48.7 F
New York
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Home Blog Page 2261

New Yorkers Rescue Ephemeral Artifacts from City History; Items to be Resold

0
One shop, Urban Archaeology in Tribeca, sells pendant lights from the old JFK airport, which at one time was called Idlewild Airport, for $750 as well as chandeliers from Roseland Ballroom for $5,500. Photo Credit: 6sqft.com

The average New Yorker may have a vast appreciation for the city’s history, but outside of conversation, very few would set out to rescue the city’s artifacts.

One shop, Urban Archaeology in Tribeca, sells pendant lights from the old JFK airport, which at one time was called Idlewild Airport, for $750 as well as chandeliers from Roseland Ballroom for $5,500.

“It’s great to not lose parts of our past,” Gil Shapiro, the founder of Urban Archaeology, told the New York Post. “It really pisses me off when people don’t care about history.”

One couple based in Chelsea, Rolan and Irene Shnayder, purchased their condominium in 2017 in part because it had a 1907 marble-laced fireplace in the living room that was salvaged from the Plaza Hotel.

“It was a really sentimental piece for us,” Mrs. Shnayder told The Post.

The previous owner of The Shnayders unit purchased the historic fireplace through Olde Good Things, an antiques company, which salvages the fireplace during the Plaza’s renovation in 2005.

Mrs. Shnayder said that she and her husband “painted the wall [behind the piece] black, to make the white mantel really pop.”

Mrs. Shnayder said that her husband passed away several weeks ago from pancreatic cancer and that before his death, they would attend various formal events at the Plaza hotel.

53-year-old Scott Ewalt, who is a DJ, told the Post that he starting collecting Signage in Times Square during the early ’90s, while Rudy Giuliani was New York’s mayor.

“I started collecting because I was rescuing a part of culture that was disappearing,” Mr. Ewalt told The Post.

Mr. Ewalt told The Post that in the 90s, he purchased signage from two Times Square theaters for $500 each.

“I started asking all the adult businesses [for their signs],” Mr. Ewalt said. “I particularly love anything that’s hand-painted.”

“I like things that have led a life already, more than things that are brand new,” he said.

Another man, Joe Jeffreys, a theater studies professor at NYU, said that he purchased a sign by a nightclub on E. 4th Street between Bowery and Second Ave.

“I knew that [sign] had to be in my life,” Mr. Jeffreys told The Post. “I offered the guy [taking it down] $100 or something and walked it home.”

Mr. Jeffreys said that the purchase was the start of a lifelong collection.

“It resonates, it has an aura,” Mr. Jeffreys said.

He said that he likes to light up the fluorescent sign, which says Club 82, as often as he can.

“I kind of use it as a night light,” Mr. Jeffreys said. “It is a beacon to me.”

Brazilian Prez Bolsonaro Says He Has Not Changed His Mind About Moving Embassy to J’slm

0
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said in an interview with a local radio station on Monday that he had not changed his mind about the relocation of the Brazilian embassy to Jerusalem, though he did not provide a timeline for the move. Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro tells local radio station he hasn’t changed his mind about relocating Brazilian embassy to Jerusalem

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said in an interview with a local radio station on Monday that he had not changed his mind about the relocation of the Brazilian embassy to Jerusalem, though he did not provide a timeline for the move.

Bolsonaro, who visited Israel last week, announced that Brazil would be opening a trade office with diplomatic status in Jerusalem but did not say the embassy would be relocated from Tel Aviv to the Israeli capital.

Bolsonaro announced after his election that he intended to uphold his campaign promise and move the Brazilian embassy to Jerusalem.

Before his arrival in Israel, the Brazilian president fueled speculation that his government might renege on his campaign promise to move the Brazilian embassy to Jerusalem, after he told local reporters his government might open a “business office” in Jerusalem.

In announcing the trade office in Jerusalem, Brazil’s Foreign Minister, Ernesto Araujo, said the move would not come in place of the promised embassy move – but would be the first step towards an embassy relocation.

Arab leaders have condemned Bolsonaro’s plan to relocate the embassy to Jerusalem and have pressured him not to go through with it.

The Arab League recently warned Bolsonaro that moving the embassy to Jerusalem would be a setback for relations with Arab countries.

The Palestinian Authority (PA) envoy to Brazil warned recently that moving Brazil’s embassy in Israel to Jerusalem would be an “attack” on Palestinian people and a breach of international law.

Last week Bolsonaro visited Jerusalem’s Western Wall, standing right by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has quickly become one of the new Brazilian president’s closest allies. Bolsonaro’s visit makes the South American leader the very first head of state to ever appear side by side with an Israeli prime minister at the Western Wall. His visit to the holy site has been interpreted as a tacit endorsement of Israeli sovereignty over East Jerusalem and its environs.

An Israeli foreign ministry spokesman confirmed that the occasion marked the first time that a current state head went to the site with an Israeli prime minister A7 reports.

Bolsonaro’s visit follows a similar one by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo from a few weeks ago, which was also an occasion for being the first time a top American visited the wall with an Israeli prime minister. As a few other nations follow America in backing Israel’s declaration that Jerusalem is the capital, Bolsonaro keeps showing that he is also on board with making sure his nation does everything in its power to show it stands strongly with Israel under all circumstances.

Bolsonaro has talked before about why he supports Israel so much, saying a Christian pilgrimage to the Jordan River from a couple of years ago left a lasting impression.

             (INN)

Israeli Victim’s Family Outraged Terrorist Won’t Get Death Penalty

0
Family and friends attend the funeral of Israeli soldier Ronen Lubarsky at the Mount Herzl Military Cemetery in Jerusalem, May 27, 2018. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Although the terrorist who killed First Sergeant Lubarsky was convicted of murder, Lubarsky’s family is angry he won’t receive the death penalty.

The Hamas supporter who killed First Sergeant Ronen Lubarsky with a marble slab during an IDF mission in an Arab village near Ramallah last May was found guilty by an Israeli military court on Sunday.

“The military court in Judea (the West Bank) convicted the terrorist Islam Yousef Abu Hamid on charges of murdering soldier Ronen Lubarsky,” the Army said in a statement.

Abu Hamid had dropped a 40-pound marble slab onto First Sergeant Lubarsky’s head in an attempt to interfere with an arrest mission the IDF was carrying out in the village of al-Amari.

First Sergeant Lubarsky died in the hospital two days later from his wounds. Abu Hamid was caught a few weeks later and confessed.

Arik Lubarsky, Ronen’s brother, reacted to the conviction by demanding the death penalty.

“The time has come for the Military Advocate General to demand that the lowly terrorist be sentenced to death,” he said, “and we will not demand less than that. If necessary, I will be the one who will be happy to carry out the sentence.”

“It is a shame that instead of executing the terrorists, the State of Israel is conducting negotiations with them in the prisons. When the first terrorist will be hung in the city square, it will prevent further terror attacks,” Mr. Lubarsky said.

Lubarsky’s family had boycotted the trial, calling it a “farce” specifically because according to their lawyer, Maurice Hirsch, it was set up so that Abu Hamid would not receive the death penalty.

