Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Wesley Cantrell Wesley grew up in West Nashville and Bellevue He developed a close relationship with his Lord and Savior His faith is something he held close throughout his life that he earned his place as drum major his senior year Wesley dreamt of continuing his education to become a music teacher himself he sacrificed his opportunity to go to college in order to raise his little sister instead If you were lucky enough to call Wesley a friend then you know what a blessing he was to have in your life He was truly an amazing example of what it means to be a good person Wesley is preceded in death by his grandmother Johnny Curtis Smith Visitation will be held at Harpeth Hills on Hwy 100 Saturday donations can be made to The National MS Society Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors The neighborhood group Wesley Neighbors Community Association presented a $500 check to the West Hills Elementary School Foundation for its use at school assistant principal of WHES; Kristen Jackson president of the West Hills Elementary School Foundation Quote from the foundation: “Thank you all so much for the very generous gift Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page RAMAPO ‒ As a private fire brigade seeks to supplant first responders in predominately Hasidic and Orthodox Jewish areas government officials urge residents to ignore the group and continue calling 911 in emergencies Some rabbinical leaders are looking to serve Orthodox Jewish and Hasidic communities with a fire brigade that adheres to Jewish laws and are encouraging residents through advertisements and word of mouth to call their emergency number instead of 911 The unit responded to over 100 calls in August alone But government and fire officials contend Matzilei Aish volunteers lack the training and proper equipment to fight fires ‒ claims refuted by the brigade's spiritual leader Fire officials note that firefighters and fire inspectors investigate potential causes and possible fire and safety code violations Matzilei Aish volunteers are not trained to make those determinations "The recommendation to bypass 911 in favor of this private group poses a significant risk, as it may lead to delays in emergency response, and could potentially jeopardize the safety of our residents," according to a letter to residents from the mayors of New Hempstead and Pomona Welsey Hills Mayor Marshall Katz wrote a separate letter that the village "strongly encourages its residents to call 911 in case of an emergency The County of Rockland has a nationally certified 911 center which properly dispatches the appropriate first-responders quickly." "I certainly would not call them myself if I saw a fire," Katz said in a separate email Ramapo Supervisor Michael Specht has told residents the town doesn't accept Matzilei Aish as a firefighting unit and they should call 911 in emergencies for the police and fire department Rockland County Sheriff Lou Falco called Matzilei Aish a "rogue fire department that needs to be brought to task We don’t know the abilities of this rogue fire department." Matzilei Aish founder wants fire unit that follows Jewish lawWeiss an adherent of the New Square-based Skver Hasidim said Friday that he doesn't want a fight with fire companies and government officials He said he wants a live-and-let-live relationship and feels he and Matzilei Aish are being wrongly portrayed Weiss said he advocated for the formation of Matzilei Aish as a unit that would follow Jewish law, known as Halakhah. Weiss said the Monsey Brewer Fire Department's recreational activities Monsey Fire Department boasts predominately Jewish volunteers who span the spectrum of Judaism from non-religious and Reform to Orthodox and Hasidim Other Ramapo departments also have Jewish volunteers More: 'Rogue' firefighting unit in Ramapo worries officials. 'A very dangerous situation' Fire officials contend their Jewish members' rabbis approved of their joining the departments But Weiss said a fire company should follow Jewish law all the way He said Matzilei Aish has the support of many community rabbis and residents and doesn't want to "micro-manage people or persecute people." Weiss said he and his supporters are exercising their religious rights and providing a competent response to the Jewish community's needs He cited that Hatzoloh Ambulance has provided a high standard of service for 45 years while following Jewish law "We understand everybody has the right to choose and practice their beliefs," Weiss said there is no such thing as being partially compliant they should be honest and shouldn't deceive the young people joining the department." Weiss said Matzilei Aish volunteers are trained and will get better training as time goes on Weiss said he and Matzilei Aish's coordinators have been talking with Monsey Fire Department commissioners to work out issues "I am on friendly relations with them," Weiss said of the commissioners The community is concerned about this false Fire and government officials have raised concerns not only about the group's training and experience but whether the group will report its activities to the police and state Not doing so could cause insurance reimbursement issues for residents who suffer fire property damage Rockland Fire and Emergency Services Coordinator Chris Kear wrote Specht that companies are concerned about Matzilei Aish's lack of training in fire investigation and arson; whether it will notify utilities about hazards and building and fire inspectors about code violations; and whether its lack of reporting to the state will lead to inaccurate data They're also worried about whether the unit will obstruct access to emergency scenes "These concerns are not only representative of myself and fire department commissioners," Kear wrote "Much more needs to be done to prevent the response and growth of this organization and their expansion into additional geographical areas It is only a matter of time that there will be disastrous event that will impact the residents in your town Weiss said Matzilei Aish follows state laws Since Matzilei Aish doesn't connect with the county fire dispatch center fire officials said they can't measure how active Matzilei Aish has been Matzilei Aish members started responding to fires a few years ago in Monsey and the Spring Valley area in their private vehicles with extinguishers Matzilei Aish members aren't participating in continuous training programs provided by the Rockland Fire Training Center The unit's members have reportedly gone through basic Firefighter 1 classes at the Bergen County Law and Public Safety Institute The group has recently bought a used ladder truck and is looking to expand into communities with large Orthodox Jewish populations Weiss said he could not provide the total number of calls Matzilei Aish has responded to but estimated the unit responded to 140 calls in August alone Kear said the brigade recently beat Spring Valley firefighters to a scene and entered a building with dangerous conditions without any gear or air packs "putting themselves in a very precarious situation." Kear said he's communicated with New York State Attorney General Letitia James' office and the New York State Department of Labor's Public Employee Safety and Health unit, known as PESH He said James' office claims an investigation into Matzilei Aish continues Labor Department deputy communications commissioner Christine Buttigieg said Friday that "the Department of Labor is gathering information to determine if the fire brigade .. Rockland County Executive Ed Day said that state intervention is necessary He said county and fire officials have been discussing the unit for months "There's not been a lack of effort," Day said "We want this addressed before we have a tragedy Sending untrained personnel into a fire or emergency risks the lives of people and firefighters." Steve Lieberman covers government, breaking news, courts, police, and investigations. Reach him at slieberm@lohud.com Twitter: @lohudlegal Read more articles and bio Our local coverage is only possible with support from our readers 2024 at 11:54 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Some bamboo shoots are edible NY — The Town of Ramapo Police Department Detective Bureau arrested three individuals stemming from two incidents of the theft of over $3,000 in edible bamboo from the yard of a residence in Wesley Hills The incidents were so unusual that police published a Facebook post with "BAMBOOzled!!!!" as the lead-in police said when two suspects stole bamboo the two suspects from the first larceny returned with a third person and again over $3,000.00 in bamboo was stolen Criminal Possession of Stolen Property and Trespass They were arraigned in Wesley Hills Court and released pending a future court date Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. the new Yeshiva Mayan Torah has celebrated its founding and the opening of its doors as Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim of Wesley Hills my wife and I dreamed of an exciting type of Chinuch because too many of us have wished for a better experience in the chinuch system to truly connect us to Yiddishkeit and Chassidus We wanted to create a yeshiva that would be individualized,” Rabbi Yoseph Vigler “A place where every child’s uniqueness is cherished bringing to real life the Rebbe’s vision for every child.” The goal of the Yeshiva is to help bochurim of 2022 turn into Temimim as envisioned by the Rebbe Rashab Not just to learn but to learn how to learn to daven with the understanding of every word infused with the knowledge and inspiration of Chassidus Special emphasis will be placed on helping the bochurim develop the proper Yiras Shamayim and midos tovos The Yeshiva is headed by Reb Nochum Labkowski a great Talmid Chochom and experienced teacher for many years He is joined by the Mashpia Rabbi Menachem Feldman from Sydney The Yeshiva and talmidim are indebted to the vision courage and leadership of Reb Eli and Shterny Steinmetz for their personal commitment with exceptional dedication and with funding working day and night to oversee the dream of the Yeshiva in the most beautiful way The local community has embraced and warmly welcomed the new Yeshiva and is looking forward to enjoying its influence in Torah and Chassidus The mesivta opened with a warm welcome barbeque the fervor reflecting anticipation and excitement Local Rabbonim and Mashpiim who came to bentch the new Yeshiva included Rabbi Nosson Gourarie The many supporters in building the Yeshiva have expressed how blown away they were by the quick miracles from Hashem in finding and securing the Yeshiva campus “Just seven months ago we decided to make the dream a reality and build this yeshiva,” says Rabbi Vigler with miraculous Siyata diShmaya and following a series of events which are like a ‘Baalshemske story’ of Hashgacha Pratis and bounty from Above.” The Yeshiva is in a beautiful building on 5 acres of land in the quiet hills of Wesley Hills with newly renovated rooms and Beis Medrash The bochurim are given time and space to let out energy on the basketball court The crowd was extremely impressed how beautiful and appropriate this place is for the Yeshiva spiritually and materially The Yeshiva is currently in contract on the property For more info email [email protected] or visit MayanTorah.org Sign up for the COLlive Daily News Roundup and never miss a story Δdocument.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()) Δdocument.getElementById("ak_js_2").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()) That’s awesome that they got Menachem Feldman truly the Australian Iluy Mayor David Goldsmith is stepping down from his post to get ready to move to Florida later this year said the reason for his mid-term resignation from the part-time mayor's position is twofold: Increased responsibilities in his full-time job as a software developer and his health "My responsibility at my day job has increased dramatically over the last year or so It has gotten to be a little bit of challenge to be able to do my day job and to keep up with all the things that I'd like to do in terms of the village," said Goldsmith said he has a health condition that makes it difficult for him to deal with cold weather He and his wife have decided to move to Florida where the couple already have a vacation home The village's Board of Trustees recently appointed Trustee Marshall Katz to take over Goldsmith's remaining term and his trustee seat will be filled at an upcoming village board meeting in August Katz said Goldsmith would be sorely missed "He's done great work for the village for so many years trying to take care of everybody in the village and all their needs," said Katz who served on the Planning Board for 16 years before becoming a trustee in 2012 Goldsmith had served the village in different capacities first on the Planning Board and later as a trustee He was appointed mayor after longtime Mayor Robert Frankl retired Goldsmith worked for the village for 23 years Goldsmith's priority has been to maintain the village's character as a single-family-home community He has also worked to enhance the quality of life in the village expanding parks and installing more sidewalks The sidewalk extension project on Route 306 from Grandview Avenue to Lime Kiln Road which Goldsmith has worked on for the past decade thanks to the funding procured by the late state Sen "I'd always hoped this was something I'd get to see before I left office," Goldsmith said "It's very gratifying to see the project nearing completion now." Goldsmith helped establish a law to ensure the safety of residents during large gatherings at synagogues in Wesley Hills whose population is majority Orthodox Jewish Goldsmith said he was grateful for the support he has received over the years "It's been an honor and a privilege serving the community all these years," Goldsmith said Twitter: @LohudAkiko WESLEY HILLS - A longtime married couple known for walking the neighborhood with their dog died Thursday morning in what police said was a murder-suicide then shot himself on their back porch after calling police to their Deerwood Road on Thursday morning The 65-year-old Lord told police during a 911 call just before 7:11 a.m Lord then went to the rear porch of their high-ranch house they heard a gunshot from the back of the house and yelled for the shooter to disarm The officers then heard a second shot and saw Lord stumble into the dining room They found Lord with a gunshot wound to the head and his wife dead near their bed Notorious family killings in the Lower Hudson Valley Well-to-do domestic violence victims hide in shadows at their peril During a news conference at the Ramapo police station Lawrence said neighbors told police they always saw the Lords walking the neighborhood hand in hand with their black Labrador The couple had no children but had relatives in Florida and Connecticut Police said John Lord was self employed and sometimes worked as a landscaper said there was no suicide note or indication as to what prompted the incident He said police knew of no history of domestic violence involving the couple Police said there was no immediate indication either of the Lords had been ill They were checking to see if the couple had financial problems Their dog has been turned over to animal control and will be handed off to relatives Irene Lord had a second handgun registered in her name; police said archery equipment and a spear gun at the house Investigators from the Rockland County Bureau of Criminal Investigation assisted at the scene This was the second murder-suicide in Ramapo in the last few months. In October a former police officer shot his wife then killed himself at their Sloatsburg home The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services has recorded 390 intimate partner homicides statewide from 2010-2014 with 14 percent of those incidents being murder-suicides coordinator of community relations and services for Rockland Center for Safety & Change advocates for families of domestic violence Center Executive Director Elizabeth Santiago called the murder-suicide a terrible tragedy for the family and community Santiago represents domestic violence programs on the New York State Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team "Domestic violence is often a crime that is perpetrated without people outside of the relationship being aware of a pattern of abuse or power and control being used by one partner against the other," Santiago said "Perpetrators make deliberate choices to conceal their violence from outsiders Oftentimes the only person who sees the abusive side of the perpetrator is the victim.” Twitter: @lohudlegal Map: Wesley Hills murder-suicide Twitter: @lohudlegal who fought in the Korean War and then battled the Town of Ramapo to form the Village of Wesley Hills was among a group of residents who became disenchanted with development policies under Supervisor Morty Baron "It was the overall malaise of the powers-that-be at Town Hall with not following the master plan adopted by the town," she said.  Frankl was part of the Willow Tree Civic Association which engaged in a bitter and costly legal battle that culminated with Wesley Hills' December 1982 incorporation The first village government was elected soon afterward and they didn't think we'd fight back," Rhea Frankl said and "Mayor Bob" held the post until he retired 25 years later "He used to tease that he fell asleep and found out that they picked him as mayor," his wife recalled The village's founders were seeking equal treatment from Town Hall which they believed was favoring the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community chairman of the grassroots group Preserve Ramapo said the victory by residents of Wesley Hills provided the legal basis for the formation of the villages of Airmont Despite opponents' claims the village was formed to keep out religious Jews, under Frankl's leadership Wesley Hills accepted its changing religious composition who was village attorney during Frankl's tenure and now serves as deputy attorney "One of the things Wesley Hills stood for under Bob and continues to is that every person who comes to Village Hall should be treated fairly and treated the same," Brown said who has served as a trustee since the village's incorporation he listened to what I said and never criticized but kept me focused I have come to appreciate his method and his kindness." McPherson said who was appointed to the planning board by Frankl said the founder's "passion for the village was something to behold." "Even though he'd been gone awhile, he would still call a couple of times a year to find out what was going on in the village," Katz said Frankl served in Korea from 1951 to 1953 He was a strong advocate for veterans affairs and had served as president of the Rockland County Chapter of Korean War Veterans the more that we will be sensitive to not letting it happen again," Frankl said in a 2000 interview with The Journal News about the dedication of a new Korean War memorial in front of Haverstraw Town Hall Frankl had a career in sales before becoming a full-time mayor, Rhea Frankl said "He was a man