Merrick Herald 07-30-2026

100 years of the North Merrick Fire Department

Hempstead Town Supervisor John Ferretti, Councilman Chris Schneider and Receiver of Taxes Jeanine Driscoll presented North Merrick Fire Department leaders with a 100th anniversary sign.

Jazz show supports first responders

Local performers come together for a good cause

By JoSEPH D’AlESSANDRo jdalessandro@liherald.com

Steve Tepper’s next philanthropic music show is coming back to Merrick.

Proceeds from the fundraising show will be donated to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. The foundation was founded in honor of the sacrifice of FDNY firefighter Stephen Gerard Siller, who whose final run through the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel became the inspiration for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, died Sept. 11, 2001, after rushing toward the World Trade Center to help save others.

Today, the foundation supports families of

fallen first responders, military members and veterans.

“The Tunnel to Towers Foundation exists to honor the courage and sacrifice of America’s military members, veterans, and first responders by providing meaningful support when it is needed most,” the foundation wrote in a statement provided to the Herald. “Whether through mortgage-free homes, smart homes for catastrophically injured heroes, scholarships for their children, or efforts to eradicate veteran homelessness, every initiative reflects our commitment to ensuring that those who protect our freedoms know they are never alone”

“I’m trying to promote jazz, and I’m trying to

Preserving memories of the Holocaust

By HERNESTo GAlDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com

The Merrick Jewish Centre will introduce a new Holocaust education program this fall that willto give students the opportunity to preserve the stories of Holocaust survivors and carry their legacies into the future.

The year-long program, Bearing Witness – To Never Again, is being added to the synagogue’s ATID Hebrew High School curriculum. The program will meet monthly throughout the school year, and enrollment is limited to students selected through an application process.

Registration closes Aug. 17.

resilience, identity, responsibility, moral choice and memory while learning to preserve and retell survivors’ stories.

Rabbi Josh Dorsch said the program is rooted in the Jewish tradition of l’dor va’dor — from generation to generation — and is intended to ensure survivors’ stories continue to be shared long after the last eyewitnesses are gone.

T his program transforms students from listeners into guardians of memory.

ABBi JoSH

Facilitated by Donna Rosenblum, director of education at the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County, the program is designed to create personal connections between students and Holocaust survivors through firsthand testimony. Participants will reflect on themes including

“When a Holocaust survivor entrusts a young person with their story, they are passing more than a memory — they are passing a sacred responsibility,” Dorsch said. “This program transforms students from listeners into guardians of memory, ensuring that when the last eyewitness is gone, the story will still have a living voice and a lasting legacy for generations to come.”

Dorsch said the relationships formed between survivors and students benefit both generations. Survivors gain confidence that their experiences will be remembered,

Continued on page 2

Courtesy Town of Hempstead

Applications are due Aug. 17 for members

while students develop a personal connection to Jewish history and identity. At a time of rising antisemitism, he said, those relationships help foster resilience, pride and the confidence to serve as informed ambassadors for the Jewish community.

Sharon Solomon, the synagogue’s director of education, said students accepted into the program will become “trusted carriers and keepers” of survivors’ stories.

“There is nothing more powerful than students taking personal responsibility for these sacred stories and carrying them forward with pride, especially in this time when many deny this history ever happened,” Solomon said.

As a culminating project, participants will create an original work of art or presentation inspired by a survivor’s testimony to be shared with the Merrick Jewish Centre community during Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Rosenblum said programs like Bearing Witness are becoming increasingly important as the world grows further removed from the Holocaust.

“As the world becomes increasingly removed from the history and lessons of the Holocaust, programs like this become all the more vital,” Rosenblum said. “The mission to fight antisemitism in all forms makes the vow ‘Never Again’ a reality. This is a call to action, and education is the key.”

Bearing Witness is one of several enrichment opportunities offered through Merrick Jewish Centre’s ATID Hebrew High School, alongside leadership development, mentorship and Jewish learning programs for teens.

Applications are due Aug. 17. The program fee is $180 for Merrick Jewish Centre members and $360 for nonmembers.

Herald file photo

The Merrick Jewish Centre will introduce a new education program this fall on the Holocaust.

Rhoads joins Bellmore Kids Parade celebration

State Sen. Steve Rhoads joined Bellmore families and residents at the annual Bellmore Kids Parade at Randy Lane Park on July 4, helping kick off the community’s Independence Day celebrations.

The annual tradition brought together children, families and neighbors for a morning of patriotic festivities

celebrating the nation’s founding. Residents lined the parade route and gathered at the park to mark the holiday.

Rhoads thanked the organizers, volunteers and participants for making the event a success and praised the parade for bringing the community together to celebrate

the Fourth of July.

The parade is a longstanding Bellmore tradition that gives families an opportunity to celebrate Independence Day while honoring the nation’s history and values.

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News brief

New assistant principal is ready to make an impact

Kevin McElroy has joined the North Bellmore School District as the new assistant principal of John G. Dinkelmeyer Elementary School, bringing more than a decade of experience in education and school leadership.

McElroy began his new role on July 1. He previously worked for the New York City Department of Education and spent 13 years at The Riverview School 277Q, a K-12 school that serves students with special needs. During his time there, he worked as a physical education teacher and athletic director before being named assistant principal last year.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in movement science, physical education and health education from Springfield College, a master’s degree in teaching students with disabilities from Touro College, and an administrative certification from the American College of Education.

At Dinkelmeyer, McElroy said he looks forward to working with Principal Danica Brugge, supporting faculty and staff, and building relationships with the school’s approximately 430 students and their families.

“I’m looking forward to being a part of a close-knit school community where families are really involved,” McElroy said. “I’m excited about getting to know the students and staff and being part of

Kevin

the North Bellmore School District’s administrative team as the new assistant principal of John G. Dinkelmeyer Elementary School.

a school that has such a great reputation.”

Hernesto Galdamez

Office of State Sen. Steve Rhoads

State Sen. Steve Rhoads joined families and community members at the annual Bellmore Kids Parade at Randy Lane Park on July 4 to celebrate Independence Day.

State Sen. Steve Rhoads hands out American flags to children.

— Hernesto Galdamez

Courtesy of the North Bellmore School District

McElroy joins

News brIef

Perseids meteor shower viewing planned at Jones Beach State Park

Residents will have a chance to watch one of the year’s most anticipated celestial events from Jones Beach State Park next month, as the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation keeps several Long Island parks open overnight for viewing the Perseids meteor shower.

The viewing event is scheduled for the night of Wednesday, Aug. 12, continuing into the predawn hours of Thursday, Aug. 13. At Jones Beach, visitors should head to the West End 2 west parking lot, which will remain open specifically for the event. Jones Beach’s open beachfront setting has long made it a popular destination for stargazers and astronomy enthusiasts.

There will be no admission fee, and the state’s usual stargazing permit requirement will be waived for the evening. Visitors are asked to remain near their vehicles while watching the meteor shower.

The Perseids, one of the brightest and most active annual meteor

showers, are expected to produce numerous meteors streaking across the night sky. The event occurs each August as Earth passes through debris left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle.

State Parks officials recommend arriving prepared for a comfortable evening outdoors by dressing for cooler nighttime temperatures, bringing insect repellent and using a reclining lawn chair for the best viewing experience. Binoculars are not necessary, as the meteors are best seen with the naked eye. Observers are encouraged to look toward the northeastern sky with expansive, unobstructed views of the meteor shower.

Jones Beach is one of six Long Island state parks participating in the overnight viewing program. Other participating parks include Sunken Meadow State Park in Kings Park, Montauk Point State Park, Wildwood State Park in Wading River, Orient Beach State Park and Hallock State Park Preserve in Riverhead.

IKarma cleanup elevate the Conversation

t starts with an inbound phone call to the office that I answer to redirect to the appropriate associate.

The individual identifies himself, remembers my name and voice from a previous call and although a follow-up call to my boss, he proceeds to engage me in conversation to build rapport with a perceived “gatekeeper”. (Gatekeepers are receptionists, secretaries and skilled assistants who retrieve calls but that’s not my hired role). Basically, in telemarketing and sales calls, it can be vital to build a relationship with the gatekeeper if you wish to ensure access to the senior level executive.

The caller goes on to ask me how my holiday with family was (it’s long past July 4) and despite his intention I don’t let him go much further.

Making the World a Better Place

The late Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom, wrote extensively on making the world a better place. In his book, “To Heal a Fractured World”, he writes, “I have spent much of my life thinking about life, observing people, reading books, searching for teachers and exemplars...I make no claim to wisdom, but this I have learned:”

“That what counts is not how much wealth we make but how much of what we have, we share.”

“That those who spend at least part of their lives in the service of others are the most fulfilled and happiest people I know.”

“That moral health is no less important to the quality of a life than physical health.”

“That the best do good without thought of reward, understanding that to help others is a privilege even more than it is an opportunity.”

“That self-interest is simply uninteresting.”