Hirsch expressed mixed feelings at the trial’s end.

“Even though we can only express satisfaction with the conviction of Ronen’s vile murderer, the fact that the political echelon and the Military Advocate General’s Office did not see fit to seek the death penalty constitutes a serious blow to deterrence,” he said. “The time has come to change the policy on the death penalty, in order to prevent the next murder.”

In December, the IDF destroyed the family home of Abu Hamid after the High Court rejected a petition to limit the destruction to only two floors of the house.

However, as revealed in a detailed report in January by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, none other than PA President Mahmoud Abbas immediately ordered the rebuilding of Abu Hamid’s home at Palestinian Authority expense.

Abu Hamid is a known Hamas supporter, having spent five years, from 2004 to 2009, in prison for his terrorist activities. He also has brothers who are currently jailed for terrorism offenses, including murder.

            (WIN)

Israeli Space Probe Snaps Moon Shots, Preparing To Land

0
Israel’s probe gets closer to making history. Before landing on the moon, it also snapped some amazing shots of the lunar object itself. PHOTO CREDIT: Space IL

Israel’s Beresheet spacecraft is looking good as it gets closer to becoming one of the only times a country ever landed a probe on the moon. So far, the craft is moving into position and even snapped some out-of-this-world photos of the far side of the moon, Fox News reports.

The Israeli probe made into into the lunar orbit on April 4 and sent the beauty of the moon back to Earth, and Fox News adds that the probe should touch down at around 4 p.m. New York time this Thursday. So when you get out of work, there may be reason to head to happy hour and celebrate an Israeli accomplishment.

According to Fox News, along with America, the old Soviet Union and China remain the only countries to make “soft landings” on the moon’s surface. This unmanned probe would make Israel a part of that rarified air. Beresheet means beginning, which is fitting for this first lunar voyage.

Project SpaceIL, which has developed the spacecraft, was launched as a national project at Beit HaNasi, with its president, Morris Kahan, endowing the project to the State of Israel just days ahead of its historic launch into space.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin was presented with a copy of a time capsule that will travel to the moon with the first Israeli spacecraft. The time capsule consists of three discs, each containing hundreds of digital files, including Israeli national symbols like Israel’s Declaration of Independence, the Bible, Israel’s national anthem “Hatikvah” and the Israeli flag.

“This is a defining moment, and in two days the first Israeli spacecraft will be launched to the moon,” Rivlin said before the launch a few months ago. “Until now, only the superpowers – the United States, the former Soviet Union and China – have landed on the moon. If all goes well, the small and young State of Israel will be the fourth country in history to land a spacecraft on the moon.”

The Jewish Voice had previously reported that Israel Aerospace Industries’ first lunar spacecraft began a historic journey to the moon when it was transported in a cargo plane from Ben Gurion Airport to Orlando, Fla.

SpaceIL and IAI had to pack the 180-kilogram spacecraft into a special temperature-controlled, sterile shipping container, built to protect the spacecraft and ensure it arrives safely at the launch site. After landing at Orlando International Airport, the spacecraft was then driven to the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, where it was added as a secondary payload by launch service provider Spaceflight. It was launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket together with a geostationary communications satellite built by SSL.

The probe will touch down somewhere within Mare Serenitatis, which is up in the moon’s northern hemisphere. SpaceIL said that magnetic anomalies near the site would allow an onboard magnetometer device to take measurements in order to collect data for one of its science experiments. This data will be shared with NASA, and the device itself was developed with Israel’s Weizmann Institute of Science, Fox News reports.

NGO Seeks to Sway Israeli Elections by Busing in Bedouins

0
Zazim, financed by the New Israel Fund, wants to bus Bedouin to the polls. (Flash90/Hadas Parush)

An Israeli human rights group asked Israel’s State Comptroller to investigate an NGO which plans to bus in Bedouin voters residing in illegal settlements in the Negev to sway the Israeli election.

Israeli human rights organization, Betzalmo, petitioned the State Comptroller of Israel yesterday requesting an immediate investigation into illegal activities on the part of non-governmental organization Zazim.

Zazim has been running a campaign to collect funds and recruit volunteers to transport Bedouin residents residing in illegal villages in the Negev to polling stations for the April 9 elections. The Bedouin are legal voters and residents of Israel.

Zazim was founded with funds from the New Israel Fund, which together with associated organizations, provides 60 percent of the NGO’s annual budget. The New Israel Fund has developed a reputation for funding controversial groups in Israel. It is registered in the United States.

In his petition to State Comptroller Yosef Shapira, Betzalmo CEO Shai Glick argues that a foreign organization is interfering in Israeli elections, something that is forbidden by Israeli law.

On its website, Zazim says it works toward social and political change without partisanship. However, in an email sent by Zazim to recruit volunteers and donations for its transport project, it states that its aim is to bring 50,000 Bedouin to the polling stations and build an obstructive block in the Knesset against ‘incitement to racism’ and to work against those unwilling to cooperate with the Arab political parties.

Another Israeli nonprofit, Im Tirtzu, requested that Israel’s Central Elections Committee intervene last week. Its request was denied on April 4, because only parties with representatives in the Knesset or participating in the elections have standing before the committee.

Zazim Deputy Director Maayan Dak told Israeli paper Makor Rishon that Zazim does not operate outside the law.

Following Betzlamo’s petition to the State Comptroller, Zazim submitted a statement to World Israel News, in which it said: “Just when the Likud has spent a million shekels on Facebook [ads] this past week, the prime minister attacks a civilian initiative that cost 75,000 NIS [New Israeli Shekels] of small donations. This is part of his ongoing attack against the Arab minority and attempts to silence their voice and deny them access to their basic democratic right to vote.”

New Israel Fund spokesman Idan Gadot told World Israel News that “all Israelis have the obligation to encourage voting in elections, Jews and Arabs alike. We are proud that Zazim has taken this important step to allow each citizen to participate in the election.”

In addition to Betzalmo’s petition to the State Comptroller, the Likud Party submitted a petition on Sunday evening to the Central Elections Committee arguing that Zazim is “unlawfully intervening in elections in favor of the Blue and White Party, run by Benny Gantz and Yair Lapid.”

(World Israel News)

First Ever 2,000-Year Old Jewish Settlement Uncovered in Beersheba

0
A shard of lamp depicting a menorah found at the site is "probably one of the earliest artistic depictions of a nine-branched menorah yet discovered.” (Israel Antiquities Authority/Anat Rasiuk)

A Jewish settlement dating from the Second Temple period has recently been discovered in Beersheba.

The remains of a Jewish settlement from the Second Temple period have recently been discovered in Beersheba in southern Israel, the first time such findings have been unearthed.

As in multiple previous occurrences in Israel, the exciting discovery was chanced upon and the archaeological excavation was carried out after construction for a new neighborhood near the northern entrance to Beersheba revealed evidence of a 2,000-year-old Jewish community.

The findings revealed Jewish day-to-day life there, including part of an oil lamp decorated with a nine-branched menorah, one of the oldest such discovered by researchers. Limestone vessels used by Jews for reasons of ritual purity, a watchtower and more interesting findings were also found at the dig.