for all seasons," his wife said Frankl and the former Rhea Kantner were married April 5 Arrangements are being handled by Palm Beach National Chapel Funeral Home, Lake Worth where a memorial service will be at 1:30 p.m donations may be made to the American Lung Association the American Cancer Society or Trust Bridge Hospice Twitter: @Bee_bob a decorated Army sergeant from Wesley Hills who was cited for heroism in Afghanistan according to Rockland County Executive Ed Day His death is being investigated as a suicide who had been deployed to Afghanistan three times suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder SUPPORTING VETS: Fahy family starts fundraiser for homes for injured vets HELPING VETS: Veterans' job fair set for Nov. 17 Richard Morrison said he wanted his son to be remembered for his heroism and service to his country as well as for the struggles he His son's death was a reminder that military members should not be afraid or ashamed to seek assistance for mental health issues “PTSD is real,” Richard Morrison said in a statement Morrison was cited for heroism in 2011 by then-U.S Morrison and other troops were engaged in a fierce battle with Taliban soldiers in southeastern Afghanistan in May 2011 He “ran through enemy fire to reach a weapon that was used to push the enemy back," according to an account in a Defense Department publication.This helped the troops win the battle "You all have done a magnificent job over the course of the last year (against) very difficult terrain and a very difficult enemy — right up against the border," Petraeus was quoted as saying was awarded an Army Commendation Medal with Valor He re-enlisted and was serving in Colorado Morrison was a 2006 graduate of Ramapo High School Both he and his father volunteered with the Hillcrest Fire Department Day said he admired the family’s willingness to speak out about the consequences of PTSD I can think of no greater heartache,” Day said “We know the people of Rockland will stand by the Morrisons during this time of tragedy.” He reminded local veterans that the Rockland County Veterans Service Agency provides referrals for assistance There is also a Veterans Affairs health-care clinic in New City Morrison will be buried with full military honors Tentative arrangements will include viewing Thursday and Friday evening at the T.J Loescher Veterans Memorial Cemetery on Brick Church Road in Ramapo Twitter: @Bee_bob WESLEY HILLS - Two drivers were injured when a school bus and a car smashed into each other in Wesley Hills this morning and no students were on the bus at the time Route 306 was briefly closed while the bus and car were removed Twitter: @MattSpillane SLOATSBURG: Water main break slows Route 17 POMONA: Man shot after house party SLOATSBURG: Man arrested in home burglary RAMAPO — Police said today that 56-year-old Erol Belizaire of Wesley Hills was the man who died in last week's early morning single-car crash on Grandview Avenue in Ramapo Detective Sgt. Michael Higgins said there were no witnesses to the crash at 4:30 a.m. on May 12 Belizaire was driving a 2003 Subaru Outback on his way to work when a possible medical event caused the car to leave the road and hit a tree on the opposite side of the road Results of the medical examiner's office autopsy are pending FATAL CRASH: Wesley Hills man dies in single-car Ramapo wreck CORONAVIRUS IN ROCKLAND: Monday's town-by-town case breakdown SMART RESTART: Can vehicle emissions be kept low after shutdown? The investigation continues but it appears to be a tragic accident the Rockland County Sheriff's Office assisted the officers along with state police and the Rockland County Medical Examiner's Office also responded Reach Peter D. Kramer at pkramer@lohud.com or on Twitter @PeterKramer. Read his latest stories. A 67-year-old Syrian national faces a life sentence Tuesday for beating his estranged girlfriend to death with her shoe after a Rockland Court judge refused to let him withdraw his guilty plea Riad Dib brutally beat 68-year-old Cecile Garbarino whose battered and bloody body was found Jan Dib and Garbarino had broken off their relationship though he stayed occasionally at her house With an interpreter translating English to Arabic Dib pleaded guilty in September to second-degree murder but wanted to retract his plea just before sentencing in January Dib later claimed that he is not guilty of murder saying he blacked out and didn't remember killing Garbarino according to Judge William Nelson's decision refusing to let him withdraw his plea of guilty Dib also claimed he believed he would serve 15 years in state prison and he didn't understand the concepts behind what was being translated to him who told the judge he was not aware of Dib's concerns "Suffice it to say that each of these claims is belied by the record." Nelson wrote that Dib "admitted that he acted with the intent to kill the victim and that he caused her death The defendant indicated he understood everything that was being said and he expressed satisfaction with his attorneys." had beaten Garbarino for more than two hours on Jan crushing bones in her face with about two dozen blows to her head and face with the heel of her shoe cracking her ribs and causing internal injuries Prosecutor Richard Kennison Moran's case included Dib's video statement to Ramapo police describing how he killed Garbarino Moran had called her death a "heinous and barbaric murder in which she suffered 24 blows to her head." Moran recommended 22 years to life but the plea agreement by Nelson settled on 18 years to life Ramapo police investigators have said they know little about Dib who had an expired security guard license and ran a business called RD Distributors out of Garbarino's Grandview Avenue address Dib has a permanent resident card dated 2006 and his passport issued by the Syrian Embassy in Washington lists his occupation as priest as a secretary in the East Ramapo school district and at the Honda dealership in Nanuet She was born Cecile Marie Bernard in France moved to the United States as a girl and became a naturalized citizen Her mother and sister live in New York City Read the judge's decision: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/1149584-judge-nelsons-dib-decision.html WESLEY HILLS - John and Irene Lord seemed like a happily married couple who enjoyed aging together hunting and target shoots; they both had studied martial arts Police say they have found no obvious trigger for the murder-suicide that took place Thursday morning when John Lord shot his wife to death in the bedroom of their high-ranch house on Deerwood Road and then fatally shot himself on the back porch Investigators have learned "nothing from their family members (indicating) that either one had been suffering from anything medically," Detective Lt They owned two properties that seem like they were money-making: one in Florida and one in Texas." told police during a 911 call just before 7:11 a.m Officers who responded saw him on the property then heard two additional shots and saw him stumble from the porch into the house Police said the .38-caliber revolver used in the shootings was registered to Irene Lord The couple had no children; they are survived by one sibling each John Lord had worked in commercial real estate in New York City walking two of them around the neighborhood of large residential homes off East Willow Tree Road Emma said the couple's yellow Labrador recently died while their black Labrador will be turned over to family members He said there are some minor indications John Lord suffered from depression but there were no medications for depression found in the house "You can tell by looking at their photos and "They were definitely people who took care of themselves They had a little gym in their house and you can tell it got used "All indications of their lifestyle offer us no explanation into what caused this," Emma said Twitter: @lohudlegal beaten to death by her estranged boyfriend will live on through her as yet-unborn grandchild the Wesley Hills woman's son said before her killer was sentenced to 18 years to life in state prison on Tuesday a sergeant with a county sheriff's office in North Carolina told the judge of his mother's "convictions" about making the world better in contrast to Riad Dib's conviction for second-degree murder admitted he bashed 68-year-old Cecile Garbarino about two dozen times to the face and head with the heel of her shoe in her Grandview Avenue house on the night of Jan He then kicked and punched her when she tried to call for help we are here to witness a brutal conclusion in our lives," Michael Garbarino said adding convictions usually end criminal cases "We're fully prepared to teach my mother's convictions to her grandchild." Garbarino's wife is pregnant with their first child who would have been Cecile Garbarino's first grandchild "My mother worked tirelessly to try to leave the world a better place than she found it," he said citing her her work with the East Ramapo school district — where she was a secretary — her love of music Dib killed Garbarino on the night she told him to take his belongings and leave her house They had ended their nearly 10-year-relationship but she had allowed him to stay because he had nowhere else to go Before sentencing in the Rockland Courthouse in New City Dib gave a rambling 15-minute talk in Arabic with a white beard and chained at the waist Dib said Garbarino urged him to live with her and followed him to a church he ran in Massachusetts He claimed to be a Christian clergyman in Syria and the United States Dib had an expired security guard license and ran a business called RD Distributors out of Garbarino's home "I loved her very much and had respect for her as a woman," Dib said who refused to let Dib withdraw his guilty plea said that Nelson should have allowed Dib to withdraw his guilty plea and that he would appeal Dib faces deportation back to Syria after his sentence called Dib's remarks "another piece of standard Dib nonsense the ramblings of a vicious domestic violence abuser who in this case killed my mother." The head chef at Teaneck’s popular Nobo Wine & Grill is opening up 3 kosher restaurants in the Monsey area this year (Note: these restaurants are not related to the Nobo restaurant business in Teaneck) To the left of the Wesley Kosher supermarket 2 new kosher eateries are being constructed back to back in the former Bubba’s Bagels location: And to the right of the Wesley Kosher supermarket … All the restaurants are (or will be) under the kosher supervision of Rabbi Yechiel Steinmetz This post will be updated will additional info as we receive it from Chef Massin.   