The Northeast Queens Jewish Community Council [NEQJCC] honored The Metropolitan New York Coordinating Council on Jewish Poverty [Met Council] and Past-President Corey Bearak, at its Sunday, October 18 Installation Breakfast and Awards Reception. Leon Levy , Past Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations installed Joseph M. Varon as NEQJCC President, succeeding Bearak who served seven terms and becomes chair of the Council�s Executive Committee. The annual event, this year at the Young Israel of Holliswood/Holliswood Jewish Center, featured a Keynote Address by Shmuel Ben-Shmuel, Deputy Consul General of The State of Israel.

Queens Borough President Claire Shulman presented the Council�s Award for Outstanding Service to the Community of Greater New York to Met Council after her introduction by NEQJCC Past President, Dr. Arnold Honig, current President of the Northern Queens Health Coalition. Met Council Executive Director Willie Rapfogel accepted the award and a legislative proclamation from Assembly Members Mark Weprin and Ann Margaret Carrozza.

The two legislators followed with a NYS Assembly Citation for Bearak who also received a City Council Certificate of Merit from City Councilman Sheldon S. Leffler. Queens Civic Congress President Sean M. Walsh presented Bearak, the NEQJCC delegate from Temple Sholom, with the Council�s award for Outstanding Service to the Community of Northeast Queens.with an award to be presented by Sean M. Walsh, Esq., President of the borough wide Queens Civic Congress.

In addition to Mr. Varon [Young Israel of New Hyde Park], Mr. Levy installed Jeff Gurdus [Bellerose Jewish Center] First Vice President, Helene Zaro [Bell Park Jewish Center] Second Vice President, Jonathan Darche [Hillcrest Jewish Center] Third Vice President, Larry Greenberg [Marathon Jewish Community Center] as Treasurer, Secretary Marcia Federman [Queens Jewish Community Council & Jewish Center of Bayside Hills] and Max Singer as Special Advisor to the Executive Committee. Mr. Levy, the President of the American Sephardi Federation, noted that Mr. Varon also shares that Sephardi heritage. Queens Jewish Community Council Executive Director Manny Behar, also a Sephardi, introduced Mr. Levy.

Queens Jewish Community Council President Dr. Sandra Alfonsi introduced Consul General Shmuel who delivered an update on the ongoing peace process.

Other public officials present included Council Deputy Majority Leader Archie Spigner, State Senator Frank Padavan, City Councilman Ken Fisher. Congressman Charles Schumer�s parents represented their son and Kalmon Yeager represented Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer. Jewish Communal leaders included Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater New York Executive Director Michael Miller and Intergroups Affairs Director Rabbi Robert Kaplan, Samuel Field YM&YWHA Executive Vice President Dr. Steve Goodman, Rabbis Philip Bentley (Temple Sholom), Marc Penner(Holliswood) and Barry Hammer,(Young Israel of New Hyde Park) and Synagogue Presidents Dave Bogart (Bellerose Jewish Center) and Jeff Grunfeld (Young Israel of New Hyde Park). Other guest includes Carmine Perrotta, recently retired as a Commissioner of the NYS Worker�s Compensation Board, Democratic Leaders Henry McCoy( 33rd A.D.), Chet Szarejko (24th A.D.), David Weprin (24th A.D.), Dan Hevesi (28th A.D.), Martha Taylor (24th A.D.) and Tony Avella (25th A.D.), Community Board 13 Chair Sue Noreika, District 26 Community School Board Members Sharon Maurer, Dr. Steve Barlow and Jack Friedman and District 29 Member Morshed Alam, Con Edison�s Paul Kerzner, Executive Director Dr. Giho Kim of the Korean-American Senior Counseling Center and Marc Haken, President of the Friends of Cunningham Park. Mr. Hevesi and Mr. Alam are candidates for the State Senate.

An association of 20 synagogues and other religious, education, fraternal and community organizations, the NEQJCC covers Bay Terrace, Bayside, Bellerose, Douglaston, Floral Park, Glen Oaks, Holliswood, Hollis Hills, Jamaica Estates, Little Neck, New Hyde Park, Oakland Gardens and Queens Village (north).

Council projects include neighborhood development, Jewish continuity, Lay Leadership, social action, fostering intergroup understanding and building a multi-cultural coalition. The Council combats anti-Semitism and discrimination, sponsors forums with major public figures, Jewish cultural events, open discussions with local Rabbis and represents community concerns. The Council publishes a (4-fold 8.5 by 14-inch) brochure, You Can Have It All, touting life in northeast Queens Communities, including a map locating its member synagogues and institutions. A Russian language version is in development

The Council�s 1998-1999 program includes a December 13 Chanukah Festival @ Y & Menorah lighting ceremony that evening in Glen Oaks and during the day on December 14 at the Bay Terrace and Samuel Field Y's, a Purim Carnival Sunday, February 28 and its annual Legislative Forum, co-sponsored by the Queens Jewish Community Council, March 14 at the Y.

A UJA-Federation beneficiary, the NEQJCC works closely with the Queens Jewish Community Council, Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater New York, Metropolitan New York Coordinating Council on Jewish Poverty and the Samuel Field Y.

For more information, call Sharon Nadel, Executive Director, at (718) 225-6750 x 247 or Corey Bearak at (718) 343-6779.

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