom indeed, from the spirit-stunting routines of modern life. The fact is that each and every week we’ve simply got to take a day off just to catch our breath. That day is Shabbat. But in order to “clean house” and truly free our inner selves from the overwhelming clutter of life lived in the fast lane, we need the extra-strength, paradigm shifting power of Passover. Rabbi Yerachmiel Milstein is a senior lecturer for Discovery Productions and is the executive vice president of Project Chazon, which offers workshops in 186 high schools in the U.S., Canada and England designed to prevent self-destructive behaviors in teens. From Aish.com
Ha’ Ohr
Ha’ Ohr
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Senior Currents Is your loved one abused in a nursing home? Watching our grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles grow older has its own set of stresses. As those we love fall victim to the ailments of aging, we worry about our lives without them, all the while struggling to provide care for them. We look to medicines, doctors, diets, vitamins— anything we can find—in hopes of keeping them healthy and happy and able to live as independently as they wish to. When finally the complications get too great, we turn to an assisted living, nursing home, or other long-term care facility to continue the care we are no longer able to provide. Many of these facilities provide excellent care, however, far too many do not. Often understaffed with underpaid and poorly trained employees, many nursing homes push the bottom line so far that they endanger the lives of their patients. Neglected, abused, and threatened, nursing home residents may suffer physically and emotionally. Painful bedsores, broken bones, or even premature death can result from neglectful and outright abusive treatment. Physical abuse Some of the more commonly observed signs include: Assault Battery Sexual Assault Sexual Battery Rape Unreasonable physical restraint
Prolonged or continual deprivation of food or water Use of a physical or chemical restraint or psychotropic medication for any purpose not consistent with that authorized by the physician Giving too much medication Not giving needed medication Unexplained injuries Caretaker cannot adequately explain condition Open wounds, cuts, bruises or welts Elder reports of being slapped or mistreated Slapping, pushing, shaking, beating Forcing an older person to stay in a room Neglect Some of the more commonly observed signs include: Physical neglect: disregard for the necessities of daily living Medical neglect: lack of care for existing medical problems Failure to prevent dehydration, malnutrition, and bed sores Failure to assist in personal hygiene, or in the provision of food, clothing, or shelter Unsanitary and unclean conditions Infections Failure to protect from health and safety hazards Poor access to medical services Verbal and emotional abuse Creating situations harmful to the resident’s self-esteem. Possible signs of verbal or emotional abuse may include resident behavior such as:
Emotionally upset or agitated Extremely withdrawn and non-communicative Unusual behavior (sucking, biting, rocking) Humiliating, insulting, frightening, threatening or ignoring behavior towards family and friends Wanting to be isolated from other people Other warning signs Other signs to look for if you suspect nursing home abuse or negligence include: Injuries requiring emergency treatment or hospitalization Any incident involving broken bones, especially a fractured hip Any injury or death occurring during or shortly after an episode of wandering (including outside the facility) when the staff is not aware that the resident is missing for some period of time Heavy medication or sedation Rapid weight loss or weight gain without physician or family notification and a change in treatment being provided Unexplained or unexpected death of the resident One nursing home resident injures another resident Resident is frequently ill, and the illnesses are not promptly reported to the physician and family Some useful websites: www.nursinghomeabuseresourcecenter.com/ nursinghomealert.com www.elderly-abuse.com
Choosing a nursing home is one of the most important decisions Choosing a nursing home is one of the most important decisions you will have to make for a loved one. Here are some guidelines:
Talk with others
Get a recommendation from someone who has a friend or relative in a nursing home and ask them about their experience. If they have had problems, chances are you will have the same problems with that particular facility.
Visit at different times of day
Visit the facility at different times of day -- morning, afternoon, evening, weekends. Nursing homes tend to have more staff on duty in the morning -- if you only visit at that time, you will get a sense that there is better staffing than might otherwise be the case. This is very important because one of the biggest problems in the nursing home industry is adequate staffing. This is due to: a shortage of qualified nurses and assistants, low pay, and cost cutting to minimize overhead and maximize income. Since nursing homes are in business to make money, it pays to keep staffing to a minimum regardless if the facility is owned by a large conglomerate or whether it is owned by a single owner.
The staff
Pay close attention to the staff. Do they seem to be in a hurry, scurrying about with no time for the residents? Do they take the time to talk with the residents, answer questions, watch a few minutes of a TV show with them, or ask how they are doing? A nursing home is only as good as the people working there. If they don’t seem to be interested in the residents and only want to put their time in and go home, look for a different facility.