“That pain and loneliness are forms of energy that can be transformed if we turn them outward, using them to recognize and redeem someone else’s pain or loneliness.”

“That putting others down, we diminish ourselves; lifting others, we lift ourselves.”

“That nothing is gained by less-thanethical conduct. We may gain in the short term but we will lose in the long, and it is the long term that counts.”

“That the ability to give to others is itself a gift.”

“That the privilege of wealth lies not in what it allows us to do for ourselves, but what it enables us to do for others.”

“That the world is a book in which our life is a chapter, and the question is whether others, reading it, will be inspired.”

immediately accountable, I revisit some of my conversations wondering if I could have done better. More positive. More aware. In short, improve my Karma.

With family it’s easier. I have some freedom to discuss a past moment with them anytime even if only to find out what was going on in their minds for some clarity.

“What can I do for you?” I call him by his name but my tone is sitting on the crossroads of snark and professional.

Sizing up me and the situation he provides contact information and I tell him I will get his message to the boss, thanking him for the call.

On the surface, there is nothing notable here. He’s making a classic move appearing as if he really cares, or he’s just an affable guy who does. Unfortunately, I am truthfully too busy and find the conversation a little manipulative and intrusive for my taste.

I go back to my work, and the interaction stays with me.

Lately, rather than holding others

Let us

For the outside world, cleaning up Karma is more challenging. Reconsidering the situation from the other person’s perspective and remaining open to acknowledging or apologizing even when the incident has passed is possible. It might not seem the best approach, but every time it’s successful, the approach motivates me to try it again.

So while the message is emailed to my boss, I get a moment of “Karmatic” inspiration. I call the gentleman back and let him know that I did exactly what was promised – the message is on its way. He is surprised, defenses are down, and his routine phone techniques are abandoned by gratitude.

I kind of like catching him off guard, I do admit. But improving my Karma is even better.

A contributing writer to the Herald since 2012, Lauren Lev is a direct marketing/ advertising executive who teaches marketing fundamentals as well as advertising and marketing communications courses at the Fashion Institute of Technology and SUNY Old Westbury.

now

News Brief items including awards, honors, promotions and other tidbits about local residents are welcome. Photographs may be emailed as well. Deadline for submissions is noon Thursday, week prior to publication. Send to execeditor@liherald.com

L auren L ev

Mepham student uses journalism skills to amplify equity

By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com

As she prepares to enter her senior year at Wellington C. Mepham High School, Bellmore resident Arianna Szrajer spent part of her summer using the storytelling skills she developed in the classroom to promote racial equity across Long Island.

Szrajer was one of nine students selected for ERASE Racism’s paid five-week Student Leaders for Equity Internship, where participants explored systemic inequality while learning organizational communications and digital media. The program culminates July 30 with a showcase highlighting each intern’s work.

For Szrajer, the experience combined two passions: advocacy and journalism.

“I applied to the ERASE Racism internship this summer because I wanted an outlet to connect with other people under the united goal to better Long Island in general,” she said. “I feel like using social media is a really great route for advocacy.”

Instead of producing written content, Szrajer created a feature-style video showcasing ERASE Racism’s mission. She interviewed staff members and a former intern before filming current participants and editing the project into a short documentary designed to raise awareness of the organization’s work.

The project drew on skills she learned through Mepham’s Bellmore-Merrick Broadcasting program.

“The broadcasting program really intro -

duced me to the whole video-making world and the news and journalism aspect of it,” she said.

Throughout the internship, students participated in discussions and workshops examining housing discrimination, educational disparities and other issues affecting communities across Long Island.

“I realized that racism is still very prevalent,” Szrajer said. “One of my biggest takeaways is realizing that many of today’s inequalities still persist based off old stereotypes.”

Although she described the Bellmore-Merrick community as welcoming and supportive, Szrajer hopes to share what she learned with classmates by showcasing the video through the broadcasting program’s YouTube channel.

“I just want to have as many people know about ERASE Racism as possible,” she said.

The experience has also shaped her future plans. As she begins applying to colleges this fall, Szrajer said the internship strengthened her interest in pursuing international relations or pre-law.

“I realized how to be an advocate for people who don’t have a voice,” she said.

“Through these internships, ERASE Racism is helping create a new generation of leaders in pursuit of racial equity,” Elaine Gross, the organization’s founder and president emerita, said. “With the skills they are gaining, they are enhancing their own roles as advocates, while promoting our mission and preparing to define their own place in advancing racial justice.”

Courtesy ERASE Racism

Arianna Szrajer was one of nine students selected for the internship.

Crossovers fuel Nassau County football

By TONY BELLISSIMO tbellissimo@liherald.com

Kickoff for the Nassau high school football season is just over a month away.

On Aug. 17, all 51 public high school football programs in the county will begin preparations for the upcoming season, scheduled to open Thursday, Sept. 3 with a Conference IV battle between Island Trees and Oyster Bay. The vast majority of openers will take place the following Thursday.

The biggest news of the offseason came in the spring when East Rockaway and West Hempstead announced it would be joining forces. Longtime Rocks head coach Russ Pajer adds Dom Carre, who served as the head coach at West Hempstead since 2010, as defensive coordinator. Carre played for Pajer at East Rockaway in 1997 and ‘98.

“Our JV teams combined last year and it was a great experience,” said Pajer, who enters his 32nd season as head coach. “West Hempstead’s numbers are down to less than 20, so it was a no-brainer. It was a seamless process with both superintendents on board. It’s a good thing and we expect to have a strong team.”

East Rockaway/West Hempstead is seeded fifth in Conference IV and opens at Valley Stream North. Three of its home games will be played under the lights at East Rockaway beginning Sept. 18 against defending county champion Seaford. West Hempstead will be the site of the Week 3 crossover against Elmont, and the game will serve as Homecoming. A Homecoming will also take place in East Rockaway Oct. 9. In 2025, the Rocks went 2-6 while the Rams finished 4-4 and qualified for the playoffs.

“We expect to have between 30 and 35 kids on varsity,” Pajer said.

Crossover games add intrigue

Seaford, along with three-time defending Long Island champion Massapequa (Conference I), ninetime defending county champion Garden City (II) and South Side (III) are the No. 1 seeds in their respective conferences.

Massapequa and Garden City will clash in a muchanticipated crossover game Sept. 26 on the Chiefs’ home field at 1:30 p.m. The Trojans enter the season riding an amazing 66-game winning streak. The showdown, along with all the other crossovers between Conferences I and II, and III and IV, will carry a lesser power-ranking weight than the other seven games, Carey head coach Mike Stanley said.

Some of the other Week 3 matchups feature Carey at Oceanside, Long Beach at Farmingdale, South Side at Seaford, Plainedge at Lynbrook, and Freeport at Roosevelt (Thurs., Sept. 24 at 5 p.m.)

Seven teams switch conferences

Plainedge and Carey lead a group of six teams switching conferences for this season based on enrollment and size breakdown of each conference. Plainedge finished first in the regular season in Conference IV a year ago, going undefeated in the process, and bumps down to III. Carey was in III last fall but jumps up to II, essentially changing places with Glen Cove. East Meadow is no stranger to the top conference and heads there after a brief stay in II. Floral Park, Valley Stream North and Valley Stream South moved to IV from III.

Few coaching changes

Legendary Plainedge head coach Rob Shaver retired

10 games to watch

Sept. 10 Long Beach at Carey

Sept. 10 Wantagh at Plainedge

Sept. 10 Lynbrook at Seaford

Sept. 19 Mepham at Calhoun

Sept. 26 Carey at Oceanside

Sept. 26 Garden City at Massapequa

Oct. 10 Oceanside at Massapequa

Oct. 17 Plainedge at South Side

Oct. 24 Massapequa at Farmingdale

Oct. 31 South Side at Wantagh

at the end of last season and the Red Devils are now led by former assistant Adam Hovorka. They’ll kick off at home versus defending Conference III champion Wantagh. And for the third time in four seasons, East Meadow has a new head coach with Matt Castaneda taking over. The Jets are seeded seventh in their return to Conference I and open at home against Hicksville. Former Elmont head coach Jay Hegi is the new head coach at Division.

Lucas DiDio and Oceanside take on Carey in what promises to be an exciting crossover game Sept. 26.

Michelle Ebel/Herald photos

Chaminade’s Luka Tomaszweski was on the move during 7 on 7 drills at Oceanside.

2026 -

2027

BASKETBALL LEAGUE

DEADLINE: AUGUST 31, 2026

Space is limited - first come, first served • $25.00 discount Open registration will end on SEPTEMBER 30, 2026.

Please register as early as possible. After that date a $25.00 late fee will be assessed and you will be put on a waitlist.

GIRLS DIVISIONS

Grades 3rd - 6th

BOYS DIVISIONS

Grades 2nd - 12th

Coaches for all divisions and teams are needed 65

Online Registration is quick and easy by visiting our website WWW.NBNMBBALL.COM

Help Us Grow the Game — Volunteers Needed!

