Community Magazine November 2009

80 Community magazine JCCGI to Honor NYC Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum The Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island will honor Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum at their Surf Solomon Senior Center on Friday, November 13 and present her with an award for her outstanding work. After leading a distinguished career in both the private and public sectors for thirty years, Betsy Gotbaum was inaugurated as Public Advocate in January 2002. Since then, her leadership has paved the way for municipal reforms in education, school construction, prevention of crime against women, and the fight against hunger. Through her extensive experience in management and through collaboration with non-profits, businesses and government agencies, Public Advocate Gotbaum is reshaping the image of the Office into the primary place where New Yorkers can turn with problems related to city government. Additionally, each week she helps solve hundreds of city service complaints made by New Yorkers who cannot get help in other places. Gotbaum has exposed major problems in the special education system, prompting the Department of Education to set aside more money for special needs students. She successfully lobbied to stop the administration from cutting preventive services that help families keep their children out of foster care. Her recommendations led to reforms in the food stamp application process that have helped thousands of New York City families put food on their tables. She has launched major studies that shed new light on the City’s affordable housing crisis and the provision of government services to survivors of domestic violence. Throughout her career, Betsy Gotbaum has shown commitment to community service. She has served on the boards of innumerable not-for-profit organizations and successfully raised funds for their meaningful projects. For more information or to RSVP, email Libby Feldman, Executive Assistant at l.feldman@jccgci.org or call 718-449-5000 ext. 2269. Missionaries Approaching Children in Flatbush The ordinarily festive aura of Erev Sukkot was disrupted for some families in Flatbush when it was discovered that missionaries were preying on young children in the area. The two individuals who according to one witness represented the most prominent Christian missionary group targeting Jews, was observed speaking with young children and distributing pamphlets to them promoting their cause on East 7th Street and Avenue N in Brooklyn. Faithful to their strong yeshiva upbringing, the younger children ran to call an adult, while the older kids tore up the papers. Several parents gave the missionaries a stern warning against speaking or otherwise associating with children in the neighborhood, and urged them to leave the area. The NYPD and Shomrim were also notified. The pamphlets, which seemed harmless on the outside, with a simple, attractive and child-friendly design entitled “The Way of God,” seemed to be aimed specifically at kids. One man who witnessed the scene urged parents to warn their children to keep away from strange adults and not to take anything from strangers. Lasers Get Safer and More Permanent As laser removal techniques continue to advance the process has become quite safe and effective, According to Brochi, well known Brooklyn practitioner for 13 years, laser is no more dangerous than the light from a fluorescent bulb and most women – even during pregnancy – can undergo laser treatment with their doctor’s blessings. When administered properly, laser hair removal can have up to 75-95 percent permanent results, effectively removing hair growth with just a few treatments. But the kind of laser used is just as important as the professional using it. The diode laser, Brochi contends, is the most powerful laser available today, boasting a 95 percent effectiveness rate, far more efficient than the commonly-used IPL Laser, which takes twice as long to get results and is thus usually far more costly. The diode laser is also very safe, offering great results while reducing the risk of burning. Cancer Patient Gemah Needs Donations The Sephardic Bikur Holim Medstar branch is opening a new gemah (free loan society) for cancer patients. Donations are urgently needed to fill the gemach room with articles that will help community members affected by the illness. All donations are accepted, though recommended items include wigs, wig stands, displays, scarves and makeup. For more information, or to donate, please contact Sophia Zeitouni at 917-922-2999 or sopetite610@aol.com ; or Candy Gabbay at 917-371-0775. Community Chest Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum watches as Mayor Bloomberg signs the Language Access in Pharmacies Act on September 3, 2008. Introduced by Ms. Gotbaum in 2008, the bill requires New York City chain pharmacies to translate medical instructions into the seven languages most commonly spoken by NY C residents. Photo of the missionaries sitting on the bench with their car behind them, captured by a parent at the scene.