SHEEPSHEAD BAY'S ONLY INDEPENDENT NEWS BLOG

Councilman Lew Fidler. Photo by Erica Sherman

For decades a battle has raged between parents, religious leaders and politicians over the question of allowing prayer in schools. Councilman Lew Fidler may have come up with a solution that attempts to bridge the gap between those who believe and those who don’t.

According to CBS New York, Fidler has put forward a resolution that calls for students to observe a mandatory, albeit non-denominational moment of silence, either before or after the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.

Like most attempts to legislate the behavior of children, Fidler’s idea has split critics and divided parents.

TriBeCa resident Christi Wood spoke to the seemingly benign nature of the proposed resolution. She told CBS New York that she thinks “it’s a good idea. They can kind of think about whatever they want. We live in a crazy, fast-paced city, so a moment of silence, I think it is a good idea. I’d like to have one.”

Julie Antoinette thought the measure was a waste of time.

“I disagree with it. I just think that if they need to have a moment of silence [do it] at their own time. How many hours in a school day? They have 12 other hours to do it on their own private time.”

While a resolution from the City Council can’t force the Department of Education to enact a mandatory moment of silence, Fidler hopes that a near-unanimous council resolution puts pressure on them to do so.

“Hopefully, if it passes the council and it passes unanimously, or close to unanimously, the Department of Education will understand that there is a school of thought out there that believes that this should be policy,” Fidler told CBS.

We were wondering what our readers think of making children observe a mandatory moment of silence everyday at school.

Do you think it’s good for children to have a moment to silently meditate, pray or just relax quietly? Do you think the idea is too rooted in a religious mind-frame and has no place in public schools? Or do you think the idea is just dumb and a waste of time?

Let us know.

Source: Nadler.house.gov

Representative Jerrold Nadler is facing some criticism from Jewish groups today over his stance on the recent Congressional legislation that allowed for FEMA money to be spent on the repair and rebuilding of synagogues, churches and other religious houses of worship damaged by Superstorm Sandy, according to an editorial by the Jewish Press.

Yesterday, we reported that the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to approve the use of federal funds to help Sandy-stricken houses of worship of all faiths. The passing of the act is likely to face some friction in the Senate and the courts as it brings up important questions regarding separation of church and state.

Nadler was a vocal leader of the opposition to this bill, arguing that the use of taxpayer money to fund the reconstruction of religious buildings was unconstitutional. His stance did not go unnoticed by the Jewish Press, arguing that the legislation made “common sense.”

If Congress decides that it is in the public interest to bring about large-scale restorations, such as roof and sidewall repair, by what logic can one exclude religious institutions that are in exactly the same position as non-religious entities? After all, religious institutions are entitled to, for example, police and fire protection just like their non-religious counterparts.

While Nadler was on the receiving end of criticism, other politicians, who have been pushing for the bill, like Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz were pleased with its passage in the House, reaching out to his Facebook followers with this message.

 Yesterday the House of Representatives passed the “Federal Disaster Assistance Non-Profit Fairness Act of 2013,” which would allow houses of worship to be included among the non-profit recipients of FEMA relief aid. I’ve been working on this issue with the Jewish Community Relations Council of NY and the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce to help synagogues and churches apply for FEMA. Houses of worship impact our entire community and desperately need a helping hand to get back on their feet.

The Megillat (scroll of) Esther, which is read aloud every Purim. Source: Wikipedia

This weekend, our area will play host to two Purim celebrations for the entire community. Purim, oftentimes (and erroneously) referred to as the “Jewish Halloween,” tells the story of Esther, the Jewish Queen of Persian, who heroically foiled the plans of the wicked royal henchman, Haman — after whom the delicious hamantashen cookie is named — to murder all of the Jews of ancient Persia.

Congregation Israel of Kings Bay

Congregation Israel of Kings Bay invites area residents to hear a reading of Megillat Esther — the biblical “Book of Esther” (also known as “The Megillah,” the Hebrew word for scroll, upon which the Megillah is printed), immediately following Shabbat on Saturday night, February 23 at 6:45 p.m. (Shabbat ends at 6:20 p.m.)

Following the Megillah reading, there will be a Purim costume party for all ages at 7:30 p.m. There will be Hamantashen, groggers (noise-makers), Purim bags, prizes, a raffle and more. The following morning, on Purim Day, February 24, there will be a second Megillah reading at the synagogue at 8:30 a.m.

