The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

The Inside Press

New Castle Ceremony will be Held Tuesday, April 26, to Commemorate Yom Hashoah

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Town of New Castle Holocaust Memorial. Photo by Ali Rosenberg

Residents of the New Castle community will gather in person at the New Castle Holocaust Memorial located on South Greeley Avenue on Tuesday, April 26th, 2022, at 6:30 PM, to commemorate Yom Hashoah – Holocaust Remembrance Day.

The commemoration will feature Holocaust Survivor Trudy Album and keynote speaker Bettina Prober. Mrs. Prober, a Chappaqua resident, is the daughter of Holocaust Survivor Thomas Aczel a Survivor of Auschwitz and Buchenwald. Thomas is the late grandfather of Horace Greeley Student club E.N.O.U.G.H. (Educate Now on Understanding Genocide and Hate) member, Benny Prober. Trudy Album is a Holocaust Survivor from Czechoslovakia who survived Auschwitz. Trudy will lead the community in the memorial candle lighting ceremony together with the students of E.N.O.U.G.H.
 
Other speakers include Town Supervisor Lisa Katz, Westchester County Executive George Latimer, Co-Presidents of E.N.O.U.G.H. Gabe Adams and Jack Rosenberg and members of the Town of New Castle Holocaust and Human Rights Committee and student members of Horace Greeley High School’s club E.N.O.U.G.H. Other participants include Rabbi Brusso, Rabbi Jaffe, Rabbi Sacks, Cantor Ezring and Reverend McJunkin.
 
As Gabe Adams and Jack Rosenberg recently shared in announcing the Third Annual Holocaust & Human Rights Art & Writing Contest, “The Holocaust is a human story that is relevant to all of us.” The Town of New Castle Holocaust and Human Rights Committee along with E.N.O.U.G.H. launched this contest to inspire and educate students on the lessons of the Holocaust and how these lessons apply in today’s world. The Middle School and High School winners of the Third Annual Holocaust and Human Rights Art and Writing Contest will be announced during the commemoration. The first place winners will be sharing their winning submissions with the community.
 
During the ceremony the town will also be dedicating a bench at the memorial in memory of Holocaust Survivor Jack Feldman, beloved Grandfather and Great-Grandfather of the Town of New Castle Holocaust & Human Rights Committee Co-Chair Stacey Saiontz and E.N.O.U.G.H. club member Elliott Saiontz. Jack Feldman’s story of survival is featured in the HBO Documentary “The Number on Great-Grandpa’s Arm.”
 
The commemoration on Tuesday, April 26th at 6:30pm is open to the public.

A Countywide Yom Hashoah Commemoration to be Held Thursday, April 28 at the Anne Frank Garden of Remembrance

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The Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center (HHREC) and Westchester Jewish Council (WJC) will host the annual Countywide Yom Hashoah Commemoration Keeping the Memory Alive on April 28th from 12 to 1 p.m. at the Anne Frank Garden of Remembrance on 148 Martine Avenue in White Plains, NY. The event will feature a keynote speech delivered by Alan Moskin, a U.S. Army Liberator and member of the HHREC Speakers Bureau, and there will be a procession of Westchester’s rescued Holocaust Torahs.

“This is the 30th anniversary of the Garden of Remembrance, and the memorial site enables us to come together to commemorate Yom Hashoah (Day of Remembrance) at this special place” said Millie Jasper, Executive Director of HHREC. “We are very proud to host this event with our friends from Westchester Jewish Council and look forward to being together again in person with the Westchester County community.”