We’re a community basketball league committed to giving every child the chance to play, learn, and grow through the game we all love. But to keep things running smoothly—and to grow the league the way YOU want to see it grow—we need your help!

We’re currently looking for volunteers to take on a few key roles:

• Division Directors for both Boys and Girls Divisions

• Support with Security/Facility Oversight

These are vital positions that allow us to expand the number of teams and divisions we can offer. Without additional volunteers, we will be forced to limit our programs and no one wants to turn players away due to a lack of support!

If you’ve ever wanted to be more involved, make a meaningful impact, or just help ensure your kids and their friends have a great season, this is your chance!

Please inquire within or contact us to learn more—we’d love to welcome you to the team!

Together, we can build something even stronger for our kids and our community.

At Mount Sinai South Nassau, patient safety isn’t just a priority— it’s a standard, one we work on every day. And the experts agree.

We’ve earned national recognition for patient safety, including an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group and the Healthgrades Patient Safety Excellence Award.

That means better outcomes for our patients with lower risk of infections or hospital acquired conditions.

When it comes to your health, nothing matters more than knowing you’re in a place where patient safety matters most.

Learn more at mountsinai.org/southnassau

Jazz Lab NY teaches music for adults

raise funds and bring people in, so it’s a win-win situation,” he said. “They do great work, Tunnel to Towers. They help first responders. They help veterans. They provide housing, and they’re doing a lot of new things now, taking the homeless veterans off the street. That’s why I chose to support them.”

“I want to bring people in, so people who aren’t big jazz fans will want to come to support the charity,” he continued. “What I found in my last jazz concert was that people were coming over to me saying, ‘boy, I didn’t know I liked jazz.’”

Two bands will be performing on Aug 9 at 6:00 p.m., 2655 Clubhouse Road in Merrick. Tickets are $20 and are available for purchase at the door.

After the successes of past jazz concerts and cabarets, Tepper is in the preliminary stages of widening his community music plans. Future jazz concerts will benefit other charities.

“I’m trying to put together a jam session with musicians, and we want to do some talent shows for our children and get some students in when school comes back when we’re done with the summer vacation,” he said.

Tepper and other local performers participate in the Jazz Lab NY program, a Queens-based music program founded and directed by Russ Nolan.

“Steve is one of my few students who’s actually taken upon themselves to book his adult student band in other venues outside of the ones that I provide myself,” Nolan said. “Steve has gone above and beyond because of his connection with this, with his synagogue and the charities, to provide yet another place for his band to play,

How to join in on the jazz

What: ‘In Conversation With Steve Israel’ Why: Support the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

When: Sunday, Aug. 9, 6 p.m.

Where: 2655 Clubhouse Road, Merrick, NY 11566

Cost: $20

so I’m very proud of him for taking the initiative to bring jazz into the community there.”

Jazz Lab NY and Tepper’s independent program share a mission: share something important with your neighborhood.

“I know I’m having an impact sharing my love and music with other like-minded people I know I’m having an impact on,” Nolan said. “I’m just making my students’ life just a little bit better by offering them this community to be a part of. So, it’s been very rewarding to me to see people grow and enjoy their music, and that’s all I can ask for.”

For more information about Jazz Lab NY, visit JazzLabNY.com. To donate to Tunnel to Towers, visit T2T.org.

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Courtesy Steve Tepper

The jazz show will be held on Aug. 9.

For Irving “Bob” Miller, being an American has always been tied to service.

Born in 1923 and raised in Bellmore, Miller spent his summers at Jones Beach and joined the Junior Naval Reserve as a teenager, taking a bus to Freeport to attend training classes. His early interest in military service eventually led him into the U.S. Navy, where he served during World War II aboard multiple ships in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters.

Patriotism runs through generations of Miller’s family. His father served during World War I, his sister was an air cadet during World War II, Miller served six years in the Navy, and his son later became a submariner.

“Up until recently, it’s been the safest and most wonderful place in the world,” Miller said of the United States. “We’re very patriotic, the whole family, and we love this country.”

Looking back on his military service, Miller said he took pride in doing whatever was asked of him.

“I loved the Navy,” he said. “I would do everything they asked me to do, and sometimes I volunteered to do things that were not required of me because I felt it

Karakowsky

“To us, America means a chance to live freely and find success, whoever you are. The freedom to practice religion, freedom of speech, and freedom of commerce that are found in America are unparalleled!

We hope that America will become more united over the next 250 years, and that more people will start voting for G-d again and not just political parties! Above all, we hope to see a future where people care about each other, where people are happy and the streets are safe for our children.

We love living on Long Island for many reasons. We enjoy the easy access to our favorite stores and supermarkets and the (relative) lack of traffic! We appreciate our exceptional Nassau County Police (shoutout to the Fifth Precinct) and Fire Departments for always being there when we need them.

It is easy for us to get to the beach and enjoy the boardwalk, and

Irving “Bob” Miller, 102

was my duty to do the best I could to save our country.”

Asked what advice he would leave future generations as America approaches its 250th birthday, Miller’s answer was simple.

“Each person should follow their heart,” he said. “I hope they think of protecting our country. I hope they think of living in peace, and whatever they decide, I hope they decide the right thing.”

Eliana, 26 and Avi, 25

the parking is surprisingly good, too! There are so many convenient amenities and activities to enjoy here, including our great local parks and excellent fitness centers. We also love going to concerts at the Jones Beach Amphitheater and attending local sports games at the Nassau Veterans Colosseum. Go Long Island Nets!”

Voices of Long Island

Olivia Marciano, 20

“America is not perfect, but what makes it meaningful is the freedom to question, improve, participate, and serve. To me, America represents possibility, responsibility, and the belief that each generation can help shape the country for the better.

My hope for America is that we become more united, compassionate, and willing to listen to one another. I hope we can move beyond division and remember that disagreeing does not have to mean disrespecting each other. Most of all, I hope future generations inherit a country they feel proud to improve and protect.

The biggest change I have seen on Long Island is how much faster and more connected life has become through technology, social media, and development. Even with those changes, Long Island still holds onto its strong sense of community and local pride.

Long Island is special because it offers the best of so many worlds.

You can spend the day at the beach, be close to New York City, experience beautiful landscapes, close communities, and endless opportunities all on one island.”

Seth J. Blau, 55

“To me, America is about opportunity, freedom, and the responsibility to give something back. I’ve always believed that strong communities don’t build themselves. Rather, they are built by ordinary people who give their time to improve the places they call home and help others.

The biggest change I’ve seen on Long Island is how much harder it has become to sustain volunteer organizations that have long strengthened our communities. Service clubs, volunteer fire departments, Chambers of Commerce, youth sports leagues, and veterans’ organizations all face increasing challenges attracting the volunteers who have long helped make our communities stronger. It’s not because people care less. Life today simply places greater demands on our time.

Researching our local history has taught me that every community has a story. The Long Island we know today exists because generations of ordinary people chose to give their time, share their talents, and become involved.

My hope for America’s next 250 years is that we never lose that spirit of civic involvement and volunteerism. Commu-

nities don’t build themselves or thrive by accident. They are shaped by ordinary people who accept the responsibility to become involved and leave things a little better than they found them.”

IrvIng “BoB” MIller, BellMore

MarcIano, g arden cIty

Rotary brings peace pole symbol to the library

By JUSTIN HABERMAN

Intern

A new symbol of peace now stands outside the Freeport Memorial Library after the Freeport-Merrick Rotary Club dedicated a peace pole. The pole reflects the Rotary’s mission to advance goodwill, understanding and peace.

The dedication ceremony attracted Rotary members, library officials, community leaders and residents, including Nassau County Legislator Debra Mulé, Rotary District Governor Elect Pamela Greene, outgoing Freeport-Merrick Rotary President Comfort Itoka and members of the Salvation Army. Attendees gathered for the ceremony, which celebrated both the installation and the values the pole represents.

Inscribed with the message “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in multiple languages, the pole stands as a visible reminder that peace is both a gift and a responsibility. Peace is not simply the absence of conflict, but it is a foundation for human dignity, hope, progress and community.

Itoka said the message carries deep personal significance.

“I came to this country and lost everything, therefore, the word peace means so much to me,” Itoka said. “For those of us who have experienced conflict, we yearn

for peace because we don’t want those things to repeat because it brings human suffering.”

During the ceremony, Greene explained that peace extends beyond the absence of war or conflict. She said Rotary members promote peace through service, by organizing food or coat drives, supporting veterans in need or helping students pursue higher education through scholarships.

“Each of us has something meaningful to give, whether it’s our time, our voice or once compassion,” Greene said. “Change begins the moment we show up and offer what we can.”

The Peace Pole was installed through a partnership between the Rotary Club and the Freeport Memorial Library. Library Director LeeAnn Moltzen said the library was a fitting location because it welcomes everyone.