Dani Klein founded YeahThatsKosher in 2008 as a global kosher restaurant & travel resource for the Jewish community He is passionate about traveling the world and spending time with his friends & family We use ads & sponsored posts to support the creation of new content © YeahThatsKosher 2024 – Reproduction without explicit permission is strictly prohibited. | Privacy Policy • Download our kosher restaurant directory app WESLEY HILLS – A plumber suffered serious burns to his face and body when a van carrying volatile gases exploded and caught fire on Wednesday The worker opened the rear door about 9:30 a.m which was carrying propane and acetylene tanks Ramapo Valley Ambulance Corps took the man to the Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla His burns are not considered life-threatening The man worked for B&H Plumbing & Heating in Monsey which had a group of plumbers working at a house at the corner of Glen Brook Road and Moccasin Place First-responders removed other tanks from the burned vehicle The Rockland Sheriff's Office Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Ramapo police detectives now are searching for the cause "A lot of the investigative evidence was consumed by the fire," Weidel said Monsey Fire Chief Rick Lagarde said about a dozen volunteers responded to extinguish the fire Rockland news email: Sign up for the Rockland Angle e-newsletter Facebook: Like lohud and get local news posts on your news feed Boniface Parish started 50 years ago as small community that gathered in the tiny confines of a chapel on Route 306 they celebrate religious services and gather for parties concerts and plays in a church in Wesley Hills that the St a parish trustee and philosophy professor at Rockland Community College was one of the hundreds of volunteers who built the church in 1980 "All the parishioners took part in hammering nails and painting - wives everyone," Liberace said before Saturday's 50 anniversary Mass "We built this church and that set the tone for our community because it become our social center too." The parish was established in May 1966 by the Archbishop of New York at the time Boniface was one of three parishes Spellman started in Rockland families flocked to Monsey to be part of the parish the parish council voted to build a church on the archdiocesan-owned Willow Tree Road property Construction was done by December 1980, and the community "braved swirling, drifting snow and chilling wind" to celebrate its first Mass on Christmas Eve, according to the history information on the parish's website but Liberace said the parishioners are still a tightknit community "There's been a change in demographics over the years so it's a little quieter now," Liberace said "But we have a staunch community that dearly loves this church." WESLEY HILLS – Robin Shimoff and her family live in a brick-faced mansion with a market value of $1.45 million along scenic Willow Tree Road the house tops 7,000 square feet and features four bathrooms a three-car garage and a gated swimming pool As comfortable as her lifestyle seems in this Ramapo village Shimoff's New York City tenants live in squalor as the residents of her 13 Bronx properties contend with rats Shimoff is ranked the worst landlord by the New York City Public Advocate's Office because her properties with 776 apartments currently carry 2,469 violations, according to Eric Bederman of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation & Development The HPD enforces the city's housing and maintenance codes That number is down from the 3,352 violations cited on the Public Advocate's Office's Landlord Watchlist. Public Advocate Letitia James identifies the 49-year-old mother as the head officer of the buildings Shimoff declined to comment when reached by phone on Monday night No one was at her home on Tuesday during the Sukkot holiday apparently took over the properties from her father who made millions of dollars on his Bronx real estate Nearly 6,800 buildings across the five boroughs made the 2014 list Many of the rental structures lack heat or have conditions hazardous to residents "It's not about shaming landlords but getting violations rectified for the tenants," said Brendan Brosh "We're going to try and update the list monthly People rectify the problems or more violations are being added as inspectors go out." Bederman said an enforcement action for Shimoff's 940 Grand Concourse, for example, seeks a court order for correction of the 448 violations in the building and civil penalties Shimoff faces $3,500 in civil penalties for that complex alone Housing advocates in Rockland contend attitudes of slumlords in New York City are no different from those operating illegal housing and schools with unhealthy conditions in the county, including in Spring Valley and Ramapo Rabbi Justin Schwartz called the attitudes of the slumlords who put money before human dignity "a shandah" — the Yiddish word for shame or scandal a Spring Valley Fire Department lieutenant is a member of the Rockland Illegal Housing Task Force which for several years has been advocating for better enforcement of health and fire safety codes "We're taught we're supposed to care for one another and make a difference," he said "This is not (the) ethical and moral behavior we live by." Staff writer James O'Rourke contributed to this report Buildings listed on the public advocate's site associated with Robin Shimoff: Source: New York City Department of Housing Preservation & Development VALHALLA - Ora Goldgrab spent time this summer at what she called "right hand camp." And from the looks of things during a recent visit to Blythedale Children's Hospital The Wesley Hills girl was participating in the hospital's Intensive Upper Extremity Summer Program The occupational therapy program runs six weeks It helps children ages 5-10 who have weakness or decreased use of one arm which can be the result of cerebral palsy It draws children from throughout the Northeast and as far south as Virginia "It will take her longer than her friends but she'll do it," Netta Goldgrab said So she knew that the therapists would work toward mobility goals do the buttons on her uniform as she readies for first grade at Yeshiva of Spring Valley She's mastered them all — and not just in the therapy setting On a recent outing with one of her friends Ora jumped into the back seat and when offered help with her seat belt And even though the booster seat was on the opposite side of the car than what Ora had practiced in her therapy sessions FORGOTTEN BABY SYNDROME: Twins' deaths in hot car spurs sympathy, incredulity ROCKLAND: Holocaust museum to bury ashes from Nazi death camp STUDY: New York's cleaner air has saved lives The strength and coordination building has expanded Ora's abilities in other ways. Netta Goldgrab recalled a recent family outing to a Boulders game at Palisades Credit Union Park in Ramapo "She was eating french fries," Netta Goldgrab said "She's holding a french fry up smiling at me then I realize she's holding it with her right hand Ora also has also told her mom that "right hand camp" helped her during the school year "I have lunch without any help," Ora explained last year about how she could open her lunchbox open her milk carton and put in the straw Ora told her mom, "more people will sit at my table."  "that independence that most kids take for granted by the time their in elementary school Blythedale's director of occupational therapy with a focus on hand and arm coordination, is proven effective For much of each day, the child's stronger hand is covered with a mitt so the child has to rely on the weaker side they work on tasks that require coordinating both sides the children were playing mini-golf on a makeshift course Blythedale partners with Burke Rehabilitation Hospital for research The program provides data as well as benefits from the best practices developed from their work "The intensity of our program makes it very efficient," Knitter said The children work in groups and "they celebrate each other's progress."  Netta Goldgrab admits she and her husband Joe were scared about the future when Ora was a baby The mother of four girls — her oldest daughter is 19 and she has twin 15-year-olds — researched herself into a black hole of worst possible outcomes Ora's "right hand camp" finishes on Friday and she spent the last couple of days reviewing all the new tasks she mastered She even practiced a skill she learned last year — putting a ponytail in her doll's hair "Hold with righty," occupational therapist Tara Sullivan said after some brushing Dara the doll was wearing her hair just like Ora's Nancy Cutler writes about People & Policy for the USA Today Network Northeast. Reach her at ncutler@lohud.com. Twitter: @nancyrockland Sponsored link Celebrate the genius trombonist and essential member of James Brown's coterie with some of his indispensable grooves while San Francisco was being overwhelmed by fireworks trombonist Fred Wesley—a vital member of James Brown’s band and a former musical director for the J.B.’s—celebrated his 80th birthday.  