The site, dated to the first century C.E. up until the Bar-Kochba Revolt against the Roman Empire in 135 C.E., also appears to contain underground hidden passageways used by the Jewish rebels.

Dr. Peter Fabian of the Ben-Gurion University in the Negev, and Dr. Daniel Varga of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), said that the “remains of the settlement cover an area of about two dunams and include several structures and installations, such as the foundations of a large watchtower, baking facilities, ancient trash pits and an underground system that was probably used as a Jewish ritual bath (mikveh).”

Signs of a blaze discovered in some of the structures show a crisis that the settlement experienced, probably during the First Jewish Revolt in 70 C.E.

The site is located along the southern border of the ancient kingdom of Judah next to a road that led from Tel Beersheba to the southern coastal plain.

The site’s strategic value along the road was probably the reason for the construction of a 10 x 10 meter watchtower, the foundations of which were uncovered in the excavation. The remains of a staircase would have led upwards to the two upper levels that are no longer extant. During the Late Roman period, the stones of the tower were used to construct other nearby buildings.

The special finds uncovered in the excavation included a shard of an oil lamp of a type known as a Jewish “Southern lamp.” There was great excitement when the shard was cleaned and its decoration revealed: a nine-branched menorah.

Fabian and Varga explained that “this is probably one of the earliest artistic depictions of a nine-branched menorah yet discovered.”

It is interesting to note that of the few lamps found depicting a menorah, these are never seven-branched. This was in accordance with a ruling in the Babylonian Talmud stating that only the menorah in the Temple could have seven branches and thus lamps used in domestic contexts commonly had eight to eleven branches.

Dozens of bronze coins dating to the period of Roman provincial rule were found along the road. Some were minted in Ashkelon and others were minted in cities from throughout the Roman Empire.

            (TPS)

Trump to Bring Iran to Its Knees!

0
Pictured above is Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. Photo Credit: Al Jazeera

One of President Trump’s major talking points leading up to his election in 2016, was that he would immediately seek to punish Iran for its bucket-load of worldwide terrorist activities by voiding the Obama inspired Iranian Nuclear Deal formally referred to as the JCPA. He did just that as one of his first acts in the White House, ignoring the weeping and wailing of the radical Left, including Jewish legislators, who claimed such an action would lead to an angry, hostile Iran who would feel no restraints in immediately developing a nuclear device and, as they promised to, use it to obliterate Israel. Not so. Now Mr. Trump has gone one step further by designating the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRG), the elite fighting force of that nation, as a “foreign terrorist organization.”

This will surely initiate responses from those who originally were against punishing Iran for its worldwide actions of terror. In its statement to the press, the State Department listed many reasons for this action to combat Iranian terror. A pronouncement from president’s spokesperson noted that the IRG provides funding, equipment, training and logistical support to terrorist groups including Hezballah, Hamas, the Palestinian and Islamic Jihad. It also has been directly involved in terrorist plots in nations such as Germany, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Turkey and Kenya, to name just a few. They (the IRG) have now been pinpointed by Trump as the merchants of death exported to do the dirty work of Iran.

The President’s Press Secretary noted: “This action sends a clear message to Tehran that its support for terrorism has serious consequences. We will continue to increase financial pressure and raise the costs on the Iranian regime for its support of terrorist activity until it abandons its malign and outlaw behavior.” It’s about time a nation not only had the guts to speak the truth about this deadly,Jihadist regime but had the moral strength to follow it up with actions to bring it down to its knees. And we did it!

This attack on the IRG is merely the second step in Trump’s efforts to defang Iran from its capabilities to wreak havoc around the world. Its military, led by this elite group is now engaged in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen. He walked out of the Iran deal nearly a year ago and was immediately attacked by the Left crying that it would bring nothing but problems for to our country and our allies in the Middle East. Rather, it’s apparent that Trump’s move to stand up to Iran has paid off handsomely to the safety and welfare of the entire world, including those nations of the European Union whose underlying concerns were merely the loss of their financially rewarding trading partner, Iran. Foolishly, they see no further than securing contracts with the nation that seeks their destruction.

In reality, Trump’s sanctions have exacerbated Iran’s financial crisis by undermining their support for terrorist groups now operating in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and in Palestinian dominated areas. These forces are not being paid what they were promised by Tehran. Hassan Nasrallah, the Hezbollah leader, has voiced complaints to his paymasters blaming American sanctions for the payroll problem. Trump’s actions in breaking the deal Obama glad-handed with the Mullahs also generated a renewed interest on our part to dig into Hezbollah’s criminal activities which were scandalously ignored prior to his taking office. In order to appease Iran, Obama looked the other way at this terror group’s involvement in drug dealing, money laundering and assassinations.

The pressure of the sanctions on the ordinary citizens of Iran has also awakened the Green Party, those young people who took to the streets in 2009 to oppose the harsh religious practices of their leaders, to speak out and take to the streets, not only demanding the meeting of basic necessities such as food, fuel and housing but also insisting that the government stop funding foreign military ventures while the economic situation at home gets worse. Harsher sanctions will increase the public’s pressure to give in to America’s demands. A “no win” situation for the failing Islamic government.

One has to wonder if former President Obama, while largely silent on Trump’s moves against Iran, is not active behind the scenes, giving aid and comfort to his buddies in Tehran? It takes us back to the late Senator Teddy Kennedy’s obvious treasonous actions back in 1983 when he sent a memo to the Kremlin giving them advice on how to intervene in our 1984 elections in order to topple then President Reagan. It is not out of the question that Iran might be stalling until the 2020 elections to see if Trump is defeated and then with a new, more friendly government under Obama’s domination, they could again be free to complete their creation of a worldwide Caliphate.

After all, Democrats Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris both have promised to bring that deal back to life if elected. And you can be certain that the other Democrats running against them share that thought. Should we then be a bit concerned that Iran may take a stab at attempting to use whatever means they have at their disposal to work diligently against Trump’s re-election? Collusion? After all, they have everything to gain by dealing once again with a friendly president.

Iran is a hot potato issue. It stands on the brink of becoming a nuclear power with leaders as crazy as those of North Korea. We are proud that our administration has pushed Iran against the wall at no heavy cost to us or our allies. By crippling and bringing down the deadly leadership of Iran, the better off and safer the Middle East and we will be. We feel that more pressure on Iran will lead to its present government’s downfall and eventually for its peaceful electorate to regain authority and with that democracy, in that nation. Go for it Donald!

Letters to the Editor

0

Rallies and the Rise of Anti-Semitism

Dear Editor:

The small-to-moderate size rallies currently demonstrating the frustration of Jews of conscience over the rise of anti-Semitism in the US, including those in which I have participated, is heartening, but ultimately of little practical effect.

Absent a major and coordinated national response by organized Jewry, it can be said that the “golden age” of American Jewry has peaked and will decline. While right-wing neo-Nazi assailants must be outed and fought, it is the mainly politically liberal orientation of organized Jewry which prohibits them from recognizing and acting against the real threat to support for Israel and American Jewry: the leftist-Islamist alliance.

