CRITICAL PRESS LETTERS ON ISRAEL SUFFER FROM HISTORIC AMNESIA; ONE PRAISES NATION

A Galloway Township man in a letter to the AC Press strongly supports Israel stating the “entire city of Jerusalem must remain under Israeli control,” despite plans to construct Jewish housing in East Jerusalem. He admonishes Palestinian Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas, a Holocaust denier, who refuses no matter what to recognize Israel’s right to exist even if Israeli PM Netanyahu reverses himself on the housing plan. Abbas is like the other Jihadists calling for the destruction of Israel. Another letter writer to the Press says a recent letter to the Press had an Israel bias. Meanwhile an Ocean City man and a writer from Little Egg Harbor Township displayed an anti-Israel prejudice. HM reminds those who don’t support Israel’s right to exist that they are suffering from historic amnesia, forgetting that many Arabs consider Christians, Jews and other religious faiths around the world as infidels. Israel is America’s greatest friend in the Middle East.

COMTEQ BOOK ON AC JEWISH BUSINESSES WINS NATIONAL AWARD

Sales of that fascinating book about Jewish businesses in Atlantic City are up to 1,200, HM was told by Rob Huberman and his ComteQ firm which published the volume “A Dream: A Journey: A Community: A Nostalgic Look at Jewish Businesses in and Around Atlantic City.” It’s a rather lengthy title but containing many priceless photos of an era that stretched over many years. “The book was the brainstorm of area business leader and philanthropist Leo Schoffer. And a few books are still available,” said Huberman. It took two years to put together and the Bronze Medal was announced by the Jenkins Group, an Independent Publisher with many entries in the category of Corporate History/Milestone competition. HM says it was a great contribution to our proud Jewish community.

PROMINENT JEWISH LEADERS INVOLVED IN EASTER SUNDAY 1979 DEDICATION OF SINATRA WING

21 years ago on Easter Sunday 1979, Joseph Lazarow was AC’s mayor, Dr. Edward Knight was ACMC Foundation President, Stanley Grossman was vice president, Steve Perskie was Atlantic County Senator and other Jewish leaders and hospital officials dominated dedication of the hospital’s south wing as the Frank Sinatra Wing. Old Blue Eyes and his wife Barbara and Sammy Davis, Jr. were there for this notable and historic day. The city closed off Pacific avenue from Arkansas to Indiana avenues with the celebration held in front of the hospital at Michigan and Pacific avenues. Also on the dias were AC Commissioner Edwin Roth, Bally President William Weinberger and hospital Executive Vice President Charles Bromall and other dignataries. The dedication was in appreciation of Sinatra’s 1978 concert which helped bail the hospital out of its financial dilemma, with Weinberger and Dr. Joseph Stella responsible for getting Sinatra here. Sinatra was overwhelmed by the honor and looking up at his name on the hospital, he proclaimed “If you need me just HOLLER.” It drew extensive media coverage. I was the hospital’s public relations consultant and covered the event for my radio station WFPG. It was the highlight of the hospital’s then 81-year history and my tenure at ACMC.

FOUNDER OF NATIONAL JEWISH BOOK CENTER DEPENDS ON ZAMLERS LIKE THE ROSENFIELDS

Aaron Lansky spent 25 years developing the National Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, Massachusetts, gathering and contributing over one million priceless books to preserve Mama Loshen, our native language. Lansky who has written a very descriptive and dramatic book on his journey, depends greatly on grass roots people known as Zamlers, like Alan and Ellen Rosenfield of Somers Point, long-time members of Margate’s Temple Emeth Shalom. Every summer they journey to Amherst with their vehicle overflowing with Yiddish books collected from dusty attics and basements. Lansky became involved while a graduate student at Montreal’s McGill University. Over 20 years ago the Rosenfields heard about Lansky and his mission and they jumped aboard with much dedication and currently they ask area Jewish residents to rescue these books and turn them over to the Rosenfields now or before they make their trek to Amherst. The Rosenfields can help our readers obtain a copy of Lansky’ s exciting book “Outwitting History” by contacting them at Emeth Shalom.

GAMING ADVOCATES LIKE ATTORNEY LLOYD LEVENSON SAY “FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION”

AC’s 12 gaming halls are holding on by the skin of their teeth as the nation faces an economic swan dive and competition for the casino dollars becomes fierce and climbing. Area attorney and one of gaming’s top legal experts Lloyd D. Levenson fully agrees with night club impressario Gary Veloric, that “failure (in AC) is not an option.” Veloric, who opened a nightclub “Dusk” at Caesars and Levenson, along with the Dusk management team headed by Eric Milstein, are all in the same corner when it comes to moving Atlantic City ahead with more gaming and entertainment facilities. Again repeating that “failure is not an option,” represents an optimistic perspective, which means much to AC’s future, emphasizes Levenson.