Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor,
Hey Dude! Lady!
The fact that you use shortcuts to get around our half-mile radius neighborhood called Far Rockaway is bad enough. Shooting through these narrow streets like they are three-lane highways, honking because you cannot get through, driving on our lawns to pass other vehicles, banging into parked cars, and snapping off side view mirrors in the process.
Aside from all of this, the noise and the entitlement, maybe, just maybe, this is not the week to do all this. Bad enough on a sunny October day, but with snow on the side of the roads making it even harder to get through—the backing up, the yelling, and the honking—maybe you should take the main road this week and always. That’s what they are built for. They are plowed better and are safer.
Children walk these sidewalks, but that’s a whole other letter. Your true middos show our block who you are.
Stop honking as I write.
Anonymous
Ein Od Milvado
Dear Editor,
Mi k’amcha Yisrael!
Thankfully, this is not a diatribe against Delta Air Lines but an article of gratitude. My granddaughters flew to Orlando this week to enjoy their winter break in Eden Gardens. They are both minors, although one is sixteen and according to most airlines, could be a chaperone for the younger one. Their trip did not begin auspiciously, although the tickets had been purchased through an agent with full cognizance of the age concern. They remained calm while their parents were interrogated mercilessly on the phone by Delta personnel. Thankfully, the trip was smooth, and on time. We picked up two smiling, relaxed girls ready to enjoy their stay at Eden Gardens. Fast forward one week. Wanting to avoid the previous difficulties, we phoned Delta twenty-four hours before the flight. After waiting interminably on the phone, we were assured by an agent that “age” would not be an issue, and the girls could fly without worries. We had a lovely “last day.” The girls decided to leave for the airport several hours early since they knew the airport would be crowded and there would be delays. There were long lines when they arrived, but they waited patiently, chatting quietly. The desk agent immediately passed them over to a supervisor, and that’s when everything began to unravel. “Don’t you know there’s an embargo?” she asked. “What’s an embargo?” They countered. She proceeded to cancel their tickets and rebook them for the following morning. The girls reached us in the car; we were halfway back to Eden Gardens and 45 minutes away from the airport. We immediately turned around to pick them up. During the return drive, I contemplated all the ramifications of this “hiccup.” I decided to try to approach the supervisor myself. When I arrived, there were lines and lines at all the counters. I looked up and saw a police officer. Having been raised in the 50s, I still believed in Officer Friendly. He was sympathetic to our plight and pointed out a Delta manager in a red jacket. He advised cutting the line and speaking directly to him. Curtis was dealing with all sorts of emergencies. He listened sympathetically, but said that the embargo could not be ignored, and he could not override his supervisor. The girls and I were dejectedly proceeded to the exit, when lo and behold we see a frum family entering. What were the chances that they were on the same flight? Yeshuas Hashem k’heref ayin! They were. They had four young children, and one was in a wheelchair with crutches due to a leg injury. I felt bad for derailing their arrival at security, but they were very sympathetic and patient. The father was wearing a Hatzoloh jacket, and I remarked that he continued his job even on vacation. This kind generous family agreed to help, but the agent insisted that the mom come to register her ID and information. She graciously, smiling, accompanied us back to the desk and the rest is history.
What is the takeaway? Ein od milvado. The KDB’H sent a challenge our way, but he also provided the keilim to deal with it. The ezra Hashem sent was “mikodesh” and the “malachim” he sent give this story a happy ending. One of shevach and hoda’ah to Hashem and belief that it’s a zechus to be part of Klal Yisrael.
Anonymous
When Our Library Board Stops Serving The Public
Dear Editor,
A public library exists for one reason: to serve the public. It is meant to be accessible, welcoming, and guided by the principles of education, inclusion, and intellectual freedom. Unfortunately, recent actions—and inactions—by the board of Peninsula Public Library raise serious concerns about whether those principles are still being honored.
