On June 4, 2019, the Richmond County Bar Association at its 110thAnniversary Dinner honored New York State Supreme Court Justice Orlando Marrazzo, Jr., as the Honoree of the year at a celebratory dinner held at Staten Island’s Hilton Ballroom on South Avenue.
Representing the Staten Island Council of Jewish Organizations at the dinner, was COJO President Rabbi Mendy Mirocznik. Rabbi Mirocznik remarked, “[t]hat the Council of Jewish Organizations congratulates Justice Orlando Marrazzo, Jr., on being honored as the Honoree of the Year at the 110th Anniversary Dinner of the Richmond County Bar Association. Justice Marrazzo joined the Staten Island bench in 2010 when he was first elected to the New York City Civil Court. Upon becoming a Judge, Justice Marrazzo a seasoned practioner with over 30 years of legal practice brought with him a wealth of legal expertise to the bench. The legal acumen that Justice Marrazzo possess has only furthered enhanced Staten Island’ judiciary to having it ranked as one of the most respected courts in New York State. We at COJO wish Justice Marrazzo continued success as jurist for many years to come.”
On Tuesday, May 28, 2019, Lenox Hill Hospital, a world premier medical institution opened its doors to a joint program of the Rabbinical Alliance of America/Igud HaRabbonim (RAA/IGUD), an Orthodox rabbinical association with a membership near 1,000 Orthodox rabbis serving throughout the United States, and the National Council of Young Israel (NCYI), an Orthodox synagogue association with over 130 congregations across America.
The symposium, entitled “Mchayil Lchayil, Taking YOUR SELF seriously, THE RABBI and HIS SELF care!”, was geared toward congregational rabbis and institutional chaplains. The symposium reflects the desire of both the RAA/IGUD and the NCYI to collaborate long-term on professional development and training that will enhance the Orthodox rabbi and chaplain. This training focuses on the rabbi’s and chaplain’s need to avoid burnout and to make certain that they are physically and spiritually healthy. A burnt-out rabbi or chaplain is unable to properly tend to the religious and spiritual needs of his congregation and patient. Therefore, the first of this series of professional development focused on staying healthy in order to best answer their calling to serve the community.
Rabbi Leonard (Yehuda) Blank, director of the Chaplaincy Commission and External Affairs of the RAA/IGUD, opened the program and introduced Mr. Joe Leggio, associate executive director of Hospital Administration at Lenox Hill Hospital, who warmly greeted the attendees and emphasized the hospital’s sensitivity to and celebration of local communities. Rabbi Simcha Silverman, the director of Chaplaincy Services at Lenox Hill Hospital, also serves as Rabbi of Congregation Etz Chaim of Flatbush and as a member of the Chaplaincy Commission of the RAA/IGUD, further welcomed the rabbis and chaplains, and gave his insight as both a synagogue rabbi and hospital chaplain. Also participating in the Symposium were Rabbi Michoel Chazan, Rabbi Yochanan Ivry and Rabbi Tzephania Kreger, the other members of the Chaplaincy Commission of the RAA/IGUD.
Rabbi Binyamin Hammer, director of Rabbinic Services at NCYI; Rabbi Marc Volk, executive director of NCYI and Rabbi Mendy Mirocznik, executive vice-president of RAA/IGUD, spoke of the unprecedented stress and pressures felt by the contemporary rabbi. These demands represent the complex reality in which the rabbi finds himself today, which are different from rabbis in previous generations.
Dr. Steven Mandel, Neurologist at Lenox Hill Hospital; Ms. Katrina Hartog, Dietician at Lenox Hill Hospital; Dr. Adam Rosenbluth, Cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital; and Rabbi Richard Weiss MD, a practicing physician and the rabbi of the Young Israel of Hillcrest, gave brilliant lectures in their respective fields of medicine. In particular, they focused on how a rabbi and chaplain can lead a healthy life and be more productive as a religious leader and guide.
During the dinner catered and sponsored by Lenox Hill Hospital, Inspector Mark Molinari, commanding officer of the NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force, spoke about the rise of anti-Semitic incidents and hate crimes and presented security solutions that synagogues and houses of worship can implement. Inspector Molinari gave great security tips and expressed his gratitude to Rabbi Mendy Mirocznik for inviting him to participate in the symposium. Inspector Molinari concluded that he looks forward to continuing his collaboration with the RAA/IGUD and NCYI, who are great community partners and play a pivotal role in enhancing the quality of life for New Yorkers.
The successful symposium concluded with a grand tour of the hospital, its operating rooms, emergency rooms and its cutting-edge technology led by Rabbi Simcha Silverman and Dr. Brandon J. Godbout, vice-chairman of Emergency Medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital.
At the end of the night, the rabbis and chaplains left recharged and encouraged, all possible thanks to the generosity and kindness of Lenox Hill Hospital.
- A long-time realtor and one who has her finger on the pulse of the Long Island City building boom, Evi Kokalari-Angelakis offers a background and perspective on the genesis of this ill-fated Amazon business plan.
In the aftermath of the mind-numbing reversal of corporate giant Amazon in establishing its HQ2 in the Long Island City section of New York City, those engaged in the local real estate industry have conducted incisive analyses as the proverbial post-mortem continues and the trauma still reverberates.
At these times that try men’s souls, it is comforting to know that such real estate fixtures as Evi Kokalari -Angelakis of Golden Key Realty can offer a painfully truthful perspective while injecting a sanguine tone that is predicated on reality.
A long-time realtor and one who has her finger on the pulse of the Long Island City building boom, Angelakis offers a background and perspective on the genesis of this ill-fated Amazon business plan.
“For a number of years now, the average observer can see that the entire face of Long Island City has dramatically transitioned from a run-down industrial neighborhood to a hub of vibrant commerce. This is evidenced by the increasing number of office spaces being taken in luxury buildings as well as an expanding upscale residential area that boasts a wide variety of rental and condo options; with all the amenities of city buildings, “Angelakis declared.
“Amazon and others made great deals with the city. They were in an advantageous position to obtain the land necessary for “a song.” There were a number of environmental hazards plaguing the LIC area but they invested in rectifying these issues. Major developers from Brooklyn and Queens wanted “a piece of the action” and initiated building in Long Island City as well. They converted these dilapidated industrial buildings into condos and office space and this seedy area, once left for dead, suddenly saw an explosive revival that no one thought possible,” said Angelakis
Angelakis recalls the sequence of events with remarkable clarity and insight. “Amazon was going to rent a million square feet from Citicorp and then another 8 million square feet. That is hugely significant if one considers the fact that Hudson Yards is composed of 18 million feet. At that juncture, Amazon was a week away from signing a lease,” she said.
She added that, “I must say that it was a huge relief to know that Amazon was coming in. Contracts went out in the 4th quarter of 2018 and everything was moving at a fairly rapid pace.”
Angelakis said that in November, Amazon made the announcement of their impending arrival. “We learned that 8,000 brand new rental properties and condos would go up for sale. The question that was consistently raised among real estate industry professionals was how the market was going to absorb this as the pricing was plummeting.”
According to Angelakis, quite a formidable economic boom was percolating in the background and the entire scenario appeared rife with possibilities. “At a minimum, 25,000 new jobs were available with accompanying salaries in the $150 thousand per year range. Many construction jobs were being offered as Amazon sought to buy land for the express purpose of constructing residential buildings. It was clear that they were definitely seeking more square footage in terms of residential buildings for all these new employees to live.”
At this juncture, matters took a different turn. Says Angelakis, “Political wrangling and the pursuit of nefarious agendas by elected officials played an impactful role in ‘raining on Amazon’s parade’ so to speak.”
“Amazon then said that this situation was not the prime scenario. We were then left with an over supply of condos and rentals, “ she added.
Angelakis said that it is important to bear in mind that developers need to see results. “For developers, they saw their rate of return decreasing and they are concerned about repaying construction loans. Certainly, they are going feel the effects. Just remember, by the conclusion of 2020, almost 12,000 units were to be built.”
Apparently, the public transportation options to and from Long Island City which are absolutely essential for a thriving business community were in place.
The number 2 and 3 IRT subway lines were routed to accommodate Citicorp. Additionally, the train that connects Long Island City with Hudson Yards was also gearing up to carry commuters on a daily basis.
Then, of course, the proverbial bubble seemed to rattle the world as it burst in front of our collective eyes. Says Angelakis, “The ‘dark money’ began to emerge in the aftermath of the midterm congressional elections in November of 2018. Suddenly, there was Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on the New York City scene as this freshman congresswoman clearly had an anti-Amazon bias and was not timid about vocalizing it.”
Michael Gianaris, who represents New York’s 12th State Senate district, which includes the Queens neighborhoods of Astoria, Long Island City, Sunnyside and parts of Woodside, Maspeth, Ridgewood and Woodhaven began to insert himself in the Amazon scenario, according to Angelakis. To say that his position was effectively anti-business would be a gross understatement.
Angelakis recalls that Gianaris bickered with New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo over the course of negotiations with the retail powerhouse. “Gianaris refused to sit down with executives from Amazon and thrash out concerns and points of contention. He also made it clear that he had no interest whatsoever in meeting with the local developers in Long Island City. It appeared that all Gianaris was angling for was publicity and playing to the same base that Ocasio-Cortez was,” she added.
Nerves were indeed frazzled as business leaders and industry executives among many others began scratching their heads, asking, “what are we going to do now that Amazon is planning to leave?”
Published reports at the time indicated that Cuomo was willing to fork over $3 billion in tax incentives to Amazon, with the ostensible purpose of luring them into the deal. Says Angelakis, “Just remember that the return on the $3 billion that the state was going to offer Amazon would have resulted in the state receiving $27 billion back, so I think that is a pretty sound investment,” she added.
Angelakis said that Gianaris was concerned with an improved local infrastructure plan, but his adamant posture in not effectively communicating with business leaders and elected officials was the ultimate downfall.
“In my opinion, Gianaris could have gotten $5 billion for schools, housing and extra amenities for his district, but his objective was to garner as much attention as he could. Helping his constituents were definitely on a back burner” she said.
In the days preceding Amazon’s historic decision to pull the plug on New York City for their HQ2, Gianaris was contacted, according to Angelakis. “He said that Amazon was bluffing, but history has recorded that they certainly were not.”
On a more upbeat note, Angelakis has great hope for the future of real estate development and economic prosperity in Long Island City.
“One never knows when another big windfall will occur and the clients that I have served for many years are completely cognizant of this. In the meantime, we urge all New Yorkers and all people to come and visit Long Island City, come hear the success stories from those who lives have been changed immeasurably for the better in this area. Come visit the upscale retail stores, come and see for yourself that Long Island City is a place that is literally brimming with exciting possibilities.”
You would think that Germany, today’s Germany, would be a staunch ally of the U.S., to stand with us against the terrorism of the likes of Iran and its Islamic culture of hate. You would think that after our freeing Germany from the horror of its own Nazi regime with the blood of hundreds of thousands of our own irreplaceable youth, after freeing post WWII Germany from the claws of Russian Communism and after seeing to it that Germany rose to the heights of being the moral and economic leader of Europe, that the Germans would have some sense of loyalty to America. No way. It’s still “Deutchland Uber Alles!” for them.
Edited by: JV Staff
Currently acting as the agents for Iran, they seem to be blinded by their greed rather than being able to understand that an alliance with the likes of that nation, they are acting to feed the flames of terrorism emanating from Tehran. Once again, the Germans are making a decision that will likely cause another world-wide conflagration. And it will surely be us again, who will have to sacrifice to free them and their continent from their arrogance and stupidity.
