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Volume XXI • Number 3 • January 16 - 22, 2014 •
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Engel comes to aid of embattled rabbi Local Congressman Eliot L. Engel, the senior Democratic Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today sent a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the Chief Rabbinate’s decision to unilaterally reject Jewish status letters written by his constituent, Rabbi Avi Weiss, the longtime spiritual leader of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale. In writing to Prime Minister Netanyahu, Engel said, “I am writing to express my deep concern regarding troubling developments between the Israeli Chief Rabbinate and the American Jewish community. Specifically, I have become aware that the Chief Rabbinate has taken upon itself to unilaterally reject Jewish status letters written by my constituent, Rabbi Avraham Weiss of New York, on behalf of those seeking to marry in the state of Israel. This trend of rejecting status letters written by Rabbis Weiss and others undermines the bond between Diaspora communities and the state of Israel, and I fear, may ultimately lead to the wholesale prohibition on community rabbis in the Diaspora from participating in the religious life of Jewish people in Israel. Rabbi Weiss has for many years supplied Jewish status letters to those seeking to marry in Israel without raising questions about his halachic credentials by the Chief Rabbinate. As you may know, Rabbi Weiss has led the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale for nearly four decades, and
also founded Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School, both of which are in my congressional district. He has served as a powerful activist and a defender of clal yisrael on issues ranging from Soviet Jewry to Jonathan Pollard’s release. To those such as myself who have known Rabbi Weiss for many years, it would be unthinkable to question his commitment to Jewish law. “As dismayed as I and many of my constituents may be by the Chief Rabbinate’s decision in regards to Rabbi Weiss specifically, I am concerned that this is simply the latest instance of the broader marginalization of the many diverse streams of Judaism in Israel. If Rabbi Weiss’ credentials are rejected - an Orthodox leader with decades of experience – what does that portend for other strands of American Judaism? Is the Chief Rabbinate similarly prepared to investigate the halachik bona fides of various ultra-Orthodox elements with which it disagrees? “Furthermore, I believe that it is profoundly inappropriate for the Chief Rabbinate to cast aspersions on any individual’s commitment to Jewish traditions simply because of differing religious customs and practices. At a time when Israel faces mounting political and military challenges around the world, erecting artificial barriers to Jewish communities and their religious leaders around the world does little to strengthen the bonds between
Congressman Eliot Engel at the late Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s memorial service at the Israeli Knesset with Vice President Biden, Prime Minister Netanyahu, Sara Netanyahu, and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz. Congressman Engel was invited to travel to Israel with the Vice President as part of the official United States delegation to former Prime Minster Sharon’s funeral. Israel and the Diaspora. “It is my hope that religious leaders such as Rabbi Weiss will no longer be impeded by the Chief Rabbinate in the execution of their religious duties in Israel. The state, be it in Israel or in America, has no justification for impeding a rabbi’s religious
duty to tend to the spiritual needs of his or her congregants, particularly when it comes to the sensitive issue of affirming an individual’s commitment to Jewish customs and tradition. “Mr. Prime Minister, we turn to you for assistance in stemming an unnecessary and deeply un-
helpful overstep by the Chief Rabbinate. I look forward to our continued efforts to strengthen the relationship between our two countries and ensure that we continue to maintain the political, military, and spiritual support Israel so greatly deserves in the United States,” Engel concluded.
Schervier Nursing Home lifts water emergency after one week On Friday, January 10, 2014, Bon Secours New York Health System’s (BSNY) Schervier Nursing Care Center, specializing in long-term and rehabilitation care in the Riverdale section of The Bronx, lifted the water emergency declared on Friday, January 3, 2014. Administrator Dominic D’Ambrosio declared a water emergency at 12:30 PM on January 3, 2014 when the nursing care center experienced a sudden loss of domestic water pressure. Water emergency notices were posted in the building that afternoon. “We were getting water on the ground floor, but because of low pressure, none of the upper floors had water,” said D’Ambrosio. D’Ambrosio, the facilities management team, and licensed plumbers set to work to discover the source of the problem. “The pump that supplies pressure to the building was not running, and there are many reasons why the pump shuts off: low pressure from the supply main, a leak, an obstruction,” said D’Ambrosio. D’Ambrosio notified the Department of Environmental (DEP) Protection and the Office of Emergency Management (OEM), and asked for their assistance in determining the cause of the problem.
On Saturday, January 4, 2014, the executive and administrative teams were called in to help implement communications and patient safety protocols. D’Ambrosio notified the Department of Health, and stepped up oversight of the situation. Hygiene and sanitation in-services were held with staff to ensure patients, visitors and staff maintained proper sanitation in the nursing care center. Emergency hydration, bathing and sanitation supplies were delivered from a sister facility, Bon Secours Charity Health System in Suffern, NY. “I can’t thank them enough, they really stepped up to help us during a very difficult time,” said D’Ambrosio. Bon Secours Charity supplied materiel and assistance for the duration of the emergency. On Saturday, a full inspection of all building systems took place; all equipment was determined to be in working order. The facilities team, licensed plumbers, and officials from the DEP were unable to determine why the building did not have adequate water pressure. The fire suppression and heating systems were not affected by this emergency.
Over the next five days, every possibility was explored. “One by one, we eliminated any potential cause,” said D’Ambrosio. “We had tremendous support from the DEP and the OEM, the field personnel and supervisors were here every day.” Meanwhile, the facilities, housekeeping, and nursing staff worked round the clock to protect patient safety and care. “This was an unprecedented event, I am so proud of the over 500 employees who worked so diligently during the past week,” said Carlos G. Beato, CEO of BSNY. “We worked night and day to ensure a safe environment to those entrusted to our care,” Beato continued. D’Ambrosio agreed, “As always, ensuring the safety of our residents was our foremost concern, and I am happy to report, there were no lasting, ill-effects to our residents. I want to thank our residents for enduring this inconvenience with patience and understanding.” Finally, on Thursday, January 9, 2014 at 2:00 PM, a faulty suction alarm switch on the domestic water pump was discovered. While this mechanism had been previously inspected, and the gauges indicated it was Continued on Page 2