Congregation Israel of Kings Bay is located at 3903 Nostrand Avenue on the corner of Voorhies Avenue. For more information, call the synagogue at (718) 934-5176 or email Rabbi Winner at rabbiyw@yahoo.com.

The Kings Bay YM-YWHA

The Kings Bay YM-YWHA invites the entire community to its Annual Purim Carnival on Sunday, February 24 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The entire day will be filled with festivities for all ages, as the community gathers to sing, dance and celebrate this joyous day.

The celebration will feature exciting activities for the entire family. Children will enjoy rides, sand art, face painting, Purim-themed arts and crafts, carnival games and a costume contest. Free hamentashen cookies and raffle prizes will be awarded.

This Purim celebration is anticipated to be the largest in Sheepshead Bay.

The Kings Bay Y is located at 3495 Nostrand Avenue between Avenues U and V. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call Alina Plotkina at (718) 648-7703 extension 224, email info@kingsbayy.org or go to www.kingsbayy.org.

The House of Representatives voted by a wide margin to approve the use of federal funds to repair and rebuild religious institutions damaged by Superstorm Sandy, according to a report by the New York Times.

Receiving intense lobbying by Catholic and Jewish groups, the bill was passed 354-to-72. Support for the measure was largely bipartisan, while opposition consisted of 66 Democrats and six Republicans. The Times laid out the scope of the bill’s language:

Under the bill, “a church, synagogue, mosque, temple or other house of worship, and a private nonprofit facility operated by a religious organization,” would be eligible for federal disaster assistance “without regard to the religious character of the facility or the primary religious use of the facility.”

According to the Times, FEMA raised serious objections to the bill, issuing a memorandum claiming that its passage represents an “enormous departure” from current law.

Congressman Jerrold Nadler, who represents parts of Coney Island, Borough Park and Bensonhurst, opposed the bill on grounds that using taxpayer money to fund the reconstruction and furnishing of religious buildings was unconstitutional.

Nadler’s opposition potentially foreshadows a legal showdown between civil liberty groups and religious advocates in the near future:

The American Civil Liberties Union agreed [with Nadler], saying it was a bedrock principle of constitutional law that “taxpayer funds cannot go to construct, rebuild or repair buildings used for religious activities.”

Lawyers at the emergency management agency expressed concern about possible lawsuits by the civil liberties union and others. “FEMA expects that well-financed and aggressive litigation and injunctions would quickly follow enactment of this bill,” agency lawyers said in their memorandum.

Source: Friends of Ocean Parkway

Our friends at the Friends of Ocean Parkway blog tipped us off to the soon-to-be-constructed Edmond J. Safra Synagogue, coming to Ocean Parkway at Avenue U.

We called over to Rabbi Elie Abadie of Congregation Edmond J. Safra in Manhattan, but he told us the new building was not officially affiliated with his flock, but just that they share the same name.

According to the Manhattan congregation’s website, Edmon J. Safra was a “Lebanese-born [Sephardic] Jew who rose to prominence in the banking industry, [and] supported a remarkable diversity of institutions and charities during his lifetime.”

Welcome to the neighborhood, Safra Synagogue.

Source: Religion.Wikia.com

Sheepshead Bites wishes all of our readers observing the holiday today an easy fast and “G’mar Hatimah Tovah!”

Our publishing schedule will be lighter than usual today.

On the eleventh anniversary of the September 11th attacks, neighbors woke up to find shocking images of the burning Twin Towers on their doorsteps and an assertion that the recipient may be going to hell.

Church Rey De Reyes, a Spanish-language Pentecostal church located at 2376 East 15th Street, distributed biblical tracts overnight featuring an image of the Twin Towers engulfed in flames, and the caption, “What if you had been here September 11, 2001? A day that began like any other.”

The pamphlet goes on to suggest that, had you died in the September 11th attacks, you would have gone to hell if you had not accepted Christian beliefs.

Resident Richard R. said he found these pamphlets – called tracts – on his porch on a block near Ocean Avenue and Avenue Z this morning and it made him fume:

I’ve lived in Sheepshead Bay my whole life and this is the first time I can say I hate my neighborhood. This morning I woke up to go to work to find this on my front porch.

