Israeli super model Bar Refaeli is reportedly close to signing a plea deal in regard to tax difficulties. Photo Credit: IMdB
By Tom Roberts
Israeli super model Bar Refaeli is reportedly close to signing a plea deal in regard to tax difficulties.
According to The Times of Israel, the model’s mother may also receive a jail sentence.
Refaeli has been accused of stashing tens of millions of shekels in earnings from tax authorities, Israel’s Channel 13 news reported. Mom Tzipi has also been accused of related offenses, specifically money-laundering and tax-dodging.
“One suggestion raised during talks is that her Tzipi Refaeli will admit to masterminding the tax and financial offenses and serve a six-month term in prison, preventing her daughter from being incarcerated, the report said,” according to the Times. “Bar Refaeli would herself do community service instead. However, there are those in the prosecution who insist that the celebrity model also be sentenced to some time in prison, the report said.”
The tax issues involve the question of whether Refaeli was residing in Israel or the US for tax purposes between 2009 and 2012. “In the civil case, the Israel Tax Authority is demanding millions of shekel from her earnings overseas,” reported the Israeli news organization Globes. “The case was heard in the Lod District Court, which dismissed her claims that she was resident overseas and ordered her to pay the NIS 8 million in taxes demanded as well as NIS 120,000 in court costs.”
Refaeli and her parents Rafi and Tsipi were charged, subject to a hearing, with defrauding the country out of millions of shekels through tax evasion between 2009 and 2012 regarding overseas earnings, Globes added. “Rafi and Tsipi Refaeli are also suspected on money laundering. The couple are suspected of concealing NIS 23 million between 2009 and 2012.”
The case is a mass of unpleasantness at a time when the model should be rejoicing. She recently posted an Instagram photo set. According to inquisitr.com, there were three pictures in total, and they showed her wearing a dress. “Her huge baby bump was on full display, as she joked in the captions about how she was ‘about to explode.’ The model’s ensemble was silver with thin straps. It hugged all of her curves, and seemed to be knee- or floor-length. Bar wore her hair down in loose waves and in a middle part. Her makeup, if she wore any, was very natural-looking. She may have been sporting light lipstick.”
Born on June 4, 1985, Refaeli is a model, television host, actress, and entrepreneur. She is considered among the most internationally successful models to come from Israel. She adorned the cover of the 2009 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, and was voted No. 1 on Maxim magazine’s Hot 100 list of 2012. As a television host, Refaeli has hosted of The X Factor Israel since 2013 and co-hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 in Tel Aviv.
Project: “Multiplication” necklace. Materials: Auricularia auricula-judae, pearl synthetic, silver 925. Artist: Anaelle AA. Photo credit: Gabriel ATTAB
Exploring the meaning and identity of natural materials from bacterial cellulose and fungus to cultured pearls and volcanic rock as a base for creation, “Materialness” is an original art installation premiering in New York City at the Parasol Projects Gallery from January 28- February 3. Presented by the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem, Materialness investigates the effects and ramifications, both positive and negative, of the earth’s natural resources and the process on the environment, both on the social-consumer level and the physical-environmental level. The installation features jewelry, vases and one-of-a-kind works by artists representing the Bezalel Academy, Israel’s oldest art institution. It includes nine projects totaling 60 original designs based on natural earth elements as they grow and transform, including some “living” pieces.
“The exhibit considers the complex triangular relationship between material, process and environment, and tries to shed light on works that, at their core, find a tension between earth, growth and source of the material; and process, product, and effects,” explains Udi Urman, Executive Director, Friends of Bezalel. “In an age when most things seem to be accessible, fast, and replaceable, the exhibit presents projects that focus on the process itself, its duration, the raw materials used, and alternatively the environmental results of the processes that occur as part of and/or following the production. Bezalel Academy is a pioneer and innovative force in arts and design. The exhibition offers a unique way to look at the materials we use in design, while raising questions about sustainability, climate, and other social issues.”
Some of the projects presented at this exhibit investigate and study new ways of using, processing, or growing of material; others, through their use of materials, criticize the ways in which we, as a society relate, to the resources around us.
“One artist searched nature to find a unique element in which her intervention would be limited but would still give it a new shape, choosing the fungus ‘Auricularia auricula-judae’ with the awareness that the objects in this project will fall apart and new objects will be born,” says Arial Lavian, Materialness Curator. “Another project explores the environmental damage and pollution that occurs behind the scenes of the fashion industry through a series of stools made of textiles and iron. The fabrics used were leftovers gathered from fashion houses and sewing workshops. “
Materialness features works designed by lecturers, graduates, and students from various departments of the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem, who present the subjects in a broad spectrum and study them from different and various perspectives . Artists featured include Adi Farber, Anaelle AA, Maavan Fima, Natalie Feldesman, Arial Lavian, and Nitzotz Saranga, with Arial Lavian also serving as curator. The pieces may be purchased, and many are available for under $500 USD. The installation is open to the public 11 am – 7 pm daily from January 28-February 3, 2020 at the Parasol Projects Gallery, 213 Bowery in NYC. For more information, please visit https://www.bezalelfriends.org/.
About the Bezalel Academy
The Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem is one of the world’s most prestigious art schools representing over 100 years of innovation and professional training to over 2,500 undergraduate and graduate students. The Bezalel Academy is a world renowned institution that has inspired and shaped Israel’s physical and cultural world. It offers a wide range of degrees in art, architecture and design. Bezalel Academy prepares students to effectively cope with the challenges presented by the global world of the 21st century and succeed in blazing their own unique and individual trails through the demanding fields of art, architecture and design.
About the Curator
Arial Lavian earned a B.A. in Jewelry and Fashion and a master’s degree in industrial design from the Bezalel Academy. His works are exhibited in many exhibitions and collections in Israel and internationally.
Project: “Symbiosis” Brooch–Materials- different types of plastic from domestic waste- LDPE (polyethylene), Avocado shell, 925 silver, stainless steel. Artist: Maayan Fima. Photo credit: Yosef Chaim Ollech
Project: “Obsessidian” “Saki” jugs. Materials: Porcelain and Black Scoria volcanic rock. Artist: Nitzotz Saranga. Photo credit: Nitzotz Saranga
Project: “Toxtiles” – Materials: Iron and Scraps of Fabric. Artist: Ariel Lavian. Photo credit: Ariel Lavian
The Extraordinary Young Women of the First Official Jewish Transport to Auschwitz with author Heather Dune Macadam. Photo Credit: Amazon.com
Edited by: TJVNews Staff
The Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, which is currently presenting the acclaimed exhibition Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. that was extended to run through August 2020, announces its winter roster of programs, including an array of talks, book launches, and performances, as well as commemorative events to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz on International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Leadership of the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust staff. Photo Credit: mjhnyc.org
“Seventy-five years after the liberation of Auschwitz, we are witnessing a global rise in antisemitism. The Museum’s winter programs have been curated to provide opportunities for people to learn the history and legacy of the Holocaust from precious eyewitnesses, prominent scholars, and artistic explorations by leading performers,” said Jack Kliger, President & CEO of the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust. “As the Holocaust recedes further in time, our work to impart its lessons becomes increasingly important. The Museum experienced record-breaking attendance in 2019, and we look forward to welcoming more visitors in 2020.”