God bless him. Hit Me, Fred is still touring Which is amazing when you run down musicians and even pop music dilettantes who are no longer with us in this trifling 21st century Wesley even did a stint in the Count Basie Orchestra Those chops and that approach can be heard on his 1994 collaboration with San Diego soul-jazz luminaries The Greyboy Allstars on West Coast Boogaloo.  Make time and space for “Gravee,” it sparkles Starting with his template arrangements with Brown and then organizing the horn sections for Parliament and Fred Wesley and the Horny Horns.  “Four Play,” from that last group and cooler-than-a-popsicle thermal reading throughout emanates from the P-Funk line-up in tow with Bootsy Collins producing and leading off with an ear-catching bass intrusion It’s a sample source code. Check “Packet Man” by Digital Underground for factual data.  All of these career inflection points helped to shape a new pop music aesthetic in the 20th century As America prepares to acknowledge and celebrate’ 50 years of hip-hop everyone knows that without the extensive James Brown and Parliament-Funkadelic catalogs hip-hop might not have ever been conceived.  financially monetized. Consider hip-hop mogul Dr whose platinum-selling catalog from the mid-1990s contains a thunderous chunk of Parliament-Funkadelic’s music as sample origin He’s a billionaire selling headphones now and even has a Grammy named in his honor: The Dr a sliver of that billionaire’s financial means Did I mention Wesley is still touring at 80 That trombone momentum in song–starts slow rolling color in the James Brown arrangement gamut. Wesley was the glue that held the tornado-like James and essential saxophonist Maceo Parker together He was the architect and intermediary of the Brown’s grand house of funk We pay homage to his impact by selecting a few arrangements that highlight his multifaceted talent & THE J.B.’S “PEOPLE GET UP AND DRIVE YOUR FUNKY SOUL (REMIX)” FROM JAMES BROWN: MOTHERLODE (MOTOWN/UMG RECORDINGS) left tons of expert musical ideas in the vaults but since has been sold to several other labels dips into untapped musical figures that for whatever reason didn’t make the cut the first time around “People Get Up and Drive Your Funky Soul (Remix)” got my ears popping the first time I heard it. An edited version appeared on the soundtrack to Slaughter’s Big Rip-Off Like Fred Wesley and The J.B.’s got paid before they entered the studio it’s that type of rehearsed ad-libbing atmosphere Fred Wesley’s trombone tear relegates the rest of the horn section to stargazing quietude. In a long catalog of percolating grooves this is James finding a new tint of Black excellence raise on up,” it just doesn’t happen without Fred Wesley stitching up the right patch of connective tissue (It’s a travesty of justice that Tobey Maguire struts down a Manhattan sidewalk in Spiderman 3 to this piece of sophisticated bump. In that jarring eggs benedict moment, Maguire takes a MJ-moonwalk-worthy moment into the white man’s overbite territory “BLOW YOUR HEAD” FROM DAMN RIGHT I’M SOMEBODY (PEOPLE RECORDS) One of the most influential tracks on hip-hop, especially with the Moog synthesizer at the top. Wesley told Red Bull Music Academy during an interview how it came about: We used a New York studio band sometimes and that was recorded with the studio band I thought he was gonna put his voice on it We’re thinkin’ about using it on some of the tunes.’ He said we went through some sounds with it.’ He said it’s messin’ up my track!’ [laughs] So he put it on THE WHOLE TRACK it got out on the album and the next thing you know it’s a hit all over the world he’d take things like that and go to the bank with it “TRANSMOGRAPFICATION” FROM HUSTLE WITH SPEED (UNIVERSAL RECORDS) The tracks on the Hustle with Speed album are the type of hardscrabble joints where it’s not quite jazz some type of derivative of soul that reveal what an “embarrassment of riches” James Browns’ bands were Wesley is the feature of the four-minute track “Transmogrification,” and it’s the blues again walking home on the cold hard concrete-type of presentation Released in 1975, this was post-MLK, Malcolm X, JFK, and RFK, when Black America was up against the ramifications of Nixon’s bullshit world. Similar to those powerful funk-jazz releases popping off over at Detroit’s Strata-East imprint like Saturday Night Special by The Lyman Woodard Organization “the poison does drip through.” the downward procession of the arrangement at the end of the track “Transmograpfication” remains a documentary I’d buy a ticket to 48hills.org is the official publication of the non-profit San Francisco Progressive Media Center We are community supported journalism. Become a member. but we need you to help us beat the billionaires and fight for the soul of San Francisco by becoming a member or donating today MONSEY - The developer who wants to put up 600 housing units off Route 59 is eager to convince the public that his complex is intended to satisfy more than the needs of Rockland's rapidly growing Orthodox Jewish population But that will be a hard sell for some leaders in this diverse community along the Ramapo-Spring Valley border who are dubious about claims the complex would become integrated Joseph Brachfeld of Wesley Hills has turned the former Pathmark and Rickel's into the Town Square Now he wants to link that successful development to the adjacent 23-acre site that now is mostly used as a park-and-ride lot would be spread over more than three-dozen buildings at the site of the old Rockland Drive-In Theatre and consist of a mix of rentals EARLIER COVERAGE:  Ramapo developer proposes 600 units off Route 59 and Brachfeld wants Ramapo to create a new classification — transit-oriented development — for his project This would capitalize on the park-and-ride lot that's being moved to Saddle River Road and a proposed bus rapid transit stop that would be used sometime after the new Tappan Zee Bridge fully opens in 2018 In a meeting Wednesday with The Journal News/lohud Editorial Board at the proposed site Brachfeld and a handful of his representatives insisted the diversity of the shopping complex's workers and customers could extend into the mix of rentals and ownership they want to offer Brachfeld admitted that although his shops attract a wide segment of the community said the Ramapo Town Board wanted assurances the project would be marketed to the community as a whole "There were concerns over the years that had percolated with respect to that and the developer is committed to fair housing committed to a multilingual outreach program," Karben said Brachfeld said he would be doing outreach to diverse segments of the population through community groups and houses of worship to draw upon as tenants and owners He also would seek the support of the already-stressed East Ramapo school district although he said his population projections were months away But how comfortable can the general population feel about living in a neighborhood where signs outside the grocery store ask patrons to "please respect the modesty practiced by our customers and our community" Brachfeld did tell the Editorial Board that the signs are there because the facility is kosher and would not be present at any housing site "You obviously can't force anybody to move anywhere," Karben said "All you can do is make things available.. I don't think the development vision of this space accepts housing segregation as a forgone conclusion of development in the Monsey-Spring Valley area." Area NAACP leaders said they have been contacted and are considering meeting with Brachfeld but questioned the plan "I have a lot of concerns and skepticism regarding that kind of community being able to develop within Rockland County," said Wilbur Aldridge "There are some people in Rockland who have been more exclusionary in their living environment than others." He had other concerns about the proposal: "I think that's a lot of units to accommodate people in an area that's already congested The traffic in that area is really terrible I would have to hear a lot more to see what it is and how it operates." Spring Valley NAACP President Willie Trotman said he had doubts based on what he called the exclusion practiced by the Orthodox community He said his diverse community needed integrated housing open to the general public not the kind he has seen being built elsewhere in Monsey and Ramapo "I can't think of anywhere in Ramapo where that is going on." But Karben said doubters needed to move past preconceived notions "The only way you can move forward with a project like this is to reject that premise because if you declare defeat before you've even made any effort No dates have been set for Brachfeld's plans to go before the town Planning Board; the next step could come sometime in September Deputy Town Supervisor Pat Withers has praised some elements of the proposal but said it may be larger than the area can accommodate One six-floor building with 25,000 square feet of commercial space on the first floor topped by five floors with a total of 140 one- and two-bedroom rental units Two six-floor apartment