That alliance is poisoning all academic environments, promoting BDS and delegitimization, destroying support for Israel with false charges amongst academic elites and thus the next generation–and now electing leftist and Islamist extremists into all levels of government. This narrative is not what organized Jewry prefers to discuss. Yes, the neo-Nazis must be smashed–but they are not the threat to the presence of Jews in America, nor can they threaten Israel. First and foremost, the leftist-Islamist alliance’s design is the destruction of Israel.

Sincerely

Jeff Wiesenfeld

 


Shame on Candidates for Boycotting AIPAC

Dear Editor:

You can judge a person’s character by the company they keep. The following Democratic Party 2020 Presidential Primary candidates did not attend the recent American Israel Public Affairs Committee Washington DC Conference. There was no excuse as the event was scheduled many months earlier. This dishonor role included Senators Corey Booker (New Jersey), Bernie Sanders (Vermont), Kamala Harris (California), Kirsten Gillibrand (New York), Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota), Congressmember Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii), former Congressmember Beto O’Rourke (Texas), John Delaney (Maryland), Governor Jay Insle (Washington), former Governor John Hickenloop (Colorado), Mayor Pete Buttigieg (South Bend, Indiana), and former San Antonio Mayor/Secretary of Housing and Urban Affairs Julian Castro were nowhere to be found. Several hid in the comfort of their Capital Hill Offices to hold meetings with AIPAC representatives away from any media coverage.

Contrast this with the fact that most found the time to attend and speak at the Reverand Al Sharpton’s Annual National Action Network Conference held this past week in Manhattan. This list included Beto O’Rourke, Julian Castro, John Delaney, Pete Buttigieg, John Hickenlooper, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Amy Klobuchar, Kirsten Gillibrand, Kamala Harris and Cory Booker. Those who could not find the time to publicly attend the AIPAC Washington conference yet found the time to hold hands and kiss the ring of Al Sharpton looking for his political blessing are not kosher when it comes to being a true friend of Israel. They do not deserve either your vote or campaign contribution.

Sincerely,

Larry Penner

 


Disagrees with Cuomo on MTA Ineptness

Dear Editor,

I was a little irked by the governor’s comments and attitude from your article “Cuomo Slams MTA for Ineptness at Association for a Better New York Luncheon.”

“Vendors are installing technology they designed in the ’80s. I believe there is better technology out there,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. “If you can figure out how a car can fly and you can get in a car that drives you by itself to Southampton, you have to be able to have technology where one train can tell you where the other train is on a closed system.”

He’s talking like a true politician. His words mean nothing, and he may not know what he’s talking about. It’s really convenient to be in a position where you can just wish for things that are untenable or don’t exist yet, especially coming from the guy who says he is not in control of the MTA, until he declares an emergency and then does as he pleases while skirting any and all responsibility for the everyday problems of New Yorkers.

The newer technology is on PATH trains now. The railroad was required to meet the PTC mandate. The subway system actually has CBTC on the L train Canarsie line and is working out the kinks on the newly installed CBTC technology on the 7 train Flushing line. The technology, paired with experienced subway operators and dispatchers, could allow lines to operate over 30 trains an hour, which would mean waiting less than two minutes for a train and still having a safer ride. With more train frequency, there is also less dangerous crowding on platforms and fewer delays from dwell time.

Even though this technology is promising, the agency has dragged its feet. The technology would really help the system, as would continuously expanding it. I don’t know what the governor is talking about when he says better technology exists. He ought to let the agency do its work without impugning the character and integrity of so many MTA employees.

Sincerely,

Lisa Friedman

 


The Future of Ride-Share Companies

Dear Editor,

I read your article “Carl Icahn Sold his Stake in Lyft to George Soros Before its IPO” and still wonder how these ride-share companies are even supposed to make money. And this is before we even get into the environmental disaster that these extra vehicles are causing.

Lyft co-founders John Zimmer and Logan Green rang the Nasdaq opening bell remotely on Friday from a downtown Los Angeles warehouse in a ceremony attended by Lyft drivers, employees and their families, and the stock went up and down since.

Meanwhile, Icahn didn’t give a reason for his sale of his Lyft stake but was reportedly unhappy that Zimmer and Green were given super-voting shares that gave them outsized voting power at the company.

In any case, I still am curious to see how companies like Lyft and Uber progress from here. I wouldn’t expect the standardization of autonomous vehicles anytime soon, and investors had already been helping these companies make the rides their workers provide artificially cheap. As it is, I’ve wondered where people are getting this money to afford paying for these car services when a subway or bus ride costs $2.75 and a bike ride is virtually free. What happens if Lyft has to start charging significantly more?

These vehicles are not the way of the future in cities anyway. Buses and trains can move thousands of passengers at rates far more efficient than vehicles that often have one or two occupants. All of the space taken up by these vehicles adds up quickly, as do the toxic emissions that are harmful to the environment, life, and contribute to climate change.

If only our country had the same enthusiasm about walking, biking, skating, and riding buses and trains as it did for cars, then maybe we would be able to create a more just society where getting around is cheap, sustainable, and brings together the community.

Sincerely,

Amber Rasey

Why the Left Hates Netanyahu So Passionately

0
Benjamin Netanyahu left few cartridges in his opponents' arsenals. He has made Israel richer and safer; he used military force without being sucked into war; he has improved relations with hostile neighbors and world leaders and was elected prime minister from 1996 to 1999 and from 2009 to today. Photo Credit: Flash 90

Binyamin Netanyahu is the other Israel. That’s why the Left hates him

Benjamin Netanyahu left few cartridges in his opponents’ arsenals. He has made Israel richer and safer; he used military force without being sucked into war; he has improved relations with hostile neighbors and world leaders and was elected prime minister from 1996 to 1999 and from 2009 to today.

Voters from conservative religious, Russian-speaking immigrants and Mizrahi (Jews from the Arab world) remain his solid base of Likud. They are the nemesis of the leftist élite. Big families from traditional, conservative societies of the Arab world.

The secret of Netanyahu’s success lies in places such as Kiryat Malachi, the “city of angels”, a stronghold of the conservatism of large families. The sons of “Israel hashniah”, the second Israel, which did not establish the state, but became its strength, those of the refugee camps of tents and DDT sprinkled on the new arrivals, the youths relegated to the army to the humblest jobs, while the élite like Shimon Peres climbed the Ministry of Defense. The right-wing revisionists, the religious Jews, the Mizrahi Jews who emigrated from the Arab lands, the petty bourgeoisie of the new cities, all were neglected and hated by the old Israeli establishment.

Labor has the highest number of votes in 28 of the 33 richest cities, while the Likud enjoys a very high majority in the lower-middle economy classes; In 64 of these 77 cities, the first is the Likud. Netanyahu wins in Judea and Samaria, but also on the outskirts of the Green Line, in places such as Sderot (42.8), Ashkelon (39.8), Or Yehuda (40.5), Ramle (39.8), Tiberias (44.5) and Kiryat Shmona (39.9).