Winter highlights include:
Historian and artist Elżbieta Janicka and YIVO Director Jonathan Brent discuss the complexities of how Poland is grappling with its history
Theater of War’s The Investigation, a searing piece of theater adapted from the Frankfurt Auschwitz Trials of 1963–1965, followed by a guided discussion with the audience about the lasting impact of genocide
Write Me, a four-part creative arts series exploring the branding of women’s bodies during the Holocaust, in human trafficking, and as an artistic practice
Book launch for the American edition of the award-winning memoir By Chance Alone with author Max Eisen joined by Phyllis G. Greenberg Heideman, President, International March of the Living, Eli Rubenstein, National Director, March of the Living Canada, and Cantor Aviva Rasky
International Holocaust Remembrance Day / 75th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz commemorative events on Monday, January 27
Mengele: Unmasking the Angel of Death book launch with author David G. Marwell
Yiddish Glory: The Lost Songs of WWII, a Grammy-nominated music program premiering for the first time in New York and featuring the preeminent Russian Roma trio Loyko, singer-songwriter Psoy Korolenko, and narration by Yiddish scholar Anna Shternshis
In this episode of the acclaimed PBS series produced by THIRTEEN, historians, survivors, and experts consider one of the great moral dilemmas of the 20th century: should the Allies have risked killing Auschwitz prisoners and bombed the camp to stop future atrocities? Photo Credit: PBS.org
Admission to most programs is complimentary except where prices are noted. For tickets, visit mjhnyc.org, call 646.437.4202, or purchase in-person at the box office. The Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust is located at 36 Battery Place in Lower Manhattan.
JANUARY
Speaker Series
Sunday, January 5 | 1 PM
Stories Survive Speaker Series
At our monthly Stories Survive Speaker Series, hear Holocaust survivors share their life stories in their own words. Maritza Shelley was born in 1928 in Budapest, Hungary. After the Nazi invasion of Hungary in 1944, she endured forced labor and a death march with her mother. They eventually reunited with Maritza’s sister, and all three women escaped, obtained false papers, and hitchhiked back to Budapest with a convoy of Nazis. Maritza moved to New York City in 1947.
999: The Extraordinary Young Women of the First Official Jewish Transport to Auschwitz with author Heather Dune Macadam
In her new book, Heather Dune Macadam (co-author, Rena’s Promise) chronicles the tale of nearly 1,000 young Jewish women from Slovakia who were deceived into boarding a train for Auschwitz. Painstakingly researched, the book illuminates the women’s day-to-day lives and struggle for survival in the death camp. Join the author in conversation with Lori Weintrob (Director, Wagner College Holocaust Center) and descendants of the 999.
Contemporary Rendering of Space and Memory at Treblinka
By Chance Alone with author Max Eisen –At 15, Max Eisen was saved from certain death in Auschwitz by a Polish physician who employed him as a cleaner in his operating room. This remarkable memoir received Canada’s top literary award in 2019. Photo Credit: Amazon.com
At this program co-presented by the Museum and YIVO, historian and photographer Elżbieta Janicka investigates Polish participation to the murder of Jews set up by the German Nazi state, as well as Polish counter-narratives about the Holocaust and Jewish history. Janicka’s visual works examine the consequences of the Holocaust on urban topography and non-urban landscape. In conversation with YIVO Director Jonathan Brent, Janicka will discuss, among other works, a photographic project titled “Herbarium” that she has been pursuing for 15 years within the area of Treblinka II.
Write Me: Preview and Artist Panel (Series Part 1 of 4)
Join artists, scholars, and activists in a series that explores the branding of women’s bodies in the Holocaust and human trafficking. Write Me (2019), a short film, follows an older woman who joins other survivors in reclaiming the histories tattooed on their bodies. Adapted from the poem “After Auschwitz” by Deborah Kahan Kolb and premiering at the New York Jewish Film Festival, this preview screening of Write Me will be followed by a discussion with director Pearl Gluck, poet Deborah Kahan Kolb, composer Lisa Gutkin, Auschwitz survivor Shirley Gottesman, trafficking survivor and activist Barbara Freeman, and tattoo artist Virginia Elwood.
Secrets of the Dead: Bombing Auschwitz PBS Premiere
In this episode of the acclaimed PBS series produced by THIRTEEN, historians, survivors, and experts consider one of the great moral dilemmas of the 20th century: should the Allies have risked killing Auschwitz prisoners and bombed the camp to stop future atrocities? Executive Producer Stephanie Carter will discuss the making of this episode after the screening.
Mengele: Unmasking the Angel of Death with author David G. Marwell–At this book launch co-presented by the Museum and Fellowships at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics (FASPE), this new biography by former Museum of Jewish Heritage Director David G. Marwell describes the notorious war criminal’s training and early promise as a scientist; his wartime service in combat and at Auschwitz; and his postwar refuge in Germany and South America. Photo Credit: Amazon.com
Co-sponsored by THIRTEEN with funding from The Sylvia A. and Simon B. Poyta Endowment to Fight Anti-Semitism
This work of documentary theater is based on Peter Weiss’ 1965 play adapted from the Frankfurt Auschwitz Trials of 1963-65. Performed by a diverse cast of performers from communities affected by genocide, the play is followed by a dialogue with the audience about the human capacity for evil.
This production is made possible by the generous support of Bruce Ratner.
Directed by Bryan Doerries
Co-presented with Theater of War and National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene
National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene presents this annual MLK Jr. Day tradition exploring the intersections between African-American and Yiddish musical traditions during the Civil Rights Era, including Yiddish theater songs, songs of Jewish immigrants, jazz and classic spirituals. Conceived and directed by NYTF Artistic Director Zalmen Mlotek, it stars Lisa Fishman, Cantor Magda Fishman, Elmore James and Tony Perry. In Yiddish and English with English supertitles.
Tickets start at $35 | NYTF.org or 866.811.4111
Book Launch
Wednesday, January 22 | 7 PM – 8:30 PM
By Chance Alone with author Max Eisen
At 15, Max Eisen was saved from certain death in Auschwitz by a Polish physician who employed him as a cleaner in his operating room. This remarkable memoir received Canada’s top literary award in 2019. Celebrating the launch of the book’s American edition, Eisen will be joined by Phyllis G. Greenberg Heideman, President, International March of the Living; Eli Rubenstein, National Director, March of the Living Canada; and Cantor Aviva Rasky.
Co-presented with the Canadian Consulate, Harper Collins, International March of the Living, and USC Shoah Foundation
International Holocaust Remembrance Day – 75th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz
Holocaust Commemoration
10 AM – 6 PM
Chief curator and acclaimed Holocaust scholar Robert Jan van Pelt will explore the significance of the types and provenance of artifacts in Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. as well as discuss the curatorial decisions that had to be made during the development of this complex exhibition. Free; advance reservations recommended at mjhnyc.org/events. Photo Credit: Museum of Jewish Heritage
Public candle-lighting area in the Anne & Bernard Spitzer Grand Foyer and free admission to MJH Highlights, which includes Ordinary Treasures: Highlights from the Museum of Jewish Heritage Collection, Rendering Witness: Holocaust-Era Art as Testimony, The Pickman Keeping History Center, and Andy Goldsworthy’s contemplative Garden of Stones.