Most troubling is the ongoing failure to repair the library’s elevator. This past October the elevator broke at the library. The elevator is a critical part of Peninsula Public Library since there is no other way for patrons to reach the basement or second floor if they are unable to use the steps. Services at Peninsula are delegated to different floors and with the elevator broken it creates hardship and heartache for patrons that have difficulty with steps. Recently, one patron wanted to use the computers upstairs. After laboring with an attempt to climb the steps, she realized she couldn’t manage and returned home disappointed. This story repeats itself week after week, countless times, since all the programs at the library take place in the basement. This includes programs for senior citizens and for parents using strollers. Many times, seniors arrive after arranging Able Ride or Access-A-Ride only to discover they have been disenfranchised from the very program that was created for them. Even something as simple as using the bathroom has turned into an insurmountable challenge for some. This is not just a personal issue, by law Peninsula library is non-compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This is not a minor issue that can be pushed off and dealt with in a few months from now. It is a major inconvenience that effectively excludes patrons with mobility challenges, seniors, parents with strollers, and others who rely on accessible facilities. Equal access to public services is not optional—it is the law and a moral obligation.
Equally concerning is the board’s slow response to unresolved plumbing issues. A public building that cannot reliably meet basic sanitation needs should be treated as an urgent priority, not a long-term inconvenience. Delays signal misplaced priorities and a lack of accountability to taxpayers who fund the library.
At the same time, the board was considering policies that would restrict access to the library itself—specifically, preventing community members from entering the building unless they already possess a library card. Libraries are meant to be gateways to information, not gated spaces. Such a policy would discourage new users, limit access for visitors or unhoused patrons, and undermine the very mission of a public library.
Financial decisions also warrant closer scrutiny. The board is moving forward with hiring a library director and has set the salary range at $70K–95K, which is a lower salary than other staff members at the library. This opens questions whether the selected candidate will meet the professional qualifications typically expected for such a role. At a time when essential maintenance and accessibility issues remain unresolved, the public deserves transparency about how funds are being allocated and whether leadership choices truly serve the library’s long-term health.
Perhaps most alarming are discussions about removing books based on personal or ideological disapproval. Libraries are not meant to reflect the beliefs of a board or a few individuals; they are meant to reflect the diversity of the community and uphold intellectual freedom. Censorship—by any name—has no place in a public institution dedicated to learning.
Taken together, these issues point to a library board that appears increasingly disconnected from the needs and values of the community it serves. Public trust is not automatic; it must be earned through transparency, responsiveness, and a demonstrated commitment to the public good.
Our library belongs to the people. Community members should go to board meetings to hear what the board is saying. It is time for the board to listen to patrons, address accessibility and safety issues without further delay, protect open access, and recommit to the core mission of a public library. Anything less is a disservice to the community.
Sincerely,
A Concerned Community Member
Amein
Dear Editor,
Much has been written about the power of answering amein, but unfortunately many people are not careful about the correct time to answer amein.
The Mishnah Berurah (O.C.124-30) states clearly that amein should not be said until after the very last letter of the last syllable of the berachah has been clearly pronounced!
Many times the one making the berachah drags out the last word and causes the amein to be recited too soon. This is a very serious matter, as this is called an “amein chatufah.” Chazal teach us if you are not careful about this halacha, then chas v’shalom, “yamov chatufin,” meaning “his days are snatched away,” midah keneged midah! One has to be especially careful with last endings “hard” letters, such as the mem, sof, nun, shin,etc., because it is unfortunately very common that amein is said before these last letters are pronounced. I think many people don’t even realize they are answering Amein way too soon. For example, in the Shabbos night kiddush, the amein is more often than not, recited before the last syllable of the word “hasha–bus” is completed. The result is you really “missed the bus”! (Pun intended!)
Also at Shabbos morning Kiddush in shul when everyone can’t wait to eat, amein is said way too soon, and the sad result is in addition to the amein chatufah, it is considered a hefsek (interruption) and you are now also eating before hearing Kiddush! Please listen carefully and be patient to answer amein at the right time, until the last letter of the last syllable is clearly pronounced and not one moment too soon. Another common example: The yom tov niggun after Kedushah, “Hakeil HaKaaaaadooooosh” causes many amein chatufahs to be said! Think about that! The chazan should finish promptly “Hakeil Hakadosh,” and similarly the next berachahshould finish promptly, and NOT “……ve hazmaaaaniiiim”!
Yes, answering amein is a very powerful mitzvah, but only if it’s done at the right time. Listen attentively!
Joel Yormark
