Community Magazine April 2014

LETTERS Adar II5774 March 2014 VolumeXIIINo.6 Purimand the IRS RabbiEli JMansour CommunityGemachs Kelly JemalMassry Special Food & Dining Features C O M M U N I T Y O F F - P E A K M E G I L A H S C H E D U L E P A G E 8 2 Moisha’s longstanding tradition of generosity to the Sephardic community reaches new heights with its newly expanded Mega Market in the heart of Flatbush. The Legacy of Joinusforour GRANDOPENING ofthenew MEGAMoisha'sSupermarket NOmusic-NOsingers NOmagicians- NOballoons More Aisles... Allaisleswillbe brighter&wider. More Choices... More Departments... More Registers... More FREEParking... Witha largerselection ofproducts. ExpandedTakeout,Dairy, Meat,Bakery,Sushi& ProduceDepartments. Going from6 registers to 15 registers including 3express lines. Expanded toaccomodate over50cars. 315AvenueM l Brooklyn,NY 11230 l (718)336-7563 l moishassupermarket.com Everything is new atMoisha's – except the lowprices. continues… hesed MOISHA’S: THE LEGACY OF HESED CONTINUES Great article about the Binik family in last month’s cover story, “Moisha’s Discount Supermarket: The Legacy of Hesed Continues…” Not enough people are aware of the fact that the Biniks have provided our community (as well as other Jewish communities) with sustenance and generosity for so many years. I still remember when they first opened for business over 25 years ago. Their goal was to help out low-income families by providing quality food at very low prices. Much of the subsidized pricing came from their personal funds. I remember that in the beginning, most kosher manufacturers boycotted them because they were underselling the other supermarkets in the area. The Biniks hung tough and were able to break the monopoly by becoming a force to be reckoned with. Because of them, other supermarkets were forced to lower their prices, so even those who do not shop at Moisha’s should at least realize that they have the Biniks to thank for keeping the prices of kosher food affordable for everyone. Howard B. COMMUNITY GEMACHS After reading last month’s article about the gemachs in our community, I felt it necessary to write to make an important point that was not mentioned in the article. Although our community is very generous, and, more often than not, goes over and beyond when it comes to hesed , unfortunately, some people view gemachs as a dumping ground for third-rate merchandise. Acase in point: A friend of mine runs a wedding gown gemach. The intended purpose of her gemach is to collect beautiful, fashionable, but gently-used gowns that people had worn to their simhas . While in some cases, women will wear their gowns again, generally speaking, in our community, wedding gowns are usually worn only once. Yet, most of the gowns that are donated to my friend’s gemach are so old and outdated that they are often unwearable. It seems as though many people think that just because a woman cannot afford to buy a new gown, she should be satisfied with a gown that was purchased 10 years ago, has faded, and is no longer in style. For those women who know that they will never wear their dresses again, they should keep in mind that these very same dresses could be making somebody else very happy, instead of collecting dust in a closet. I understand that people pay thousands of dollars for their gowns, and may find it difficult to part with them. However, after a reasonable amount of time has passed, a woman should realize that her dress is a potential gift that can keep on giving. As with any tzedakah , the feelings of the recipient must be taken into account. A person who needs the services provided by a gemach should be able to avail herself of its services with dignity and respect. When the merchandise on display is old and worn, the experience of using a gemach becomes demeaning and a cause for embarrassment. Janet S SYRIAN CUISINE I found the article in last month’s Food & Dining issue about the origins of Syrian Cuisine very uplifting and educational. It is always fascinating to learn about our community’s rich history and the Sephardic traditions of our ancestors. Having a better understanding of our heritage makes preparing our Syrian foods (and eating it) so much more enjoyable and satisfying. I especially enjoyed the insights provided by authors Poopa Dweck and Jennifer Abadi. Their passion and wealth of knowledge of our heritage and history is truly inspirational and I believe provides a great community service. After reading the article I was reminded about the importance of passing down our Sephardic traditions to our children and grandchildren, and to truly appreciate our wonderful heritage and not take it for granted. Victoria C TELL US WHAT YOU REALLY THINK! WRITE US A LETTER MOBILE: Scan the Quick Response (QR) code here with your tablet, smart phone or other mobile device. EMAIL: letters@Community M .com WEB: www. Community M .com FAX: 718-504-4246 POST: Community Magazine 1616 Ocean Pkwy Brooklyn, NY 11223 Letters submitted become the property of Community Magazine and will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. Letters may be edited and revised for length, style and grammar before publication. All submissions are considered for publication unless otherwise requested. Preferential consideration is given to brief comments and insights that relate directly to published content. Anonymous letters are generally not reviewed or considered for publication. 14 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE