2 HOME REPORTER •• Week of November 2-8, 2018 2• 2 ••HOME HOME REPORTER REPORTER • Week of November 30 - December 30 - December 6, 2018 6, 2018
PRAYERS
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I read countless attempts to Unfortunately, whatever In the meantime, the only state one’s contempt for the efforts were made then and in words that come to mind conshooter and the anti-semitic subsequent years to address cerning the Pittsburgh massacre views he held that resulted in the hate and often mental ill- are, May Those who Perished the massacre that occurred in ness behind the hate have fall- Rest In Peace. May those Pittsburgh at the Tree of Life en short. I would like to injured make a full recovery. Congregation. believe that the Tree of Life And may all the affected famiOccasionally, there is an attack is an isolated event, but lies and friends find some level I would like to believe event so horrific that there are as I mentioned history has of comfort in knowing millions that the Tree of Life no words to describe your shown that it is not. are praying for them. attack is an isolated feelings. You try and you try, We react as a society and as event, but as I menbut you cannot fully wrap a government. We pass some Last week, the Home yourself around it with words. new laws and create some new Reporter endorsed State tioned history has shown The Pittsburgh attack on programs. It is a Band-Aid Senator Marty Golden (whom that it is not. many levels crossed into this approach that at best has result- I serve as chief of staff) for reterritory. It is one of a growing ed in the use of bigger Band- election. Of course, I do not number of what has become a Aids as the years have gone by. claim to be non-partisan when essentially a civic activist conlong and continuing string of I do not know the solution. it comes to the re-election of stantly looking for new ways to assist and improve the neighborpremeditated actions designed To put us on the right trail, we state Sen. Golden. to tear through the very fabric first need to accept that our Regardless, the Home hoods he represents. I would add, as the staffer of what America is about. problems are systemic, due to Reporter — which serves priwho also oversees his Albany Members the 86th black Street/Bath Beach turkeysthe to 90,000 Reaching-Out Community Services Executive DiAttacks ofagainst changes in Kiwanis society Club that present have marily people who agenda,isthat no one churches, attacks against teach- from been aggravated by breakreside in the BayClub Ridge and legislative rector Thomas Neve (third right) for the Operation Gobbler Giving event. President Stephen Spinelli pictured passed more legislation ersthird and from students Dyker Heights communities has left.at school, for- downs in the nuclear family. Photo courtesy of Michael Diaco eign terrorist attacks against This breakdown does not — in its editorial made some signed into law by the goverordinary Americans at work all cause the hate or mental excellent points regarding the nor in the past eight years. Of course, passing bills that have one thing in common – issues, but can lead to such senator’s long tenure in office. unadulterated hate. hate going unaddressed festerThe bottom line for the Home the governor signs is not the true The wake-up call came ing for long periods of time Reporter was that Golden has measurement of a senator’s sucimmediately after Columbine. until it bubbles over. been for decades and remains cess. It is what the new laws do.
Kiwanis Club Makes Thanksgiving Tastier For Struggling Families BY PAULA KATINAS
paula@brooklyneagle.com
An effort by a Bensonhurst-based organization to make the Thanksgiving holiday a better one for financially struggling There are literallyfamilies thousands Southwest Brooklyn got a boost when kind-hearted of new jobs in theBeach regionservice that group There are many other 30 elecmembers of a Bath decided to donate only exist because of the film tions on the ballot. Locally, turkeys to the program. and television tax86th credit that Republican/Conservative Members of the Street/Bath Beach Kiwanis Club arGoldenwith wrote. All sorts of senior Saperstein is in a comranged Coast-to-Coast Meat Steve and Seafood, a Staten Iscitizen programs only kept pace petitive election forComState land company, to deliver the turkeys to Reaching-Out with economic changes due to organization Assembly against Democrat munity Services Inc., a non-profit that operates the senator’s efforts. Hospitals in Mathylde Frontus in a district a food pantry on New Utrecht Avenue. Brooklyn that seem to always be that stretches from Bay Ridge Kiwanis Club President Stephen andCongressmember several of his in financial trouble benefited by toSpinelli Seagate. members visited Reaching Out’s offices on Nov. to handoff Golden’s work at the budget Dan Donovan19 faces the turkeys over Reaching-Out Director Thomas negotiating tabletoand billions of Executive against Max Rose. RepubNeve. new dollars for education made lican/Conservative AssemblyThe with Annual Oper- is their visit way coincided into the city to Reaching-Out’s help member 13th Nicole Malliotakis ation Gobbler Giving event, in whichinthe organization create thousands of new seatsainday running a very quiet race distributes and ingredients our end of hundreds Brooklyn. of free turkeys against Democratfor side Adam dishes to underprivileged familiesBaumel. so that they can cook traThere is a lot more to be done. ditional Thanksgiving The tragedy of opioid meals. affliction Next Tuesday, November 6 has againClub raiseof itsVerrazano, evil head. the is election day.ofIt New is important Theonce Rotary Food Bank York Golden has authored a package that mark it on your calCity and City Harvest co-sponsored theyou event. of bills to deal with this issue. endar and make a commitment And 9/11 remains current for all to vote. Polls are open from 6 too many families of first a.m. to 9 p.m. There are countresponders. No one has done and less examples of how one vote continues to do more on this made a difference. Do not be the one vote that did not vote. issue than Sen. Golden.
Historic New Utrecht Reformed Church to Reopen; Building Has Been Closed for Repairs for 15 Years
— LETTERS TO THE EDITOR —
BY PAULA KATINAS
paula@brooklyneagle.com
Hallelujah! A landmark church in Bensonhurst that has been closed candidate Adam for DEBATE repairs for 15OVER years will reopen its doors withBaumel, a celebra-I wasa special there when the service debates tion THE next month that will include worship DEBATE were over and heard a lot of andI tours of thedisappointment historic 190-year-old building. read with comments from the senior citThe New Utrecht at 1827 84th St. will Jerry Kassar’s column Reformed in which Church izens who attended the he criticized throw open its Peter doors Killen’s and welcome the community for a wordebates. chairing of the at 16 theat 3 p.m. The front of the church ship service on debates Sun., Dec. Andrew Gounardes is a Interagency theAvenue. building facesCouncil bustlingof 18th “gentleman’s gentleman,” Aging’s debates of the candiThe Georgian-Gothic church was built his in 1828, whooriginally coupled with intelli-a dates. time when Bensonhurst was mostly farmland. gent way of discussing I consider Jerrythea building friend, was showing serious signs an In 2003, when of issue, would represent us with and while we the represent two decided deterioration, congregation to stop holding Sunthe demeanor that would bendifferent political parties, and day services in the sanctuary until repairs could be made. may disagree with some of his efit Bay Ridge greatly. Since that time, services have been taking place in theinParHowever, the hecklers the party’s positions, I also agree ish center built in the 1890s that isdid located on church audience a disservice to withHall, himaon several issues. property. Andrew, because they didn’t That is why I was disap“read” their audience. Senior The reopening thewrote. church was announced by Susan Hapointed about whatofhe citizensthe dochurch’s not likegoverning bad mannyen, president of the consistory, Peter vice Killen is a gentleman whetherand in ato debate or on board, in done a letter to congregation members members who has a great job of ners, a foodabuffet heard, not of Friends ofdebates HistoricinNew groupline. of Ivolunteers moderating the Utrecht, but many, seniors say past. promote He takes that who the responsibilhistory of the several, church and the surrounding ity seriously and is therefore that the hecklers were so neighborhood. thatbuilding they might conimpartial. “What a better time to haveannoying a church reopen sider“We voting think Since I am the malewrote. than at Christmas,” Hanyen areRepublican. filled withIgladDemocratic leader of the 64th that Jerry’s anger should be ness.” directed hecklers. AD, the campaign managToand coincide with the reopening of thetowards church,the the congrePerfetto er for will Democratic gation host itsAssembly annual Live Nativity— onRalph Saturday, Dec.
15, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. featuring actors portraying Mary, Joseph, the Three Wise Men and shepherds. In past years, the Christmas scene has also featured goats, sheep and other animals. the same. INpending MARTY’S The reopening of the historic church is an importWhy? Is sitting down with CORNER ant moment for the entire Bensonhurst community, accordyour opposites and trying to ingAtodrowning Marnee man Elias-Pavia, managersoof difficult? Community will grabdistrict compromise As the blade of a sword. I don’t Board 11. President Obama once said, know said this first, but Utrecht “Thewho congregation of New Reformed Church and “Elections have consequences” it’s piece. New Utrecht the perfect Friendsforofthis Historic be congratulatI don’tshould understand how anyone Sen, Marty Golden haschurch’s ed State on the re-opening of the sanctuary. Thiseducation building can believe that free been vilified byand extremist over importance has historical educational to care our community, or free health will be free! the last was several months andfirst it is immigrants, Who’s goingthe to pay for settlers it? which built by the Dutch awho shame, misstating his record The leftdating keepsback saying the formed the Town of New Utrecht, to the in the Senate, particularly top one via percent 1600s,” Elias-Pavia told thisinnewspaper email.will have to regards school speed cam- thepay. Theyonalready Localtoresidents who visit church Dec. 16pay willmore find eras. By the way, he sponsored than 50 percent-plus of the much to see and marvel at. Thanks to major renovations, the these bills, I believe twice. government’s when sanctuary nowthe boasts a new shake roof, revenue a barrel vaultBack when senator ran cedar 50electrical percent of the people pay ed interior ceiling and upgraded wiring, according against Vincent Gentile they nothing. attacked his police record and The social programs the left when the facts came out, Marty are saying they will instill will won by a pretty big margin. bankrupt the country. JFK said, I am hoping that Andrew “Ask not what this country can Gounardes does not hide do for but what you can do for behind left-wing trolls, and the country.” The present sticks to the issues at hand. Democratic Party is not the — Dan Texeira same as it was. For the first time, I can’t see voting for one.
FROM THE RIGHT The question for the upcoming election is: Are you better off today then you were the last 10 years? I am! I understand the left was upset by the results of the last presidential election. There were some on the right that were also, but without the help of the politicians on the left we now have the best economy, maybe ever, the lowest unemployment for all groups, and more jobs than people. I am a fiscal conservative, not a Republican or a Democrat. I am a registered independent that has voted for both parties at one time or another and for who I believed would be the best person to do the best job. I don’t understand the lack of civility especially going on with the left. HRC said we can’t have civility until they win. Maxine Waters has incited lack of civility by demanding Republicans be confronted wherever they can. Cory Booker (Spartacus) has done
— Bob Panico
CHANGE IS GOOD I agree totally with this change [in editorial and political focus for the Home Reporter and the Spectator], and allow me to say why. Despite some apparent efforts by [Bob] Capano, [Craig] Eaton, [Ralph] Perfetto and others to establish some middle ground, there really is virtually none. The divergence is extreme, politically. Changes had to be made to make the papers more eco-
to Hanyen. The church still has its original early pews, which are contained in white-painted boxes, giving a congregation member a sense of privacy. nomically viable and appeal- specious by her failure to idenletter, Hanyen wrote that repairs are still taking ingIn forher advertisers. tify the source of the partisan place butbeen that to enough been completed to make the I have every work forumhasraucous yelling and chanting. church usable Worknot still needs to be done thenext organ and debate andagain. they have Bob Capano whoon was to alcove,pleasant she wrote. been experiences. me later agreed that it was 80 While current church was builtGounardes in 1828, the New Only the the Malliotakis-Baumel percent backers, Utrechtwere Reformed dates backGounardes. to the 17th debates civil, butChurch that is inactually and he supports century. TheNicole churchiswas founded The by Dutch settlers in 1677 part because all but Xaverian debates were untouchable politically closer to 55-45 Gounardesand was originally locatedand on what is now the corner of 16th ethically, and84th veryStreet. respected. Golden supporters in terms of Avenue and Mr.Stones Baumel, believe, after The tone been fromI the original 16thscreaming. Avenue church werehad used to talking him, is a nice fellow, Dyker Heights. lay the to foundation of the churchset onat18th Avenue. andThe he knows that aboutthe her.New Utrecht Now,Reformed the "Golden support land on which Church sits The were Nazis" appears at his also hasother a placedebates in history. It is the sitegraffiti of one of the original entirely uncivil, raucous and office in chalk on the sidewalk. Liberty Poles, flagpoles that were erected during and immeoutrageous. The moderator at Of note, the Donovan-Rose diately after Revolutionary the end ofthethe Golden- War. debate at Xaverian was not Gounardes debate at Xaverian nearly as bad, perhaps in part sarcastically thanked the audi- due to the Thequestions New Utrecht asked, ence for being so “civil.” Reformed Churchand which were local in nature, The Frontus-Saperstein as supporters was built years and190 plants were debate at Xaverian ended in a not very no isdoubt agoactive in what now as near fight off stage involving directedthe by the campaigns.. neighborhood her campaign manager, Joe MY POINT? All sides of Bensonhurst. Herrera, and Golden supporters deserve opprobrium for this ebrooklyn media/ such as Jerry Kassar. It was but Gounardes does File photo by especialKatinas equally uncivil, mostly from ly. I voted for himPaula in 2012 and the audience. Saperstein was know him as a good guy. Why especially aggressive on stage. he allows this I do not know. The Dyker Heights debate But, although there may be was the worst of all, causing a some middle ground left, the St Philip's church leader to divergence is so great politidemand decorum saying "This cally — as seen also on social is a House of God!.” Eighty media — that what you did percent of the screaming there with the Home Reporter and was from "Team Gounardes" Spectator is justified. So, I expect few "tart which initiated all of it and did so early on with rude and tweets" directed at you. I do mocking comments about the hope in coming years and Conservative candidate chal- campaigns all sides can rein in the fanaticism and attacks. But lenging Peter Abbate. I will say bluntly that Paula I doubt it, sadly. — Thomas Hilton Katinas's report of this was
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