In this last city Peres and his ministers were whistled at loudly when they visited the city, while Netanyahu was hailed as a hero. These are the cities under Hamas and Hezbollah threats and most of them are cities inhabited by Jews from the Arab world. Netanyahu has 40 percent of the votes in peripheral cities such as Beersheba and Ashdod.

The centrist coalition is strong in the coastal megalopolis from Tel Aviv to Haifa. It is the “white tribe” of Ashkenazi Jews whose families have been in the country longer, they are secular, connected, educated, globalized, with higher incomes. In Kfar Shamriyahu, the richest city in Israel, left-wing parties have 75 percent. It is an amorphous group of Jews of Ashkenazi origin who live north of Tel Aviv and deeply despise the religious Jews. The right-wing Likud was once the party of the educated bourgeoisie. Today it is voted for by the lower economic class, which feels excluded and oppressed by the élite. The majority of the Israeli left is made up of senior state officials, middle-senior pensioners, professors, professionals, whose careers and lives have always been based on state institutions. They grew up in the world of Ben Gurion, while Israeli society was changing.

But the majority of the Ashkenazis do vote for Netanyahu. Like those who have a shop, or are an entrepreneur. The left is voted for by old pensioners in nursing homes raised in a socialist society. The immigrants vote on the right. The young people, those who arrived thirty years ago, also vote right. The poor in Israel are less socialist than the rich.

The ideological consensus is vastly for the right. The strong ideas are that there is no option for peace with the Palestinians; an aggressive foreign policy towards Iran; economically in favor of the free market and less welfare; a cultural traditionalism. The Left would turn Israel into a multicultural society.

In Israel during the 1990s there was a strong attempt by the old elite to say “we have arrived at peace and we have to pay a price”. The Israelis tried for ten years, until Ariel Sharon. Then they woke up. There will be no “peace”.

The Left tried to commit suicide. And it lost all credibility.

(INN)

Speaking Out Against Anti-Israeli Bashing at NYU in Open Letter to College President

0
In April 2018, NYU President Andrew D. Hamilton denounced the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. This was an amazing step forward for the community and for helping Jewish and pro-Israel students feel safe on campus. Photo Credit: NYU

On April 4th, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) announced on their Facebook page that they were selected to receive the NYU President’s Service Award, given to students that have had an “extraordinary” and “positive” impact on the school’s community. It is clear to so many students on campus, Jewish, non-Jewish and pro-Israel, that this group does the exact opposite of improving the “quality of student life at New York University.” This has not yet been confirmed by NYU, but even the possibility cannot be ignored and must be addressed.

SJP has worked immensely hard each year to demonstrate their anti-Israel hatred, sometimes even violently, in more ways than one. Realize Israel, a pro-Israel group on NYU’s campus, mentioned in a Facebook post that members of SJP have defaced Israel’s flag, physically assaulted pro-Israel students, and continually present factually inaccurate anti-Israel resolutions to the Student Government Assembly. Why celebrate such behaviors with an award? Why give an award to an organization that, in itself, is “anti” and not to an organization that is, solely, “pro?”

We ask NYU’s Senior Vice President of Student Affairs, Marc Wais, if any of the pro-Israel groups on campus will be selected for this year’s award because none were chosen in 2018. We hope that NYU’s leadership recognizes that 1) Israel is at the forefront of improving the world with its focus on human rights, diversity, and equality for all its citizens 2) Israel, a country the size of New Jersey, is leading the world in innovation within the healthcare, agriculture, and various technological fields. 3) When Humanitarian crises strike throughout world, particularly natural disasters, Israel is, always, one of the first countries to utilize their financial resources, technology, and manpower to help recover and rebuild. How ironic is it that, a group, who has blatantly shamed students who devote their efforts to support a country that helps communities all over the world, is now being praised?

In April 2018, NYU President Andrew D. Hamilton denounced the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. This was an amazing step forward for the community and for helping Jewish and pro-Israel students feel safe on campus. The Jewish, non-Jewish and pro-Israel community thanked him then and again say now— THANK YOU President Hamilton for standing against the BDS movement. But why is the student organization that very much supports the BDS movement allegedly receiving your prestigious President’s Service Award?

President Andrew D. Hamilton must review this decision. The severity of the situation is unfathomable, as the repercussion of this action would result in a great detriment to the community— especially for Jewish and pro-Israel students who already feel quite unsafe.

As a student studying in New York City and a member of the pro-Israel community, I feel that honoring SJP would be a huge step back in the progress we have made in striving to make our communities feel safe and comfortable. So many students feel ashamed or embarrassed in their pro-Israel ideals because of organizations like SJP, who aim to disregard, deter, and diminish any such freedoms of belief and support for Israel. I hope that this sentiment is recognized and seriously considered before making the mistake of honoring this organization.

In the words on Alan Dershowitz: “No country in the history of the world has ever contributed more to humankind and accomplished more for its people in so brief a period of time as Israel has done since its relatively recent rebirth in 1948.”

Sincerely,

Romy Ronen
Freshman at Columbia University
Member, Israeli-American Council–Act.IL New York Media Room

Turkey’s Elections: What Do They Mean for Turkey and Erdogan?

0

On March 31, the Turks went to the ballot box to elect mayors for their cities. Ostensibly the election results marked President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s 15thconsecutive election victory since his (Islamist) Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power in November 2002. The AKP won the biggest number of votes (44%) nationwide. Its ultra-nationalist ally, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) won 7% of the vote. That was good news for Erdoğan. In reality, it was good but incomplete news for Turkey’s Islamist strongman.

“Who loses Istanbul [in elections] loses Turkey,” Erdoğan roared in a 2018 speech, underlying the importance of big Turkish cities in municipal elections.

He may be right. Winning Istanbul and Ankara was how political Islam eventually won Turkey. Precisely 25 years ago, in March 1994, the municipal elections caused a series of seismic events in the then-secular Turkish political landscape: In an altogether shocking election result the (Islamist) Welfare Party (RP) won Ankara and Istanbul, with Erdoğan elected as mayor of Turkey’s biggest city. RP’s leader, Necmettin Erbakan, Erdoğan’s mentor became Turkey’s first Islamist prime minister after he won the biggest number of votes in parliamentary elections in 1995, just a year after the party had won two of Turkey’s biggest cities.

Ironically, 25 years later, Turkey’s Islamists lost Ankara and Istanbul in another municipal election, although Erdoğan’s AKP, citing vote rigging and other irregularities, challenged the results. The claim is particularly ironic as in all of past elections Erdogan was accused of vote-rigging, but only now, for the first time, are they complaining about irregularities. According to the Supreme Election Board, so far known to be a pro-Erdoğan rubber-stamp authority, opposition candidates won both Ankara and Istanbul. Ruşen Çakır, a Turkish columnist, said, perhaps prematurely:

“The election today is as historic as the local election in 1994. It’s the announcement of a page that was opened 25 years ago and is now being closed”.