“It makes sense because this is a place where we serve everyone,” Moltzen said.

“It is a symbol of unity, peace and harmony in the community. This is a place that serves everyone, regardless of your race, religion or political views.”

Although this is the Freeport-Merrick Rotary Club’s first peace pole, Itoka hopes it will inspire similar poles throughout Freeport and Merrick, continuing the Rotary’s mission of service.

News brief

Meteor shower viewing planned at Jones Beach

Residents will have a chance to watch one of the year’s most anticipated celestial events from Jones Beach State Park next month, as the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation keeps several Long Island parks open overnight for viewing the Perseids meteor shower.

The viewing event is scheduled for the night of Wednesday, Aug. 12, continuing into the predawn hours of Thursday, Aug. 13. At Jones Beach, visitors should head to the West End 2 west parking lot, which will remain open specifically for the event. Jones Beach’s open beachfront setting has long made it a popular destination for stargazers and astronomy enthu-

siasts.

There will be no admission fee, and the state’s usual stargazing permit requirement will be waived for the evening. Visitors are asked to remain near their vehicles while watching the meteor shower.

The Perseids, one of the brightest and most active annual meteor showers, are expected to produce numerous meteors streaking across the night sky. The event occurs each August as Earth passes through debris left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle.

State Parks officials recommend arriving prepared for a comfortable evening outdoors by dressing for cooler nighttime temperatures.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 7 7:00PM

Maureen Lennon/Herald

Members of the Freeport-Merrick Rotary Club accept a citation from Nassau County Legislator Debra Mulé.

Local author draws on lifelong career for new novel

By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com

After writing about education for decades as a high school principal, college professor and radio reporter, Merrick resident Steve Kussin is taking readers in a different direction with his latest novel.

Kussin recently released “Guilty Until Proven Innocent: Who Is Telling the Truth?” his third book. The novel follows a once-respected high school principal accused of committing a horrific crime who forms an unlikely friendship with an overnight prison guard determined to prove his innocence.

Kussin describes the book as a blend of a mystery and a story about friendship.

“I wanted people to enjoy a whodunit and a buddy story,” he said. “I want reading to be a pleasure.”

The idea for the novel began, as many of his stories do, during one of his daily walks around Merrick.

“I always start with, ‘What if?’” Kussin said. “What if a popular, charismatic, respected principal got into trouble? As I walked, the story just developed.”

Although the novel is fiction, Kussin said his characters are rooted in people he has known throughout his life.

“I do not create characters,” he said. “Every one of my characters is based on a person or a composite. They may not know it, but they’re based on students I’ve had, friends, colleagues and relatives.”

Before becoming a full-time author, Kussin spent 21 years as a high school principal, 26 years as an adjunct professor in Hofstra University’s School of Communication and 12 years as an education reporter for WCBS Newsradio 880, where he wrote and broadcast more than 3,100 stories. He also wrote The Principal’s Office, a column for Herald Community Newspapers.

His previous books also drew heavily from his personal experiences.

His first novel, Five Freshmen, is a semi-autobiographical story following five college students during the Vietnam War era. His second book, It’s the Principal of the Thing: You Can’t Make This Stuff Up!, is a memoir featuring 120 anecdotes from his years as a high school principal.

Each project, he said, came from a different source of inspiration.

“The first one evolved from what I observed at Cornell,” Kussin said. “The second came after people at

dinner parties kept telling me to write down the stories I was telling them. The third came from asking, ‘What if?’”

Kussin said his years in education also shaped his outlook on life. Looking back on his career as a principal, he said three lessons stand out: always be prepared, show students you care and pay special attention to those who need it most.

“It’s easy to love the cheerleader and the high school jock,” he said. “Love the most unlovable kid the most.”

The response to his latest novel has been encouraging, Kussin said.

“The term I’ve heard is that it’s a page-turner,” he said. “People tell me they couldn’t put it down because they wanted to find out what happened next.”

Even after publishing his third book, Kussin isn’t slowing down. He said his fourth manuscript is nearly complete and is currently being revised one chapter at a time.

Kussin credits Merrick, where he has lived for 47 years with his wife, Sharyn, for providing both inspiration and a sense of community.

“I love Merrick,” he said. “It has that small-town feeling. I take my walk every morning, and I can’t tell you how many people stop to say hello. I love that feeling.”

For Kussin, writing remains both a creative outlet and a way to encourage others to rediscover the joy of reading.

“There’s too much social media,” he said. “I want people to read again. I wanted to write a book that people would want to read.”

Guilty Until Proven Innocent: Who Is Telling the Truth? is available in paperback and Kindle editions through Amazon. Kussin’s other two books are also available.

Courtesy Steve Kussin

Steve Kussin recently released ‘Guilty Until Proven Innocent: Who Is Telling the Truth?’ his third book.

8.04.2026 • 8:30AM - 3:30PM •

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KRISTIN THORNE Emmy-Award Winning Investigative Reporter

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Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer Rescripted

State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. today visited SUNY Nassau Community College as part of the SUNY Reconnect Tour. Chancellor King has been visiting SUNY community colleges throughout the state to promote New York’s free community college program for adult learners, which officially began at the start of Fall 2025.

SUNY chancellor spotlights free community college program

SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. visited Nassau Community College as part of the SUNY Reconnect Tour, highlighting New York’s free community college program for adult learners and the college’s nursing and health care programs.

SUNY Reconnect, launched in fall 2025 under Gov. Kathy Hochul, covers tuition, fees, books and supplies for New Yorkers ages 25 to 55 who do not already have a college degree and are pursuing an associate degree in a high-demand field.

King’s visit also spotlighted a recent expansion of the program. Under the state’s newly enacted budget, adults seeking a nursing degree may now qualify for SUNY Reconnect even if they already hold a degree in another field, a change intended to help address the state’s health care workforce shortage.

“SUNY Reconnect allows us to create life-changing opportunities for adult learners and their families,” King said. “With this initiative, we remove barriers to higher education and reinforce the fact that it is never too late to follow your dreams.”

Nassau Community College Chief Administrative Officer Maria Conzatti said the college will continue to build on the state’s investment.

“Nassau Community College is proud to see the continued investment and confidence from SUNY and our partners in state government,” Conzatti said. “We will continue to support our community and region by offering dynamic programming and providing students of all ages

with an affordable option for excellent academic opportunities.”

According to SUNY, nursing and other health care programs were the most popular fields among SUNY Reconnect participants during the program’s first year. Early data also showed students enrolled through SUNY Reconnect had higher fallto-spring retention rates than other adult learners.

The program funds associate degrees in several high-demand industries, including nursing and allied health, advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity, engineering, artificial intelligence, green and renewable energy, technology and teacher preparation in shortage areas.

Beginning in the 2026-27 academic year, aviation management, emergency management and supply chain/logistics programs will also be eligible.

To support the initiative, Nassau Community College received $220,000 to hire a full-time advisor to assist Reconnect students with enrollment, scheduling and retention, as well as community outreach and tutoring. The college also received $35,000 to purchase advanced simulation and clinical equipment to expand capacity in its nursing and respiratory care programs.

More information about SUNY Reconnect programs at Nassau Community College is available at NCC.edu/admissions/ suny-reconnect.shtml.

—Jordan Vallone

THURSDAY, AUGUST 6

7:00PM

STEPPING OUT

For Michelle Taplin, seen here at a spring showcase, theater is about more than performance. Through Tap Into Your Passion, she is helping young actors develop the confidence, resilience and skills to succeed both onstage and off.

Opening doors to the stage

By Iris Wiener

Michelle Taplin has spent much of her life immersed in the performing arts, but her greatest role may be helping the next generation discover their own voices. What began as a longtime dream has grown into Tap Into Your Passion, a thriving coaching and arts education company that, more than a year after its official launch, is already making a lasting impact on aspiring performers across the region.

As Tap Into Your Passion marks its first year and a half, Taplin celebrates the milestone with a special fundraising gala on Aug. 10 in The Green Room 42 in New York City that reflects the heart of her mission: making quality theater education accessible to everyone.

For Taplin, the journey started long before she opened her Rockville Centre-based business. Growing up in Oceanside, she balanced voice lessons, dance classes, gymnastics, and community theater while nurturing two lifelong ambitions: becoming a theater educator and one day opening her own company. Inspired by Oceanside High School theater teacher Laura Gallo, she pursued degrees in theater and business at Muhlenberg College before earning an MA in theater education from Adelphi University. Along the way, she gained experience as a performer, director, choreographer, stage manager, and arts administrator while also spending six years with the Sunrise Association, where she developed an inclusive teaching philosophy serving children with cancer and their siblings. Those experiences continue to shape every lesson she teaches today.

Taplin continues to wear many hats. She teaches theater at both the middle and high school in Oceanside, and directs productions with the school district and community theaters, including Plaza Theatricals. She also advises student organizations and mentors countless young performers. Tap Into Your Passion has become a natural extension of everything she loves most about teaching.

“Tap Into Your Passion’s mission is to provide theater education without costing an arm and a leg,” Taplin says, explaining that she wanted to remove financial barriers for students pursuing careers in the performing arts. She offers three primary services: private coaching for performers ages nine and up; a comprehensive college audition program that guides students through every step of the competitive application process; and a monthly master class series featuring accomplished Broadway performers, choreographers, casting directors, and other industry professionals.

The response has been exceptional. Taplin credits much of Tap Into Your Passion’s early success to the generosity of the artists who have shared their time and expertise. Taplin explains that each workshop has

Theater coach celebrates a milestone

reinforced the lessons she teaches her students while helping to build a supportive network where young performers can learn directly from professionals working in the industry.

Rather than molding students into “cookie-cutter performers,” Taplin encourages them to embrace their individuality. She believes there is no single path to success in theater and exposing students to a wide variety of artistic voices helps them discover the techniques and perspectives that resonate most authentically.

That philosophy has attracted students from throughout Long Island and Manhattan. Students from Floral Park, Oceanside, Lynbrook, Sewanhaka, Elmont, Rockville Centre, East Rockaway, Garden City, and New York City, among other places, create a diverse community connected by a shared love of theater.

“Michelle always makes sure to put care and respect into all of her students’ work sessions,” says Kevin Kirley, a student from Rockville Centre who now attends New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. “She has also been so integral to my journey throughout the college audition process. Her teaching has been extremely influential to me as a working actor, and I will take what I have learned throughout my training into my artistry.”

For Taplin, arts education extends well beyond singing, dancing or acting. She advocates that theater teaches empathy, collaboration, resilience, confidence, communication, and determination — life skills that benefit students regardless of whether they ultimately pursue careers on stage.

“It’s what the process teaches you,” she says, emphasizing that the personal growth students experience is often more valuable than the performances themselves.

Those values will be front and center shortly when Tap Into Your Passion hosts its Broadway Gives Back gala. The evening will feature performances by many of the Broadway artists and teaching professionals who have led Taplin’s master classes, each sharing a song that inspired their own theatrical journey. Beyond celebrating the company’s growth, the fundraiser will support Taplin’s goal of keeping coaching and master classes affordable for aspiring performers while demonstrating to students the passion that fuels successful careers in the arts.

As Tap Into Your Passion enters its second year, Taplin aims to continue expanding its reach while maintaining the close-knit community that has become its hallmark. She envisions welcoming more students, introducing them to even more accomplished professionals, and reminding every young artist that there is room for their unique voice in the theater world. Looking back on Tap’s remarkable beginning and the theater community’s willingness to help, Taplin relates that the experience has reinforced one lesson above all others: “The answer will always be ‘no’ if you don’t ask.”

It is a philosophy that has helped transform a childhood dream into a flourishing business, and one that continues to inspire the students following in her footsteps.

Visit TheGreenRoom42.VenueTix.com for tickets or more information about Where It All Began: Broadway Gives Back.

Double Vision: The Foreigner Experience

Comprising a group of exceptionally talented musicians and die-hard Foreigner fans, Double Vision has perfected the art of bringing to life the unforgettable hits that have defined generations. From “I Want to Know What Love Is” to “Cold as Ice,” Their renditions are a harmonious blend of passion, precision, and nostalgic energy. Drawing inspiration from Foreigner’s unmistakable sound and stage presence, Double Vision delivers a performance that pays homage to the band’s legacy while infusing their own charisma and enthusiasm. Their commitment to authenticity is matched only by their unwavering dedication to creating an electrifying experience for their audiences.

Saturday, Aug. 1, 8 p.m. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington.

Vishal & Sheykhar

Brace yourself for a high-octane night with Bollywood’s most electrifying music duo – Vishal and Shekhar! VishalDadlani and Shekhar (formerly Shekhar) Ravjiani return to the states, following a completely sold-out U.S. run in 2025. Experience the energy and excitement of The Superhit Tour as acclaimed music duo Vishal and Sheykhar take the stage. Known for creating some of Bollywood’s biggest hits, the duo brings a powerhouse performance filled with fan-favorite songs, dynamic production and a concert atmosphere that will have the entire audience singing along. Expect a night packed with unforgettable music, stunning visuals, and the signature sound that has made them global sensations.

Sunday, Aug. 2, 7 p.m. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or tillescenter. org or (516) 299-3100. Tilles Center, LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville.

Photos courtesy Michelle Taplin

Student Bella Romero performs at the spring showcase at The Green Room 42.

Broadway’s Krystina Alabado, right, leads a master class.

Your Neighborhood CALENDAR

jul

Live After Five

Don’t miss out on Merrick’s Live After Five, back for another year.

Merrick Community Civic Association hosts an evening dedicated to supporting local businesses. Participating restaurants and shops offer special promotions for the evening for all customers. Enjoy music at the Gazebo near the LIRR (weather permitting).

• Where: Along Merrick Avenue, from LIRR to Loines Ave, and into the Merrick Mall

• Time: Beginning at 5 p.m.

‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’

The Madison Theatre’s production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” brings the beloved Andrew Lloyd Webber musical to the stage, retelling the biblical story of Joseph, his colorful coat and his rise from slavery to Pharaoh’s trusted advisor. Told entirely through song, the family-friendly production features memorable numbers including “Any Dream Will Do,” “Close Every Door” and “One More Angel in Heaven,” blending musical styles from calypso to country-western. Suitable for audiences of all ages, the show continues to be one of the world’s most frequently performed musicals.

• Where: Madison Theatre, Molloy University, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre

• Time: Various times, through Aug. 2

• Contact: madisontheatreny.org or (516) 323-4444

Summer grooves

Eisenhower Park’s Summer Concert Series welcomes Grateful Dead tribute band Half Step. The Long Islandbased band are dedicated fans and “students” of the Grateful Dead, capturing the spirit, improvisation, sound and complexity of Grateful Dead music. Half Step has been mastering their craft since 2004 while winning over crowds of veteran Deadheads, newcomers and non-Dead fans alike. Like the Grateful Dead themselves, the band is constantly pushing the envelope, growing together as musicians and performers.

• Where: Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, East Meadow

• Time: 7 p.m.

• Contact: nassaucountyny.gov or (516) 572-0200

kids to Old Westbury Gardens for a Storybook

Franz Ferdinand

Aug 8

Summer sounds

TOH summer concert series arrives at Merrick Road Park with Fearless, a Taylor Swift tribute. Bring seating.

• Where: 2550 Clubhouse Road, Merrick

• Time: 8 p.m.

• Contact: (516) 292-90000 ext. 7255

Family movie night

Enjoy a movie under the stars at Eisenhower Park. See Disney’s “Zootopia 2,’” the animated buddy cop comedy sequel. Brave rabbit cop Judy Hopps and her friend, the fox Nick Wilde, team up again to crack a new case, the most perilous and intricate of their careers.

• Where: Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, East Meadow

• Time: Movie begins at dusk

• Contact: nassaucountyny.gov

Nature Connects

are invited to participate in a guided stroll through the Gardens, with a reading of “StellaLuna” by Janell Cannon. Along the way, discover nature’s wonders, in the formal gardens. The tour ends at the Thatched Cottage with a story and hands-on craft for each child to take home.

• Where: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury

• Time: 10:30-11:30 a.m.

• Contact: oldwestburygardens.org or call (516) 333-0048

Aug

2

Family theater

Lance the Eagle welcomes families to “A Semi-QuincentenEAGLE Birthday” on the Long Island Children’s Museum stage. In this original production, families are invited to celebrate his birthday. His message: As the national bird, this party will be happening throughout the whole month of July. Come to think of it, I did hear something about a birthday for the United States of America as well. Hmm... must be a coincidence! I’ll be throwing a parade through LICM’s galleries and a celebratory spectacle in the Theater. Come ready to party!” Keep an eye out 30 minutes

before each show for a special interactive pre-show! For ages 3+. $5 with museum admission ($4 members), $10 theater only.

• Where: 11 Davis Ave., Garden City

• Time: 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.; also Aug. 5

• Contact: licm.org or call (516) 224-5800

Summer tunes

Eisenhower Park’s Summer Concert Series welcomes Lovesong, with an ‘80s New Wave tribute. The band offers a unique concert experience with electrifying performances of legendary music by Duran Duran, INXS, The Cure, Tears for Fears, Depeche Mode, Erasure, New Order and more.

• Where: Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, East Meadow

• Time: 7 p.m.

• Contact: nassaucountyny.gov or (516) 572-0200

• Where: The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington

• Time: 8 p.m.

The Scottish band brings their Greater Glasgow European Cultural Exchange Tour to the Paramount stage, in support of their latest album, “The Human Fear,” which dropped in January. Since emerging from Glasgow’s art-school scene — where the band famously staged illegal parties in abandoned buildings — Franz Ferdinand has built a reputation for bold sharp hooks, infectious riffs and a fearless approach to reinvention. The band’s sixth studio album explores the emotions that define the human experience, transforming fear from something to avoid into something that awakens us. From the vulnerability of new relationships to the courage required to embrace change, “The Human Fear” channels those moments of uncertainty into songs packed with energy, urgency and unmistakable Franz Ferdinand style. Following the retrospective collection “Hits To The Head,” their latest album marks a new chapter for the group — one that honors its signature sound while pushing forward. Expect a high-energy performance filled with the clever songwriting, driving rhythms and irresistible beats that have made Franz Ferdinand one of the most influential bands of its generation. At this point in their career, Franz Ferdinand definitely know who they are, and are relishing the vigor that comes with accepting that

• Contact: ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com

is home to hundreds of ancient treasures and priceless artifacts that have been preserved and gathered for patrons to see. But the museum also has a very special secret: its exhibits are protected by an ancient spell that prevents anyone from leaving if an artifact is stolen! This evening, right before the museum closed, it was discovered that a precious gem from the collection is missing! To escape the museum, teens and tweens in grades 4-12 will help find the missing gem and return it to its rightful place. Registration required.

• Where: 1691 Meadowbrook Road, North Merrick

• Time: 5:30 and 7 p.m.

• Contact: nmerricklibrary.org

Aug

5

Youth filmmaking workshop

Kids ages 8-14 can join JFK High School senior Ben Stone for a free five-session filmmaking course covering storytelling, cinematography and editing at Bellmore Memorial Library.

• Where: 2288 Bedford Ave., Bellmore

• Time: 5-6 p.m., through August

• Contact: bellmorelibrary.org

Old Westbury Gardens welcomes families to spend an afternoon exploring, building and creating together! Seasonal Sprouts offers is a LEGO-themed adventure for young explorers. Children (ages 4–10) embark on a guided outdoor tour of Sean Kenney’s Nature Connects made with LEGO bricks. Everyone discovers the wonders of nature in a fun and hands-on way. After the tour, kids can unleash their creativity in a LEGO free-play area. $22 per adult, $20 ages 62+, $12 child. Registration required.

• Where: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury

• Time: 2-3 p.m., also Aug. 12

• Contact: oldwestburygardens. org or call (516) 333-0048

Rock on Celebrate the timeless music and improvisational spirit of the Grateful Dead with one of the region’s premier tribute acts.

Aug

6

• Where: Back lawn of Saw Mill Elementary School, 2801 Saw Mill Road

• Time: 7 p.m.

Having an event?

Items on the Calendar page are listed free of charge. The Herald welcomes listings of upcoming events, community meetings and items of public interest. All submissions should include date, time and location of the event, cost, and a contact name and phone number. Submissions can be emailed to kbloom@ liherald.com.

AUGUST 13 • 10AM-12:30PM

CONGREGATION OHAV SHOLOM

145 S MERRICK AVE, MERRICK

FREE community event focused on health, wellness, and lifestyle

Meet trusted local exhibitors and service providers

Take advantage of on-site health screenings

Enjoy lively entertainment, fitness demonstrations and interactive experiences

Win raffles, prizes, and giveaways

Snack station for all

Hear from experts during a panel discussion with Q&A

*Boxed lunches for first 150 attendees

All designed to help you stay active, informed, and engaged at every stage of life.

Beth-El welcomes its new spiritual leader

By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com

The East Meadow Beth-El Jewish Center, which has been a vibrant hub in the heart of the community, welcomed Rabbi Samuel Gelman as its new spiritual leader on July 1, hoping to build on the synagogue’s momentum and helping guide it into the future.

The synagogue holds religious services, weekly events and programming that bring together about 300 families in the Conservative Jewish movement.

Gelman comes to East Meadow BethEl after serving most recently as an educator at the Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning in New York City. A New Jersey native, Gelman said his faith and love of Judaism were important parts of his formative years — and, in some ways, he said he’s always felt becoming a rabbi was his true calling.

“We have on tape, me at my kindergarten step up (ceremony), where they’re asking us, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’” Gelman recounted. “And all the kids are like, ‘I want to be a fireman.’ ‘I want to be a policeman.’ I said, ‘I want to be a rabbi.’ I’ve always felt a real, strong connection to Judaism. I’ve always loved it.”

East Meadow Beth-El was formed in 2020 through a merger of the former East Meadow Jewish Center and Temple Beth-El in Bellmore. The congregation was then served by East Meadow’s

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE OF NRZ PASS-THROUGH TRUST XVI, Plaintiff, vs. AVRUM I. MUSNIK, ET AL., Defendant(s).

Pursuant to an Order

Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on June 11, 2026, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on August 19, 2026 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 2118 Illona Lane, Merrick, NY 11566. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in Merrick, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 63, Block 295 and Lot 22.

Approximate amount of judgment is $836,610.16 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #602426/2023.

Oscar A. Prieto, Esq., Referee Friedman Vartolo LLP, 85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Firm File No.: 223682-5 161190

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY

AMERICAS AS INDENTURE TRUSTEE FOR THE REGISTERED HOLDERS OF SAXON ASSET SECURITIES

TRUST 2005-3

MORTGAGE LOAN

ASSET BACKED NOTES, SERIES 2005-3 Plaintiff, Against

JODI DASHOSH A/K/A

JODIE DASHOSH, et al

Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment

Rabbi Samuel Gelman’s tenure with East Meadow Beth-El began on July 1. A New Jersey native, Princeton University and Jewish Theological Seminary of America graduate, Gelman was impressed by the synagogue’s commitment to traditional services.

Rabbi Emeritus Ronald Androphy, who retired in 2023. For the next two years, the congregation was led by Rabbi Aaron Marsh, who left in 2025. When a search committee was formed to find a new rabbi, Gelman emerged as a standout candidate.

A graduate of Princeton University, Gelman received a bachelor’s degree in Near Eastern Studies, specializing in Israeli history. He then served as a youth director and social justice coordinator for Temple Emanu-El in Providence, Rhode Island.

of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 01/15/2026, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501 on 8/26/2026 at 3:30PM, premises known as 2110 Vine Drive, Merrick, NY 11566, and described as follows:

ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Merrick in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York. Section 63 Block 321 Lot 13

The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $895,863.35 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 618070/2024 If proper social

distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the then Court Appointed Referee will cancel the Foreclosure Auction. This Auction will be held rain or shine. Gerard DeGregoris Jr, Esq., Referee. MCCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC, 10 Midland Avenue, Suite 205, Port Chester, NY 10573

Dated: 6/26/2026 File Number: 20-302849 CA 161339

LEGAL NOTICE

Notice of formation of MAGEL MANAGEMENT LLC Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York SSNY on 06/04/2026. Office location in NASSAU COUNTY. SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC 1500 Jerusalem Avenue, Merrick, NY 11566. Purpose: any lawful purpose. 161440

He went on to attend the Jewish Theological Seminary in Manhattan, where he received his rabbinic ordination and a master’s degree in sacred music in 2022. During rabbinical school, Gelman met his wife, Naima, who is also a rabbi.

Gelman began his congregational work as rabbi of Congregation Agudath Achim in Savannah, Georgia after rabbinical school. Reflecting fondly on his time there, he said Georgia was where he spent his first years of marriage and where he and his wife welcomed their daughter. Still, the couple felt drawn to the northeast, wanting to be closer to family. After his wife accepted a teaching position in Westchester, Gelman spent the past year exploring the educational field himself while considering a return to congregational work.

Last October, Gelman was asked to officiate at a funeral service for the mother of a close family friend in New Jersey, where he met a member of East Meadow Beth-El. The member was impressed by the way he handled the service, and not long after, Gelman learned that the congregation was searching for a new rabbi.

Gelman applied and completed a few rounds of interviews, and later a trialShabbat service. When he was offered the job, moving to East Meadow felt like the right step for him and his family. East Meadow Beth-El, he added, impressed him with its traditional-style services.

“When thinking about being in a congregation, you’re picking a home,” Gelman said. “You’re picking a place — a community — that you want to belong to. It’s important to me that I pick a home, I pick a congregation, where I can be my full self.”

The synagogue’s executive leadership said that although Gelman arrived at East Meadow Beth-El only a few weeks ago, the congregation has already offered him a warm welcome. They liked his personable approach and willingness to sit down with members, whether to chat over a cup of coffee or to learn more about the community, its ideas and needs.

Gelman told the Herald that he hopes to grow East Meadow Beth-El, particularly by attracting younger families. He said both the congregation’s longtime, bedrock members and its newer generation of families are essential to its future.

“I think there’s a lot of room for growth in the congregation, and I think we can get there,” he said. “I’m really excited to see how the congregation grows in the next several years.”

That hope for growth — and the possibility of what East Meadow Beth-El can become — is what excites Gelman the most in his new role.