Now to be completely honest, I am not a religious man, in fact I identify myself as an atheist, however I am not anti-religion, but the fact that a church would choose to use a National tragedy to grow their congregation truly infuriates me, and in my own backyard no less. I find this absolutely reprehensible, and this church and it’s Reverend should be ashamed of themselves. The pamphlet, so carelessly strewn on Sheepshead bay porches this morning goes on to talk about how we are all sinners, coaxing people into going to church to repent because if they had died on 9/11, they may have gone to hell. This is religious leaders using fear-mongering to attract followers and money into their church, this is an absolute outrage. They are literally trying to profit from the deaths of thousands in an attack on this country, that is not only morally low, but truthfully, its pathetic.

Imagine if this pamphlet, so recklessly left on porches was found by a now teenager who’s parents died in those buildings, is this really the message we want our children coming home to? Ignorant of anyone’s religious beliefs I would hope that logical minds would realize that this pamphlet is just plain wrong and I don’t think our neighborhood needs this.

The tract was not created by the local church, though it does appear to be distributed by them. The pamphlet was produced by the Fellowship Tract League, which produces a number of fire-and-brimstone biblical tracts for Christian organizations around the world. Metadata on the file on their website suggests this particular tract has been published since at least 2009, and they also feature other potentially inflammatory tracts such as one about the certainty of death from AIDS.

These tract images were taken from the Fellowship Tract League website. The locally distributed version features the Church Rey De Reyes’ name and contact information.

Weinstein

A special education bill sponsored by local Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein, which would have demanded that evaluators consider the “home life and family background” of special education students when placing them in schools, was vetoed by Governor Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday.

Although the bill does not specifically address religion,  religious parents were elated at the bill’s stipulation that “home life and family background” be considered when placing special education students in schools or reimbursing parents for private school tuition. However, Cuomo put and end to this excitement, saying that the mandate was too broad and would have forced taxpayers to cover the expense of religious education.

“This administration … is committed to providing the best education and assistance to every child in New York, including children with disabilities,” Cuomo wrote in his veto message, according to the Wall Street Journal. “However, this bill unfairly places the burden on taxpayers to support the provision of private education.”

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Photo by Erica Sherman

Albany – State Senator Martin J. Golden (R-C-I, Brooklyn), today is announcing that legislation he sponsored, S. 6087A, which allows religious institutions to use public school buildings for worship services during non-school hours, has unanimously passed the Senate Education Committee.

“As the freedom of religion is a basic principle of this great nation, it is only then sensible that religious institutions, holding services open to the public, be allowed to do so in public school buildings.Organizations based on faith deserve the same rights as all other groups, and because of their beliefs, should not be held to a different standard.  These misguided polices that have been put into place do nothing more than detract from the right to worship.

“This legislation will give religious institutions the right to worship without interfering with the separation of church and state.  These groups will now have the right to meet when school is not in session, and gives a home back to many religious groups whom were kicked out of facilities that they have used for over a decade.”

S6087A was introduced in response to the New York City Department of Education banning religious groups for holding worship services inside school buildings.

More than 100 members braved Sunday’s winter chill to celebrate the final event of St. Mark Catholic Church parish’s 150th anniversary with an outdoor dedication of a newly-installed prayer garden.

The Marian Prayer and Memorial Garden, located on Jerome Avenue between Ocean Avenue and East 19th Street, replaces a decades old magnolia tree adjacent to the church. With a hand-etched granite memorial depicting Mother Mary and a baby Jesus Christ in front of the iconic St. Mark steeple, as well as several smaller memorials, the garden provides congregants an outdoor place to reflect and pray.

“This is a special project … that really is the culmination of our anniversary year and marks the last official service of Father Grimaldi,” noted George Donnelly, the business manager for St. Mark.

After 12 years of service, Grimaldi will soon leave the community to serve as a vicor to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, where he’ll work closely with the bishop.

The 150th anniversary was celebrated throughout 2011 with historical walks, in-church exhibits and special events – as well as by a massive fundraising effort to make major restorations throughout the church.

Donnelly said that the unveiling of the monument not only capped the anniversary year, but also was the last important project to be completed with the $916,000 the church raised – a handsome sum that exceeded the congregation’s goal of $750,000.

With those funds, interior and exterior repairs were completed to the bell tower, and the scaffolding will soon be removed. It also allowed for sidewalk repairs around the institution and the renovation of several of the church entrances.

“Only with the help of many of our practitioners we were able to pull this off,” Donnelly said.

View photos of the memorial and the dedication service.