“While losing Istanbul would be a nuclear defeat for Erdoğan,” said Soner Çagaptay, director of the Turkish Research Program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, “losing Ankara, which is shorthand for political power and government, is a pretty significant loss”.

In addition, the opposition bloc won several big cities that had traditionally voted for Erdoğan’s AKP. With Sunday’s results, the entire Turkish coastline of the Aegean and Mediterranean seas — as well as the capital, Ankara, some major cities in Central Anatolia, the entire Thrace region and two provinces in northeastern Turkey — went to the opposition. The predominantly Kurdish southeast was, as always, divided between the pro-Kurdish People’s Democracy Party and AKP.

What do the election results mean for Turkey and Erdoğan? A few observations:

Allegations about Erdoğan’s/AKP’s vote-rigging have never been unconvincing, but the magnitude was hard to prove. It was anyone’s guess: from 1% to 10%. This author has been on the lower end of the wide spectrum. The election results in Istanbul, now disputed by the AKP, put the opposition candidate into the lead by a margin of 23,000 votes in a city with 10.5 million voters.

It was the economy, not politics, that caused the average Turk, otherwise a staunch supporter of Erdoğan, to feel bitter about the government. In 2018, the Turkish lira hit record-low levels against major Western currencies; the unemployment rate hit a nine-year-high; inflation spiked, and the economy shrank by 2.4% in the last quarter of the year and 1.6% in the third quarter. Jesse Colombo of Forbes wrote:

“Though Turkey’s government and many commentators are blaming the Trump administration and foreign speculators for the country’s economic downturn, the reality is that it was already ‘baked into the cake’ many years ago due to the credit bubble that formed”.

That “baking into the cake” is Erdoğan’s worst nightmare. His election defeat, coupled with a new wave of economic and financial crises (a new Turkish lira plunge, surging bond and inflation rates, several conglomerates in the defaulting queue, more jobless voters, price hikes, more taxes and banking restrictions) could force Erdoğan into early presidential and parliamentary elections (now scheduled for June 2023). Erdoğan, relying on his nationalist partner, MHP, has played down the message of the municipal elections, ruling out early national elections at any time. “Please do not be heartbroken with this result,” Erdoğan told party loyalists after the March 31 election results came in. “As of tomorrow morning, we will start finding and making up for our shortcomings,” Erdogan added.

Ironically, the two “kingmaker” forces in the near future of Turkish politics will be the two camps that have traditionally been most hostile to each other: Turkish and Kurdish nationalists, both of which have around a 10% popularity in nationwide elections. Until 2016, Erdoğan courted the Kurds and deeply antagonized Turkish nationalists, including his best ally, MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli. He then scrapped all peace talks with the Kurds, made a U-turn and allied himself with Bahçeli — a smart maneuver that earned him votes in the 2018 presidential race. After March 31, Erdoğan can easily calculate that his dependency on Bahçeli has grown even bigger. Bahçeli, for his part, could be tempted to abandon Erdoğan and, before a near-crisis has turned into a perfect storm, call for early national elections, by citing economic mismanagement.

Simple religious Islamist conservative and ultra-nationalist populism are still keeping Erdoğan in power, but there are signs that, if the economy keeps getting worse, those forces may not be able to save him. There are many signs that this is taking place.

(Gatestone Institute)

Burak Bekdil, one of Turkey’s leading journalists, was recently fired from the country’s most noted newspaper after 29 years, for writing in Gatestone what is taking place in Turkey. He is a Fellow at the Middle East Forum.

An Open Letter to the Pulitzer Prize Committee: Don’t Reward Fake News

2
Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Among the leading candidates for a Pulitzer Prize in investigative journalism is the Miami Herald and its reporter Julie K. Brown for its series on the Jeffrey Epstein case. The series, however, was not based on rigorous and objective investigation, but rather on one sided, and largely false tips from self-interested lawyers who used the series to their financial advantage. Brown refused to investigate and/or publish highly credible information that undercut the simplistic and largely false narrative fed her by her biased sources. I know, because I have been providing her with much of the documents and information she chose to bury rather than report. Had she reported this contradictory material, she would have endangered the Pulitzer Prize she has been aiming to win. The Pulitzer Committee should not reward such biased and result oriented “reporting” by giving her the prize.

Here is the truthful narrative Brown refused to report. Every fact can be documented. At the center of Brown’s story in a woman in her mid-30s named Virginia Roberts Guiffre, who has a long and documented history of lying about sexual and other encounters with famous people, including presidents, prime ministers, princes and other politicians and celebrities. She sold a story for $160,000 to a British scandal sheet in which she described in great detail meeting Vice President Al Gore, his then wife Tipper and President Bill Clinton on Jeffrey Epstein’s Caribbean island. The only problem is that Secret Service and other records conclusively proved that none of them was ever on that Island and that the Gores didn’t even know Epstein.

Yet she subsequently committed perjury by swearing to these falsehoods. Among the men she accused of having sex with her when she was underage were a former Senate Majority Leader, a former United Nations Ambassador, a former Israeli Prime Minister and a head of state. She also accused Leslie Wexner, a billionaire owner of Victoria’s Secret, of having underage sex with her on multiple occasions and making her wear Victoria’s Secret-type lingerie. Yet her own employment records prove that she was well above the age of consent when she claims these liaisons occurred— in the unlikely event they ever occurred at all.

There is one set of allegations that I know for certain was completely made up. She accused me of having sex with her on six occasions in different places, although I have never even met her. I was fortunate enough to have travel, cell phone and AmEx records that conclusively prove that I could not have been on Epstein’s Caribbean Island, New Mexico ranch, Palm Beach mansion or private airplane during the relevant time period. A careful review of these records led Giuffre’s own lawyer to conclude — in a lawfully recorded conversation— that it would have been impossible for me to have been where she falsely claimed to have had sex with me, and that his client’s accusations against me were “wrong,” “simply wrong.”

A thorough review of these records and other evidence also led the former head of the FBI to conclude that the allegations against me were disproved and false. Even Giuffre’s best friend said that Giuffre told her she had never accused me until she was “pressured” by her lawyers to do so. There are also sealed emails and a book manuscript written by Guiffre that conclusively prove I was falsely framed. Hopefully they will soon be unsealed.

So how did Pulitzer candidate Brown deal with all this evidence discrediting her primary source? She simply omitted any mention of it and presented Giuffre as an entirely credible witness with no doubts about her truthfulness.

In an email to her editor which she copied me (deliberately or inadvertently) she said that I had presented no evidence that “prove [my] innocence.” She discounted the findings of the former Federal Judge and FBI Director Louis Freeh with the following put down: “[Freeh] is a former Attorney General whose work has been questioned.” No, Freeh’s investigations have been relied on by universities, corporations and other institutions throughout the world. Brown didn’t even bother to call Freeh.

Brown deliberately and mendaciously misled her readers— and the Pulitzer Committee — by choosing to omit from her narrative every single document, sworn testimony and other proof that would raise questions about the credibility of her primary source. She admitted to me in a consensually recorded conversation that there is absolutely no evidence corroborating or supporting Giuffre’s accusation against me, but she did not publish that important fact. Nor did she publish the fact that Guiffre refused to accuse me on the record.

This is not journalism. It is certainly not prize-worthy journalism. It is advocacy, and it is advocacy that would get a lawyer disciplined for willfully withholding exculpatory evidence. It is also advocacy that hurts the “#MeToo” movement by encouraging false reports that damage the credibility of an important movement.

So shame on Brown. Shame on the Miami Herald. And shame on the Pulitzer Committee if it fails to investigate Brown’s reporting and encourages such fake news and shoddy journalism by rewarding it.

  (Gatestone Institute)

Alan M. Dershowitz is the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law Emeritus at Harvard Law School and author of The Case against the Democratic House Impeaching Trump (Hot Books, January 2, 2019), and a Distinguished Senior Fellow of Gatestone Institute.

College Bribery Scandal Heats Up; Co-Chair of NY Law Firm Wilkie Farr Pleads Guilty

0
The quad at Harvard University. Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Gordan Caplan, the co-chairman of the law-firm Wilkie Farr, said on Friday that he would enter a guilty plea on charges that he paid a large sum of money for his daughter’s ACT test score to be artificially increased so that she may get admitted into an elite university.

“I apologize not only to my family, friends, colleagues and the legal bar but also to students everywhere who have been accepted to college through their own hard work,” Mr. Caplan said in a statement released by his legal team. “The remorse and shame that I feel is more than I can convey.”

Mr. Caplan is just one person caught up in an elite college bribery scandal last month and charged by federal prosecutors in Boston.

Founded in 1888, Willkie Farr is one of New York’s most well-known law firms.

Mr. Caplan was suspended by the law firm last month after prosecutors alleged in a charging document that he paid $75,000 to a non-profit organization linked to William Singer’s infamous college preparatory business — in order to bribe test proctors to correct his daughter’s exam after she finished it.

“I’m not worried about the moral issue here,” Mr. Caplan told Mr. Singer in a phone call recorded by federal investigators. “I’m worried about the … if she’s caught doing that, you know, she’s finished.”

Mr. Singer said that no one who he accepts bribes and performed services for had ever been caught in his 20-years of doing it and that no one ever will be unless someone told federal investigators.

“She won’t talk,” Mr. Caplan said in one recorded phone call.

“She had no knowledge whatsoever about my actions, has been devastated to learn what I did and has been hurt the most by it,” Mr. Caplan said in a statement. He said that his daughter is a junior in high school and has not yet applied to college.

“Between approximately 2011 and February 2019, Singer allegedly conspired with dozens of parents, athletic coaches, a university athletics administrator, and others, to use bribery and other forms of fraud to secure the admission of students to colleges and universities including Yale University, Georgetown University, Stanford University, the University of Southern California, and Wake Forest University, among others,” the U.S. Attorney’s office for the District of Massachusetts said last month in a statement. “Also charged for their involvement in the scheme are 33 parents and 13 coaches and associates of Singer’s businesses, including two SAT and ACT test administrators.”

NY’s Time-Life Building Renovations Leading to New Tenants

0
Costly upgrades to the Time-Life building at 1271 Sixth Avenue is leading to new interest from prospective tenants. Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Costly upgrades to the Time-Life building at 1271 Sixth Avenue is leading to new interest from prospective tenants.

H.I.G. Capital, which manages $30 billion in assets, is the latest tenant at Time-Life, located on Sixth Avenue between 50th and 51st street. H.I.G. signed an agreement to lease 58,000 square feet of office space on the building’s 23rd floor as well as part of the 22nd floor.

One source told the New York Post that the asking price per square foot was over $90.

The renovation, which includes a “glass curtain” wall, a newly-designed lobby and plenty of upgrades, began after Time Inc. relocated to Brookfield Place several years ago. The renovation cost the Rock Group $600 million to bring the building into the current era.

77-percent of the building has been leased since its costly mid-2016 renovation.

The largest tenants to date include Latham and Wakins, which leased 406,000 square feet, Bessemer Trust, which leased 240,000 square feet, and Blank Rome, which leased 138,000 square feet.

Other companies at 1271 Sixth Avenue include the Rockefeller Group, Vornado Realty Trust, the Durst Organization and Fisher Brothers.

Knight Frank’s Brad Needleman and Jason Perla brokered the least to H.I.G. Capitol.

The Rock Group, in their lease, was represented by their own in-house representatives, Ed Guiltinan and Jennifer Stein.

“The building offers outstanding office space, an impressive lobby, a prominent location, ease of access for employees and clients, desirable amenities, and a world-class reputation that will serve as a strong fit with our global platform,” Ira Weidhorn, the Managing Director at H.I.G. Capital, said in a statement.

“Rockefeller Group made a major commitment to redevelop and reintroduce 1271 to the New York business and real estate communities, and it is extremely rewarding to see companies like H.I.G. Capital respond to the opportunity and choose to relocate to the building,” Bill Edwards, the Executive Vice President and Head of Core Holdings for the Rockefeller Group, said in a statement.

“The decision by H.I.G. is another testament to the extraordinary location, infrastructure, and efficiency that 1271 Avenue of the Americas always had,” CBRE’s John Maher, who also represented the Rockefeller Group, said in a statement.

“An icon of mid-century modern architecture, 1271 Avenue of the Americas has always used design to inspire and elevate the work day,” an online description of the Time-Life building says. “An extensive top-to-bottom renovation means that this world-renowned building will continue to turn heads well into the future.”

“1271 Avenue of the Americas is where everything comes together for today’s business,” the building’s website says. “Fully redesigned, it has the efficiency and infrastructure of a new building, combined with the history and prestige of one of New York City’s most recognized business addresses.”

Syrian Jewish Community of Jersey Shore Meets With Mayor on Summer Safety Issues

0
Left to right: Councilman John Napolitani, Daniel Bergman, Dr. David Fisher, Mayor Chris Siciliano, Charlie Saka, Raymond Saka

Thus far the Syrian Jewish community has been residing on the majestic New Jersey shore for over seven decades in various townships. The majority of residents, however, only dwell there during the summer months as the preferred destination spot for this vibrant and expansive community. While residing on the Jersey Shore, those who call this lovely area home, be it on a permanent or temporary basis, gladly pay their full share of taxes to the townships, state and the school district. For summer vacationers, however, the only disappointment is that they only enjoy a small portion of their contribution since they don’t utilize the public system or any other services the townships provide except for garbage pickup during the two months a year that they are there.

In the quaint village of Ocean Township there lives a leading member of the Syrian Jewish community named Charlie Saka. Both Charlie and his family decided to get more involved in community affairs and work towards the improvement in the quality of life for summer time and all year-round residents of the Jersey Shore. On Sunday, March 31st Charlie and his wife Brenda hosted for a fundraising breakfast for over 30 community members from New York and New Jersey. Present at the gathering were the Mayor of Ocean Township Chris Siciliano as well as township Councilman John Napolitani and Dr. David Fisher; a local chiropractor with a practice in nearby Oakhurst. Also present at the gathering was Margie Donlon, MD, a physician at Meridian Rehab Center and Councilwoman Donna Schepiga, who has served on the Ocean Clean Communities Committee & Shade Tree Commission.