“We’re not just going to keep doing what we’ve always done forever,” he said, “because we need to grow and thrive. We don’t just want to be complacent. We want new people to be coming in. We want to attract younger folks. We want there to be this huge, intergenerational community happening here.

“What excites me is being able to work on that, being able to expand, being able to see us move into the next chapter,” he continued. “Let’s take what we have, and let’s make it even better.”

The East Meadow Beth-El Jewish Center is at 1400 Prospect Ave., East Meadow. For more, visit EastMeadowBethElJC.org.

Photos Jordan Vallone/Herald Rabbi Samuel Gelman, the new spiritual leader at East Meadow Beth-El Jewish Center, who brings both experience in congregation work and the education sector, said he’s looking forward to overseeing growth in a new setting.

per hour

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EDITOR/REPORTER

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MAILROOM/ WAREHOUSE HELP

Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME & PART-TIME mailroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges from $17 per hour to $20 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com

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Teachers. Response To Intervention/English Language Arts Teachers. Special Education (Special Ed) Teacher, and

REAL ESTATE

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Do we have to submit complete house

plans

just for a garage?

Q. We were recently told that our permit plans, to be approved, were going to have to include plans of the entire house, not just the garage area we are bumping out on the side. We were wondering if you have heard of this or whether we are being singled out. Our architect said that it may be because we have to go to the zoning board. Is this the reason, or did we say something wrong and are being punished? We asked, several times, for an update, because things are moving very slowly and we get the impression the building department just wants us to go away. They work for us and I think we deserve better service, frankly.

A. Trust but verify is now a common expression, and with good reason. What I have noticed over the years is that complete information is more often required, showing unrelated areas of the home, because many people have not been truthful about building changes or about how much work they have done, without permits, in other parts of the home. Because of this issue, many plans examiners ask for the big picture, not just the area you are interested in. It is obvious, when looking at file records in building departments and then comparing them to the actual dwelling during a walkthrough.

Your dilemma is due to the lack of trust between the authorities and the public. If the building inspector notices that the plans and the home don’t exactly compare, they can ask for “revised” plans to be submitted. It is frustrating, right at the end of a project, when people are ready to move on with their lives, to find out that the “simple, little changes” and side work they did require revised plans to be submitted to their building department. It is much worse to learn about changes or not following plans many years later.

Contractors and owners may get away with not communicating in the short term, but it does not pay, in the long run, to hide information. When someone realizes they bought a house with inherited, hidden issues which they are now responsible for, they feel taken advantage of. Worse than that are the costly corrections that have to be made because something that has existed for years may not be code-compliant. It happens all too often that unrelated portions of the building become a stumbling block to getting approvals for what you are really looking to do.

You are probably not being singled out, but you have been put in this position by previous workers and owners who did not take the record-updating seriously. People have told me, with a grin, that “By the time anyone notices, we’ll all be long gone.” I just came from a jobsite where work was done 16 years prior, the plans were not followed, and a structural failure is occurring that is going to be expensive to fix. The whole picture, not just part, is, therefore, important. Good luck!

Readers are encouraged to send questions to

Stuff HERALD

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The documentary on Steven McDonald is a must-see

Recently I saw a screening of the documentary about the late NYPD detective Steven McDonald, “Saint of the City.” McDonald was a true hero. In 1986, as a young police officer, he was shot and permanently paralyzed by 15-year-old Shavod Jones, whom he was questioning about a series of bicycle thefts in Central Park.

Jones shot McDonald three times, the third time while he was lying on the ground, shattering his spine and leaving him a quadriplegic, needing a ventilator to breathe. McDonald not only survived, but forgave Jones and went on to live more than 30 heroic years of dedicated service, without complaint or self-pity, until his death in 2017.

Steven and his wife, Patti Ann, lived in Malverne during that time with their son, Conor, who was born just months after his father was shot. Patti Ann went on to serve two terms as Malverne’s mayor. “Saint of the City” was written by veteran Emmy-award winning WPIX-TV reporter Mary Murphy

and produced by Erin Mulvey, a former DEA agent. Filled with facts, emotion and perspective, the film captures the essence of McDonald as an outstanding human being who inspired so many.

I met with him over the years at various police events, at his home in Malverne and in Congress. Those meetings made vividly clear to me just how devastating his injuries were. He was not only confined to a wheelchair, but incapable of moving any party of his body except his head, and he had no sense of feeling anywhere. Once when he gave me a book he had written, he inscribed it for me with a Sharpie he held between his teeth.

The NYPD detective forgave the teen who shot him, leaving him a quadriplegic.

His breathing was labored, and required a ventilator. At any time he could be struck with severe spasms lasting 30 seconds to a minute. These were difficult to observe, never mind having to endure them.

As the film depicts, McDonald persevered through all of this. He regularly spoke at high schools and to young cops.

He was also an articulate voice for peace and justice in Northern Ireland, not just attending events in New York, but traveling to Northern Ireland to

Iurge those on all sides — Catholics and Protestants, pro-British and pro-Irish — to resolve their differences and pursue the path to peace. McDonald’s efforts were particularly beneficial in the months following the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, when radicals attempted to shatter the peace accord with a horrific bombing attack in Omagh, Northern Ireland, that killed 29 civilians and injured more than 200. His presence at such a critical time delivered a strong message about the necessity of maintaining peace and allowing the agreement to be implemented.

I remember when Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern addressed a joint session of Congress and singled out McDonald, who was seated in the House gallery. At a reception later that day, Sen. Ted Kennedy asked me to introduce Ahern to McDonald.

The film also highlights how McDonald was sustained by his Catholic faith, and particularly by the advice and consolation he received from Father Mychal Judge, the chaplain of the FDNY who died at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, and Cardinal John O’Connor, who McDonald told me would visit him at his Malverne home

to help him through tough moments. McDonald also organized prayer groups that met regularly.

The “Saint of the City” screening took place at the Marymount School, in Manhattan. Among those in attendance were former NYPD Commissioners Ray Kelly and Keechant Sewell, former Detective Bo Dietl and many high-ranking police officials and officers who worked with McDonald or got to know him over the years. Magee Hickey of WPIX, WINS reporter Juliet Papa and Daily News columnist Michael Daly were also there.

From the sports world there was Mets all-time great relief pitcher Jesse Orosco, who, after pitching the final innings of the Mets’ final 1986 World Series game against the Red Sox, had thrown his glove high in the air. Days later, Orosco gave the glove to McDonald, a longtime Mets fan.

Most notable among the attendees, of course, were Steven’s widow, Patti Ann, and their son, Conor, who is now a captain in the NYPD. Both personify and carry on the inspirational legacy of Steven McDonald, who was truly a saint among us. Once it is distributed, be sure to see “Saint of the City.”

Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Comments? pking@ liherald.com.

Why is the U.S. picking a fight with its best friend?

don’t know much about the tariff system, but I know enough about economics and politics to say that President Trump’s new proposed 50 percent tariffs on Canada would be the most foolish things ever done by a president in recent American history. I know these proposals are always subject to negotiation, but why pick on our second-largest trading partner at the worst possible time?

The Canadians have been our best friends for as long as I can remember. They were there for us during World War II, when they lost over 40,000 men in battle. They have contributed soldiers to many of our wars, and have stood up for us at the United Nations and around the world. One of the reasons behind the latest insanity is the president’s statement that he is mad at Canada because of the smoke that has drifted south to the United States.

The best way to describe the latest tariff proposal is that it would be a self-

inflicted wound that would hurt American consumers the most. There is a basic fact that we fail to understand. The average reader may think that new tariffs would punish Canadians, but when new duties are imposed on Canadian autos, wine, hockey sticks, dairy products and cement, American distributors have to pay them, and then they pass the cost on to American consumers. The family in Levittown that buys Bobby a hockey stick pays extra because of the tariff hike.

Tariffs on Canada in retaliation for wildfire smoke that drifted south? Really?

Lots of other bad things happen when new tariffs are imposed. Canada, in retaliation, has imposed its own 25 percent counter-tariffs on U.S. vehicles, steel and aluminum. These tariffs hurt American builders and potential homebuyers who can’t afford higher costs when they’re seeking to purchase their first home. Tariffs on auto parts disrupt production lines and costs manufacturing jobs on both sides of the border.

Tariffs have another impact on countries like Canada. China is eager to establish new relationships with nations that will buy its goods. In 2025,

Canada announced a new comprehensive trade agreement with China that, among other things, will allow the sale of Chinese autos in Canada. Industry specialists say that Chinese cars are high quality and much lower in price, and will be a potential threat to American auto manufacturers.

One of the worst results of our feud with Canada is its impact on American businesses. Tourism in many of our northern border states has been badly damaged by this unnecessary battle. And one of the biggest losers has been Las Vegas. Hotel operators have seen a 70 percent drop in Canadian visitors, which has caused large layoffs of hospitality employees.

