Source: FTAA.org
Turkish-Americans celebrate their heritage this month with a week of restaurant discounts at participating eateries, a parade and festival, and an event at Borough Hall.
The 32nd Turkish Day Parade and Festival kicks off on Saturday, May 18, at noon. Organized by the Federation of Turkish American Associations, the parade takes place in Manhattan, with participants gathering at 56th Street and Madison Avenue and marching down to Dag Hammarskjold Park on 47th Street and 1st Avenue, where they’ll join with the festival.
The festival features Turkish music, folk dancers and more.
Here in Brooklyn, the organizations will celebrate with a taste of Turkish culture during the Brooklyn Turkish Cultural Celebration at Borough Hall (188 Montague Street). There will be complimentary Turkish food prepared by local restaurants, along with more folk dancers and music, to be enjoyed by Borough President Marty Markowitz, other dignitaries, and neighbors. The event is Thursday, May 16, at 5 p.m.
But all week long this week – lasting until Sunday – locals can also enjoy a discount at participating Turkish restaurants, including four in Southern Brooklyn. Coupons and a full list of participating restaurants around the Tri-State area can be seen here.
But here’s the list of local restaurants:
- Opera Cafe & Lounge - 2555 Emmons Avenue
- Liman Restaurant - 2710 Emmons Avenue
- Istanbul Restaurant - 1715 Emmons Avenue
- Istanbul Fast Food - 2202 86th Street
A coalition of Turkish-American organizations forked over $40,000 yesterday to the Gerritsen Beach library (2808 Gerritsen Avenue) and Gerritsen Beach Elementary School (P.S. 277), institutions that have suffered in the five months since Superstorm Sandy rocked the community.
The donation came from Turkish-American groups, non-profits and businesses, spearheaded by Helping Hands Relief Foundation, Kimse Yokmu, Council of Turkic American Associations, Turkish Cultural Center and the Brooklyn Amity School.
Of the $40,000 donated yesterday, $30,000 is going to the Brooklyn Public Library’s Gerritsen Beach branch, one of two branches in the system that has been unable to reopen due to extensive damage. The checks were handed over during a ceremony in front of the branch. Prior to the ceremony, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke toured the facility, which has been gutted down to bare walls, floors and rafters.
“We believe that Brooklyn Public Library and P.S. 277 are invaluable resources for the community, where people of all ages will benefit tremendously in many different ways,” said Nevzat Yilmaz, president of Helping Hands Relief Foundation. “This is dedicated to building a better future for the children and families of our community, and leaves a footprint for the next generations of Turkish-Americans to take care of community facilities that serve the people.”
Brooklyn Public Library President and CEO Linda Johnson was on-hand to receive the check, delivered by a cadre of Amity School students. She said the library would use the funds in part to rebuild the library with green technology and infrastructure.
P.S. 277 Principal Jeanne Fish said the school would use the funds to install new smartboards and laptops in classrooms.
See this story in photos: Images of the gutted library, and more from the event.
The Maimonides Breast Center. Source: Bing Maps
The Turkish Cultural Center Brooklyn (TCC Brooklyn) and Maimonides Breast Center are inviting the public to a free Breast Health Dinner Symposium at the Breast Center of Maimonides Medical Center, 745 64th Street, February 21 at 6:3o p.m. During the dinner symposium, you can:
- Tour the brand new, state-of-the-art Breast Center
- Learn about the importance of screening mammography
- Get informed on maintaining good breast health
- Meet and greet Breast Center medical staff
- Identify signs and symptoms, and conduct self-examination
- Learn about the most advanced screening technology available
A complimentary Halal dinner will be served and there will be a free gift for all attendees. For those who require transportation to the event, there will be a free bus ride, departing at 6:00 p.m., to and from TCC Brooklyn, 245 Avenue U between West 4th Street and Van Sicklen Street in Gravesend.
To make a reservation, call (718) 283-8832.
Source: Bryan Lee
Source: Bryan Lee
Last week we reported on Councilman Lew Fidler, the 41st Assembly Democrats, and Toy Drive founder Bryan Lee’s 12th annual ‘Toys For Tots’ toy drive. The annual drive is holding satellite drives all month long, and the Teen-Driven Toy Drive Kick-Off held last week set a wonderful example as teens from all different cultural backgrounds banded together for a good cause.
The Teen-Driven Toy Drive Kick-Off was held at the Kings Bay Y last week. The teens and participants are from the Kings Bay Y, Hebrew Educational Society, Turkish Cultural Center, Brooklyn Amity School, 41st Assembly District Democrats Club and Councilman Fidler’s staff, a diverse coalition representing the best of our local youth doing their part to help those in need. One such selfless volunteer is Kings Bay Y teen Paula (pictured above), who was participating for the first time this year.
The toy drive is still currently accepting donations, and if you wish to give in person, you can bring a new, unwrapped toy to the Toys for Tots box at the Y, located at 3495 Nostrand Ave, or by bringing it to the Grand Finale Party at the Democrats Club at 2952 Ave. R, on Thursday night, December 20 between 7 and 9 p.m. Donations are also accepted by mailing a check payable to Community First Toy Drive- 41st A.D. Dems Club c/o Bryan Lee, Executive Director 2664 Dorothy Street Bellmore, NY 11710. You can also reach out to Toy Drive founder Bryan Lee by calling (917) 846-1944.
A number of local cultural organizations have teamed up to produce an evening of movies that show the “shared past and common future” of Turkish and Russian-Jewish cultures, two ethnic groups that have planted deep roots in our community. All the information is in the flier below.
Photographers both professional and amateur are invited to enter the “Peace in a Frame” competition for a chance to win money and a spot in an art exhibition.
Judges will be looking for works that “uniquely reflect an effort or a positive outcome of peace building, at a local or global scale.”
The contest is sponsored by the Turkish Cultural Center, the Brooklyn branch of which is located at 245 Avenue U, and is run in conjunction with”Peacebuilding through Education,” an international conference which aims to promote harmony in diverse cultural settings in the United States.
Eight of the top submissions in the contest will be awarded cash prizes. The deadline for submission is August 31.
TCC's Executive Director Murat Kaval presents Istanbul's Mayor Kadir Topbas with a gift at the annual Friendship Dinner (Source: TCC)
The Turkish Cultural Center of Brooklyn hosted its 6th annual Friendship Dinner and Award Ceremony on April 24, bringing together leaders and neighbors from all over Brooklyn’s diverse landscape to celebrate unity and peace building.
The gathering promotes peace and harmony in society by recognizing leaders from a variety of different faiths and ethnic backgrounds for their friendship and goodwill to others.
The event drew guests including Istanbul’s Mayor Kadir Topbas, Borough President Marty Markowitz, Turkish Consul General Levent Bilgen, State Senators Eric Adams and Kevin Parker, Assemblymembers Steven Cymbrowitz and Alec Brook Krasny – among many, many others.
Cymbrowitz was among those honored, as was Leonard Petlakh, executive director of the Kings Bay Y.
View the photos.
The Turkish Cultural Center of Brooklyn’s forum on anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, originally scheduled for this afternoon, has been postponed.
A new date has yet to be selected.
On the upside, the organization’s director has told Sheepshead Bites they’ll be using the time between now and the rescheduled forum to tweak the program, taking feedback from Sheepshead Bites’ commenters into consideration.
The group said they hope to add a local a rabbi to the program, as well as possibly split it into two events – one in the afternoon for students, and one later in the day for adults.
More information will be posted as the group firms up its plans.
From our friends at the Turkish Cultural Center of Brooklyn:
