Chaskel Bennett joins the show this week to weigh on staying safe during Chanukah.
Discussion also includes the upcoming special election in Queens and Far Rockaway.
Plus, more real talk about supporting local stores during the pandemic.
Kathryn Garcia, former Commissioner, NYC Department of Sanitation, joins the show to speak about her Run for NYC Mayor. The candidate grew up in Brooklyn and most recently she oversaw New York City’s efforts to get millions of meals to New Yorkers who needed them due to economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
To learn more about Kathryn Garcia, you can click here for her full Bio.
This week’s guest is William Daroff [@Daroff], CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.
Discussion regarding President Elect Biden’s Top Cabinet Picks – What It Means for Israel. Starting with Secretary of State, Antony Blinken. Then proceeding to discuss how much of the President Elect’s picks are centrist.
November 21, 2020
Discussion regarding the new administration coming into the American Government. Guest tonight is Haviv Rettig Gur, Senior Analyst from The Times of Israel. Haviv was born in Jerusalem to American-born parents. He lived in the United States from 1989 to 1999, returning to Israel in 1999 to serve in the Israel Defense Forces as a combat medic. Upon completing military service, Gur studied history and Jewish thought at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Guest, Chaskel Bennett joins the show to discuss supporting small business during the these unprecedented times and COVID-19 Restrictions. This discussion also includes the new campaign #RiseUpRedZone. Tune in and find how you can help the community by shopping local.
Weighing in on the NY State Elections 2020. Guest Yeruchim Silber, Director of New York Government Relations at Agudath Israel of America . He spends much of his time in Albany, New York for the items he works on.
Discussion on many topics including the push back that Democrats received on some of their policy. Projections and possibilities on how many seats will be picked up in the Senate and House. Discussion also regarding Max Rose, his choice to vote for impeachment and how that is playing out for him in his re-election campaign.
This week’s show focuses on the upcoming ELECTION 2020.
Guests include Congressman Max Rose and Assembly member Nicole Malliotakis, who weigh In On Covid-19, the Red Zones, Antisemitism and Harassment. Opening Remarks by Josh Mehlman, Chairman of the FJCC.
October 24, 2020
Who Are the Democratic Socialists of America? NY State Senator Julia Salazar, Chair of the Committee on Women’s Issues (D, WF, 18th Senate District) joins the show.
She represents New York’s 18th State Senate District, including the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Bushwick, Cypress Hills, Greenpoint and Williamsburg, as well as parts of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brownsville and East New York. Upon her election in 2018, she became the youngest woman elected in the history of the New York State Senate.
>>> To read the Senator’s full bio please click here.
Guest Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Executive Vice President Agudath Israel of America.
Discussing the difficult week. Stresses the important of wearing a mask, as according to the medical community. Continues on to speaking about the burning of masks in the street in Borough Park. Led by self proclaimed community leader, Heshy Tischler.
Discussion regarding the lawsuit against Cuomo’s decision to severely restrict capacity on houses of worship. Additionally, the presence of the monitoring of essential and non-essential stores by government agencies.
October 10, 2020
There is no show this week, in observance of the holiday.
October 3, 2020
There is no show this week, in observance of the holiday.
September 26, 2020
More information coming soon
September 19, 2020
There is no show this week, in observance of the holiday.
September 12, 2020
More information coming soon
September 5, 2020
More information coming soon
This week’s guest is William Daroff who is the Chief Executive Officer of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. He began this position on February 1, 2020. In that capacity, he is the senior professional guiding the Conference’s agenda on behalf of the 53 national member organizations, which represent the wide mosaic of American Jewish life.
Previously, he was the Senior Vice President for Public Policy and Director of the Washington Office of The Jewish Federations of North America, where he was the chief lobbyist and principal spokesperson on public policy and international affairs for 146 Jewish Federations and more than 300 independent communities.
August 22, 2020
Discussion regarding the past school year with the Dean’s of Shalom Torah Centers: Pinny Sharp, Elimelech Kramer.
Highlights pertaining to how “when the going got tough” the teachers stayed committed and focused on reshaping the educational structure to accommodate the predicament caused by the pandemic. Looking forward to the upcoming school year and precautions being made for safety.
Guest Jonathan Tobin is an American journalist. He is editor in chief of JNS.org, the Jewish News Syndicate. He is also a contributing writer for National Review and a columnist for the New York Post, Haaretz and other publications. He was named top editorial columnist and best arts critic in Philadelphia for the year 2005 by the Society of Professional Journalists.
The following are links to Jonathan’s social media pages:
Facebook – Twitter - Instagram
August 8, 2020
More information coming soon
August 1, 2020 – Show Preempted
Former Ambassador Richard Schifter, Chairman of the Board of the American Jewish International Relations Institute (AJIRI), has had a distinguished career as a lawyer in Washington, D.C. and in government.
After receiving his L.L.B. from the Yale School of Law in 1951, he practiced law in Washington, DC with Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson, 1951-1984, and is now a retired partner of that firm. From 1981 to 2001 Schifter held a series of senior foreign policy positions in the U.S. government.
From 1985 to 1992 Schifter served as Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs, a position in which he played a key role in the successful U.S. effort to encourage the Soviet Government to end abuse of psychiatry, release political prisoners, end the practice of criminalizing political dissent and to allow the emigration of Soviet Jews, all changes in Soviet policy that helped end the Cold War.
Evan Bernstein is the new CEO of the new organization Community Security Service. This New York-based organization that trains volunteers to protect their own synagogues. He is also known for his work with Jewish NGOs such as the Anti Defamation League (ADL), where he worked from 2013-2020. He also held senior positions at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and The David Project Center for Jewish Leadership. Evan received his ALM from Harvard University and has been heavily involved in interfaith relations and law enforcement discussions in New York City and the surrounding cities and states.
Guest Terence A. Monahan is the 40th Chief of Department for the New York City Police Department. He is the Highest Ranking Uniform Member of the NYPD and joined the Police Force 38 years ago in 1982.
His first assignment was the 41st Precinct, where he served until 1987, when he was promoted to sergeant. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1989; captain in 1992; deputy inspector in 1995; inspector in 1998; deputy chief in 2003; assistant chief in 2014; and chief of patrol in 2016.
Monahan oversees roughly 40,000 uniformed and civilian members of the service in key operational areas, including the Patrol Services Bureau, the Housing Bureau, the Transit Bureau, the Detective Bureau, the Special Operations Bureau, the Transportation Bureau, and the Community Affairs Bureau. Several smaller units that perform specialized functions directly report to him, such as the Domestic Violence Unit and the Technical Assistance Response Unit.
This weeks guest is Borough President Eric Adams. He was born in the Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn and was drawn to public service at the early age of 15. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminal justice from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and a Master of Public Administration degree from Marist College. Eric graduated from the New York City Police Academy in 1984 as one of the highest-ranked students in his class. He was elected to the first of four terms in the New York State Senate in 2006.
Discussion regarding Summer Camps for this summer. Guest Chaim Dovid Zwiebel who is the Executive Director of Agudath Israel of America joins the show to weigh in. He speaks about the work that went into creating a plan for sleep away camps to operate safe and effectively. This method would have utilized the creation of a “bubble” which many experts recommend in general.
Guest Haviv Rettig Gur is the Senior Analyst for The Times of Israel. Discussion on this week’s show is in regards to Annexation and the Land of Israel. References to locations such as Ariel and the misunderstandings of the structure of the community. Additionally, there are mentions of the area’s recorded history; such as the Balfur Declaration, items at the League of Nations and further proceedings on record at the United Nations.
June 13, 2020
More information coming soon
This week’s guest is Assembly member Rodneyse Bichotte. This week’s show discusses the murder of George Floyd, 46, who was arrested by Minneapolis police officers after a convenience store employee called 911, about Floyd having bought cigarettes with an allegedly fake 20 dollar bill and four officers responded. Floyd was pinned down to the ground by one officer for 8 minutes and 46 second. Video shows him unconscious after saying he could not breath and calling out for help from his late mother. According to NPR, “The Hennepin County Medical Examiner released a new autopsy report Monday, ruling George Floyd’s death was a homicide.”
Guest Sarah Stern is the Founder and President of Endowment of Middle East Truth (EMET). Articles by Stern also appear in JNS, Times of Israel and more. Discussion on the show begins in regards to Malki Roth, of Ramot – a suburb of Jerusalem. Malki who was killed in the 2001 Sbarro bombing along with 14 others. Roth’s murderer was arrested but later freed in the Shalit deal and became a celebrity in Jordan. Additional discussion on other cases and what is currently in process with EMET and other organizations and activists to fight murders getting “rockstar” status.
More information coming soon
Guest New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer has spent his career in public service fighting to ensure that every New Yorker has an equal opportunity to make it in our City. Over the last two decades, Mr. Stringer has been a champion for policies like a $15 minimum wage, has advocated for affordable housing, worked to strengthen the City’s fiscal health, and promoted open, transparent government.
Guest Dr. “Gita” Cycowirtz, 90, was born in a poor town in Czechoslovakia, with a population of 20,000. 8,000 were Jews. The town was Chust. Family was there for many generations. Many people didn’t even have a citizenship passport, including her dad. All the businesses and stores were owned by Jewish people. In 1939 the town of Chust was taken over. On this week’s show she tells her amazing story of surviving this and her family’s experience in the concentration camp.
Rabbi Dr. Aaron Glatt is the Chairman of Medicine and Chief of Infectious Disease at Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital. He is on the show this week to discuss The Covid-19 Pandemic in relation to how we got here and where we are going.
This week, the show is joined by Malcolm Hoenlein who has been the executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations since June 1986.
On this episode, there is discussion in regards to setting priorities in the Jewish community and preparing for what could be needed in our local community. Also, discussion in regards to Dianne Lob, the immediate past chair of HIAS, who was nominated to become Chair of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, effective June 1, 2020. Furthermore, there is discussion in regards to Israel and the formation of the government is included in this episode.
Encore presentation of Dr. John John Marshall.
Dr. John Marshall joins the show to discuss Maimonides Medical Center on the Front Lines. Dr. Marshall is the Chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine and the Vice President at Maimonides Hospital.
April 4, 2020
more information coming soon
Dr. Elie Bennett joins the show to talk about COVID-19 (Cornoavirus). He discusses the beginning and exponential spread of the virus. With an emphasis on social distancing, he speaks about what we can do to stop the spread. He speaks about recent studies including some studies suggest that asymptomatic carriers can spread the virus for up to two months.
Dr. Bennett is a Double Board Certified doctor residing in Queens, New York and holds multiple director positions. He is the Medical Director of Emergency Medical Services at JFK Airport. He is Director of Emergency Medical Training Center at NYHQ.
This week Governor David Paterson joins the show. Discussion primarily focuses on bail reform.
Paterson was New York’s first African- American, as well as, blind Governor. Since his graduation from Hofstra University Law School, Paterson has dedicated most of his adult life to public service. After working as an Assistant District Attorney and on the staff of Manhattan Borough President David Dinkins, he was elected to the State Senate seat once held by his father. In the Senate, Paterson was a strong advocate for quality public education, greater opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses and enhanced access to services for the disabled.
March 14, 2020
More information coming soon
March 7, 2020
More information coming soon
Malcolm Hoenlein, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, comes to the show. He discusses his recent trip to Saudia Arabia with a delegation of 55 persons. He speaks about the trip and the overall change in the Arab world over the last few years.
Social Media Links for Conference of Presidents: Twitter
Related Article: ‘Jewish mission to Saudi Arabia the result of 2-decade effort’
TM Garret is an author, speaker and Human Rights Activist who is most notably known for his former life as a member of white supremacy groups including the Ku Klux Klan, European White Knights and others. He explains how he fell into the wrong group as a child and then his involvement grew from there.
Discussion continues on to explain how these groups create a narrative that makes members feel as though they are “superheros saving the white race.” Garret is now a compassionate Human Rights Activist.
Social Media Links for TM Garret: Twitter, Facebook
This week’s guest is Ambassador Danny Danon. Discussion pertains to the United Nations and Leon’s attending of a their recent Security Council Meeting. The meeting included a special address by PA President Mahmoud Abbas. Ambassador Danon was a part of blocking a recent resolution against Israel.
Ambassador Danny Danon became Israel’s 17th Permanent Representative to the United Nations in October 2015. He completed his IDF service with the rank of Lieutenant. He served among others as Chairman of World Likud, Member of the Jewish Agency Board of Governors, Member of the Zionist Executive of W.Z.O. and Chairman of the World Betar Executive.
Danny Danon was a Member of Knesset from February 2009 until August 2015. He served as Deputy Speaker of the 18th Knesset, as Chair of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, and among others as a member of the Labor, Welfare and Health Committee, House, Constitution, Law and Justice, Foreign Affairs and Defense and more.
Social Media Links for Ambassador Danny Danon: Twitter , Facebook
This week we welcome New York State Assembly member and Chair of the Brooklyn Democratic Party Rodneyse Bichotte, to Community Matters Radio Show. She discusses her new role as Chair and the journey to get there. She explains how this position works and why it’s extremely important.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, Rodneyse is the first Haitian-American woman elected in New York City, and the first Engineer elected to the New York State Legislature. Since became (becoming) a legislator in 2015, she has introduced over 100 pieces of Legislation, 9 (10) of which became law, and she co-sponsored over 250 others. She is also the State Committee Woman / District Leader for New York State’s 42nd Assembly District representing Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood and Ditmas Park in Brooklyn.
Social Media Links for Rodneyse: Twitter , Instagram , Facebook
February 1, 2020
Aaron David Miller, Senior Fellow at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, joins the show to weigh in on Trump’s Peace Plan. Discussion regarding this and if it is good for Israel.
Aaron was previously Vice President for New Initiatives at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, and has been an advisor to both Republican and Democratic secretaries of state. He is a Global Affairs Analyst for CNN.[1]
Miller worked for the United States Department of State for 24 years (1978–2003). Between 1988 and 2003, Miller served six secretaries of state as an advisor on Arab-Israeli negotiations, where he participated in American efforts to broker agreements between Israel, Jordan, Syria, and the Palestinians. He left the Department of State in January 2003 to serve as president of Seeds of Peace, an international youth organization founded in 1993.
January 25, 2020
More information coming soon
This week’s guest is Assemblymen Simcha Eichstein, who has just completed his first year in office. He represents New York’s 48th Assembly District, which includes the neighborhoods of Borough Park and Midwood in Brooklyn.
Discussed recently passed bills such as the Summer Youth Employment Bill, which will impact many children in the community. In Boro Park alone there was over 12,000 youth who were involved in working. The kids are able to utilize this to go to camps.
Additional discussion on the fight against antisemitism, the public’s response to the surge in hate and how the times of the Jewish community has changed. Also, the state budget, new funding for security for summer camps were discussed and more.
This week New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio joins the show. Discussion regarding the rise of antisemitism in New York City. How did we get here? How can we get to a place where the Jewish community feels safe again.
January 4, 2020 – Show Preempted