The residents
Observe the residents. Do they seem to be uptight, not
talkative, glum? Or are they singing, humming, talking to each other, interacting with each other and, overall, happy? It will be difficult for the residents to be happy and upbeat if they are in a facility where they are ignored, talked down to and neglected. Talk to the residents. They might be reluctant to tell you if they are experiencing problems, but you should be able to get a sense of whether they are happy.
Look past the sales pitch
Don’t be swayed by the guided tour. The tour guide is a salesperson and has been carefully taught what to say and what to show you. Look past the fancy plants, wood on the walls and pretty furniture and pay attention to the residents and the staff.
Cleanliness
Do the hallways seem to be cluttered and smell like urine, feces or mildew? Examine the nurse’s station. Is it cluttered and disorganized? Sit and observe the nursing staff. Do they sit at the station, eat, talk, and complain or do they seem to be helping the residents?
Food and dining
At mealtime, do the residents seem to interact while they eat or do they sit by themselves? Ask to taste the food. Do the residents seem to eat all of the food or do a large number of people leave most of the food on the tray? Do the residents appear to be well nourished or do they all look thin? Visit the facility and observe several different meals. Do they all seem to be the same or is their some variety? For those residents who are bedridden, are their trays collected promptly or are dirty trays still sitting in the room several hours after the meal was served?
Further Questions
Do the residents smell and look clean?
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April 3 - 17, 2009
Look in some of the rooms. Do the residents have soap, shampoo, toothpaste? Is their hair brushed? Is the facility warm enough in the winter and cool enough in the summer? Can the windows be opened to let in fresh air? Does every room have pitchers of water? Does the staff offer water to those residents who are bedridden or who are confined to wheelchairs? Ask how long the various members of the staff have worked at the nursing home. It’s a good situation if there are many long term employees. On the other hand, it’s a bad sign if most people have been employed there for less than a year. A high turnover rate usually means that staff members are overworked, underpaid or are under a good deal of stress. This is not the type of environment in which you want to leave your loved one. If the nursing home seems to be a good one but there are no long term employees, ask the administrator about the situation. Ask whether the nurses are members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). Members of this union are well trained and can offer better quality health care. Ask to see the latest survey by the state. Medicare requires that nursing homes make the latest state survey available for review. If you are told that there is nothing significant in the report or that the report is misplaced, warning bells should sound. Don’t take “no” for an answer; insist on your right to review the report or remove the facility from consideration if you continue to be refused. The bottom line: Keep your eyes, ears, and nose open. What you observe in the facility should give you a “gut” feeling as to what it’s like to live there. These observations are much more important than the guided tour by the salesperson whose job it is to get you to commit to the facility. From www.elderly-abuse.com, a site maintained by a law firm Page 17
Tech Currents Finding the perfect search engine By Michael Schlager Bay Currents Marketing Director and writer “Search Engine Optimization” may sound like something only a life-long techie could be excited about, but when I visited the Search Engine Strategies New York conference last month in Manhattan, it didn’t take long to see that it’s relevant to just about everyone. The most successful businesses all have websites. There is more money being made in websites than in most other segments of the economy today – but if you own or manage a business, you have to be able to find the right vendors who can tailor your website for your and your customers’ specific needs. Conferences such as SES New York – which are frequent in Brooklyn and Manhattan – are a good way to sift through the array of Internet products and services to find what’s best for you. The 2,300-person SES New York is considered to be one of the top events of the entire industry. The most creative, innovative and dynamic people involved with the Internet were all there, interacting with people like me and you. Just deciding what level of the conference to participate in was a job in itself. I took the beginner’s route -- I visited the small-business seminars as well as the blog and new release from Google Adwords. Matt Van Wagner, a principal of www.findmefaster.com, showed how his local bakery in New Hampshire, www. patisseriebleu.com , was able to transform its identity from an average bakery with a mediocre presence on the Web, to a specialty bakery. This was done after careful research based on feedback from customers and Web visitors alike. After going into detail with interested customers who came via the Web, one idea after another started to click -- Wagner found a niche for the bakery, which became a solution for all who had allergies to certain foods. It became an allergen-free bakery of choice, and they are now looking to make unique mixes (much more practical for shipping) and other products for business out of their region. Business soared, and they have never looked back. The research and Website redo brought an increase in in-store as well as Web traffic and phone orders. David Mihm, of www.getlisted.org focused on the need to create pages for each of the neighborhoods a business serves, and the value that this creates. David was on the small business panel with Matt.