When arbitrary tariffs are imposed on a friendly nation, there are other consequences. Other countries watch American actions and conclude that we can’t be trusted if we economically attack a longtime friend. To add to our unreliability, the U.S. has a trade agreement, negotiated by Trump six years ago with Canada and Mexico, which was scheduled to be renewed this month.

The president has stated that he won’t honor the terms of that agreement.

The crowning touch to the U.S.-Canada breach has been Trump’s threats to make Canada our 51st state, and his frequent statements deriding Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Trump supporters will say this is just the president doing his thing, and that he isn’t really serious, but words have consequences, and many Trump watchers around the world don’t have such an expansive sense of humor.

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court ruled that the president didn’t have the unilateral authority to impose sweeping, open-ended tariffs under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act, and that only Congress has that power. Trump is now using a 1930 law to justify his actions, which will likely be challenged in court.

At a time when the nation is juggling a war with Iran, higher gasoline prices and the continuing issue of affordability, fighting with Canada is just plain dumb.

Jerry Kremer was a state assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. He currently chairs the Capitol Insight Group, a government relations firm.

There’s always someone downwind

there’s a particular quality to the light when the smoke arrives. It goes flat and white, the sun turns into a coin you can look at directly, and the air smells faintly like someone three houses down is burning leaves. It has happened enough times now that Long Islanders recognize it.

The fires are in Canada. Ontario mostly, sometimes the prairie provinces — a thousand miles and more from here, far enough that the smoke spends days in transit before it reaches us. And it reaches us anyway. It settles over Rockville Centre and Garden City and Long Beach. It gets into the lungs of kids at day camp in Merrick who have never heard the phrase “boreal forest.”

There is something clarifying about that, if you let it be.

We are accustomed to thinking of our lives as local, and with good reason. This newspaper exists because the things that shape a day here — the school calendar, the traffic on Sunrise Highway, whether the field will be playable Saturday morning — are decided close to home by people you might run into at the deli. That proximity is the texture of life in a place like ours. The distance between a thing and its cause is usually short enough to walk.

letters

Town supervisor candidate Scianablo deserves a serious look

To the Editor:

Barely a day goes by that I don’t receive at least one mailing from John Ferretti expounding on all of his successes as Town of Hempstead supervisor. He claims that he is hard at work for the people of the town. He claims to have lowered town taxes, that he is working to ensure that our water is safe to drink, and is working with Nassau County to protect religious institutions. Just because he makes these claims doesn’t mean they aren’t just alternative facts.

The truth is that since he became supervisor — with the questionable means by which he was made the incumbent for his election — town taxes have increased 12 percent, our

Smoke from a forest a thousand miles away is a different phenomenon. It did not come from anything anyone here did or failed to do. And at the end of that very long chain sits your daughter’s soccer practice.

Why more of it, and why now? Because the climate is warming and the northern forest is drying out as a result. Spring snowpack melts earlier than it used to. Summers run longer and hotter, and the peat and duff beneath the trees turn into something that holds fire the way a sponge holds water — slowly, deep down and for a very long time.

Fires that once burned themselves out now smolder underground through the winter and surface again in spring. More fire, more smoke. And the same atmospheric machinery that has always carried Canadian cold fronts down to the Northeast now carries the smoke with them.

The smoke isn’t doing anything unusual. It is riding the same currents that have brought us our weather since before there was a Long Island to bring it to — the northwest flow behind a front, the same air that gives us a crisp October morning and the frigid air of January. We have always been downwind of Canada. We simply had no occa-

sion to notice.

That’s what makes this worth sitting with. Not the fires themselves, but what they reveal about connection. Something we didn’t do, in a place most of us have never been, is now a feature of summer on Long Island.

And what we do continues downwind. The exhaust from the Meadowbrook, the fertilizer that leaves a lawn in Wantagh and ends up in the bay, the plume from a stack in Island Park — none of that stays put, either. Our runoff is someone else’s smoke.

There is a version of this line of thinking that curdles into helplessness, and we would steer away from it. Being connected to a place you cannot influence isn’t the same as being powerless. It is mostly an invitation to pay attention — to the bay, to the air, to the small local things that are, somewhere downwind, someone else’s inherited condition.

The sky has cleared — but it will haze over again. If not this summer, then next. And each time it does, it is worth taking a moment to notice the strangeness: that we are downwind of a forest we will likely never see, and that somewhere, someone we will never meet is downwind of us.

Donnie Kreiss, ‘I

carry your heart

with

me’

My husband, Donnie Kreiss, died on July 12, at home, just days after our 58th anniversary. He was 80, and had been living with pancreatic cancer since it was diagnosed in 2023.

Donnie did not go gently. As Dylan Thomas wrote, he raged against the dying of the light, from the moment he knew he had this relentless cancer until two Sundays ago, when he drew a quiet breath and then no more. Our son and daughter were with him.

My sister, Meryl Greenbaum, was with us. The loving good wishes of everyone he knew were with us.

He had been drifting away for the previous 10 days, suffering the side effects of three years of treatment. Still, in early June he was walking laps in our building, and in April the family had gathered for his birthday dinner. He pushed his athlete’s body beyond anyone’s expectation, and the night he died, we rang the bell for him, because every single day he lived since 2023 was a tribute to his courage.

Letters

water rates are up 33 percent, and our energy rates continue to climb. Due to the lack of transparency, we have no idea where our hard-earned tax dollars are going or to whom.

I met Ferretti’s opponent, Joe Scianablo, for the first time when he attended a parlor meeting at my home. I was impressed not only with his background, but also his sincerity and his desire to continue serving the public. Scianablo has spent his entire adult life as a public servant. He served multiple deployments in the Marines in East Timor, Eritrea, and Iraq, then was a New York City police officer, focusing on domestic violence cases, in which helped victims find safety and justice. He is a former prosecutor in the Queens district attorney’s office, where he advocated for survivors of domestic violence.

I believed Scianablo when he said his focus would be to ensure that our tax dollars and resources benefit all the people in the Town of Hempstead, not just the favored ones. He isn’t a career politician, but will be a politician who has made a career of service. I encourage anyone who has the opportunity to meet him to do so. I think you will come away as impressed as I was.

CHERIE FEINBERG Lawrence

triumph over adversity.

HDonnie never felt sorry for himself. In his last days on earth he was reaching out to friends who had heartache, relationship woes, business setbacks or medical problems. He preached a gospel of positivity, insisting on finding threads of hope. He left a legacy of goodness and generosity, changing the lives of so many people along the way.

e always found the best in others because, truly, that was all he saw.

Donnie was a native Lawrencian. He was born in 1946 at Brooklyn Jewish Hospital to Lillian and Jack Kreiss, who lived at 16 Muriel Ave. in Lawrence. When he was 2, he contracted bacterial meningitis, which was usually fatal in those days. He was in isolation at St Joseph’s Hospital, in Far Rockaway, for two months. That was the first of his medical miracle recoveries, which included a fractured skull when he was 10, heart attacks at 40 and 50, bypass surgery, congestive heart failure and cervical spine surgery. He recited his near-misses enthusiastically, as if they were a resume, not of suffering but of

Donnie was a gifted athlete who ran track and played varsity football, basketball and golf. He was a beautiful man, and we fell hard in love as teenagers. We graduated together in 1964 from Lawrence High. When we married and settled in Woodmere, his second home was the Lawrence Golf Club, where his father was president and then, 50 years later, he was president. In recent years his home course was on Longboat Key, Fla., where last year he was named Most Inspirational Golfer of the Year, an award they created for him.

Don started his own business in 1969, selling slippers and bras and panties. He loved selling, and he was the best salesman because he could out-wait, out-talk and outlast any buyer he encountered.

He always found the best in others because, truly, that was all he saw. He drew on a deep well of generosity and kindness.

Our children, Jason, Rochelle, Jocelyn and Josh, were, as Auden said, his north, south, east and west. His grandchildren, Sabrina, Jacob, Elijah and

Emi, brought light and delight into his life. “Did you talk to the kids today?” was his mantra.

Despite his lifelong medical issues, Don was a rough and ready traveler, up for any adventure. We spent five summers exploring Montana when the kids were teenagers, and then for decades we traveled the world, from Komodo Island, in Indonesia, to the Alaska wilderness, from Bali to Singapore to Tasmania and New Zealand. Nothing stopped him.

Obituaries are the last public words written about someone. I never expected to write Donnie’s obituary, which I hope is more like telling the story of his life. Which is also the story of my life. As Cummings wrote, I carry his heart in my heart.

He trusted me to shepherd him through these last years, to get to the right doctors, to hold hands as we heard the diagnoses that limited his days. He wanted time, he said over and over again. I did my best, but time was not in my hands. I believe he would have wanted me to write this, the last words about him, from a place of love and longing, happy remembrance, and sadness that he did not have more days to grace our lives.

Copyright 2026 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.

FraMework

by Tim Baker

My Morning Jacket performed at the Great South Bay Music Festival, in Patchogue’s Shorefront Park, last Sunday.