The Northeast Queens Jewish Community Council [NEQJCC] presented three Awards for Outstanding Service, including one to former Queens Borough President Claire Shulman, at its Annual Installation and Award breakfast, 11:00 a.m., Sunday, October 31 at Bellerose Jewish Center, 254-04 Union Turnpike (one block east of Little Neck Parkway) in Floral Park, announced Corey Bearak, chair of the NEQJCC's Executive Committee, who was among the officers installed by City Councilman David Weprin, chair of the Council's Finance Committee.  The installation also included remarks by Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, City Comptroller William Thompson, former Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer, Member of Congress Anthony Weiner, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown and Queens Borough President Helen Marshall.  Council Member Melinda Katz, who chairs the Council's land Use Committee, led the guests in singing the National Anthem.  State Senators Frank Padavan and Toby Stavisky, Members of the Assembly Mark Weprin and Michael Gianaris, Judge Bernice Siegal and a representative of Mayor Michael Bloomberg also attended.
 
               Ms. Shulman received the Council's "Award for Outstanding Service to the Community of Greater New York," according to NEQJCC Dr. Sandra Alfonsi who chaired the event.  The other honorees are NEQJCC Vice President Ethel Levine and Karen Ginnis, Director of Community Network for the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, announced NEQJCC Executive Director Gail Eisenberg.
              
               Councilman Weprin installed Corey Bearak [Temple Sholom] as Chairman and Jeff Gurdus [Bellerose Jewish Center] as President, Helene Zaro [Bell Park Jewish Center] as First Vice President, Ethel Levine [Hillcrest Jewish Center] as Second Vice President, Dr. Sandra Alfonsi (Queens Region Hadassah and Jewish Center of Bayside Hills) as Third Vice President, Herb Friedman [Jewish Center of Bayside Oaks) as Treasurer, Michael Rogovin [Torah Center of Hillcrest], and Dr. Steven Goodman [Samuel Field YM&YWHA] as a Trustee.  Councilman Weprin, who previously served as a NEQJCC Treasurer and Vice President, was honored by the Council in 2002, Breakfast Chair Alfonsi, honored last year, also serves as National Vice President of Hadassah.  Mr. Rogovin who worked for Mrs Shulman at Borough Hall, presented her award.  Dr. Goodman made the presentation to Ms. Ginnis and Mr. Bearak made the presentation to Mrs. Levine.
 
               Other speakers included Executive Director Willie Rapfogel of the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty Met Council), Rabbi Michael Miller of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater New York (JCRC), Rabbi Jerome Dattelkramer of Bellerose Jewish Center who delivered the invocation and the synagogue's President, Jeffrey Berzon, who welcomed the breakfast guests to his house of worship.  Michael Rosenblut, President and CEO of the Parker Jewish Institute for Healthcare and Rehabilitation, which sponsored the breakfast, spoke of his institution's partnership with the NEQJCC and its fellow member organizations.
 
               Mr. Bearak recognized the following guests including Rabbi Meir Bilitzky, Chair NEQJCC Clergy Council, who first engaged the NEQJCC's chair to become active there; Debbie Markell, the Mayor's Queens, Democratic District Leaders Honey Miller and Rory Lancman; Jack Friedman, Chief of Staff to Councilman Weprin; Richard Bearak, Planning Director for Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, Jeff Gottlieb representing Brian McLaughlin; Lois Raff, counsel to the Queens District Attorney; Mark Scott, Capital Programs Director for the Queens Borough President; State Committeeman Chet Szarejko; Queens Liberal Party Chair Louis Dworkin; Rabbi Bob Kaplan, JCRC Director of Intergroup Relations and Community Concerns; Director of External Affairs Kalman Yeger, Chief Financial Officer Herb Friedman and Chief of Staff Ilene Marcus from Met Council; From Samuel Field/Bay Terrace YM&YWHA Executive Vice President Steven Goodman & Financial Officer Linda Eichorn; Past NEQJCC President Dr. Arnold Honig, and past officers Larry Greenberg, Susan Fogel, and Marcia Federman; Queens Jewish Community Council President Jan Fenster, Executive Director Cynthia Zalisky, Administrative Director Jerry Demner and Past Presidents Dan Friedenreich and Byron Dresner, also President of the Flushing Jewish Community Council; Executive Director Rabbi Avrohom Hecht of the  Canarsie Jewish Community Council; Director Malya Gross of the Shorefront YM&YWHA; Rabbis Shelly Kovar Becker (Temple Sholom),  Steven Axelman (Whitestone Hebrew Center) who sang Hatikvah, Evan Radler (Hillcrest Jewish Center), Gary Greene (Marathon Jewish Center) who chairs the NEQJCC Salute to Israel Participation Committee, Yossi Blesofsky (Chabad of Northeast Queens), and Hayim Schwartz (Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim @ the Rabbinical Seminary of America); President Jack Como, of the Italian American Legal Defense & Higher Education Fund, Manny Korman of the Council of Supervisors & Administrators; former Community Board 13 Chair Sue Noreika who co-chairs with Mr. Bearak the NORC-WOW (Naturally Occurring Retirement Community Without Walls) serving Bellerose, Floral Park and New Hyde Park; Eastern Queens Democratic Club President Lois Marbach, New Americans Democratic Club co-chair Morshad Alam; and from the Jewish Board of Family and Children Services/ Pride of Judea, Ezrat Chayim Coordinator Rosa Roberts and Tina Machnikoff.

               Mr. Bearak) said NEQJCC, an association of 30 synagogues and other religious, education, fraternal and community organizations, covers Bay Terrace, Bayside, Bellerose, Douglaston, Floral Park, Fresh Meadows, Glen Oaks, Hillcrest, Holliswood, Hollis Hills, Jamaica Estates, Little Neck, New Hyde Park, Oakland Gardens and Queens Village (north).   �Our projects include neighborhood development, Jewish continuity, Lay Leadership, social action, fostering intergroup understanding and building a multi-cultural coalition,� said Mr. Bearak.  �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.�   Its website- http://www.northeastqueensjewish.org/ - features a community calendar and a downloaded version of the brochure.

               Mr. Gurdus said annual programs include its Installation of Officers and Awards Breakfast each fall, the lighting of the largest Chanukah Menorah in Queens (this year, Sunday, December 12), a Purim Carnival at the Samuel Field Y Sunday, March 20, 2005), and its Legislative Forum each Spring (Sunday, April 10, 2005).  The Council, together with Queens Region Hadassah, hosts Jerusalem's Ben Yeduda Street and Beyond Comes to Bayside Hills, an Israeli Gifts Fair, in November 14 at the Jewish Center of Bayside Hills.  The 2002 fair at Bayside Jewish Center attracted thousands of visitors who purchased direct from Israeli merchants and listened to Israeli entertainers.    A beneficiary of UJA-Federation, the NEQJCC works closely with the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater New York, and the Samuel Field Y, noted Executive Director Gail Eisenberg who can be reached at (718) 225-6750 x247 or via email at Gail@northeastqueensjewish.org.

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