Google Adwords
Ariel Bardin, a product management director for Google, introduced the new interface of Google Adwords. He did say it will take some time to get use to, but it’s much more clickable than before, offering up many new features that customers had asked for. For example, you can run a query report and it will easily label what you have changed, visually letting you know what you have done in one eye span. Also, your data is configurable with Excel at many more points. Another nice upgrade is that you can change the CPC (cost per click) for all your choices by amount or percent. One of his tips for the general Web developer is to have a link on every page to ask for feedback, a ‘Send Feedback’ button, for example. It can make a big difference. A good conference also is not only about the speakers. The people you meet there can also be most impressive. A few of the companies that I heard about, which seem to be on the cutting edge, are www.reprelations.com, and www. vitals.com . It turns out that Reprelations is the backbone of many public relations firms, focusing on “reputation control” for celebrities, athletes, and corporations. .
The Training
Bruce Clay, a definite rock star in the Internet world, is the think-tank behind companies such as CNN which Page 18
manage 1 million -- yes, 1 million -- pages of new content per month. He’s the wizard who makes it all come true for hundreds of companies world-wide. His sidekick, Chris Hart jumped in to elaborate on things which Bruce touched on and emphasized those he felt would help the attendees Chris is probably the next Bruce-in-the-making.
The Top Ten
I came away from the conference with a host of new information and perspectives on SEO. Here are the Top Ten: Running a “~” (tilda) search is one of the best ways to find what is natural in the index of those words most closely associated to what you need for your own SEO campaign. Use other forms of natural stemming words in your content like “smile, smiles, smiled and smiling.” The emphasis is in using the words that come up in natural conversation which make sense. Behavioral or personalized search based on your IP address will become more popular, and ‘private searches’ will also stem up as a result Because of the Americans With Disabilities Act, Code 508, each released version of flash (non-animated text is all that is searchable currently) will continue to get more searchable (of course you need to put contextual information around your flash object). In January and February Google didn’t notify people that it was experimenting to see how weighted averages for established sites worked, thus many went up and down in rankings in an indefinable way. Things went back to normal after that, with authoritative sites become more valuable (not a known spammer, known audience, trusted resource). Sites are defined as either research or e-commerce and the more your e-commerce site slides towards the research site, the higher the rankings. Integrating engagement objects such as video, images, blogs, maps, books, and music make the difference. FYI Google has an estimated 150,000 servers to study billions of pages (some say over 5, changes every day) in the indexing cycle. Google will look at every page at least every 90 days (and then if changes they will spider), but the more often you update the site, the more you will get spidered. Case in point: CNN has got to the point of being spidered every 2 minutes. www.youtube.com ‘s “Dove Evolution” has had 8 million views, and another one describing the social
gravitas is the “Battle at Kruger” video, which was eventually made into a Discovery TV show.
Google Analytics on steroids
I had to add three more… The value of having keyword contextual terms in the URL, is only valuable when a link is made to your pages when the person linking to you uses the URL as the anchor text. Link to a Non-profit and you also want to link to experts, but you don’t want someone lame to link to you (or back to them). Link Begging is very low return on investment. Maybe find a reason for them to edit that page and that might just tempt them to move forwards with you. Think about them before you make your presentation.
If you have any questions or comments, let us know. We’ll have more about the many ways the Internet can help build your business, and we need your feedback.
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April 3 - 17, 2009
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Sports Currents He’s Still Got it: Ron Duguay Gives Ranger Fans One Last Hurrah of female fans screaming every time he touched the puck. said Miller. “He was in good shape then and he’s in good Almost 27-years since his last 40-goal season, Duguay shape now. He’s still pretty much the same guy.” has found a way to slow down father time and has Duguay sees things quite differently though. maintained his “It’s funny how things worked out,” he said. “I told him almost devilish before the game if he’d like a Miller from Duguay. It didn’t good looks. work out that way though.” At 51 however, With a succesful playing career, a pro championship he acknowledged under his belt as a coach and now a successful gig on MSG his game isn’t as an analyst, Duguay doesn’t have much left to prove in what it used to be. the sport. “This is not In spite of that though, he was willing to put his body a comeback,” on the line for a few nights in order to become better at his said Duguay newest endeavor. with a laugh. “One reason why I wanted to “The idea was do this was because I don’t want that I’d come to lose touch with the game,” out of retirement Duguay said. “If I’m going to for a game or analyze it, it helps that I’ve done two when I it [recently].” was over 50 After 60 minutes of hockey, for the Garden about 12 of which Duguay spent of Dreams on the ice, taking key face-offs at both ends of the ice and BAY CURRENTS PHOTO / Patrick Hickey Jr. charity. Would playing on the powerplay, it was obvious he still knew I do it again? I what he was doing. don’t know. I’m learning now, that you have to be in great He even drew an assist on a C.J. Tozzo goal with 37 shape in order to play this game today. I don’t train that seconds left in the game, forcing it into overtime. hard anymore; I just train hard enough to be healthy and “At that point, I was barely standing up,” he said. “It was hard for me to almost celebrate. I did have a few tonight was definitely opportunities tonight though.” an eye-opener. I’ll be When it was all said and done, dozens of his still sleeping with ice-packs dedicated female fans, donned in leather that most likely tonight.” hasn’t touched their skin since the last time he played in Nevertheless, his the NHL, waited patiently outside the Aces locker room to former teammate and His best season came in 1991 when he hit catch one last glimpse of the former heart throb. pal, Aces captain, Rob .284 with eight homers and 57 RBI in 102 Inside, Duguay spoke with reporters and looked much Miller, who ironically games at the A-level Waterloo Diamonds. less than the playboy he was 25 years ago, as his hair and was coached and During his 12-year minor league career, the undershirt were encompassed with sweat. played with Duguay catcher was also a teammate of big leaguers It was obvious his days of scoring on Billy Smith and in his rookie season such as Tim Worrell, Lance Painter, Joey adventuring at Studio 54 were long gone. with the Jacksonville Hamilton, Keith Lockhart and former Nonetheless, for those 12 minutes he was on the ice in Barracudas of the Yankee slugger Kevin Maas. Brooklyn, his earing shined brightly and his hair was still ACHL in 2002,doesn’t Tomlin joins the organization and rockin’. see too much of a replaces Brooklyn favorite Hector Berrios, The legend of Ron Duguay is still alive and well. difference in his game after spending 20 years in the systems of the Oo-La-La. since the last time they Washington Nationals, New York Yankees Even if it isn’t quite as most of us remember it. skated together. and Minnesota Twins. “He said he was a bit surprised by the pace of the game,” “When we played Jack Voigt, who was originally supposed said Aces head coach Chris Firriolo. “But he held his own together, it was only to be the team’s hitting instructor in 2006 out there and played a smart game.” six games, but he joins the team after three seasons in the sports@baycurrents.net worked really hard,” Mets organization. Voight is also the only member of the coaching staff to have spent time in the big leagues [92-97, 99] . His best season came in 1997, when he hit eight homers and 22 RBI in 72 games with the Brewers. He was so popular during his time in Milwaukee that he got a drink named Just a week after winning high school basketball history, ahead after him, which consists of Amaretto, their fourth consecutive PSAL of Brooklyn greats and NBA stars banana liqueur and spiced rum. Championship behind a 24-point Chris Mullin, Stephon Marbury and Fuentes joins the club after coaching in night from their star player, Lance Sebastian Telfair, was limited to just 14 St. Lucie last season. As a player, he spent Stephenson, the Lincoln Railsplitters, points in the game after averaging 37 seven seasons in the San Francisco Giants the two-time defending state points a game and nearly 13 rebounds organization before retiring in 2003. champions, came up empty against the during the playoffs. With these changes, the Brooklyn front Rice Raiders at the State Tournament On the other side of the court, Rice office is enthusiastic about the new season. in Glen Falls on March 28, falling had three players, James Strukes, “Each year, we have been fortunate to have 77-50. Jermaine Sanders and Durand Scott coaches who work tirelessly, both on the field This time around, Stephenson, a with at least 14 points and never trailed and in the community,” said Cohen. “We McDonald’s All-American and the allin the contest, going on a 12-2 run to look forward to continuing that tradition.” time leading scorer in New York State start the game.
By Patrick Hickey Jr. Bay Currents Sports Editor Despite possessing an surreptitious shot and excellent skating ability through a stellar 12-year NHL career that produced 274 goals, former New York Ranger center Ron Duguay will always be remembered for captivating the women wherever he played, with his trademark Jon Bon Jovi-esque long hair, earing and designer sasson jeans. Oo- La-La. On March 21, Duguay made his return to pro hockey, playing a game for the Brooklyn Aces to benefit the Garden of Dreams charity and just like the days of yesteryear, Duguay had a huge contingent
Cyclones get new coaching staff By Patrick Hickey Jr. Bay Currents Sports Editor Leading the Brooklyn Cyclones to the New York Penn-League playoffs two of the three seasons he coached the team, Edgar Alfonzo got a well deserved promotion to the Savannah Sand Gnats, the Single-A affiliate of the Mets, last month, where he will serve as the team’s manager. With his departure, the Brooklyn Cyclones made Julio Lopez, who ironically a coach last season with the Gnats, their new skipper. The team also brought in new pitching coach Rick Tomlin, hitting coach Jack Voigt and coach Joel Fuentes to round out the rest of the staff. “We are excited to welcome a new staff to Brooklyn,” said Cyclones’ General Manager Steve Cohen on the team’s official website. For longtime Cyclones fans, seeing a coaching staff or even a player roster without an Alfonzo present [Alfonzo’s son, Edgar Jr., played with the team in 2004 and 2005] may take a bit of time to get adjusted to, but in time, they should feel comfortable in the hands of Lopez. Last managing in the Texas Rangers system in 2007, Lopez also has an impressive minor league playing resume under his belt. A .249 career hitter over 877 games in the San Diego, Houston and Milwaukee systems as a player, Perez has plenty of first hand experience at the level to be an adequate teacher to whoever the Cyclones bring to Keyspan this summer.
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Lincoln wins 4th consecutive PSAL Title, falls at state tourney
April 3 - 17, 2009
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The Legitimization of Ignorance the American public to that point was the “Gingrich Revolution” of 1994. Bill Clinton was elected in 1992 with the promise of creating a health plan for all Americans. Newt Gingrich, Congressman from Georgia, led the Republicans and the health industry in confusing the public and convincing them to defeat the plan and its advocates in government. A former history professor, he lectured on the radio, purposely distorting historical fact to prove his points, contributing directly to the Republicans gaining a majority in the House of Representatives for the first time in 40 years with Gingrich as Speaker. Need we mention the resulting fiasco? The worst was yet to come however. George W. Bush promoted ignorance to the extreme to fulfill the excessive self-indulgence. Already diverted from pressing realities
by cultural issues that should never have been part of the national political agenda, ignorance and greed was taken to the ultimate. The rights of women were threatened further, and other liberties were compromised in its wake. The world was turned upside down as the “conservative” administration ran up a national debt of record proportions and financial institutions and corporations operated with little, if any, restraint creating a financial feeding frenzy among the haves at the expense of the nation. Whereas true conservatives believe in a balanced budget the Bush administration appears to have been simply a horde of thieves out to rob the national economy. And now we suffer the results! Most who lived through and learned the very harsh but extremely valuable lessons of the Great Depression, World War II and the Holocaust are dwindling rapidly in numbers
Bay Crossword
By Yitzchak Relkin
Continued from page 8
and are long removed from occupying the seats of power. As these lessons have dimmed with the passage of time, new generations have increasingly embraced the concept of “me”. The New Deal creed of education, enlightenment and working together for common cause has been subverted to ignorance, greed and me, me, me! Knowledge has been downplayed while emphasis has been placed on the quest for financial gain. In 1960 John F. Kennedy had said, “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.” And people believed. Can we believe again? Can we overcome the ignorance that created the mindset of “me”? Can the damage to the American psyche be repaired? IFreidin@baycurrents.net
Yitzchak Relkin is a crossword puzzle editor living in Brooklyn. To contact Yitzchak about customized crossword puzzles (for birthdays, anniversaries), email: crossword@relkin.com.
Toward The Center Across
1. Vermicelli or fusilli 6. Dutch cheese 10. Lasting blemish 14. In front 15. Pass 16. Leprechaun land 17. Life or death situation 18. Hooters 19. Blunders 20. Aviator Earhart 22. Earns after taxes 24. Victim of curiosity 25. Spill the beans 27. Decorative woodworks 29. Large butte 33. Barley brew 34. A technology VP 35. During 36. Pie à la ___ 38. Strength 42. “Excellent!” 44. Omitted 46. Obsolete anesthetic 47. “Uh oh!” 49. Site of Napoleon’s exile 50. Scandal filled paper 52. Pizza, for one 53. Be knocked for loop Page 20
April 3 - 17, 2009
54. Disclose 57. Out cruising 59. Beluga delicacy 60. Suburban green 62. Faked 67. Chief 69. Man or self attachment 71. Boredom 72. Thumbs down 73. Egg 74. Lost driver’s maneuver 75. Tree house 76. Agents 77. Mexican green
Down
1. Seen with mama 2. [“I was speaking”] 3. Bone dry 4. Follow, like a detective 5. Improvise 6. Self center? 7. Old feathered mattress 8. Skillful 9. Connecticut seaport 10. Date 11. Approximately 12. Wide range 13. Takes five 21. Budget alternative
23. Catch a whiff of 26. Go ___ (agree) 28. Riot participant 29. Colt’s mother 30. Give off 31. Take a deep breath 32. Stay attached 37. Clothing designer Perry 39. Auditioner’s goal 40. Subway, to Brits 41. Footnote abbr. 43. Mountain path 45. Foils 48. Honest, with “on the” 51. Compelling charm 54. Of the city 55. Everybody’s opposite 56. What two piece suits lack 58. Really enjoyed 61. Silent hello 63. Initial stake 64. Wildebeests 65. Coin featuring Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man 66. Ados 68. Pose for a portrait 70. Printer’s measurements
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Bay united in anger by fare hikes By Olga Privman Bay Currents writer Few things get resilient New Yorkers -- who rallied together in the wake of 9-11 and during the blackout of ’03 – as riled as a collective blow to their stability, be it political, structural or even financial. On March 25, the board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority met to discuss its budget deficit and ultimately voted for a proposal so unpopular that it may have effectively unified the city yet again in angst – to raise fares and reduce service. “We don’t need another fare hike,” said Destiny Ton, 21, a performing arts major at Kingsborough Community College. “The subway is the main mode of transportation for most New Yorkers because we can’t afford anything else. That alone should say something about most people’s financial situations.” Should the proposed plan go through, subway and bus fare increases will be effective May 31, raising it to $2.25 per ride. The 30-day unlimited pass will climb to $103. We will also see a service decrease during peak hours as well as total elimination of 35 bus routes and two train lines – the W and Z.
“I feel that the fare hike is a terrible idea,” said Brett Allen, 25, of Marine Park. “I already have trouble getting to work and paying $30 extra a month for less service is criminal.” With the economy in its current state, many are already suffering, and simply paying the bills is becoming an increasingly greater concern. “I’m a student who’s trying to make a life for myself and I’m responsible for my own finances,” Ton said. “And I know that if it is difficult for me, I can’t imagine how this change would affect a single mother who’s already struggling financially to provide for herself and her kids to have to get another financial setback.” Alternate solutions were under consideration, such as imposing a $2 toll on the East River and Harlem River bridges, currently free to cross. This project was rejected, however. MTA officials say the draconian measures could be avoided if money comes from Albany. With state budget still in flux by press time, that may be a long wait. The MTA’s budget statements are available on its website, www.mta.info/ mta/budget.
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APPLE NEWSSTAND 4404 18th Avenue 718-633-5722
JOSEPH’S CARDS & GIFTS 3042 Avenue U (at Coyle Street) 718-648-0105
LAUNDROMAT & CAFE 1244 Avenue U (between 11th and 12th St)
MILL BASIN STOP 61-22 Avenue U at Mill Avenue
CORNER MINIMART 2423 Ave. U (at Bedford Avenue)
CAFE VERTORIS More Than a Bagel 2803 Ave. U (at East 28th St
BAY STOP GROCERY 2970 Ocean Ave. (Ocean Avenue at Avenue Z)
Quick Stop Mini Mart & Deli, Coney Island Avenue at Avenue U
QUIZNOS 37 Hillel Place (at Brooklyn College)
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Bay Currents in Coney Island: Key Food – 505 Neptune Ave. Walgreens Drug Store – 532 Neptune Ave. CVS – 512 Neptune Ave. Peggy O’Neill’s -- 1904 Surf Ave. American Suds Laundromat – 2915 Surf Ave. Community Care Pharmacy – 2913 Surf Ave. Saul’s Pharmacy & Surgical Supply – 3514 Mermaid Ave. Major Meats – 1516 Mermaid Ave.
