___________ SEA CLIFF/GLEN HEAD __________
Buying a home?
HERALD
We'll light the way.
where to begin • what to look
out for • pre-approvals • protecting your investmen t and so much more
First Time Homebuyers Wo rkshop
Thursday, June 15th, 2023 • 6
Branch Real Estate Group • 203
- 7:30 pm
Glen Cove Ave, Sea Cliff NY
Event is free, but space is limited.
Register today at: Branch reg.com/homebuyer Mee
Observing Memorial Day
Page 6 VOL. 32 NO. 23
JUNE 1 - 7, 2023
M O L L Y
D E E G A N BRAN CHRE G.CO M
917.7 44.39 61
C A R L O S
S A N T A N A EMB RACE HOM ELOA NS.C OM
516-6 04-9 895
How Covid-19 impacted senior centers
ramid@liherald.com
“Although there was tragedy all around us, we, as a house of worship, saw CONTINUED ON PAGE 19
G U L L O
LLOC ELES TE
516.6 71.00 01
$1.00
By ROKSANA AMID
Congregation Tifereth Israel
C E L E S T E
INSTA GRAM : @GU
Page 8
Faith after coronavirus People turn to religion for comfort and hope in times of crisis and uncertainty — and March 2020, with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. and the resulting lockdowns — certainly was among such times. Houses of worship helped many who were desperately searching for ways to cope with the stress of isolation and uncertainty about the changing restrictions set in place by governments. According to data from the Pew Research Center in 2021, nearly three in 10 United States adults said the outbreak boosted their faith. This past March, the center reported that more Americans say that their attendance habits have declined, but it’s a complic ated p i c t u re : A s o f November 2022, 20 percent said they were attending in person less often, while 7 percent say they were doing so more often. On the other hand, 15 percent say they were participating in services virtually more often, while 5 percent said they were watching services online or on TV less often. Now that the emergency is past, houses of worship on the North Shore are reflecting on how the pandemic affected their congregations.
1217461
Boys’ track is county champ
t your local experts:
in a panic. I didn’t want to be responsible for anybody’s sickness.” When the coronavirus panSimilar scenes occurred demic hit the United States, across the North Shore and Long Island senior centers had around the world. Judy Palummore than the virus to worry bo and Christine Rice, execuabout. tive directors of the Life Many seniors were immune- Enrichment Center at Oyster compromised and unable to Bay and the Glen Cove Senior gather. As a result, Center, respectively, senior centers saw added that it felt their doors closed like the pandemic for months at a came out of time, which left nowhere and upendmany wondering if ed their work and they would ever be the lives of their able to reopen. seniors. Before Covid-19 Palumbo said ar rived, many that prior to the senior centers and pandemic, the Life PEGGY COMO senior-focused proEnrichment Center grams operated like President, had an average of well-oiled machines, Mutual Concerns 75 people coming in working week in Committee for lunch every day, and week out to proa n d d a i ly bu s e s vide entertainment brought seniors in and companionship for the for physical and mental exercommunity’s elderly. Peggy cise as well as games and activComo, president of the Mutual ities. Although Life EnrichConcerns Committee, in Sea ment had been warned about Cliff, said that the organization the potential seriousness of the held senior lunches at St. spreading virus by a concerned Luke’s Parish Hall, but a week Oyster Bay resident, the hardafter the pandemic arrived, the est part initially was the sudprogram came to an end. denness of it all, although the “Once Covid hit, we had to center was able to avoid an outshut it all down,” Como said. break among its members. “People were in a panic. I was CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
By WILL SHEELINE wsheeline@liherald.com
Courtesy People Loving People
PEOPLE LOVING PEOPLE serves 175 families each week at the Oyster Bay food pantry. From left are founders Gina Kang, Valerie Monroy and Donna Galgano.
Post-Covid, people are still hungry By LAURA LANE llane@liherald.com
When the coronavirus pandemic hit the United States in March 2020, many food pantries and soup kitchens closed as people working in places that traditionally provided for the food insecure were afraid to continue. This was before there were Covid vaccines, with doctors working around the clock to understand the virus that was killing thousands of people.
Making matters even more problematic for the food insecure — people without access to enough of the food needed to remain healthy — was then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s March 22, 2020, stay-athome executive order. The “New York State on Pause” directive forbade non-essential businesses statewide to stay open while also restricting gatherings. New Yorkers were in lockdown for a month and remained in a state of emergency until June 7.
Covid
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
O
nce Covid hit, we had to shut it all down.