As a dedicated public servant, Siciliano has served as mayor of Ocean Township since 2015 and prior to that he served as a councilman for 15 years. Siciliano is the recipient of the NJ Senate Service Award and the NJ Assembly Leadership Award. The mayor is also a youth leader, serving as a little league baseball and wrestling coach.

Councilman Napolitani is a teacher with 20 years experience in the middle and elementary schools and is the President of the Asbury Park Education Association.

During the sumptuous breakfast Mayor Siciliano graciously responded to multiple issues in detail that are concerns for the residents. Many of the issues raised could not be classified as “major” ones however the mayor pledged to work diligently to address them to the satisfaction of his constituents.

Some of the issues discussed were:

1) Twice a week regular garbage pick up from Memorial Day to Labor Day. With summer temperatures hovering around 90 plus degrees, leaving refuse in the streets can be a safety hazard as well as leaving a noxious odor.

2) Plan for new LED streetlights to be installed on main roads. For safety purposes, community members thought it best to replace the 100-year old street lights for much brighter ones. They cited such concerns as those walking to synagogue on Friday night who need illumination to ensure a safe journey.

3) Street paving. Community members took note of the fact that the streets in their township have quite a number of potholes and have not been paved for years.

4) Crossing lights around the synagogues. For purposes of safety of all individuals, crossing lights around the synagogue need vast improvements and the community discussed this matter with the mayor as well.

5) Mayor Siciliano advised the attendees that Ocean Township offers a free social work counseling and services network, should any residents need to avail themselves of such services.

6) A plan for deer management. According to recent information, there are at least 800-1000 deer on the Jersey Shore and they roam free; especially in people’s yards. As a result, the deer eat foliage and cause damage to property. A program of neutering the deer was discussed as shooting them is illegal.

7) Working with the police department on safety and crime prevention. Members of the community voiced their concerns about the great majority of homes that are left vacant for 10 months throughout the year. These homes are vulnerable to robberies and break ins. As a result, the community asked the mayor whether the local police could step up the frequency of their patrols of the area.

It goes without saying that in order to effectively maintain a respected voice in our neighborhoods we must participate in the election process. Public officials help those who help them get elected.

In the last election, only 182 out of approximately 4000 members participated. Our votes count. Your voice will be heard. The next election is Tuesday, May 14th. If you are registered, please vote and you can do it by mail.

To register to vote go to: OCEANTWP.ORG

Click on the Mommouth voter registration form 062212.pdf

“Never Look Away” – A Film That Captures the Nature of Both Nazism & Communism

0
Kurt is an artist. He speaks little. He is watchful, keen-eyed, not very emotional. But he ultimately depicts everything in his art work, beginning with the loss of his beloved aunt to the Nazi atrocity—and the capture of the Nazi doctor who headed the “eugenics” and euthanasia program

And, for more than three hours, I never did. Time stood still. I was swept up into a moving panorama of pre-and post-WW2 Nazi Germany—every bit as amazing as the film The Russian Ark which captures 300 years of Russian history.

Please understand: I can no longer bear movies about Nazis who, today, are the cheap and safer stand-ins for other looming evil-doers and Jew-haters. I did not really like Schindler’s List—imagine that! And why? Because, while it focuses on a good German who saved a thousand Jewish lives, Spielberg does not simultaneously hold in his artistic embrace the six million who were not saved. I much prefer Defiance, The Counterfeiters, The Darien Dilemma, and Operation Finale. Resistance and Justice interest me deeply.

From the title in English, (Never Look Away), one might think it a horror movie but the film is far from that; actually, it is a horror movie but one that does not disguise its preoccupation with evil in a secondary way. The film captures the nature of both Nazism and Communism—as well as the transcendent and brooding power of Art, Love, and Truth.

Also, understand: While my apartment is being renovated I am holed up at Hotel Horrible in the city’s poshest district and since I’m quite miserable, I’ve decided to partake of Manhattan’s fabled Culture: The ballet, the cinema, the opera, and of course, Broadway. And so I’ve been watching movies, both in my hotel quarters via Roku and in actual theaters as long as they are still standing.

And now to my latest film and its awesome and splendid themes.

From the title in English, (Never Look Away), one might think it a horror movie but the film is far from that; actually, it is a horror movie but one that does not disguise its preoccupation with evil in a secondary way. The film captures the nature of both Nazism and Communism—as well as the transcendent and brooding power of Art, Love, and Truth.

The movie embraces it all: The Nazi doctor who “euthanized” (gassed) the mentally ill—and then the Jews, the gypsies, the male homosexuals, the political dissidents, followed by the victorious Russian Communists who then occupied what became East Germany where they tried to crush all individuality, deaden every soul, for the greater glory of “the working class.”

The film is not propaganda. As in life, the evil are not all apprehended and brought to justice. A few are caught and tried, many escape, some land on their feet for the rest of their lives. While the film also depicts a romance and marriage between Kurt and Elllie Seeband, née Elisabeth, gorgeously played by Paula Beer, the sins of the fathers lie heavily upon them—and they COMPROMISE the next generation.

Despite the historical sweep, we come to care about the characters, they are real, haunting, pitiful, brave, human. As the protagonist, Kurt Barnert and his aunt Elisabeth (beautifully played by Paul Schilling and Saskia Rosendahl) both understand: “Everything that is true is beautiful.”

In his Ode on a Grecian Urn, Keats put it this way: “Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all Ye know on earth and all ye need to know.”

Kurt is an artist. He speaks little. He is watchful, keen-eyed, not very emotional. But he ultimately depicts everything in his art work, beginning with the loss of his beloved aunt to the Nazi atrocity—and the capture of the Nazi doctor who headed the “eugenics” and euthanasia program. He was only a child, but now he sees everything, he remembers it all, and he turns Historical Memory and Loss into Art.

His aunt, the very kind and creative Elisabeth is gassed, presumably as a “schizophrenic,” by the very sadistic Nazi doctor, “Herr Professor Carl Seeband,” brilliantly played by Sebastian Koch, who eventually becomes Kurt’s father-in-law. The Nazi past remains in play, as well as up close and very personal. The director, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck has not forgotten anything.

He is a great filmmaker. His cast is superb. The cinematography (Caleb Deschanel) and the music (Max Richter) is haunting, spiritual, uplifting, awesome.

Kurt’s character is based upon the life of the German artist Gerhard Richter—who apparently does not like the liberties taken with his biography.

But for me, time stood still. I lost all sense of it and sat there mesmerized for more than three hours. I suggest that you all see this wonder, this painful and beautiful rendering of the 20th century in Germany.

(INN)

The writer is a Ginsburg-Ingerman Fellow at the Middle East Forum, received the 2013 National Jewish Book Award,.authored 18 books, including Women and Madness and The New Anti-Semitism, and 4 studies about honor killing, Her latest books are An American Bride in Kabul, A Family Conspiracy: Honor Killing and A Politically Incorrect Feminist.