To advertise call 718.676.5434
AVENIUE U SUPERMARKET 1701 Ave. U (at East 17th Street)
April 3 - 17, 2009
Brooklyn Public Library– 1901 Mermaid Ave. Sunshine of Coney Island Deli – 2120 Mermaid Ave. Rite Aid – 3001 Mermaid Ave. Key Food – 3485 Neptune Ave. Madeleine Jones Day Care – 3415 Neptune Ave. Circles Bistro – 2801 Coney Island Ave. Surf & Turf Grill – 1315 Surf Ave.
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April 3 - 17, 2009
Visit us at: www.BayCurrents.net
Kenneth Lee Lic. R.E. Associate Broker Cell : 646-286-6912 Jason Sciulara
www.BrooklynsBestHomes.com
“You’ve found Kenny!” (646) 286-6912
5817 Avenue N Bklyn, NY 11234 Office : 718-763-4110 718 www.BergenBasin.com
Doreen Alfano
Broker/Owner
Broker/Owner
BYOB- bring your own boat! This lovely home features 2 boat slips, a beautiful new deck over a concrete seawall, 3 bedrooms and 2 baths, new oak EIK, a gorgeous master bdrm with architectural windows and vaulted ceilings, ceramic and hardwood flooring, 3 skylights. Storage in the attic. BB1367 Just Reduced to $599,000. Call 646-286-6912 PRIVACY PREVAILS in this sweet 1 family waterfront home offering three bedrooms, granite floors and new kitchen with stainless steel appliances. All on glorious grounds! Two and a half lots and water lot, six boat slips. Unique, quiet and rarely available, this beauty is a must see and priced to sell! BB1324 $779,000 Call 646-286-6912
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION! Marine Park/Madison This 1 bedroom, pet friendly co op is a diamond in the rough located on Nostrand Ave and Ave U. Close to everything and priced for a quick sale, this co op is the best buy on the block. BB1373 Asking $109,000 Call 646-286-6912
Gerritsen Beach - 1 Family, 3 bdrm, 1 ½ bath duplex, recently finished fully heated basement with sep entrance, Large EIK, Extra Large L/R, lots of new sheetrock, good size side yard, storage in attic. Asking $419,000 Call 646-286-6912
Most beautiful detached ranch on the market boasting 2 new custom kitchens, luxury baths, hardwood and ceramic tile floors, stucco exterior and 2 car private drive. Must see! BB1350, Asking $1,199,000
CUSTOM WATER FRONT MINI MANSION - 6 bedrooms, master suite with luxury spa, European kitchen, Banquet size formal dining room, formal living room, parquet inlaid floors, granite 2nd story entrance, maid's quarters, 2 car garage, radiant heated driveway, security gates, in ground pool and dock. EXCLUSIVELY OURS! BB1311 $3,999,000
PRIME 1 family detached water front home boasting 4 bedrooms, 2 kitchens, 3 baths, this Royal Manor style home's special features include new dock, deck, jet ski ramp, in ground pool, 1 car garage, and private drive. Best location! BB1320, $1,879,000
OVERSIZED WATERFRONT property offering a custom split level home featuring three King sized bedrooms, marble jacuzzi bath, over sized family room, summer kitchen, wet bar, country club backyard, cabana, in ground pool, dock, deck and much more! Must see this beauty! BB1289 $2,499,000
ROCKAWAY - WALK TO THE BEACH! New Construction! 2 -3 bedroom units offering 2 baths, 954 - 1,327 square feet, central AC, terraces, kitchens w/granite countertops, Frigidaire appliances, lots of closets, parking included for the first 5 buyers! Asking $279,000 - $349,000 SHEEPSHEAD BAY – FULLY DETACHED, R4 zoned (can extend), private drive, 30 x 100 lot and large yard. Great block! House is vacant! First time on market! Must see! BB1354 Asking $649,000
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To advertise call 718.676.5434
April 3 - 17, 2009
MIDWOOD – ULTRA CONTEMPORARY, New Construction! 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1,041 sq ft of living space, desirable location, walking distance to transport, cafes and shopping. Some units available for rent too! OA2A Low $400’s
MARINE PARK - VERY LARGE – 2 family 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, lg LR & DR, new kitchen w/new appliances, main floor has 2 BRs & 2 baths, new kitchen w/original details, full lg finished basement w/ 2 entrances, pvt drive, 2 car garage, oak floors, recessed lighting, lg walk in closets, front porch and 2 terraces. Most desirable block! BB1332 $749,000
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April 3 - 17, 2009
Visit us at: www.BayCurrents.net