This event will be held rain or shine, and admission is free and open to all. For more information, please contact Millie Jasper mjasper@hhrency.org or Pam Goldstein pam@wjcouncil.org 

About The Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center

The Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center is a not-for-profit organization based in White Plains New York that serves Westchester, Fairfield and neighboring counties. Their Mission is to enhance the teaching and learning of the lessons of the Holocaust and the right of all people to be treated with dignity and respect. We encourage students to speak up and act against all forms of bigotry and prejudice. Their work with students and teachers helps schools fulfill the New York State mandate that the Holocaust and other human rights abuses be included in their curriculum. Since 1994, they have brought the lessons of the Holocaust, genocide and human rights crimes to more than 1750 teachers, and through them to thousands of middle and high school students. Through their volunteer Educators Program Committee, the Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center gives teachers the unique opportunity to develop programs for themselves and others. These programs not only enrich teachers’ knowledge about the Holocaust and related issues, but they   also provide the lens through which to view all other human rights violations. For more information call 914.696.0738 email info@hhrecny.org 

Chappaqua’s Points Mom Offers Travel-for-Free Tips

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Points Mom Cindy Greenstein

By the time most families step off planes for vacations, they’ve spent thousands of dollars getting to their destinations–but not Cindy Greenstein.

As The Points Mom, the Chappaqua-based mother of three has turned her dexterity with credit card reward programs into a small business advising neighbors and small business owners on how to reap the biggest rewards using the right cards. At the same time, she has earned hundreds of thousands of dollars in free travel for her family.

“Every month, I counsel credit card users who missed out on significant free travel and benefits because they made simple, avoidable errors,” said Greenstein, who began The Points Mom consulting four years ago. “These errors fall into several categories, and they are easily avoidable with a bit of planning and awareness.”

One of the most common errors Greenstein sees is a failure to hit a minimum charge amount within a given period, say $6,000 within the first three months of sign-up. Failing to hit that minimum spend means a credit card can cancel a 50,000-point sign-up bonus, which negates the reason for applying for that card.

“Credit card users might think the card’s annual fee counts towards the minimum spend–it doesn’t. If you charged $500 on a new coat and then return it for a refund, then that $500 doesn’t count either,” said Greenstein, whose free, five-figure family trips include Aspen, Greece and London.

Another mistake is redeeming points on Amazon.

“It looks appealing, but you’re not getting one cent per point, often you’re getting 0.7 cents and we want at least one cent per point or mile redemption,” said Greenstein, whose favorite cards are the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Capital One Venture X and Amex Gold Card.

Making a reservation without comparing ticket-redemption costs is a mistake. For example, a $500 ticket on Delta might cost 50,000 American Express points, but on the Delta rewards site it may cost 40,000 miles. Instead of redeeming the points on American Express, Greenstein advises transferring 40,000 of those points to the Delta rewards program.

This error seems counter intuitive: Airlines’ frequent flyer credit cards are not always best for free plane tickets.

“Even if you live in Atlanta–Delta’s hub–you’ll do much better with an Amex flexible rewards card. You might earn four Amex points for every dollar spent, which can be better than Delta’s card,” said Greenstein, who has joined every airline’s frequent flier program to maximize her points-transfer and redemption options.

 

Dr. Gizelka David-West, Gynecologic Oncologist, joins Northern Westchester, Phelps Hospitals

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Dr. Gizelka David-West

Gizelka David-West, MD, a gynecologic oncologist, has joined the Northwell Health Cancer Institute team of specialists at Northern Westchester and Phelps hospitals. She specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of ovarian, uterine, cervical, vaginal and vulvar cancers.

She is extensively trained and highly skilled at treating complex gynecologic cancer with minimally invasive robotic surgery. Robotic surgery helps improve surgical precision and alleviates the limitations of laparotomy and conventional laparoscopy to improve patient outcomes. This advanced surgical technology can help with the management of endometrial, cervical, and ovarian cancers.

In addition to her clinical work, Dr. David-West plans to increase awareness of gynecologic cancer in Westchester County through social media and community engagements, both virtual and in-person. This is a mission she is dedicated to even outside of work as lead singer in the critically acclaimed rock band N.E.D. (No Evidence of Disease).

“Dr. David-West has a deep passion for educating all women about early detection and prevention of gynecologic cancers,” said Jeannine Villella, DO, FACOG, FACS chief of gynecologic oncology at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan, who oversees the Western Region Gynecologic Oncology for Northwell Health. “In addition, she offers her patients a unique combination of surgical expertise along with compassion and empathy. We are thrilled to have her join the team.”