Buckingham Palace released a statement from her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II shortly after the royal summit was held which discussed the role Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan of Sussex, USA today reported. Photo Credit: Getty Images
By: Rusty Brooks
“My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family. Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working Members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family.”
Buckingham Palace released a statement from her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II shortly after the royal summit was held which discussed the role Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan of Sussex, USA today reported.
The palace said the queen’s statement, sent to USA TODAY via email, would be the only comment of the day. No specifics as to what was actually discussed has been released to the public.
USA Today reports: “Prince Harry, his brother, Prince William, and his father, Prince Charles, arrived for a royal summit at Sandringham to address the turmoil set off by Harry and Duchess Meghan’s historic announcement last week to step back from their senior royal duties and live part time in North America”.
It is unclear if Duchess Meghan called in on a conference call to this summit as of press. USA today reported hundreds of media members began gathering outside Sandringham, the queen’s private estate in Norfolk about 100 miles north of London, where she typically stays from late December to early February.
Another statement was issued as well: “Despite clear denials, a false story ran in a U.K. newspaper today speculating about the relationship between The Duke of Sussex and The Duke of Cambridge,” the statement said. “For brothers who care so deeply about the issues surrounding mental health, the use of inflammatory language in this way is offensive and potentially harmful.”
“Discussions with The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are at an early stage,” the statement said. “We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through”.
In other news pertaining to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the social media world is ablaze after Twitter removed a video of Prince Harry asking Disney CEO Bob Iger for a job for his wife Meghan Markle.
The resurfaced video shows Harry pitching the Duchess of Sussex to Iger about a voiceover gig while Markle chats up music icons Jay-Z and Beyoncé during the “Lion King” premiere in London last July. The speculation is the Royal family got this embarrassing video pulled off Twitter, according to several dozen Twitter commentators. The video resurfaced and shortly after vanished.
Markle has a resume of starring in several movies and T.V shows.
Finally, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly want to make Los Angeles their new home following the announcement that they will “step back” as members of the Royal Family, but only after Donald Trump’s presidency ends, Fox News reported.
“I feel like Markle had this planned out for a long time and got her Royal husband to go along with it, almost like a planned media event. If they really wanted to escape the paparazzi, this sure was not the way to do it, now with this video of Harry and Iger popping up I feel like she, is setting it up to be the next queen in a Disney spectacular, like creating a real life fairy tale, all ready to go”, Jared Evan, political satirist, joked with The Jewish Voice.
On Monday January 13th, Democratic Presidential candidate Cory Booker ended his bid for 2020, winding up a campaign whose primary message was unity and love. As reported by WPXI News, Booker, a U.S. senator from New Jersey who began his campaign in February, has been struggling to raise funds for his presidential bid. Photo Credit: corybooker.com
By: Ilana Siyance
On Monday January 13th, Democratic Presidential candidate Cory Booker ended his bid for 2020, winding up a campaign whose primary message was unity and love. As reported by WPXI News, Booker, a U.S. senator from New Jersey who began his campaign in February, has been struggling to raise funds for his presidential bid. The 50-year-old Democrat boasted taking only grassroots contributions, and publicized slogans like “We won’t take a dime from corporate PACs or federal lobbyists”. He has been lagging behind in most surveys despite heart-warming slogans like “The lines that divide us are nowhere near as strong as the ties that bind us”. Booker was unsuccessful in meeting the polling requirement which would have made him eligible to partake in Tuesday’s debate. Booker also missed last month’s debate. Of late, he has been polling in the low single-digits in the early primary states as well as nationwide.
Booker sent an email to his supporters, saying that he “got into this race to win” but that not being in the debates makes fundraising a real challenge. “Our campaign has reached the point where we need more money to scale up and continue building a campaign that can win — money we don’t have, and money that is harder to raise because I won’t be on the next debate stage and because the urgent business of impeachment will rightly be keeping me in Washington,” he said. Booker had forewarned that President Trump’s impeachment trial, which is a propriety to him, would deal a “big, big blow” to his campaign by averting his attention away from Iowa in the final weeks before the Feb. 3 Iowa caucuses.
A progressive candidate, during his seven years in City Hall, Booker became known for pushing for criminal justice reform, marijuana legalization, and for brainstorming new ways to close the racial wealth gap. Booker was formerly lauded for leading the renewal of Newark, NJ. Though Booker has not yet formally endorsed any other candidate, in his email he pledged to do “everything in my power to elect the eventual Democratic nominee for president”. Booker will run for reelection in Senate this year, and is expected to be victorious despite a large number of candidates eying his seat.
Earlier in January, Julián Castro, another progressive Democrat and the only Latino in the Presidential race, also dropped out after struggling with low polls and fundraising woes. There are now only 12 remaining presidential candidates, whereas there were formerly two-dozen. As per WPXI, the original lineup included a historically diverse group, but now the only African American candidate remaining is former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, who is struggling to register in the polls being a newcomer into the race.
The modern-day mugging occurred on Sunday January 12th, before 3 PM, at the Union Square subway station, on the mezzanine of the 4 train. Photo Credit: Wikipedia
By: Ellen Cans
The 21st century now boasts a new mugging style. Muggers are apparently evolving with the technology era to make up for the fact that most people carry less cash.
A 17-year old teen was robbed of $100 by two muggers in Manhattan, when they forced him to transfer them money via an app on his cell phone, police said. As reported by the NY Post, the modern-day mugging occurred on Sunday January 12th, before 3 PM, at the Union Square subway station, on the mezzanine of the 4 train. The victim was approached at first by one man, who offered to sell him some candy, as per the police report. The teen gave him $2 for the candy, which the crook took, but then demanded more money, threatening to “F him up” if he didn’t hand over the rest of his cash. “Do what you have to do,” the victim reportedly answered the mugger.
In response, the suspect called over an accomplice. The second suspect threatened to stab the teen if he refused give him his cell phone. The second mugger took the victim’s phone, and used it to immediately transfer $100 to himself using a payment app. He then gave the phone back to the boy. The two muggers fled into the subway station, cops said. The victim was thankfully not injured during the incident.
Police are investigating whether the mugger can be identified through the payment app’s history. Transfers made on most payment apps would be traceable. Apps such as Venmo, Zelle, Paypal, Square Cash, google pay, or Facebook need to be linked to a bank account, credit card or debit card. Only crypto currencies are usually notorious for allowing identities to remain ambiguous. It seems police have also evolved with the 21st century, as police also have video footage of the mugging suspects.
The NYPD announced in April 2018, that index crimes continue to decline in NYC, breaking ‘Low-Crime’ records for murder, robbery and burglary. The crimes fell 6.7 percent compared to 2018, with 1,900 less complaints year-to-date. Despite the improvement, there is of course still crime in NYC, which is the largest city in the country. The aforementioned incident follows the infamous Christmas Eve mugging on Third Avenue in the Morrisania section of the Bronx, in which a 60-year-old man was brutally beaten and later died while the muggers got away with just $1.
As always, anyone who has useful information, or recognizes any of the pictured suspects, is encouraged to call NYPD’s Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1800-577-8477(TIPS), or for Spanish call 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
A new tenant is being sought for the four-story retail space at 1551 Broadway, currently the flagship store of American Eagle Outfitters Inc. Photo Credit: timessquarenyc.org
By Benyamin Davidson
A new tenant is being sought for the four-story retail space at 1551 Broadway, currently the flagship store of American Eagle Outfitters Inc. As reported by Bloomberg News, an anonymous source said real estate brokers are already marketing the Times Square mega-store. The property includes a multistory digital billboard, made with weather-resistant LED panels, which is a prime advertising spot visible to hundreds of thousands of visitors daily. The sculptural, 12-faceted display system which includes a 125-ft. tower, was designed by the The Barnycz Group and currently serves as a dynamic dimensional canvas for American Eagle content.
American Eagle Outfitters, the retail apparel company founded in 1977, has been faring well and reporting stable income and operating revenues. It also boasts the expansion of its Aerie lingerie line. However, citing a generally weak market, the Pittsburgh-based company reported lower-than-expected earnings last month, and said it will be closing weaker stores. “We have significant lease flexibility that enables us to exit less-desirable locations over time,” Chief Financial Officer Robert Madore told analysts. “We’ve closed approximately 130 underperforming stores since 2015 as we continued to strengthen our fleet.” As of their 2018 annual report, the retailer had 934 American Eagle Outfitters stores with 115 Aeries, employing an estimated total of 45,000 people.
Located in the heart of the busy tourist district, AE’s flagship store has seen its rent jump to an average of $1,675 per square foot, as per a report by commercial brokerage Jones Lang LaSalle Inc. In 2007, when the company first signed on the lease, the rent was less than $900.
AE’s lease at 1551 Broadway runs through February 2024. The 30,000 square feet store is the brand’s largest. The store’s design follows cues from New York City, with exposed brick walls, concrete and subway tiles and even a scaffolding system that holds the denim wall modelled after the scaffolding on NYC buildings. The men’s store on the ground level features a 27-foot denim bar, showcasing each AEO denim fit on a leg form. There is also a double-sided massive 32-foot denim wall with every fit, wash and size.
While Times Square’s famously oversized stores have not been as hard hit as other pricey neighborhoods including Fifth Avenue, asking rents may be starting to decline. Some of the district’s biggest long-time stores, including Toys “R” Us, have shuttered their stores in recent years. Forever 21, which filed for bankruptcy in September, also cutting the lease short for their Times Square flagship store. Landlord Vornado Realty Trust is cutting rents to fill the void, as per Bloomberg News.
A rep for American Eagle Outfitters declined requests for comment on the Times Square space. A rep for CBRE Group Inc., which is the broker for the space, also did not comment.
Many prominent American universities refused to help Jewish refugee scholars during the Holocaust if they seemed to be “too Jewish,” according to a leading historian.
Prof. Laurel Leff of Northeastern University discussed her research during a panel on “Immigration, Refugees, and Antisemitism” at the annual conference of the American Historical Association, held in New York City on January 5.
Also speaking on the panel were Prof. Stephen Norwood, of the University of Oklahoma, and Dr. Rafael Medoff, director of the David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies.
THE “ONE-JEW” RULE
Prof. Leff described the criteria that various U.S. university administrations applied when refugee advocates urged them to take in German Jewish scholars, who had been expelled from Nazi German universities. Dartmouth wanted only some who was not “obviously Jewish.” At Vassar, the refugee scholar could be “Jewish—but not of the disagreeable type.”
Johns Hopkins University president Isaiah Bowman, who was also an adviser on refugee matters to the President Franklin D. Roosevelt, had what Left called a “one-Jew rule.” He rejected recommendations to bring in Jewish refugee scholars to particular departments on the grounds that those departments already had one Jewish faculty member.
The details of this tragic story are presented in Leff’s new book, ‘Well Worth Saving: American Universities Life-And-Death Decisions on Refugees from Nazi Europe,’ which has just been published by Yale University Press. She previously authored the award-winning book ‘Buried by The Times,’ concerning the New York Times’ coverage of the Holocaust.
FRIENDLY RELATIONS WITH HITLER
Prof. Laurel Leff of Northeastern University described the criteria that various U.S. university administrations applied when refugee advocates urged them to take in German Jewish scholars, who had been expelled from Nazi German universities. Dartmouth wanted only some who was not “obviously Jewish.” At Vassar, the refugee scholar could be “Jewish—but not of the disagreeable type.”
Prof. Norwood discussed responses in the U.S. and England to the Nazi persecution of German Jews in the 1930s, based on his forthcoming book, ‘Ordinary Jews Against Extraordinary Evil: American and British Responses to Nazism.’
According to Norwood, the persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany during the 1930s was much more serious than most scholars have acknowledged. He also demonstrated that the American and British governments, and the general public in both countries, were very well acquainted with the mistreatment of the Jews.
“Nonetheless, both governments chose policies of appeasement, instead of confronting, or even fully acknowledging, the menace that Hitler posed,” Norwood said. He described how the Roosevelt administration welcomed visits by Nazi warships to American ports in the 1930s, and went out of its way to maintain friendly diplomatic and trade relations with Hitler.
Prof. Norwood also discussed the efforts by many Ivy League universities to have friendly relations with Nazi universities, including student exchanges and visiting faculty members, a topic covered in detail in his earlier book, ‘The Third Reich in the Ivory Tower.’
Dr. Medoff spoke about the role of racism and antisemitism in President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s policy of keeping Jewish immigration far below the levels that U.S. law permitted.
Medoff cited private statements by FDR concerning Jews that were extremely similar to Roosevelt’s comments regarding Japanese-Americans. The president described both groups as “domineering,” “unassimilable,” and “untrustworthy.” Those attitudes underlay both Roosevelt’s policies toward Jewish refugees and his mass internment of Japanese-Americans during the war, Dr. Medoff said.
“IMMORAL” TO BOMB AUSCHWITZ ?
Elsewhere at the conference, Daniel Greene and Rebecca Erbelding of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum gave a presentation in which they suggested it might have been immoral for the Roosevelt administration to bomb the gas chambers in Auschwitz, because some of the prisoners could have been killed.
Greene and Erbelding, who created the exhibit on “Americans and the Holocaust” at the museum, spoke in conjunction with a new BBC film, “Secrets of the Dead,” which claims that the question of bombing Auschwitz was a “moral dilemma.” Dr. Erbelding said it is unfortunate that the public believes Auschwitz should have been bombed, and she hopes the film will serve to “complicate public opinion.”
An audience member pointed out that in 1944, there was no “moral debate” over whether bombing would have killed prisoners, since most of the discussions about the idea concerned bombing the railroad lines leading to the camp. The questioner asked why the film did not mention bombing the railways. Prof. Greene and Dr. Erbelding replied that “no film can cover everything.”
During the summer and autumn of 1944, many Jewish organizations asked the Roosevelt administration to bomb the railways and bridges between Hungary and Poland, over which hundreds of thousands of Hungarian Jews were being transported to Auschwitz.
HASHEM sent Moshe Rabbeinu to be the redeemer of the Jewish people. However, from the moment that he embarked on this mission, the slavery became more intense and the pain more profound. Out of love for his nation, Moshe turned to HASHEM and said, “Why have You worsened the situation? Why have You sent me?”