The Daily Wire reported on Tuesday that despite the fact that “German intelligence says the number of members and supporters of the terrorist group Hezbollah has increased in Germany, Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel refuses to name Hezbollah a terrorist group.”
The Daily Wire also reported that according to a Jerusalem Post study, the German intelligence report stated that “as anti-Semitism is rising in Germany, the number of Hezbollah members and supporters climbed from 950 in 2017 to 1,050 in 2018; 150 Hezbollah operatives are working in Lower Saxony. The report covers 2018 and was released on May 22, 2019.”
The intelligence report added, “Hezbollah denies the right of existence of the State of Israel and fights it with terrorist means. In Germany, the followers of Hezbollah maintain organizational and ideological and cohesion in local mosques associations that are financed primarily by donations. Hezbollah is against the idea of international understanding and the peaceful coexistence of peoples. The ‘party’ of Hezbollah was founded under the authority of the Islamic Republic of Iran, representing the most radical party of the Lebanese Shi’ite community.”
After President Obama together with the EU (led by Germany) birthed the disastrous deal (JCPOA) that gave Iran the green light to develop nuclear weapons, incoming President Trump nixed the deal and asked Europe to join with us in sanctioning Iran for its treaty violations. However, Europe’s “big three” (led by Germany) ordered their businesses to ignore America’s imposed sanctions and to continue dealing with Iran. In short, Europe, the continent that owes its current freedoms to us, has turned its backs on its frequent savior to curry the favor of trading with and energizing the terrorists of Iran. Germany, under its Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has continued until this very day to stubbornly refuse to ban Iran’s proxy, Hezbollah, from operating in Europe, despite the alarming facts presented to her.
They play the game of stupidity in claiming that they only support the “political wing” rather than the “military wing” of that terrorist group. Nonsense! That organization, Hezbollah, itself proudly proclaims, “We are an openly Islamist, terrorist organization!” And in willful refusal to face reality, the EU, (led by Germany) permits funds to flow into Hezbollah’s coffers, feeding the frenzy of terror that is overwhelming their own continent.
Michael Rubin, an acknowledged Iran expert, wrote recently in the Washington Examiner: “For German authorities across from the political spectrum, human rights is only a tool with which to dress its foreign policy rhetoric…For German authorities, the primary goal is commercial benefit. The execution of gays, slaughter of Jews, repression of other minorities, and terrorism are inconveniences to ignore.” Rubin is right on the money. Germany, leads the EU pack of hypocrites who once again side with the bad guys who will eventually engulf their continent in flames and end up begging for us to bail them out. We say, “Never Again!”
“Designed for tactical missions on the battlefield, the T-Heron is expected to be used extensively by ground troops and coastal guards, announced Israel’s Homeland Security agency.
By: WIN Staff
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is unveiling its “new tactical Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) of the Heron family: the T-Heron,” reports Israel’s Homeland Security (iHLS) website.
IAI says that it will “reveal” the system at the upcoming Paris Air Show, which is scheduled for June 17 -23 at the Exhibition Center of Le Bourget, a few kilometers north of the French capital.
“Designed for tactical missions on the battlefield, the T-Heron is expected to be used extensively by ground troops and coastal guards, as well as by other protection forces,” says iHLS. “With a versatile design and suitable for a variety of payloads, it features the most advanced IAI technologies,” it adds.
“The T-Heron joins IAI’s Heron UAS Family,” which is the product of “over 40 years [of experience], over 1,700,000 combat flight hours and over 50 operational customers, which use IAI UAS’s in a range of missions, environmental conditions and warfare theaters across the globe,” the website reports.
According to IAI, “the T-heron features one of the highest levels of flight safety and reliability and is resistant to extreme weather conditions.”
It is not the only milestone reported recently by IAI. Last week, it announced that its “Ofek 5 advanced satellite was beginning its 18th year in space. The satellite was launched by the Directorate for Defense Research and Development in the Israel Ministry of Defense, and IAI, by means of the Shavit launcher,” says the company. (WIN)
ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) welcomes Mayor de Blasio’s announcement today that more will be done to strengthen and improve NYC’s hate crime prevention and response efforts, including through the City’s newly-established Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes. According to NYPD data released this week, 184 hate crimes were reported thus far in 2019 – a 64% increase compared to last year – with 110 anti-Semitic incidents comprising the majority of these incidents.
“These numbers are simply unacceptable,” said Evan R. Bernstein, ADL NY/NJ Regional Director. “Hate crimes demand priority attention because of their special impact; not only do they cause substantial harm to the victim, but they damage the fabric of our society and fragment communities. We are grateful to all City leaders and community members who come together today to send a strong and unified message that hatred and bigotry will not be tolerated in our city.”
Herut North America is strongly protesting the decision by the Jewish Council for Public Affairs to hold a public program about Israel in which all three speakers are senior officials of the Israel Policy Forum, a small organization that was created by the Israeli Labor Party.
Herut North America, U.S. Division’s National Director Moshe Phillips said: “Since the JCPA claims to represent a wide cross-section of American Jewry, its public programs about Israel should feature diverse viewpoints—and speakers who represent groups that were created by an Israeli political party should be identified as such. It’s time for the JCPA to embrace the principles of diversity and truth in advertising.”
Herut North America’s letter, signed by Moshe Phillips and by Karma Feinstein-Cohen, the Executive Director of World Herut, protesting this politicization and lack of diversity was sent today to the JCPA leadership, with copies to the leaders of all of the 17 national member agencies of the JCPA. See letter below:
Dear Mr. Bernstein and Mr. Dubin:
We are writing to protest the decision by the Jewish Council for Public Affairs to host a webinar concerning Israel in which all three speakers represent an organization associated with one small Israeli political party.
The webinar, “Ramifications of West Bank Annexation,” is scheduled to take place on June 6, 2019. According to the JCPA’s announcement, the only three speakers will be Michael Koplow, policy director of the Israel Policy Forum; David A. Halperin, executive director of the Israel Policy Forum; and Sierra DeCrosta, programs manager of the Israel Policy Forum.