Prior to joining Northwell, Dr. David-West spent several years in practice at Westchester Medical Center as an attending physician and assistant professor of gynecologic oncology. She also was involved in medical student education as the associate site director of the OB/GYN clerkship at New York Medical College/Westchester Medical Center. In 2020, Castle Connolly, a peer-reviewed survey by other medical professionals, recognized her as a Top Doctor in Westchester County. She has lectured and published several research articles on gynecologic cancers.

Dr. David-West received a Bachelor of Science, Summa Cum Laude, in biology from Eastern New Mexico University and her Doctor of Medicine from University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Dr. David-West completed her Internship and Residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and completed a fellowship in Gynecologic Oncology at New York University School of Medicine. Dr. David-West is married, has three children and is a resident of Yorktown Heights, NY.

Dr. David-West will have offices at Northwell Health Cancer Institute at Phelps Hospital, 777 N. Broadway, Suite 102, Sleepy Hollow, NY 10591 and at Northwell Health Cancer Institute at Northern Westchester Hospital, 400 E. Main St., Mount Kisco, NY 10549. Call (914) 666-1775 for an appointment.

News and Photo courtesy of Northwell, Inc.

The Children’s Dream Foundation Announces its May 13 Fundraiser Honoring Leaders in Pediatric Healthcare

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The Children’s Dream Foundation (CDF) is pleased to announce that its annual celebration and fundraiser will return this spring in time to celebrate its 30th anniversary.  Scheduled for Friday, May 13th at the Shenorock Shore Club, the organization will honor two leaders in pediatric healthcare in the Hudson Valley. 

This year’s event will honor Katharine Yamulla, MA, CHSE, who is responsible for the overall leadership of the Clinical Skills and Simulation Center at New York Medical College (NYMC).  The Center educates over 3,000 medical professionals in our region each year.  Ms. Yamulla was chosen to be honored for her devotion to pediatric healthcare and her commitment to medical education in the Hudson Valley.

Our 2022 Medical Service Award will be presented to Douglas R. Puder, MD, FAAP, a practicing pediatrician at Clarkstown Pediatrics since 1987, in recognition of his lifelong work in pediatrics as both a pediatrician and an educator.  Respected and well-known at the local and state levels, Dr. Puder was involved in building the Pediatrics Department at Nyack Hospital and assisted the Children’s Dream Foundation in creating Nyack Hospital’s pediatric emergency room.

This year’s event will be the first since 2019 and its success will be instrumental in continuing to fulfill the CDF’s mission to support pediatric care in the Hudson Valley. Benefit Chair and Board Member Ida Doctor explains, “we have worked to continue funding our grants to improve pediatric healthcare across the Hudson Valley, but the annual dinner, auction and journal have always provided the majority of our funding. Like many small charitable organizations, we depend on community support of our event.”

As would be expected, the event will observe all CDC, New York State and local guidelines, as keeping our guests and supporters safe is our utmost concern. Currently, plans are to include the dinner format enjoyed in the past, but contingency plans will be in place if there is a need to pivot. 

The Children’s Dream Foundation is appealing to the community for support through advertising in the journal, auction donations and/or the purchase of event tickets. Please visit our website www.thecdf.org or call our office 914-305-0594 for details.

About Us

For 30 years, The Children’s Dream Foundation (CDF), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has provided grants to healthcare organizations in the Hudson Valley to improve emergency pediatric health care.

CDF provides grants in three main areas:

Pediatric Treatment Facilities and Equipment: As demand for emergency facilities has risen, CDF has supported area hospitals by donating pediatric treatment areas and specialized equipment that is properly sized for babies and children.

Training for Medical Personnel: To save the lives of children in life-threatening emergencies, CDF provides grants for training equipment and training sessions for medical personnel and first responders.

Preventative Care and Safety Programs: CDF believes that good preventative care is the best way to give the consistent care that keeps children from visiting emergency rooms. Grants are given to community healthcare centers for crucial healthcare programs, safety equipment and education. 

The Children’s Dream Foundation, 7 Rye Ridge Plaza, Suite 101, Rye Brook, NY 10573; 914-305-0594.

News and Photos Courtesy of The Children’s Dream Foundation