By: Rabbi Ben Tzion Shafier
“And Moshe returned to HASHEM and said, “HASHEM, why have You done evil to this people? Why have You sent me?” — Shemos 5:22
HASHEM sent Moshe Rabbeinu to be the redeemer of the Jewish people. However, from the moment that he embarked on this mission, the slavery became more intense and the pain more profound. Out of love for his nation, Moshe turned to HASHEM and said, “Why have You worsened the situation? Why have You sent me?”
The Gemara tells us that Moshe was punished for questioning HASHEM. HASHEM said, “It is a shame that that which is lost can no longer be found.” It is as if HASHEM were saying, “They don’t make them like they used to. Avrohom, Yitzchak, Yaakov, those were great people, but no more. Moshe, you don’t compare to them. They trusted Me, but you aren’t on their level.”
Moshe was the single greatest human being who ever lived
The question on this Gemara is that that the single greatest human being who ever lived was Moshe Rabbenu. The Rambam calls him the “father” in Torah and wisdom. He was the greatest of all prophets. In fact, one of our Thirteen Principles of Faith is that Moshe was the greatest of all Navi’im, greater than those who came before him and those who came after.
Since we know that Moshe was greater than even the Avos, how can we understand this Gemara? It seems to saying that Avrohom, Yitzchak, and Yaakov were superior to Moshe.
The difference between Emunah and Bitachon
The answer to this question lies in understanding the distinction between emunah and bitachon. The Rambam defines emunah as the knowledge that HASHEM created and continues to run all of Creation. Simply put, nothing can exist and no activity can occur without HASHEM.
Bitachon, however, is a quite different. The Chovos Halevovos defines bitachon as trusting in HASHEM. It is a sense of relying on HASHEM to watch over and protect me, as if to say, “I take my heavy burden and place it on HASHEM.” While I am responsible to be proactive, I am not in charge of the outcome, and I am not the determinant of the results. I rely on HASHEM to care for me.
Emunah is a state of understanding; bitachon is a state of trust. Emunah means knowing that HASHEM is involved in every activity on the planet; bitachon means trusting in HASHEM in every situation.
A person can have emunah and not bitachon
Aperson can have emunah and not bitachon. Pharaoh was a classic example. When threatened by the Jewish overpopulation, Pharaoh’s solution was to throw the baby boys into the Nile. The Medrash explains that this wasn’t a flippant reaction – it was highly calculated. Pharaoh knew that HASHEM promised Noach that He wouldn’t bring another flood. He also knew that HASHEM pays back “measure for measure.” Therefore, Pharaoh determined that HASHEM would want to bring a flood to pay back the Egyptians for drowning the babies, but because of HASHEM’s promise to Noach, that couldn’t happen, so he felt protected from HASHEM’s wrath.
Clearly, Pharaoh understood the power of HASHEM. He realized that HASHEM watches over the world. He also understood that HASHEM acts with justice. Pharaoh had no problem with emunah, but he sure didn’t trust in HASHEM – he rebelled. He had emunah, but no bitachon.
Growing in emunah
Both emunah and bitachon are based on relating to the world in a deeper manner. Emunah is the understanding that HASHEM is involved in more than just the big picture issues: life and death, war, famine, disease. . . HASHEM is involved in the minutiae of my daily life. HASHEM is there with me, 24/7, 365, all day, every day, from morning to night.
Amazingly, I can have this understanding and yet lack a level of trust in HASHEM.
Bitachon requires understanding the goodness of HASHEM
To truly rely on HASHEM, there are two additional criteria I must feel. I must know that HASHEM loves me more than I love myself, and I must know that HASHEM knows better than I do what is for my good.
Bitachon is predicated upon knowing that HASHEM has my best interests in mind and that He knows better than I what is for my good. When a person realizes this, and then takes his heavy load and transfers it to HASHEM – that is bitachon.
The answer: Moshe was greater in emunah – the Avos were greater in bitachon
The answer to the question seems to be that Moshe Rabbeinu was on a higher level of emunah than any other human being, then or since. He saw HASHEM with an absolute clarity. Just as we see a piece of wood in front of us as undeniably real, he saw HASHEM – right there. But absolute trust in HASHEM doesn’t necessarily follow. Bitachon is learned, and practiced. Much like a character trait that one develops over many years, one learns, often through life experiences, to be totally and utterly trusting in the kindness of HASHEM. Apparently, the Avos reached a higher level in this regard. They had an unwavering sense of the constant goodness and loving kindness of HASHEM; hence, they were able to be more trusting of HASHEM even when on the surface, there were many questions to be asked. Moshe was greater in emunah, while they were greater in bitachon.
This distinction has great relevance. Often our problems with faith come from this one issue: we have emunah, but not bitachon. When a person comes to the core understanding that HASHEM is more concerned for my good than I am, and that HASHEM knows my needs far better than I, he comes to a different degree of trust, a different level of relying on HASHEM. He comes to true bitachon.
For more on this topic please listen to Shmuz #18 –The Difference between Emunah and Bitachon.
The new Shmuz on Life book: Stop Surviving and Start Living is now in print! It is a powerful, inspiring work that deals with major life issues. Copies are available in sefarim stores, or at www.TheShmuz.com, or by calling 866-613-TORAH (8672).
In this parsha, we meet the greatest man who ever walked on planet earth, the man who actually spoke to G-d face to face — Moshe Rabbenu — Moses, Our Teacher. Photo Credit: Ancient Origins
By: Rabbi Osher Jungreis
In this parsha, we meet the greatest man who ever walked on planet earth, the man who actually spoke to G-d face to face — Moshe Rabbenu — Moses, Our Teacher. Moses was brilliant, strong, handsome, and powerful, yet it was not for any of these reasons that he was chosen to be a leader.
The Torah testifies that no man ever lived who even came close to his greatness. While we cannot fully comprehend his majesty, we will try to define that which made him awesome and worthy of leadership; perhaps the best way to do so is to contrast his life to that of Noah.
Initially, the Torah describes Moses in very modest terms. The daughters of Jethro even refer to him as “an Egyptian man” (Exodus 2:19). On the other hand, Noah is described in glowing terms as a tzaddik, “a righteous perfect man” (Gen. 6). At the end of their lives however, their roles are reversed. Moses is called “The servant–the man of G-d” (Deut. 34:5), and Noah, is called “the man of the earth” (Genesis 9:21). What was it that led to the ascent of Moses and the descent of Noah?
The mark of a great person is evidenced by the extent of his ability to feel for, relate to, and give to others. Moses` love for people knew no bounds. He was adopted by the Princes of Egypt and could have lived the life of royalty, but he chose to leave the palace to help his brethren in their bondage (Exodus 2:11). He actually took on their pain and suffering and felt the heartbeat of every Jew.
Moses` concern however was not limited to love of his people — his compassion even extended to his flock of sheep. The Midrash relates that G-d chose Moses as the leader of the Jewish people when He saw the tenderness with which Moses carried a thirsty little lamb on his shoulder.
In contrast, Noah’s main concern was for himself. Yes, he built the ark as G-d had commanded, but he never put his life on the line to save others. He never pleaded with G-d to save his generation. On the other hand, when the survival of the Jewish people was in jeopardy following the sin of the golden calf, Moses pleaded with G-d to forgive the people, or “erase my name from Your Book.”