buildings with a total of 210 rental units.Five condominium buildings with courtyards The condos would be three- to four-bedroom units.30 four-floor brownstones that would be individually owned and could be used as a single-family homes or contain one or two rental units.619 parking spaces.Proposal sits mostly on present park-and-ride but extends into the area occupied by Kosher Castle which would be demolished.The developer would deed 10 feet by 300 feet to New York state to create a turning lane off Route 59.Brachfeld is still in discussion to determine whether affordable housing — which is not required — would be a component of the plan Twitter: @Bee_bob Monsey sprawls out like the work of an unpracticed city planner; neighborhoods and streets of all different sizes and shapes stopping and starting again unexpectedly a few walkers hug the sides of the winding road in the spacious Wesley Hills neighborhood as a family of deer disinterestedly chews leaves in the underbrush Ateres Rosh looks like scores of other newly erected shuls across America others sitting in polo shirts and blue jeans Even with the weariness of the long workday evident on their faces there is the way of yeshivah bochurim about them the square of their shoulders and purpose to their walk; how they hum as they amble over to the seforim shelf in the back A friend had suggested that I check out the story of Rabbi Berg It would consume my summer: I’d find myself drawn to the building over and over again an uninvited observer come to feel what makes this place special one sensed a certain stoicism in the kehillah Sometimes the shul had the feeling of a banquet whose guest of honor had disappeared each casual remark became a clue: Someone did a job with these guys And he loved the truth enough to be able to communicate that life without it is meaningless The shul — the world — of Rav Alter Mordechai Berg an ordinary necktie salesman from New York The biography is fairly standard: a child of the Lower East Side where his immigrant parents had a store that sold neckties Motty Berg came alive as a teenager learning in Monsey’s Beth Shraga where the shmuessen of Rav Mordechai Schwab touched him And when he joined Rav Levi Krupenia’s Woodridge Yeshiva would inject him with a lifelong love of learning and spent time learning in yeshivah in Eretz Yisrael where he longed to settle; when he married Chana Goldstein and shared the same hope of returning home They settled in Flatbush and he started working at his parents’ store learning each evening with Rav Hillel David When the tie store was held up at gunpoint and cleaned out “We both understood that it was time to fulfill the dream.” In 1976 the young Berg family — parents and one child — followed the dream and headed back to holy soil There weren’t yet established American-Israeli communities no means of integrating slowly: they jumped in The tall American with the trimmed beard and unassuming air took a rear seat at Kollel Chazon Ish practicing safrus in order to support his family — yet he became a magnet he noticed that many of the fathers in the neighborhood davened k’vasikin on Shabbos morning: this meant their young sons came to the regular minyan with no one to watch them The man who considered Rabbi Josh Silbermintz of Pirchei Agudath Israel of America a personal hero brought similar programs to his new neighborhood hoping to fill the precious summertime vacation days with real enjoyment but the boys gained a fulfilling summer — able to go back to the rigorous yeshivah schedule feeling refreshed The new oleh went to an ulpan to learn Hebrew perceiving that nothing would be more important to chinuch than the ability to communicate even as some of his colleagues found him to be too original by two features: He always seemed to be laughing and there was always a group of students around him where he would discuss chinuch with Rav Shach The elderly rosh yeshivah appreciated the American educator he recommended that Rabbi Berg start speaking with a younger unknown rosh yeshivah named Rav Aharon Leib Steinman The door to the apartment at Chazon Ish 5 was usually open — there were no lines and Rabbi Berg had a new mentor one that only started after he arrived home at the end of a long day It was an era before formal parenting classes and expert columnists: parents desperate for guidance heard about Rabbi Berg He would sit behind the closed doors in the dining room helping them understand that each child needs different things He reassured the parents desperate to raise a metzuyan that success would come that every child has his own path to greatness He used his English skills to help Israeli roshei yeshivah with fundraising As the flow of American immigrants to Eretz Yisrael increased the apartment of the mechanech who’d “made it” in the more rigorous Israeli system As Rabbi Berg’s reputation as an expert mechanech spread As his family grew and his older children reached shidduchim age Rabbi Berg wasn’t someone who spent time planning his next move On a visit to Monsey on behalf of the yeshivah where he worked he was casually chatting with Rabbi Zev Freundlich menahel of Monsey’s Yeshivas Shaarei Arazim Rabbi Berg mentioned that he was considering a move to America for a few years in order to make ends meet: Rabbi Freundlich needed a rebbi whatever came his way became his new mission He always saw the open door and walked right in And so the Bergs packed up once again and headed back to America The man who’d brought America to Bnei Brak was ready to bring Bnei Brak to America In 2004 they arrived in Monsey and settled down in addition to a regular yeshivah schedule He seemed intent on his mission: not to be a teacher his approachability and humility led them to forget a bochur was valiantly trying to find a way to get his dirty shirts to the dry cleaners “I pass right by the cleaners on the way home.” a few bochurim “sort of” asked the rebbi if he might take their shirts along as well He became a drop-off and pick-up service for them When the other rebbeim found out they were horrified He’d connected in his way — and he knew it to be the most effective path of all He brought energy to a yeshivah that already pulsated with life “Reb Motty pointed out that Shacharis was lackluster It was early in the morning and it was hard to get the boys going “So Rabbi Berg told me that when he lived in Eretz Yisrael he’d noticed how the Sephardic shuls were always noisy and alive He felt that it was because they sing a lot the Pesukei D’zimra in Shaarei Arazim is sung to a nusach: a pleasant enough tune One fundraising visit had led Rabbi Berg to settle in America It was another that brought him to lay roots in Wesley Hills and the host mentioned that his shul was looking for a rav the shul saw its first rav move away from the neighborhood and the search for a replacement was proving harder than expected followed the rosh yeshivah back to yeshivah and first laid eyes on the man who would become his guide and best friend “I saw this tall man with a short beard standing on the basketball court There were boys crowded around him laughing “That’s Rabbi Berg,” Rabbi Freundlich told him Rabbi Berg’s eyes opened wide when he heard what the unfamiliar balabos wanted to make them truly love Yiddishkeit and Torah The improbable rabbi and rebbetzin came for Shabbos “He ate the seudah at one of the balabatim Rabbi Berg needed time to speak to his wife It would be the happiest marriage in the world the new rav made his three primary goals clear: Torah The sun is setting into night as we stand in front of the shul making the faces of the men standing with me near invisible The occasional headlights from passing cars illuminate their features as they speak how proud your wife and children will be?’ ” retaining a variety of full-time chinuch positions along with the rabbanus He would try to come to simchahs and events and stay as long as he could but was often limited in time — unless it was a siyum “He would sit at a siyum with such obvious joy He wanted women to participate and share the simchah That’s how he conveyed what was most important.” Ateres Rosh is a diverse kehillah: successful businessmen and blue-collar workers feel equally comfortable between its walls: one by one they all bought into what he was selling: shiurim we asked him to say the daf yomi shiur,” recalls a congregant how can I disrespect him that way?’ he asked us But what was more remarkable was that he would come to the shiur on Shabbos morning just to give chizuk to the maggid shiur and participants.” And during the grand Siyum HaShas at MetLife Stadium the Rav turned down a dais seat to sit with members of the chaburah No one is getting fancy aliyahs because he has money,” says a soft-spoken man who turns back toward the shul as he says this as if the building itself can bear witness there are elite members of the shul: yeshivah bochurim and making sure they themselves knew just how special is their role Rabbi Berg wouldn’t speak before Mussaf — instead discussing the challenges facing young men these days lauding the strength and heroism of these boys who toil in Tosafos and the Rashba the entire kehillah would rise in respect for the speaker shy young man — they saw only a valiant soldier He once overheard a discussion in the shul and perceived a certain negative attitude toward Beth Medrash Govoha of Lakewood a lack of appreciation for the benefits of pure Torah The Rav stood up and confidently announced an event to benefit the yeshivah and volunteered the home of one of the members A world-class yeshivah hosted an event in the neighborhood the speaker decided to “sell” the yeshivah in a way he imagined it would appeal to them talking about how the yeshivah offered college credits and helped prepare young men for a career along with learning They can hear the real thing and appreciate it.” He started off speaking about learning and ended off the very same way the kehillah gathered in his home and he spoke “is the most important thing in the world.” Tzniyus was a big part of the kehillah he envisioned — he wanted the Shechinah to feel comfortable in the shul He wanted there to be full mechitzahs at simchahs; if the baal simchah chose to forgo the mechitzah the Rav himself would not attend the simchah and it couldn’t be held in the shul’s banquet hall The beauty of the kehillah is that not everyone listened — yet they remained just as much a part of things “he would speak in shul at the simchah of someone who wasn’t following the takanah yet he spoke with the very same warmth and genuine respect for who they were but it wasn’t ‘Have a mechitzah because I said so,’ but rather ‘Have a mechitzah because it’s a good idea.’ Those who weren’t holding there weren’t looked down upon He would sometimes wish mazel tov to the baalei simchah at home Perhaps because he’d never sought the position the job meant less to him than the opportunity His balabatim got it: He wasn’t trying to be entertaining or impress them with oratory — he was only trying to make a difference and this was the way he felt most effective He laughed when the shul board suggested he sign a contract they’ll find a way to get rid of me even with a contract.” He oozed generosity and kindness and he expected the same from them The rav in Wesley Hills was also its most prominent driver of hitchhikers His constant trips down Route 306 to the yeshivah were the blessed quiet moments in his day but he was incapable of passing by a Yid who needed a favor He created a culture of giving within the shul — those with the ability to give were expected to give a flow of generosity and achrayus that united them all No one knew who was giving or who was taking —no one besides the Rav who looked at them all through the same loving eyes Rabbi Berg was spotted digging his car out of a snowbank “Where is the Rav going at this crazy hour The Rav explained to this mispallel — the administrator of the shul’s gemach — that he was going to drop off a check to someone who needed the money right away It’s bad enough that our friend has to accept money It’s bad enough that one person knows that — me Does he really need the added indignation of involving another person in the story?” The closest Rabbi Berg ever came to making a real mecha’ah was when he spoke about extravagant simchahs “How can you flaunt your money when your neighbor doesn’t have a way to pay his bills?” A couple approached the Rav with a question and the boy loved music and singing: others in the neighborhood had hired adult choirs to join them for Shabbos simchahs but they understood that accommodating the boy’s request would create pressure on other families in the community to follow suit The Rav was unequivocal —he felt it would be unfair to turn an extravagance into a necessity as the baalei simchah and their guests concluded the festive seudah who’d come along with several kehillah members blessed with good voices “We’re your mezamrim,” Rabbi Berg said with a smile the Rav would often recall his experiences fundraising for various yeshivos He would speak of the humiliation and difficulty I know what it’s like: treat each one the way you treat me.” His kindness extended to the realm of psak as well A mispallel who worked with silver used a certain type of polish that contained traces of chometz he worried about the halachic ramifications and asked Rabbi Berg “I researched the product and was able to find a similar cleanser that does the same job children — they were all comfortable with “let’s ask the Rav” as the resolution to any problem His campaign against talking in shul was never based on threats or rebuke reasoning that if he expected people not to whisper after completing their own Amidah he had to make their wait as short as possible you were rav in a big shul — the people talked by davening and you did nothing.’ What will I say “You think I don’t want to talk by davening You think I don’t know what it feels like to have a good joke or important question that you’re bursting to share One of the men stands in the back of the shul and gives a long look at the Rav’s vacant chair as he tells me about the “Super Bowl” speech It was the night of the biggest football game of the year and someone decided that rather than ignore it renting a huge screen and offering a lavish spread the screen was closed and there was a shiur Many considered it a unique kiddush Hashem “Listen rabboisai,” he said from the podium “I understand why someone would want to watch professional sports It isn’t Torah and doesn’t come from the same world as Torah I urge you to be honest about what you’re doing and don’t fool yourselves.” He never suggested to his people that they change: it was always “we.” We should work on this recalled how Rabbi Berg would often bring balabatim from shul or talmidim from yeshivah to speak with him ‘This is one of our most choshuve balabatim,’ or ‘This is one of our most accomplished talmidim.’ ” these visits to Rav Schlesinger were part of the culture of kevod haTorah he sought to create He encouraged them to ask their questions to gedolim and would often accompany them to help them clarify what they were hearing A kehillah member recalls driving across Monsey one day to ask Rav Schlesinger something There was a long line outside Rav Schlesinger’s office and one of the gabbaim indicated that Rabbi Berg should go to the head of line “I’m here because we’re living kevod haTorah Rabbi Berg started to deliver the most meaningful shiur of his life He’d been diagnosed with a dreaded illness but he maintained his rigorous yeshivah schedule but the message he’d preached for eight years remained unchanged The empty seat at the front of the shul spurred the people on to the heights of tefillah he came out to give the customary derashah He spoke sitting down and his voice was barely audible The derashah lasted for just a few minutes Hilchos Pesach begins with the din of kimcha d’Pishcha because people shouldn’t worry about their own matzos until they know that their neighbors have what to eat a wealthy kehillah had offered him double the salary to come serve as their rav “You might be able to give me more money,” he told them “but you can’t give me what I already have — the best balabatim in the world.” The connection between the Rav and his flock was never more obvious than in those final few months The children of the neighborhood set up lemonade stands just take and make a brachah l’zechus the Rav as if bottling up the way he made them feel But he insisted on coming out — being carried to shul for ten minutes — when a bochur spoke There was singing and learning and conversation the cry from so many hearts that said: Kasheh aleinu preidaschem He was niftar on Erev Shabbos B’haalosecha the family and devoted mispallelim accompanied the aron to Eretz Yisrael where the levayah was held at the Eretz Hachaim cemetery outside Beit Shemesh The airplane arrived late; hundreds of people had been waiting for several hours by the time the family arrived at the site Another nifteres had come on the same flight and they could only perform one levayah at a time “The halachah is that a woman goes first in this case,” said a chevra kaddisha member He indicated the halachah in the sefer Gesher Hachayim “But look on the very next line,” Rabbi Berg’s son replied “it says that a talmid chacham is an exception “Look,” the chevra kaddisha member said quietly I used to go his Shabbos groups when I was a child in Bnei Brak I know what he would pasken in this situation It’s astonishing what this man accomplished in eight years: not a rosh yeshivah of hundreds not a millionaire able to create some kind of super-organization That’s the story of Rabbi Berg and his kehillah I hear a passionate response to those who charge that it’s an apathetic where others are broken by politics and frustrated by indifference did he manage to create happiness and growth this woman of humility and refinement showed me pictures and reminisced about every joyous hour spent at his side you took a kehillah and breathed life into it And you did it not with the force of a warrior that they would be great: you did it with the faith of a good friend Yisroel BesserA Page from His BookRabbi Meyer Yedid is showing how the power of a daf Gemara can reshape not only a person Gedalia GuttentagFront-Row Seat to History As Israel’s ambassador Ron Dermer is about to leave his Washington posting after seven years he recaps the challenges and triumphs of a transformative term Yisroel BesserThe Road through Real LifeRav Reuven Feinstein has tapped the clarity born of loss to write a new chapter about the bonds of marriage and true faith  Eytan KobreTeachers’ Aid“There were very wealthy laymen and seasoned businessmen there and they rose to the occasion,” he says “The only challenges they raised have been how to do it Yeruchem Yitzchak LandesmanBorn to LeadHow does a young man assume the leadership of a dying chassidus at the age of 18 and transform into an empire of Torah Gershon BurstynThe Rebbe’s Man in WashingtonChabad shaliach Rabbi Levi Shemtov straddles a bipartisan tightrope in a polarized capital allegedly caught on camera screaming his own vulgar message.</p>News 12 Staff NEW CITY - Rockland Legislator Ilan Schoenberger said Thursday he plans to leave the county governing body in a few months despite two years remaining on his four-year term Schoenberger has served on the Legislature for 23 years after joining the county government in 1975 in the County Attorney's Office He served as county attorney for Rockland's first County Executive John Grant from 1983 to 1993 "I am leaving the Legislature in the next few months," the Ramapo Democrat said "I have not picked an exact date but my intention is to leave." He said he's told Democrats on the Legislature and other political leaders and officials of both parties PREVIOUS: Rockland lawmakers probe Sewer District projects costing millions Bill to make Rockland pay vendors in timely manner eased to 60 days Schoenberger has been an influential member of the Legislature He once worked for Ramapo as finance director He made a run for county executive in 2013 losing a Democratic Party primary to David Fried Fried lost the general election that November to Ed Day a Republican from Clarkstown who served on the Legislature Schoenberger chaired the Legislature for a number of years as well as led the powerful Budget and Finance Committee Schoenberger is currently heading a committee investigating the expenses and issues with the Rockland Sewer District He also chairs the Planning and Public Works Committee and sits on Budget and Finance His wife Rhoda serves Ramapo as town justice has lived in Rockland for more than 50 years graduating from Clarkstown High School in 1964 He and Rhoda Schoenberger are grandparents with two adult daughters who graduated Ramapo High School John's University School of Law in 1971 after getting a bachelor's degree in 1969 from Pace University in New York City and an associate's degree in 1967 from Rockland Community College The Ramapo Democratic Party would recommend a successor from the district His legislative district includes the villages Wesley Hills and New Square, parts of Montebello Twitter: @lohudlegal  Join Live at 8:30 PM ET: A Gala Farbrengen marking Yud Tes Kislev featuring addresses by Manhattan Shliach Benzion Krasnjanski will be uniting tonight for a grand seudah and farbrengen featuring acclaimed speakers and live musical entertainment which will take place at the Vizhnitz Girls’ School Hall at 1 School Terrace in Monsey shliach to the Upper East Side of Manhattan and noted lecturer The farbrengen will also be addressed by Rabbi Yakov Moshe Twerski rov of K’hal Torei Zahav in Wesley Hills and son of the Hornosteipler Rebbe of Milwaukee Rabbi Twerski is also a descendant of the the Alter Rebbe The program will begin at 8:30pm and will feature live musical accompaniment as well a choir of local Anash singing many of the Alter Rebbe’s niggunim A special teshurah will be distributed to all attendees A live stream of the event will be featured on Anash.org to allow chassidim from around the world to participate as well The farbrengen is the work of many yungeleit and local shuls and mosdos who worked together and pooled resources so that the event will be a source of kavod to Lubavitch and nachas to our Rebbe Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker A former Rockland County legislator and high-profile New York attorney has been accused of raping a woman who has ties to the Rev is accused of assaulting the 42-year-old executive at his Manhattan home following a 60th birthday bash for Sharpton at the Four Seasons restaurant on Wednesday The woman is reportedly a member of Sharpton's National Action Network The accusation is being investigated by the New York City Police Department served two decades on the county Legislature as a Democrat from Ramapo including stints as majority leader and vice chairman known for his flashy suits and multimillion-dollar settlements Rubenstein has since represented a number of clients in prominent New York City civil rights and police brutality cases including Abner Louima and the family of Sean Bell He currently represents the family of Eric Garner a black Staten Island man who was killed in July when a white officer put him in a chokehold Reaction to the allegation was strong among Rubenstein's former political allies in Rockland including county Legislator Ilan Schoenberger It's not consistent with the Sandy I know." Schoenberger successfully made his first run for the Legislature with Rubenstein as a ticket mate in 1995 During his tenure as Rockland's county attorney from 1983-1993 he often worked with Rubenstein on matters related to county government "I'm very confident once all the facts come out the former chairman of the Rockland County Democratic Party said he was "surprised" by the allegation against Rubenstein I think he's an upstanding individual," Monte said "I just hope it's only an allegation and he's not charged." "The Outrageous Rubenstein," in which he writes about his experience as a trial lawyer and his friendship with Sharpton dating to the Louima case Rubenstein resigned from the Legislature to work on Louima's case Rubenstein did not respond to requests for comment Staff writer Laura Incalcaterra contributed to this report Twitter: @alextailored and has put together a breakout season at running back that has his name recognized by fans around the area It took one of the best-known names in South Jersey football rushing to surpass his exploits Friday night Playing for Wildwood in a 6 p.m Hills set a South Jersey single-game rushing record with 452 yards on 18 carries in a 61-34 victory He tied the South Jersey mark of eight TDs in one game Just an hour later, he found out the record had been broken by Glassboro's Corey Clement when he needed just 14 carries to amass 478 yards and seven TDs in a 45-23 win over Gloucester “I knew because (the stat guy) was on the headsets I knew he was close to the South Jersey record,” Warriors head coach Rich Hans said of Hills’ night but (the stat guy) said to leave him in for one more play because he was close to the record I told him to get 21 (so he would get 400) "I kept asking him, for what? He wouldn't tell me," said Hills of Hans' request for 21 yards. "I wound up scoring on that play. After the game they told me I broke the South Jersey rushing record. I was so happy. Then within the hour, I heard Corey Clement broke my record What made Hills’ performance even more impressive is that a day before But he made it to school Friday to make sure he could get onto the field that night “I went (to school) Friday because I couldn’t let my teammates down got some medicine and went back out there and had another four touchdowns that half.” Hills averaged more than 25 yards per carry on the night but Clement had to do him one better there as well His totals averaged out to more than 34 yards a rush “I didn’t want to know,” Glassboro head coach Mark Maccarone said of Clement’s run for the record but during the game I’m not focusing on his numbers During the third quarter I started hearing the rumbles from my assistant coach because our stat guy (Chug Mangeney) is on the sideline Chug walked up to me later in the third quarter and I said don’t tell me.’ I didn’t know until the clock hit triple-zero and we were lining up for the handshake him hitting holes and once he got past level one he was off to the races It was a great effort by the offensive line and him.” Each collected four scoring runs of more than 50 yards and what makes both marks even better is that both came in wins against unbeaten teams where there was no going for the record at the expense of the other team’s pride “It wasn’t a night you were playing sisters of the poor,” said Maccarone It’s just amazing that a record that stood for 10 years was broken twice in an hour and now both players rank among the best in the state according to football historian Chuck Langerman Clement’s total is second in state history to the 754 of Netcong’s John Giannantonio in 1950 “We face the two single-game rushing kings in the next two weeks,” said Schalick head coach Seth Brown whose team plays Glassboro Friday and Wildwood next week We’ve got to make sure we run to the football Hills leads South Jersey in rushing yardage with 1,062 yards and Clement is third with 844 and one fewer game played With Glassboro’s move to the Diamond and the advent of the West Jersey League the teams don’t play each other The Warriors are 3-1 and sit atop the power-point standings in South Jersey Group I while the Bulldogs are comfortably fourth and have won four of the last five titles in the section Wildwood is on pace to qualify for the playoffs for the first time ever and if that happens fans could get treated to two of the best backs in South Jersey — forever linked thanks to Friday night — squaring off on the same field to make it to the playoffs and prove everybody wrong I’ve seen his stats and he’s definitely good.” Contact Scott Chappelear at 856-686-3614 or schappelear@southjerseymedia.com Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices WESLEY HILLS - A Spring Valley man was charged with felony drunken driving Saturday after he lost control of his car and it became stuck on a guardrail on Grandview Avenue, police said A Ramapo police officer located the car on the guardrail in Wesley Hills village about 6:20 a.m Police said on Facebook that the driver was charged with driving while intoxicated a felony based on a prior conviction within the last 10 years The man was arraigned in Sloatsburg Village Court and ordered to appear in Wesley Hills Village Court at a later date CRASH: Woman dies in Palisades Parkway crash after car hits deer SMOKING: In a first in 'recent memory,' Ramapo police cite driver for smoking with kids in car