The IPF’s own leading supporters have not been shy away about the group’s origins. Just two months ago, Rabbi John L. Rosove (co-chair of the J Street Rabbinic Cabinet) wrote in the Times of Israel (https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/the-politicization-of-israel-by-the-republican-party-and-aipac/) that “Yitzhak Rabin called upon Jonathan Jacoby to create a new American political organization called ‘The Israel Policy Forum’ …The IFP served as the precursor to J Street.”
We would like to emphasize that we are not objecting to having an Israel Policy Forum representative as one of several speakers on your program. We are not objecting to any Israel Policy Forum officials speaking anywhere, at any time. This is not an issue of free speech. This is an issue concerning two important principles: diversity, and truth in advertising.
1.The principle of diversity: The JCPA speaks on behalf of 17 national Jewish agencies and 125 community relations councils, whose leaders and members hold a wide range of political and religious views. Therefore the JCPA’s public programs should present a range of American Jewish views, not merely the views of one small segment of the community. It is not appropriate for the JCPA to hold an event in which all three speakers represent the same point of view, and all other points of view are excluded.
In this case, the lack of diversity is even more glaring because the Israel Policy Forum was founded by an Israeli political party which won only six Knesset seats in the most recent Israeli election, and therefore can be said to represent only 5% of the Israeli public.
2.The principle of truth in advertising:If a JCPA event includes a speaker representing an organization that was created by a specific political party, the public should be informed of this fact.
We urge to you take immediate steps to diversify the speakers for the webinar.
President Trump & First Lady Melania greet Prince Charles and his wife Camilla at a formal dinner on Tuesday night. Photo Credit–The Royal Family Twitter page.
President Trump got down to business on Tuesday, as he spent the second day of his visit to the United Kingdom talking trade deals with embattled Prime Minister Theresa May at 10 Downing Street.
During the joint press conference that the two close allies held, Trump deployed a mix of diplomacy and barbs.
Trump said the U.S. is committed to a “phenomenal trade deal” with Britain as the country prepares to leave the European Union, he saw “no limitations” on future intelligence sharing despite disagreements over the threat posed by China tech giant Huawei, and he praised the outgoing British prime minister saying May has “done a very good job.”
A protestor is holding up a sign greeting President Donald Trump and his wife Melania to the United Kingdom on a state visit. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
According to a VOA News report, thousands of demonstrators have thronged central London to protest Trump’s visit to London. When queried on Tuesday about his reaction to the demonstrations, Trump said he saw only a single small protest and media reports of much larger crowds are “fake news.”
On that note, on Monday, upon his arrival in England, Trump commented on Twitter that television news from the United States was only available from CNN International. He asked his Twitter followers to pressure AT&T, which is CNN’s parent company to either have the network offer factual news rather than what he has termed “fake news” or else choose to boycott the Atlanta based cable news network.
Prime Minister May praised the relationship between the two countries, but acknowledged some differences over climate change and Iran. Britain still supports the Paris Climate accord, which Trump has rejected, and supports the Iran nuclear agreement that the U.S. has withdrawn from, according to a VOA report.
May spoke days before she is scheduled to resign after failing to secure a deal to complete Britain’s exit from the EU. That process will be inherited by her successor, with no clear path to a resolution among sharply divided parties.
President Trump meets with UK Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday as the two leaders enaged in trade talks and other matters
Trump, who has publicly backed former Foreign Minister Boris Johnson, predicted an agreement for Britain to leave the EU “will happen and that it should happen.” He also suggested that the UK not be responsible to pay an almost $50 billion “divorce bill” just for the opportunity to pry itself loose from the EU in the Brexit mandate.
Ahead of his trip, Trump told the Sunday Times of London that, “If you don’t get the deal you want, if you don’t get a fair deal, then you walk away,” The commander-in- chief had previously been critical of how May handled the Brexit negotiations after the British people had voted in favor of the split.
Trump described UK opposition Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn, who has been critical of Trump, as a “negative force” and said he would not meet with him during his Britain visit, according to a VOA report.
Trump has publicly backed former foreign secretary Boris Johnson as leader of the Conservative Party to succeed May, as was reported by VOA. He told reporters before departing the White House late Sunday he may meet with Johnson and Brexit party politician Nigel Farage while he is in London, potentially creating an embarrassment to the outgoing prime minister.
What is certainly not on his agenda is a meeting with London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who wrote in The Observer newspaper that welcoming Trump for a state visit is “un-British.” He cited Trump’s sharing of tweets from a “British far-right racist group,” the president’s rejection of scientific evidence of climate change, and Trump “trying to interfere shamelessly” in the race to replace May.
When asked if he would be open to meeting with Khan, Trump said Sunday, “No, I don’t think much of him” and likened him to New York mayor Bill de Blasio, a Trump political opponent, “only shorter”.
VOA reported that upon landing in London, Trump continued his attack on Khan via twitter, calling him a “stone cold loser” who “has been foolishly ‘nasty’ to the visiting President of the United States, by far the most important ally of the United Kingdom.”
Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt criticized Khan for his “great discourtesy”. But Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the office of the mayor of London should be respected in the same way one respects the office of the president.
At a business roundtable event on Tuesday morning, Trump said he thinks the U.S. and Britain will reach a “very, very substantial trade deal” that is “very fair.”
May said Britain and the United States could expand their economic partnership with a bilateral trade deal and that her government believes in “keeping markets free, fair and open,” as was reported by VOA.
Trump has pursued new trade arrangements with a number of major U.S. trade partners, including China, with a stated goal of making terms more friendly to the United States.
Later in the day on Tuesday, Trump and first lady Melania dined with the heir to the throne, Prince Charles of Wales and his wife, Camilla, the grand Duchess of Cornwall.