The Torah teaches that we measure our success, not by what we achieve for ourselves, but rather, by how we impact on our fellow man and the extent through which we become a blessing to others. This does not mean that we should neglect ourselves or our own needs, but rather, that we should expand ourselves to include others and make their concerns our own.
The average person may better relate to this concept through the one-ness he feels with his immediate family, but if he can extend this one-ness this love, to encompass a larger circle, his own soul will expand and he will emerge stronger and better for the experience. Moses came by this love naturally.
His mother, Yocheved, and his sister, Miriam were the midwives of the Jewish community who courageously defied Pharaoh`s decree and saved the babies. And more — they lovingly cared for every infant as if it was their own.
Moses was known in Kabbalah as Ro-eh Ne`eman – the faithful shepherd of Israel. Every soul was dear and precious to him, and he cared for and worried about all of them. While we cannot attain the greatness of Moses, we can endeavor to emulate him in some measure and bond with our brothers, feel their pain, rejoice in their joy, and extend chesed to them.
Rabbi Chaim Rottenberg delivering the invocation by the Governor’s State of the State Message in Albany, NY, on January 8, 2020. Photo Credit: HaModia
By: Fern Sidman
History was made on Wednesday in the Empire State when a Chassidic rabbi, whose home was the target of an anti-Semitic attack during Chanukah delivered the invocation at the State of the State annual address, delivered by New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. Rabbi Chaim Rottenberg, of the Forshay district of Monsey took the podium in Albany and spoke of the stabbing attack that took place at his home.
During the attack, Grafton E. Thomas, 37, an African-American male, burst into the rabbi’s home at 10 pm on Saturday evening, December 28th at the conclusion of Shabbos. Rabbi Rottenberg and his congregants had just concluded the lighting of the Chanukah menorah and were preparing to partake in a Melava Malka and Chanukah party at the adjacent synagogue. According to eyewitnesses, Thomas wore a mask when taking a machete out of its holder. He then began to stab those in sight. Five people were rushed to area hospitals for treatment and Thomas was eventually arrested by police in Manhattan later that evening.
Harav Chaim Rottenberg delivering a statement in front of his home in Monsey, NY, after delivering the invocation fo rthe governor’s State of the State Message. (screencap lohud)
The shock and horror of this crime predicated on visceral hatred of Jews resulted in elected officials and community leaders finally addressing the alarming escalation of anti-Semitism that has plagued New York for the last several months. In December alone, there were fourteen recorded incidents of anti-Semitic attacks and assaults; mostly among Orthodox Jewish communities in Brooklyn and one in Jersey City.
In his invocation, Rabbi Rottenberg recalled the nightmarish attack that is etched in the minds of those affected by it and many others as well.
Speaking of the infinite kindness and compassion of Hashem, he said, “Father in Heaven bless and heal us. I will never forget the horror of that night. But I will also never forget how we continued to celebrate after the attack; how we continued to rejoice in the miracle of Hanukkah. I will never forget the resilience on display that night and in the following days – the resilience of the Jewish people and the resilience of New York.
I will never forget how, in the face of tragedy, we were blessed by G-d. The miraculous fashion in which the attacker was subdued, which limited what could have been a far worse and fatal event. We pray that Divine Providence should continue protecting us from evil forces who are out to harm us physically, or from those who are out to attack our Hassidic traditional way of life and system of education.”
Of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, Rabbi Rottenberg expressed his profuse appreciation (Hakaras HaTov) for the governor’s complete support and tangible assistance during this most difficult time.
He said, “We ask you, Merciful Father, bless our Governor who has committed himself to protect our way of life and broaden security. Guide him in eradicating hate at its source and across all platforms, and help him promote and instill the values of tolerance and appreciation among all our neighborhoods and communities, who may look different, talk in a different language or raise and educate their children according to their unique ancestral traditions.
Bless this great state of New York and its people and guide this nation through these troubled times, toward a more peaceful world.”
Subsequent to the delivery of his profound remarks at the invocation, Rabbi Rottenberg held a press conference outside his Monsey home. This marked the occasion of the first time that Rabbi Rottenberg has spoken publicly about the attack. He emphasized that despite the fact that he lauded Governor Cuomo in his invocation, he does not necessarily concur with all of his policies, particularly regarding those touching upon the social agenda he has set forth for the state.
“For many Orthodox Jews, our congregation included, there is much to be rejected in the contemporary world’s embrace of freshly minted dogmas in assorted moral realms. My participation at the State of the State does not in any way imply my unilateral support of all current issues up for debate. That being said, today is neither the time nor the place to dwell on any negatives. We hope for the opportunity to at some point, discuss these moral issues with the Governor,” Rabbi Rottenberg declared.
Reaching out in a tone of true peace, reconciliation, and religious and racial tolerance, Rabbi Rottenberg said, “When the forces of hatred strike, we must counter with the power of love and goodness towards all humanity. When darkness hits, let the forces of light prevail.
Although we, the Hassidic people of Rockland and across New York State, may look different, dress differently, speak a different language, and choose to educate our children according to our traditions, we, like the many diverse people of Rockland county are all created in the image of G-d. I stand here before you stretching out my hand for peace and unity. Let us put our differences aside and bigotry behind us and work side by side to eradicate hatred.
To all our neighbors, fellow Rockland County residents and elected officials, I implore you: let us take this moment and create change, unite in reconciliation and start a new page with love and peace. Our diversity is what makes our country so great. We cannot allow seeds of hatred to destroy that. Together, we must leave the past behind and work towards a peaceful future.”
Appealing to his fellow Jews and especially younger members of the Orthodox Jewish community, Rabbi Rottenberg exhorted those listening to his words to make a concerted efforts not to politicize the horrific spate of anti-Semitic attacks as well as resist efforts to convince them to arm themselves for the purpose of self-defense.
“I appeal to fellow Jews, especially our youth, please do not allow this tragic event to arouse feelings of reprisal or the idea of taking up arms in self-defense, Rabbi Rottenberg said. “We are certainly obligated to take the basic measures and precautions for the safety of our homes, our congregations, our schools and our public places. However, ultimate law and order must remain in the trained hands of our dedicated law enforcement professionals, who on a daily basis place their lives in potential harm’s way to ensure our safety and security.”
In reference to Jews carrying guns for the purpose of self-defense in these dangerous times in which we live, it was also reported on Wednesday that HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky of Eretz Yisroel has said that American Jews are halachically permitted to carry guns to the synagogue on Shabbos for the exclusive purpose of self-defense.
Yeshiva World News has reported that the question to HaRav Kanievsky was specifically framed around having “armed guards” at synagogues, due to the increase in antisemitic incidents.
A Breitbart report indicated that HaRav Kanievsky stated his opposition to posting guards at religious venues but made clear that worshippers were permitted to carry firearms to the synagogue if the purpose was saving life.
The question was followed by asking if it is allowable to carry guns to synagogue even if a threat against worshippers is only potential, rather than “immediate.” Harav Chaim said it is allowable, according to a Breitbart report.
It is apparent that Rabbi Rottenberg and HaRav Kanievsky differ greatly on the issue of whether it is permissible for Jews to carry guns; even for the purposes of self-defense.
Run a search on food and Jewish culture on Google and you will get about 2,380,000 results, including one which starts with the observation that “Jewish culture is often associated in the popular imagination with food.” For that matter, Jewish culture is often associated in the Jewish imagination with food- as are our spiritual beliefs and practices. It’s difficult to even think about a Jewish holiday, any Jewish holiday, without thinking about a. what you eat that day or b. what you aren’t allowed to eat on that day.
