A traditional Passover seder table. Source: Wikipedia
Five hundred needy people and seniors will join the Be Proud Foundation and friends during the fourth annual Passover Food Distribution at Aqua Health Rehabilitation Center, 2753 Coney Island Avenue, Thursday, March 21 from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
According to Raisa Chernina, founder of the Be Proud Foundation, a non-profit organization started by immigrants from the Russian-speaking community:
“Passover is the best time for us to show that we care about our neighbors. By giving out food we are going to share our happiness with those people who count on us more than ever in this current economic climate.”
Destitute individuals looking to make a Passover seder will receive matzos, considered to symbolize salvation and deliverance, as well as other Passover foods.
To learn more, contact the Be Proud Foundation at (718) 788-7773.
The following is from an email we received from the Met Council on Jewish Poverty about Kosher for Passover food distribution this year:
For Brooklyn communities recovering from Hurricane Sandy, celebrating Passover will be a struggle this year. That’s why the Met Council on Jewish Poverty will deliver more than 2.5 million pounds of Kosher Passover food to families in need.
Many families can no longer afford the expensive Kosher food for their Passover seders and the holiday’s eight days. Last Passover, Met Council served 55,000 households — this year, following Sandy, the need is even greater.
Here are Kosher for Passover food distribution sites you can visit in our area:
Kosher Food Distribution at JCC of Greater Coney Island, 3001 West 37th Street, Wednesday, March 20 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Kosher Food Distribution at Shorefront JCC, 3161 Brighton 6th Street, Thursday, March 21 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
An RSVP is required for both food distribution events. To RSVP or learn more about Met Council’s food program, call (718) 763-5318, email food@metcouncil.org and visit them on the web.
A little duck walks around the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. Source: peterjr1961 / Flickr
The Jamaica Bay Task Force (JBTF) will hold its next meeting January 29, 6:30 p.m. at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, 175 Crossbay Boulevard in Broad Channel, Queens. The public is invited to attend and partake in the open discussion period.
New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Carter Strickland will be on hand to discuss the DEP’s response to Superstorm Sandy and Gateway National Recreation Area Superintendent Linda Canzanelli will give the National Park Service’s update on damage to the Wildlife Refuge from Sandy.
Project Managers Dan Felt and Lenny Houston will highlight Jamaica Bay projects currently being undertaken by the Army Corps of Engineers and Region 2 Director of the NYS DEC, Venetia Lannon, will talk about DEC’s response to Sandy.
A question and answer session will follow each presentation.
To learn more about what the JBTF does and how to get involved, contact Don Riepe of the American Littoral Society at (718) 318-9344/driepe@gmail.com or Dan Mundy of the Jamaica Bay EcoWatchers at (718) 634-5032/dmundy5032@aol.com.
The Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. Source: Howard N2GOT / Flickr
The Jamaica Bay Task Force (JBTF) will meet November 15 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, Crossbay Boulevard in Broad Channel, Queens. The public is invited to attend and partake in the open discussion period.
To learn more about what the JBTF does and how to get involved, contact Don Riepe of the American Littoral Society at (718) 318-9344/driepe@gmail.com or Dan Mundy of the Jamaica Bay EcoWatchers at (718) 634-5032/dmundy5032@aol.com.
Dr. Russell Burke is out to save the Diamondback Terrapins of Jamaica Bay.
Diamondback Terrapins are unique turtles that live only in the coastal swamps of the eastern and southern United States – and that includes our beloved Jamaica Bay salt marshes.
These cuddly little fellas are in trouble for a couple of reasons. The first is the scourge of raccoons, those Hamburglars of the habitat, who steal over 90 percent of the terrapin’s eggs. The second problem is the loss of salt marshes where the turtles live. The marshes of Jamaica Bay are falling apart, and no one is sure why, according to Burke – though we can hazard a guess.
Burke is hoping to figure out how the terrapins are adjusting to the changes in their environment. Tracking terrapins and their movements is incredibly difficult and complex. Burke started a crowdfunding support page to fund his research, which will hopefully allow him to lead the way in understanding the mystery of these turtles, and preserving the Diamondbacks for future generations.
The following was submitted by Sheepshead Bay resident Jeanine Grimaldi, whose family wrestles with the effects of Alzheimer’s disease every day.
Alzheimer’s disease, a form of dementia, affects an estimated 5.4 million Americans. Although this disease is most commonly known for its major symptom — memory loss — it comprises so much more. Typical Alzheimer’s patients feel disoriented, confused and, have drastic mood and behavior changes. They can often become suspicious of family members and friends and, during the later stages of the disease, have difficulty speaking, swallowing and walking.
These symptoms are caused by plaques and tangles, two different types of proteins that build up in the brain. Scientists do not fully understand this build-up but believe it plays a critical role in blocking communication among nerve cells in the brain. We still have a long way to go in beating this disease, but we are heading in the right direction. On May 15, 2012, the Obama Administration released the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s in which the major goal is to effectively treat and prevent this disease by 2025.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, there are currently more than 320,000 people over the age of 65 in New York alone who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. This number does not include the growing number of people in their 50s who have been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s.
They are sponsoring a contest in which locals are asked to submit their ideas for a community event, project or venture for a chance to win a cash prize.
Apply by August 10 and a panel of BluePrint Fellowship Alumni judges will determine 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes. The will award $500, $300 and $150. Winners will be announced August 30.
The criteria is as follows:
Your project idea must offer value to the Russian Jewish community, feasible implementation within a year’s time, and a Jewish focus or theme. Possible areas of focus are culture, technology, art, research, travel, education, social justice, fundraising, politics, volunteering, gender, religion, immigration, language, environmentalism, children and families, music and performance, etc.
Anyone from NY is eligible to apply and more than one submission is allowed.
For more information, contact Iryna Gubenko at irynag@cojeco.org or 212.566.2120.
Local elected officials pledged support to bringing back full B4 bus service and other public transportation improvements to the area at last night’s Sheepshead Bay Transit Town Hall, organized by Sheepshead Bites, Transportation Alternatives, Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz and the Sheepshead Bay – Plumb Beach Civic Association.
More than 50 people turned out for the event to share their experiences with mass transportation in the area, emphatically expressing the community’s desire to restore the B4 to a 24/7 bus line after service cuts in 2010 eliminated the line east of Ocean Parkway on weekends and off-peak hours on weekdays. The Sheepshead Bay – Plumb Beach Civic Association presented elected officials with a petition signed by more than 1,000 people, and when a representative from Transportation Alternatives asked the crowd how many of them were affected by the B4 cuts, every hand in the room went up.
“Over 90 percent of our residents in this community rely on mass transit regularly,” Cymbrowitz said in his opening statements. “Ideas that appear brilliant on paper often fail to deliver in practice. One example? The decision to provide B4 bus service to Knapp Street and Voorhies Avenue during peak periods Monday to Friday, leaving thousands of potential riders without viable mass transit services.”
“Books are the perfect entertainment: no commercials, no batteries, and hours of enjoyment for each dollar spent.” — Stephen King
BETWEEN THE LINES: That statement sums up my love of books. But, I write this not to praise the prolific, best-selling author, but to extol the joy of reading that has given me untold hours of pleasure.
Reading is my favorite leisure time diversion. A rock and roll enthusiast since I first heard Elvis Presley in my youth, I’ve enjoyed books even longer. While rock music may energize my spirit, opening a new book with its just-printed scent and crisp, yet fragile, pages stimulates my mind from the opening sentence that transports me to unexplored worlds.
To help broaden my passion for books and reading to others, I volunteered to be a “book giver” on April 23, which was designated the second annual World Book Night. The event is the brainchild of a Scottish book publisher, who kicked it off last year in Ireland and the United Kingdom, to spread a love of reading and books. (I’m still not clear why the word “night” is used, as opposed to “day,” so, from here, I will refer to the event as World Book Day [or WBD]).
The Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. Source: Flickr / Howard N2GOT (Howard Brier)
The Jamaica Bay Task Force (JBTF) will meet April 4 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, Crossbay Boulevard in Broad Channel, Queens.
Items on tap for that evening’s meeting include building a new marsh island in Jamaica Bay, DEP projects in Jamaica Bay 2012, an overview of the Rockaway/Gateway gas pipeline, as well as other National Park Service (NPS) issues and concerns in Jamaica Bay.
The public is invited to attend and partake in the open discussion period.
The JBTF is a body of private citizens, scientists, and federal, state, regional, and local agency representatives that share a common interest in Jamaica Bay.
To learn more about what the JBTF does and how to get involved, contact Don Riepe of the American Littoral Society at (718) 318-9344/driepe@gmail.com or Dan Mundy of the Jamaica Bay EcoWatchers at (718) 634-5032/dmundy5032@aol.com.
