Anyone deserving of an 'Honorable Menschen,' can contact Howard Berger via his e-mail: Howardberger9798@aol.com or by fax: 822-3670.

OBAMA ADMINISTRATION MUST DEAL WITH MEDICARE REFORM SAYS DR. IRA STEIN

With many of our readers relying on Medicare to pay for their health costs with help from their supplemental Medicare policies, HM's health consultant, Dr. Ira Stein, warns that the program could go bankrupt in nine years. While HM is a social column, we feel compelled to report when the occasion demands us to cover health issues which impacts on our readers. Stein, who is a board certified geriatrician, is medical director of the H.G. Rosin Senior Center in Atlantic City, operated by BERON-JOAS. He warns that although estimates vary, 2009 is the year Medicare will fail. "Previous effects at large scale changes in health care hit a political dead end; with the upcoming changes in the national political landscape, perhaps this is the time that health care reform will occur," and adds Stein, "up till now, the government has only been tinkering around the edges of the Medicare program with a series of temporary fixes." And he concludes, "seniors must speak out with loud voices and seniors need to let our congressman know we want a strong sustainable health care program."

FUNDING CUT FOR STOCKTON PAC BUT DIRECTOR MICHAEL COOL IS PLEASED WITH NJ GRANT

We all love and recognize the benefits of the arts, performing and visual and in many cases it can lessen pain. Music and art can soften the brain cells controlling pain and make a patient who is ill or injured feel better. But overall the arts are just enjoyable for the sound and sight. Art experts and officials are fully aware of the benefits of arts funding and nowadays with the extreme economic conditions effecting the nation. Locally the Richard Stockton College Performing Arts Center, Noyes Museum and other South Jersey and state venues are feeling the funding pinch. Stockton PAC executive director Michael Cool tells HM, "while we received $130,000 from the States Art Council, the funding was 12 percent less than last year, but we applaud their passing as a fair decrease which means our programs will go on." And he added, "we are happy once again to be designated as a premier presenting organization." Over $18 million in Arts Council funding was shared by 800 arts organizations, according to Judith Leone, grants committee chair. "We know that every dollar we invest provides benefits to local economies, education, healthcare, tourism, youth-at-risk and so much more," declared Leone, a belief shared by Michael Cool.

ROB HUBERMAN RECALLS CORZINE BOOK SIGNING WITH MUCH SURVIVOR & STUDENT INPUT

A recent HM column on the signing of a Holocaust book by Governor Corzine at his Princeton residence, Drumthracket, couldn't publish the names of participants because of space limitations. So today HM recalls the names of Holocaust survivors who were there. First we have to credit former Jewish Times assistant editor Jackie Caplan who was the graphic designer for the book, and also of the 19 books Rob Huberman's Margate based ComteQ publishing firm produced - with five more in production. Nice going Jackie and Rob. In attendance were survivor Sonia Kaplan and daughters Ellen Wetzel and Gloria Heden; survivor Rose Zelkovitz and her granddaughter; survivor Betty Grebenschikoff and daughter; deceased survivor Janet Moskowitz's daughter, Ida Margolis, and husband, Jeff, along with Huberman and his wife, Laura, and Jackie Caplan. In addition, letters from students with their thoughts on the book, "Words For All Times," were related. It was quite a gathering of people who add to the graphic story of the Shoah, the real story.

OUR SENIOR CITIZEN ADVOCACY GURU IN NJ, AARP'S SY LARSON, WARNS ABOUT SCAMS

My friend, AARP's prez in NJ, Sy Larson, says holiday time is when vulnerable seniors let their guard down and are susceptible to being scammed. Larson says a new state law "offers consumers, old and young homeowners, protection from fraud." State legislators passed a law recently that "offers consumers protection from deceptive sales of financial products intended to rip off investors," disclosed Larson, whose wisdom and logic sparked the discussions at the 2005 White House Conference on Aging I attended with him. The law is entitled, "The Predatory Annuities Prevention Act," and it provides several tools to stop deceptive sales tactics. "It's a great law, but seniors have to keep their eyes and minds aware at all times to protect themselves from being taken over by ruthless scammers," advises Larson.