So where does this obsession come from?
Actually, there are some deep spiritual roots to the Jewish obsession with food- what, how, and when it should be consumed.
When the first man and woman were created, Adam and Eve, they were given two explicit commandments: to eat from all the trees of the garden, and not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Yet, they ate from it. So the first sin committed in this world was a sin of improper eating. It was through this sin that the yeitzer hara (evil inclination) became a part of each of us, challenging us to this day with obstacles to our spiritual growth. When Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge, an impurity was brought into the world as a whole as well.
On Tu’B’shvat we have a unique opportunity to fix all of that.
Rav Tsadok HaKohen (a Chassidic rebbe who lived in Poland, 1823-1900) explains that at our Tu’B’Shvat table we are reenacting what life was like for Adam and Eve before their sin, when they were fruitarians. When we sit before our Tu B’Shvat spread, our table filled with fruits of every sort, it is as if we have returned to the Garden of Eden, and are fulfilling the one explicit positive commandment that we received there- one of the most ancient commandments in the Torah. It’s really pretty awesome in its simple way.
Yet how do we account for the negative commandment of not eating from the Tree of Knowledge? Especially since many of the fruits of our table are suspected of being of the same species as the infamous forbidden Tree of Knowledge. One opinion says it was a fig tree, another says it was a grape vine (which actually was a tall tree in the Garden of Eden, but was lowered to a vine by the sin of Adam and Eve), another opinion says that it was wheat…. In fact, for each of the seven species of fruit associated with the Land of Israel, all of which are eaten on Tu B’shvat, there is an opinion that it is the species of the forbidden tree.
It seems like when we sit down to eat fruits on Tu B’shvat, we’re doing the same thing Adam and Eve did- we’re obeying the positive commandment while violating the negative one. It can’t be that we are brazenly disobeying G‑d’s command and eating specifically from the Tree of Knowledge (i.e. olives, dates, etc) and calling it a mitzvah.
Rav Tsadok explains that the Tree of Knowledge was all of the seven species and none of them at the same time. He explains that the Tree of Knowledge was not one species of fruit as opposed to another- it was not a thing at all but a way of doing something- a way of eating. Whenever a person grabs pleasure from the world, he falls spiritually and it is as if he is eating from the Tree of Knowledge. What does it mean to grab pleasure? It means to get so distracted by the pleasure of consumption that we forget about our Creator. We take the gift and leave the Giver behind.
When we eat the many fruits associated with the Tree of Knowledge on Tu B’shvat and do so with consciousness of our Creator, that in itself is a rectification of what happened in Garden of Eden.
Based on a tradition from the Sefer Yetzira, the world’s oldest work of Kabbalah, we all know that the Hebrew month of Shvat is a time when there is a unique opportunity to rectify our relationship with food and with pleasure in general.
This is expressed in the passage which states: “G-d made the letter tsadik rule over indulgent eating, the month of Shvat and the gizzard in the soul.”
The word used for eating is l’eita , and not achila . L’eita is more gluttonous. It’s the word that Esau uses when he comes in from the field, famished, and asks Jacob to “stuff some of the red stuff you’re cooking down my throat.” For these words, his generations carry the name Edom (related to adom, “red”), to this day.
Jalynn Rosales embraces her father, Carlos, after he received a life-saving liver transplant
Transplant program offers greater access to care for liver disease
By: Jason Molinet
A surgical team with the Sandra Atlas Bass Center for Liver Diseases at North Shore University Hospital (NSUH) has performed Long Island’s first liver transplant, giving a 42-year-old Brentwood man with just days to live a new lease on life.
A surgical team with the Sandra Atlas Bass Center for Liver Diseases at North Shore University Hospital (NSUH) has performed Long Island’s first liver transplant, giving a 42-year-old Brentwood man with just days to live a new lease on life. Photo Credit: Northshore University Hospital
Carlos Rosales, a married father of two, underwent a complex 11-hour transplant surgery on December 4, after spending three months on a waiting list for a liver, which he received from a 19-year-old deceased donor. Mr. Rosales’ model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score was 39 at the time (the worst possible rating is 40), indicating the severity of his progressive liver disease.
“I honestly believe Mr. Rosales would not have survived the week without this incredible gift,” said Lewis Teperman, MD, director of organ transplantation at Northwell Health and vice chair of surgery at NSUH. “He was hospitalized and in desperate need of a liver. It’s a somber moment anytime an organ becomes available, but one person’s sacrifice can result in the gift of life to countless others. In this case, I fully expect 15-year-old Jalynn and 11-year-old Brandon to have their father around for many years to come.”
Northwell Health, New York State’s largest health system, received approval in June from the New York State Department of Health to operate Long Island’s first adult liver transplant program. The Sandra Atlas Bass Center for Liver Diseases, led by David Bernstein, MD, Northwell’s chief of hepatology and head of the health system’s liver sub-specialty service line, is providing pre- and post-liver transplant services along with care for those suffering from end-stage liver disease to more than 100 patients.
Northwell Liver Disease Investments Help Add Transplant Capacity for Region
Of the more than 10,000 patients currently awaiting an organ transplant across New York State – including 1,100 in need of a liver – nearly half live in Northwell Health’s catchment area. There were more than 8,200 liver transplants across the United States in 2018 – 450 of them in New York alone, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing.
“Long Islanders affected by liver disease now have a choice for their care,” said Dr. Bernstein. “Quality of life can be as important as the quality of care given, so receiving treatment within a short drive of home matters. Northwell’s liver transplant program offers that and more, increasing the capacity of livers to be transplanted in the New York Metro region.”
Transplant team: Northwell Health doctors (from left) Maria Sfakianos, Lewis Teperman, Matthew Bank and Elliot Grodstein at North Shore University Hospital’s new Surgical and Transplant ICU. Photo Credit: innovateli.com
Northwell’s liver transplant program will provide world-class care from the outset, utilizing new facilities and medical personnel in which the health system has invested. This year alone, NSUH opened a 13,000-square-foot, $26 million Surgical and Transplant Intensive Care Unit, renovated two existing operating rooms into state-of-the-art surgical transplant operating suites and made 50 additional hires to support the program, including its medical director Sanjaya Satapathy, MD, and transplant surgeon Elliot I. Grodstein, MD.
Back from the brink
Dr. Teperman led the transplant team through the historic first surgery. He was one of five transplant surgeons, two anesthesiologists, two pump technicians, eight OR nurses and scrub techs, two surgical residents and one anesthesia resident on hand during the overnight transplant.
Livers are typically the size of a human head. But by the time Mr. Rosales’ diseased liver was removed, it shriveled to the size of a fist, Dr. Teperman noted. Initial pathology results indicate iron disease or hemochromatosis, a genetic defect that may explain why Mr. Rosales’ grandfather died from liver disease and his nephew is currently living with it.
“My family has been by my side through this entire ordeal; I couldn’t have done it without them,” Mr. Rosales said. “I’m grateful for this second chance I’ve been given. Thank you to the donor family and the incredible team at Northwell Health.”
At a recent press conference, Mr. Rosales and his wife, Kenia, encouraged New Yorkers to become organ donors.
Mayor de Blasio’s administration is pushing forward with the Brooklyn Queens Connector project, the controversial proposal for a state-of-the-art, zero-emission streetcar system along an 11-mile corridor from Red Hook, Brooklyn to Astoria, Queens. Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
By: Hellen Zaboulani
Mayor de Blasio’s administration is pushing forward with the Brooklyn Queens Connector project, the controversial proposal for a state-of-the-art, zero-emission streetcar system along an 11-mile corridor from Red Hook, Brooklyn to Astoria, Queens. The city launched an official website www.brooklynqueensconnector.nyc/ which has information about the proposal, including FAQs, route details, important dates and events, the conceptual report from 2018, and feedback opportunities throughout the public engagement process.
“With the BQX heading towards its public review process, 2020 promises to be a big year for the project,” a Friends of the BQX spokesperson said. “Engaging with those who live and work along the route is critical to the BQX’s success, and we applaud the city for putting together a robust outreach plan for the coming months.”
When first announced in 2016, the BQX project was seen as a lavish expenditure being pushed by waterfront developers along the East River. NYC Economic Development Corporation, however, is lauding the streetcar service as a necessary north-south transit route that would connect 400,000 New Yorkers who live along the route, and 300,000 people who work along the fastest-growing business corridors in city. It would provide valuable mobility for New Yorkers with limited transit options, linking to 13 subway lines, over 30 bus routes, nine NYC Ferry landings and over a hundred Citi Bike stations.
“From transit advocates and public housing leaders to business owners and civic groups, the BQX has a broad and growing range of supporters,” the Friends of the BQX spokesperson said. “As more New Yorkers learn about the project over the next few months, we expect that support network to keep growing.”
As reported by QNS, over the next few months, the city will participate in the community engagement process, in which it will explain the proposed project, pour over details of its proposed route, and debate potential alternative types of transportation to be evaluated in the environmental review hearing process. It is the time for feedback, as concerns and suggestions will be weighed to find the best resolutions to address community priorities. The process will entail briefings with elected officials, community board presentations in both Queens and Brooklyn, webinars, on-the-ground outreach along the 12 neighborhoods of the proposed route, and five public workshops.
The proposal’s opponents argue that the plan will spike gentrification as well as the loss of roughly 2,000 parking spots along the route’s corridor. The hefty price tag of $2.7 billion is the most contested issue. At first, Mayor de Blasio had said the BQX would pay for itself through value capture such as increased tax revenue and rising property tax values along the route. Now even he concedes that federal funding will be necessary.
Residents of the public housing developments in western Queens are among the plan’s biggest supporters. “This is a big breakthrough for jobs because there are new opportunities up and down the waterfront but so many of our residents are stuck in transit deserts, we have problems with the 7 and the F while Astoria Houses are 30 blocks away from the subway stations,” said Queensbridge Houses Tenants Association President April Simpson.
“Look, when it comes to the shooting of defensive missiles if an enemy aircraft is incoming, why would we be asking permission from someone?” the senior commander said.
By: Adam Kredo
A senior Iranian commander who admitted to Iran’s role in the recent downing of a Ukrainian airplane bragged in 2016 that even the youngest Iranian officers have unilateral authority to conduct strikes like the one that downed the Ukrainian plane, killing every civilian aboard, according to video obtained by TheWashington Free Beacon.
Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) aerospace division, said over the weekend that his country “accepts full responsibility” for the airstrike that brought down the Ukrainian commercial plane. Hajizadeh said his country’s forces were on high alert following a ramp-up in military tensions with the United States.
U.S. officials familiar with the situation said it is likely Iran mistakenly shot down the Ukrainian jet, fearing a retaliatory strike by the United States for Iran’s missile attacks last week on several American outposts in the region.
Hajizadeh’s 2016 remarks bragging about Iran’s desire to launch attacks is likely to raise fresh concerns about the possibility of further strikes on commercial airlines flying in and around Iranian airspace.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration issued a no-fly order to American commercial airlines operating in the region just hours before Iran downed the Ukrainian plane, the Free Beacon reported last week.
Hajizadeh said that young Iranian officers do not need to obtain permission before launching strikes similar to the one that downed the Ukrainian plane.
“Ahead of time, scenarios have been planned and units have been given the authorization,” Hajizadeh said in the 2016 interview, which was independently translated for the Free Beacon.
“Look, when it comes to the shooting of defensive missiles if an enemy aircraft is incoming, why would we be asking permission from someone?” he continued.
“A while ago when we hit the Zionist regime’s Hermès system at Natanz, it’s not that they asked me or the general staff or the defense commander for permission,” Hajizadeh disclosed at the time.
“The officer manning the system saw, assessed, and struck,” he said.
The IRGC’s policy regarding such strikes appears to have backfired. Hajizadeh said in his most recent remarks on the Ukrainian strike that the Iranian officer who ordered the attack made a “bad decision.”
“Ahead of time, scenarios have been planned and units have been given the authorization,” Hajizadeh said in the 2016 interview, which was independently translated for the Free Beacon. (Washington Free Beacon)
Longtime Brooklyn Democratic Party boss Frank Seddio is resigning. Photo Credit: City & State
By: Hans Van Fracht
Longtime Brooklyn Democratic Party boss Frank Seddio is resigning.
Sources reportedly told the New York Post that the 74-year-old Seddio, chairman since 2012, is going to make the announcement on Wednesday. His term in office was scheduled to have concluded in eight months anyway.
“I’m announcing I’m stepping down,” Seddio told the Post in a telephone interview. “I’ve been the chairman for [eight] years. It’s been fun. It’s been a good run. I’m retiring as the chairman and semi-retiring from my law practice. I hope God gives me a few more years.”
He will reportedly stay on as the 59th Assembly District leader.
Seddio has been a community activist his entire adult life. “There has been no one more influential and important to the quality of life in Canarsie than Frank Seddio,” noted the web site brooklyndems.com. “For almost 25 years Frank Seddio has treated the community to the largest and most elaborate Holiday Display in the City of New York. Each Christmas season Frank’s house on the corner of East 93rd Street and Flatlands Avenue has been the center of attention as he and his family members spend almost two months constructing this Holiday tradition. For decades he has delighted and brought smiles to thousands of people from all over Brooklyn.
Seddio began his community work as a member of the Knights of Columbus, a fraternal organization dedicated to charitable works. He served in many offices and was the youngest Grand Knight (President) of the organization which has been a part of fabric of Canarsie since its inception in 1958. He was the founder and first President of the Canarsie Volunteer Ambulance Corps. For over 25 years this organization has provided free ambulance service to the Canarsie community with over 100 volunteers who have given their time and talents, dedicating themselves to insuring life saving medical care to the people of Canarsie.
When Seddio was chosen to lead Brooklyn Democrats back in 2012 it was on the heals of controversy. As the New York Times reported then, “Though some Democratic leaders had tried to rally around another candidate for chairmanship of the executive committee of the Kings County Democratic Committee, Mr. Seddio had gathered support by the time the vote took place. His strongest challenger, Assemblyman Karim Camara, the head of the Assembly’s Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus, decided to back Mr. Seddio. He said Mr. Seddio had promised he would broaden the party’s leadership and conduct open party meetings.