On Monday, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, the longest reigning monarch in history greeted Trump and wife Melania after they arrived on the lawn at London’s Buckingham Palace on the Marine One helicopter on a day that was replete with pomp and circumstance. Subsequent to a welcoming ceremony that included a 41-gun salute, and inspection of the Royal Guard of Honor, the Trumps headed inside for a private lunch with the queen and members of the royal family.
Absent from the proceedings was the Duchess of Sussex, American actress Meghan Markle, who is married to Queen Elizabeth’s grandson, Prince Harry. On May 6th, Ms. Markle gave birth to their first child; a boy named Archie Harrison. She is currently on maternity leave at their country residence at Frogmore Cottage near Windsor Castle.
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex did indeed attend the Queen’s lunch for her guests from the US, despite the fact that due to an alleged comment from Trump, his wife’s name was bandied about in the UK tabloid press.
Prior to leaving Washington, a controversy of sorts emerged when responding to a question from a British reporter, Trump said that Markle was “nasty.” The interviewer asked him if he was aware of critical comments Markle has made about his presidential run in 2016 and her statement at the time concerning her intent to move to Canada if he was elected. He then said that he is sure Markle will do “excellently” in her role as the Duchess of Sussex and that he hopes she succeeds. Trump denied that he had called Markle “nasty.”
The queen gave the president and the first lady a tour of the picture gallery of the Buckingham Palace. The artifacts on display include an 18-century map of New York and a pewter horse statuette that the president gave Queen Elizabeth on his working visit last year, according to a VOA report.
The Queen presented Trump with a first edition of Sir Winston Churchill’s book “The Second World War,” from 1959, with gilt decorations and hand-sewn bindings in the colors of the US flag. He was also given a three-piece Duofold pen set decorated with an EIIR emblem, in a design made exclusively for the monarch.
Mrs Trump received a specially commissioned silver box with a handcrafted enamel lid, decorated in royal blue with roses, thistles and shamrocks to represent the ceiling of Buckingham Palace’s music room.
The rest of the day included a tour of historic Westminster Abbey, and afternoon tea with Prince Charles and his wife Camilla at his London home, Clarence House.
Trump and the first lady met Prince Andrew, the Duke of York at Westminster Abbey, where they laid a wreath at the grave of the unknown warrior. Prince Andrew is Queen Elizabeth’s second oldest son.
The president signed the distinguished visitor’s book in his customary black marker pen, describing the 13th Century church as a “special place”.
The highlight of the day was the white-tie-and-tiaras state banquet dinner at Buckingham Palace. Besides the queen and her husband Prince Philip, other royals in attendance included Prince Charles and Camilla, and Prince William and his wife, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, according to a VOA report.
Each of the president’s adult children and their spouses — Eric and Lara Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, and Tiffany Trump — attended the banquet. Several White House aides also joined, including counselor Kellyanne Conway, national security adviser John Bolton and press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
In his speech at the banquet, Trump praised the courage of the British people during World War Two and called the Queen a “great, great woman”.
“In that dark hour, the people of this nation showed the world what it means to be British,” he said, adding that their bravery ensured that the destiny of the country “remained in your own hands”.
Trump ended his speech with a toast to “the eternal friendship of our people, the vitality of our nations and to the long-cherished and truly remarkable reign of Her Majesty the Queen”.
The Queen praised the two countries’ role in creating an assembly of international institutions that would ensure “the horrors of conflict would never be repeated”.
On Twitter before the banquet, Trump praised the welcome from the Royal Family as “fantastic” and said the relationship with the UK is “very strong”.
L-R Councilman Rafael Salamanca, David Greenfield, CEO, Met Council, Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark, Israel Nitzan, Deputy Consul General of Israel, Eric Goldstein, CEO UJA Federation of New York. Photo Credit: Rod Morata / Michael Priest
L-R David Greenfield, CEO, Met Council, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., Jeffrey Moerdler Esq., Met Council Volunteer of the Year
Met Council on Jewish Poverty hosted sixty-seven elected officials and hundreds of community leaders, policy makers and heads of affiliated Jewish Community Councils at their annual Legislative Breakfast at The Yale Club in Manhattan. Nearly 400 participants in the breakfast were there to celebrate on Sunday morning June 2nd as the largest Jewish charity serving the poor honored key legislators for their advocacy on behalf of the poor. This year’s breakfast boasted Met Council’s best political turnout yet as an incredible 40% of New York City’s elected officials attended the breakfast – the most widely attended of any Jewish event each year.
Sold out crowd at Met Council’s Legislative Breakfast
This year’s breakfast was in tribute to the memory of Councilman Lew Fidler who embodied the spirit of giving back to the community. His wife Robin and family were presented an award by Senator Chuck Schumer inscribed with the phrase from Pirkei Avos that read “in a place where there are no leaders, strive to be a leader.” Senator Schumer told a number of stories about how Councilman Lew Fidler “used his political strength to help others.” Fidler was a life-long advocate for fighting poverty in the Jewish community.
Comptroller Scott Stringer, Borough President Gale Brewer, David Greenfield, CEO, Met Council
“Met Council helps over 225,000 needy New Yorkers each year,” said David G. Greenfield, CEO of Met Council. “Legislators are the backbone of fighting poverty in New York. Just about every good poverty fighting idea comes from legislators, so this is our opportunity to say thanks and celebrate the work we do together fighting poverty.”
NY State Attorney General Letitia James was the featured guest speaker and spoke passionately about fighting anti-Semitism, “I dare anyone to engage in hate while I am Attorney General,” said Attorney General James while vowing to crack down on hate crimes as Attorney General of New York State.
Congressman Gregory Meeks, Commissioner Steven Banks, David Greenfield, CEO, Met Council
Eric Goldstein, CEO of UJA- Federation of New York introduced Israel’s Consul General Ambassador Dani Dayan. The Ambassador talked about the amazing work of Met Council. He also called on everyone to demand real action from our elected officials in proactively fighting Anti Semitism. Congressman Eliot Engel, who was still jetlagged from a trip to Israel he had just returned from, received the Fighting Hate and Anti-Semitism Award. He thanked Met Council not only for his award but for their role in unifying the Jewish community. Engel is the chair of the House Foreign Relations Committee and vowed to use that perch to fight anti-Semitism across the world.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, Councilman Mark Treyger, David Greenfield, CEO, Met Council
Other distinguished honorees included: The Honorable Gale A. Brewer (Manhattan Borough President), The Honorable Helene Weinstein (NY State Assembly), Commissioner Steven Banks (NYC HRA), The Honorable Peter J. Abbate, Jr. (NY State Assembly), The Honorable Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. (NY State Senate), The Honorable Joseph R. Lentol (NY State Assembly, The Honorable Rafael Salamanca, Jr. (NY City Council), The Honorable Mark Treyger (NY City Council), Betsy Jacobson (United Jewish Council of the East Side) and Met Council volunteer Jeffrey A. Moerdler (Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.)
Met Council is the largest Jewish tzedaka serving the poor in New York. They have ten different departments that work together to fight poverty including America’s largest free kosher food network, crisis intervention services, family violence prevention programs and the largest network of affordable housing in the Jewish community located in 20 building owned and operate by Met Council across the five boroughs of New York City.
According to a NY1 report, Brooklyn residents who regularly drive across the Verrazano Bridge into Staten Island may soon get a discounted toll. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
According to a NY1 report, Brooklyn residents who regularly drive across the Verrazano Bridge into Staten Island may soon get a discounted toll.
Under a bill passed by the State Senate this week, Brooklynites who make more than 10 trips a month and use EZ Pass would pay $6.88 to cross the bridge.
NY1 reported that that’s the same amount Staten Islanders pay. The current toll for EZ Pass users who don’t live on Staten Island is $12.
The bill still needs to be approved by the Assembly before going to Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Back in April, the Jewish Voice reported that a $2 rate hike went into effect on the Verrazano. The non-E-ZPass toll to travel on the storied bridge is now the most expensive in the country, at $19.
The toll to travel along the two-and-a-half mile bridge is $1 more than to travel across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel in Virginia, which is 23 miles long.
“My God — $19 without E-ZPass! I mean, you’re going to Staten Island! It doesn’t seem worth it,” Bay Ridge resident Gloria Padron told The New York Post.
The E-ZPass toll under the new rate hike is $12.24.
Staten Island residents won’t be subject to the rate hike, however, and will only pay $5.50 as part of a rebate program put in place by New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Gov. Cuomo and the state legislature decided to put up $6,000,000 per year in a bid to keep tolls low for Staten Island residents.
“My boyfriend lives on Staten Island and pays like $5 with E-ZPass. When I go to Staten Island now, it’s over $12,” 21-year-old Caitlyn Kelly, who lives in Bay Ridge, told The Post. “It is too much and unfair to Brooklyn residents. My boyfriend will have to come to Brooklyn if he wants to see me.”
Democratic Councilman Justin Brannan fumed at the fact that the reduced rate isn’t offered to Brooklyn residents.
“Last time I checked, a bridge has two sides. It is RIDICULOUS that the discounts offered to Staten Island residents have NEVER been offered to Brooklyn residents,” Mr. Brannan, who lives in Bay Ridge, said Sunday on Twitter.
State Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R) hit back against Mr. Brannan defending the special rate for one side of the bridge.
“That bridge is our only way to connect. Staten Island is absolutely deserving of the credit. It’s part of what government should be doing,” she said, according to The Post. “I’m also advocating for Brooklyn residents, because no one should be paying $19 to drive over a bridge to go to work.”
Other borough bridges and tunnels have also seen rate hikes, including the Queens Midtown Tunnel, the Throgs Neck Bridge, and the Robert F. Kennedy bridge.
“It’s getting crazy. The tolls just keep going up and up. The service doesn’t get any better,” New York resident Karen Sklar told The Post on Sunday as she prepared to go through the Queens Midtown Tunnel. “The entrances are constantly closed or overcrowded.”
New York state police officers along with two bystanders saved an elderly man this weekend after he attempted to jump off the Verrazano-Narrows bridge. The man was eventually taken to a nearby hospital to be evaluated.
The Brooklyn Jewish Children’s Museum found a hateful message lying in wait. On Thursday night, at 8 P.M., an anti-Semitic threatening note was found at the Crown Heights museum, on a billboard display intended for visitors to leave positive messages. Photo Credit: INN
The Brooklyn Jewish Children’s Museum found a hateful message lying in wait. On Thursday night, at 8 P.M., an anti-Semitic threatening note was found at the Crown Heights museum, on a billboard display intended for visitors to leave positive messages. As reported by the NY Post, a green post-it note with “Hitler is Coming” scribbled on it, was found on the billboard entitled “Transform the World”. Visitors alerted the police of the vile note, who in turn notified the hate-crime task force. Police are currently investigating the incident as a hate crime.
Chabad Rabbi Mordechai Lightstone, who is the social media editor at Chabad.org and the creator of exceptional experiences for Jews in tech and digital media, took to Twitter after seeing the hateful message. “This is just awful,” Rabbi Lightstone tweeted. “An interactive sign in front of the Jewish Children’s Museum in Crown Heights asking people how they would transform the world was defaced with Antisemitic graffiti!”
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo lost no time responding to the attack. He ordered the New York State police to aid the NYPD in the investigation. “I am disgusted by the anti-Semitic message scrawled in front of the Jewish Children’s Museum in Crown Heights, Brooklyn,” Cuomo wrote on his website. “We have zero tolerance for anti-Semitism, discrimination or hate of any kind in New York, and no person should ever feel threatened because of their religious beliefs… In the wake of a rise in anti-Semitic and other hate crimes in our nation, it is more important than ever that we stand united to condemn these despicable acts of violence and root out hate in all its forms.” said Cuomo in a statement.
The Jewish Children’s Museum, opened in 2004, is the largest Jewish-themed children’s museum in the United States. Located on Brooklyn’s Museum Row, at the corner of Eastern Parkway and Kingston Avenue, it is a place “for children of all faiths and backgrounds to gain a positive perspective and awareness of the Jewish heritage, fostering tolerance and understanding”. Designed primarily for elementary school-age children and their families, the –floor museum uses technology and a hands-on approach to inspire increased interest in Jewish culture.
The museum was originally founded as a dedication to 16-year-old Ari Halberstam, who was fatally shot in the head in 1994, by a Lebanese terrorist, while in a car driving across the Brooklyn Bridge. This Post-it note is the third attack to date on the museum, as per Yahoo! Lifestyle News. “This act is the antithesis of what we stand for,” said Ari’s mother, Devorah Halberstam, who co-founded the Brooklyn Jewish Children’s Museum. “The perpetrator ran away because he knows what he did was deplorable…there’s nothing more vile than attacking an institution for children.”
Three contractors have been indicted for a “pay-to-play” bribery scheme involving the electrical construction of the World Trade Center. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
As reported by the NY Post, James Luckie, 58, the former Cushman & Wakefield electrical manager, allegedly accepted extravagant gifts from electrical contracting firm managers Paul Angerame and Michael Garrison, both 59. The gifts included expensive Knicks game tickets and a golf trip in Florida.
“These individuals were trusted with rebuilding the site of the worst terror attack in American history, but instead, allegedly squandered public funds to line their own pockets,” the state’s Attorney General Letitia James said Wednesday. “Not only did they trade lavish gifts for confidential information and preferential work, but they put lives at risk by hiring unqualified workers to carry out serious electrical work at the site.”
In 2013, the Port Authority, which owns the WTC site, hired Cushman & Wakefield to oversee electrical work at the site, and Luckie was appointed as the site’s electrical manager. Angerame and Garrison, two former managers at Hatzel & Buehler, Inc., allegedy paid for Luckie’s meals, golf outings and chauffeur services in exchange for preferential treatment, insider information about future electrical projects, and an unfair advantage over competing firms. As per court papers, more than $17,000 in gifts were enjoyed by Luckie from 2015 to 2017, gifted by Angerame and Garrison, who were appointed as supervisors over the project.
The case further alleges that the crooked trio squandered Port Authority funds by hiring seven unqualified electricians, who had family or personal ties, to perform repairs and maintenance. These electricians, who were paid $1.26 million in total for various jobs, were inexperienced and did not have knowledge of how to handle high voltage electricity, endangering themselves and other workers at the site, as per officials.
The Port Authority launched a year-long investigation, uncovering the “pay-to-play” scheme, after getting a safety complaint about the dangerous condition, as per the Attorney General’s office. “Let this serve as a loud and clear message: we will crack down on corruption of any kind and will work to ensure public integrity and accountability throughout New York,” said AG James.
On Wednesday, each of the three defendants pleaded not guilty in Manhattan Supreme Court to charges of corrupting the government, bribe receiving and official misconduct. If the men are convicted, they can face up to 15 years in state prison.
Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza is facing charges for anti-white bias at the NYC Department of Education in a $90 million lawsuit. As reported by the NY Post, Carranza is denying the charges, brought forth by three high-ranking DOE employees, all white women, who claim they were demoted without cause in favor of less-qualified persons of color by him after he was placed in charge of the agency in April 2018. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza is facing charges for anti-white bias at the NYC Department of Education in a $90 million lawsuit. As reported by the NY Post, Carranza is denying the charges, brought forth by three high-ranking DOE employees, all white women, who claim they were demoted without cause in favor of less-qualified persons of color by him after he was placed in charge of the agency in April 2018. “Under Carranza’s leadership, DOE has swiftly and irrevocably silenced, sidelined and punished plaintiffs and other Caucasian female DOE employees on the basis of their race, gender and unwillingness to accept their other colleagues’ hateful stereotypes about them,” wrote the group’s lawyer, Davida S. Perry, in the filing.
On Wednesday, when the blockbuster suit was first formally announced, Carranza responded saying the charges are “absolutely not true”, although he has yet to directly address the specific allegations brought up against him. “I’m not surprised that he denied it,” said Perry, who is representing former DOE employees Lois Herrera, Jaye Murray and Laura Feijoo. “I’m confident that when this case moves forward, his denials are going to be proven lies.” Perry said the allegations are well-founded and that he believes Carranza’s anti-white rhetoric was more widespread than even the eight-figure lawsuit asserts. “There are going to be many people that are going to come forward and say that he said those things that he’s now denying saying,” said Perry, on Thursday in a press briefing.
As per the legal filing, Carranza who previously served as the superintendent of the Houston Independent School District, had at a lower Manhattan headquarters assembly in June 2018, threatened the DOE employees to either back his changes or find new jobs. “If you draw a paycheck from DOE . . . get on board with my equity platform or leave,” Carranza had said, as alleged in the filing.
Carranza insists that he his only shuffled the upper ranks of DOE in a quest to find the most qualified candidates to benefit the students. “Then those are my clients,” Perry said. “He wants them, he already had them. He’s removed them. So what I say to that is his definition of qualification is proven in race and gender.” “That’s a problem,” continued Perry. “That’s where he’s distorting the human rights law because he’s making decisions based on the color of people’s skin and their gender and that’s illegal.”
“We hire the right people to get the job done for kids and families, and these claims of ‘reverse racism’ have no basis in fact,’ ’’ said the department of Education for the second time, in response to the allegations.
Lucchese Crime Family Mafia History (NYC). Photo Credit: YouTube (Gang World blog)
On Sunday, Senator Chuck Schumer called upon the Federal Communications Commission to evaluate whether internet providers are delivering the advertised internet speed to NY customers. “When there’s slow internet, it drives you crazy. You just sit and wait and wait and wait. It’s horrible. Well, there’s a new report out that says our internet here in New York may be moving more like molasses than like lightning,” said Schumer during a news conference in his office in Manhattan.
The democrat is concerned that more than 4.3 million people across New York City may be getting ripped off with slower broadband speeds than promised. He added that another 436,000 in Nassau and Suffolk counties may also suffer from speeds lower than the minimum advertised. He pointed to a recent report from Microsoft entitled “Connecting America”, in contrast to data compiled by the FCC,based on self-reporting from internet providers. “The FCC has said internet speeds are up to standards in its report. But Microsoft did its own report and it shows that over four and a half million New Yorkers and Long Islanders are not getting the speed on the internet that the carriers say they’re getting,” Schumer said, adding “that’s a real problem.”
The minimum download speed is 25 megabits per second, as per the FCC. As reported by the NY Post, however, Schumer says that a majority of customers in New York and Long Island are stuck with speeds well below that. “It’s like paying for the speed of a car but getting the speed of a bicycle,” said the senator. “The FCC needs to account for the massive disparity in reported speeds and the real frustration of many New Yorkers, who are at a net loss all around when their internet service is slow, possibly paying for speeds that are not as advertised and losing out on their own productivity,” Schumer said.
Schumer said that the sluggish speed is not only an annoyance but damages efficiency. “It hurts our businesses. It hurts individuals … you should be getting the lightning-fast internet that they have promised,” said the Senate minority leader. Schumer said he suspects the providers are slacking in service as a way of cutting their own costs. “It’s just a lot easier for providers to not upgrade,” he said.
”The FCC is falling down on the job. I don’t think it’s nefarious but the providers, to upgrade to the required speed, would have to pay fr more equipment. They should. We’re all paying big bills for that.”
Mayor de Blasio, however, has not gotten over Amazon’s slight to Long Island City, where the company scrapped plans to build HQ2. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Residents are hoping Mayor Bill de Blasio can get his act together long enough for Amazon to find a home in NYC. The Seattle-based ecommerce giant, led by Jeff Bezos, is carefully considering a couple of extremely large spaces in Midtown Manhattan. Mayor de Blasio, however, has not gotten over Amazon’s slight to Long Island City, where the company scrapped plans to build HQ2. Instead of welcoming the new prospect, Hizzoner has said he feels “jaded” that Amazon is now choosing The Big Island of Manhattan after just walking away from the plans in Queens.
As reported by the NY Post, the tech behemoth is in negotiations with landlords of two new skyscrapers situated one block west of Penn Station, at One Manhattan West and its soon-to-be-completed sister project, Two Manhattan West. “You know we are very jaded now after having made a full agreement that I thought was a fair agreement that they just walked away with in the dead of night,” said de Blasio. “They have not spoken to me. They have not reached out to me, but if they do something on their own and it adds jobs, well, that’s fine, then,” he said, after hearing the report last week.
Amazon is reportedly eyeing 250,000 square feet of space to start, much less than the 4 million it was prepared to use in LIC. Notwithstanding, the company’s presence would bring thousands of high-paying jobs. Not to mention, it would also bring in an abundance of tax revenue— money that NYC could desperately use to rebuild crumbling infrastructure, roads and transportation.
“I and I think much of the community I work with welcome Amazon’s growth here with open arms. The kinds of jobs that we’ll see from Amazon’s increased presence — and from the increase of other tech companies large and small — are the jobs of the future,” said Julie Samuels, with the advocacy organization Tech: NYC, which represents 700 companies.
Mayor de Blasio, however, is taking a colder approach. He has already made clear that the company will not receive any help from the city if they chose to move to Manhattan’s West Side. “Look, if Amazon decides — as Google did and as many other tech firms have — that they’re going to expand their presence in New York City, that’s their choice,” de Blasio said last week. “It doesn’t surprise me at all, but again, they’re going to have to do it on their own,” he said.
Aerial view showing Hart Island (lower right) and City Island (left) in 2010. Photo Credit: Wikipedia
A recent feature story by the New York Times’ Corey Kilgannon carried an intriguing headline: ‘Can an Island Off the Bronx With One Million Graves Become a City Park?’
City planners are suggesting that it can.
Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez says he wants Hart Island to be placed under the jurisdiction of the city Parks Department. At present, it is being run by the city’s Department of Correction, and inmates bury the bodies of people who go unclaimed, unidentified or can’t afford any other burial,” according to the Wall Street Journal. “Someone who wants to visit a loved one buried there should not be guarded by correction officers,” Rodriguez said in an interview.
Hart Island is a relatively little known island in the northeast Bronx, New York City measuring roughly one mile long as one-third of a mile wide. It is the largest public burial ground in the country. For those searching maps for it, it is located at the western end of Long Island Sound. It is part of the Pelham Islands group, which is located to the east of City Island.
Over a million people are, indeed, said to have been interred on Hart Island since 1869, but not so many recently – under 1,500 burials a year now. Those buried there are people who were not claimed by family, the homeless and the indigent. Access to the island is restricted; it can only be reached by ferryboat, family members of those interred must request access in advance, and the New York City government only allows 50 to 70 visitors per month as of 2017.
The Hart Island Project, which was founded in 1994, has assisted families in obtaining copies of public burial records and has advocated for easier access to the island. In 2018, some officials decided to venture to the island and collect human bones. The reason was compelling: reports had surfaced that foul weather and rising tides had unearthed remains, depositing bones on the island’s shoreline. When photos began surfacing, forensic anthropologists from the New York City medical examiner’s office made the trek and gathered and cataloged nearly 200 human bones.
“This is insane. This is crazy that a million people are buried on Hart Island, mostly poor and marginalized individuals and there is one Saturday a month to visit. This is crazy,” City Council Speaker Corey Johnson told CBS News. “Johnson is among many elected officials who say it’s time management of the island changes hands. He wants it operated by the Department of Parks instead of the Department of Correction.”
