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E.N.O.U.G.H Club

Attendees Bear Witness at New Castle Yom Hashoah Holocaust Remembrance Ceremony

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Eva Wyner, deputy director of Jewish Affairs for Governor Kathy Hochul, delivering remarks on behalf of Gov. Hochul to those gathered at the site of the Holocaust Memorial in Chappaqua to remember the six million who perished and to hear Holocaust survivor Arlette Levy Baker’s testimony at the Town of New Castle Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony on April 24. 

“Remembering is no passive act.”  Governor Kathy Hochul

Chappaqua, NY – At the Town of New Castle’s annual Yom Hashoah Holocaust Remembrance Ceremony on April 24, 2023, everyone in attendance at the bucolic site of the Holocaust Memorial, and in proximity to sacred stone benches memorializing Holocaust survivors Jacob Breitstein and Jack Feldman, had the opportunity to bear witness by listening to an elegant and determined keynote speaker: Holocaust Survivor Arlette Levy Baker. That opportunity is growing increasingly precious as the survivors age and pass on.

Baker, who taught French and classical Latin for 21 years at the Robert E. Bell Middle School in Chappaqua, offered a devastating account of her parents being arrested in front of her at her home in Paris when she was just four years old, how she cried Mama and Papa until the very moment of separation, of how her father bribed a Nazi, saving her from her parents’ own cruel fate first at Drancy concentration camp and later in Auschwitz, where they perished.

Holocaust survivor Arlette Levy Baker with Stacey Saiontz (left) and Ali Rosenberg, co chairs of the Town of New Castle Holocaust and Human Rights Committee

She described a life shattered by these events which haunt her to this day.

Prior to her testimony, and near the start of the ceremony, New Castle received a proclamation from Governor Hochul recognizing the town’s Holocaust and Human Rights Committee and students of E.N.O.U.G.H. for its solemn observance and for the town’s and people’s “strength and perseverance.”

The full proclamation was read by Eva Wyner, Deputy Director of Jewish Affairs for Governor Kathy Hochul, who also read Hochul’s statement “to help honor the memory of six million lives taken during the  darkest chapter of human history… to reflect on the atrocities of the past… to reaffirm our commitment to never forget… to take our righteous anger and sadness and turn it into action… to not only listen to the stories of those who survived but to heed their warnings of the devastation that can be wrought when hate is allowed to fester… to continue the legacy of courage of standing up to evil. Remembering is no passive act.”

Wyner, a daughter and granddaughter of survivors, reminded that in the last two years antisemitic incidents in NYC have more than doubled, and also hit an all time high in New York State. In response, she said, Hochul earmarked millions of dollars toward a state hate and bias prevention unit. She also signed a Holocaust education bill into law “so that every child who grows up in New York will know what ‘Never Forget’ truly means.”  The service included a statement read by Ally Chemtob on behalf of New Castle Town Supervisor Lisa Katz; remarks by Deputy County executive Ken Jenkins; a representative from Congressman Lawler’s office who issued a Congressional Proclamation; remarks by Stacey Saiontz and Ali Rosenberg, co-chairs, Holocaust and Human Rights Committee and by Jack Rosenberg and Elliott Saiontz, co-presidents of E.N.O.U.G.H. Writing and art contest awards to middle and high school students were presented by committee members Rhonda Regan and Pat Pollock and E.N.O.U.G.H. students Eva Millerman and Robyn Keiles.

Westchester Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins delivering his remarks and  on behalf of County Executive George Latimer

A beautiful Memorial Candle Lighting took place which included a gathering of middle school and high school students, and Arlette Levy Baker lighting one of the candles with the E.N.O.U.G.H. Club students.

Included in and concluding the service was a Mourners Kaddish reading and songs and additional remarks by local clergy who included: Rabbi Aaron Brusso of Bet Torah Synagogue, Cantor Ines Kapustiansky of Temple Shaaray Tefilla and the Rev. Dr. Martha Jacobs of the First Congregational Church speaking also on behalf of Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe of Temple Beth El and the Interfaith Council. Also attending were the Rev. Alan Christopher Lee of the Church of St. Mary the Virgin and Rev. Merle D. McJunkin of the Antioch Baptist Church. Gratitude was also expressed to the New Castle Parks & Recreation staff for their help maintaining the New Castle Holocaust Memorial.

Holocaust survivor Arlette Levy Baker lighting a candle together with Co-Presidents of Horace Greeley High School’s Club E.N.O.U.G.H Jack Rosenberg (left) and Elliott Saiontz 

 

 

Emotional and Heartfelt: An Interfaith Vigil in New Castle Advocates for Racial Equality

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“I can’t breathe.” These words are currently part of a national chorus as on May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old African American man died of a cardiac arrest when white police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes. His death sparked a wave of protests all across the country, with people coming together, either in person or on social media to advocate for racial equality. Demonstrations ensued in over 75 different U.S. cities surrounding the issues of police brutality and systemic racism. People are also coming together to remember the lives of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade and many other people of color who have lost their lives to law enforcement.

In New Castle, as previously reported here,https://www.theinsidepress.com/racism-hits-home-as-a-school-district-self-examines-and-commits-to-change-and-growth troubling videos and images have emerged on social media depicting local kids using derogatory words targeting people of color. This comes on the heels of Floyd’s death and has set off a multitude of discussions surrounding how we deal with racism in our local community. In an attempt to address this too, The Chappaqua Interfaith Council and the Town of New Castle hosted an online vigil on Sunday, June 7th, in order to provide a chance for the community to come together during this tumultuous time as well as to offer a voice for many who have been silenced in the past.

The HGHS Black Student Union and E.N.O.U.G.H. club, as well as the Town of New Castle Holocaust and Human Rights Committee, the New Castle Police Department, the Upper Westchester Muslim Society, Superintendent of the Chappaqua Central School District, Christine Ackerman and Town Supervisor Ivy Pool all came together to voice their support for a reform to a system that oppresses people of color.

The vigil began with strong words from Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe, co-chair of the Chappaqua Interfaith Council. “The inspiring images of our youth taking to the streets of our cities and even here this weekend in Chappaqua have made it all the more apparent that for we of the older generations, now is not the time to lecture, but rather to listen. Not to speak, but rather be educated. If anything, this moment calls for a deep sense of humility and the willingness to readily acknowledge that we do not know all that we should know and that voices once overlooked demand to be heard.” He continued stating that there is much more work that needs to be done and that “tonight is not the end, but rather the beginning of a broader discussion.” 

New Castle Town Supervisor Ivy Pool followed Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe’s remarks. She passionately explained how we, as a community must work together and be there for one another, especially in times like this. “We long to be together, to wrap our arms around each other, to hold and lift each other up. And we will. My promise to you is that tonight is just the beginning. We must grieve in order to heal. We must listen in order to act. Tonight is not a box we are checking – it’s a journey that we are on together. I invite all of you to join me in making this a personal and community priority.”

Town Supervisor Pool stated that she understands how hard it is to grieve as tragically her 11-year-old son Mattias died three months ago. However, she continued, resolutely stating that “I am here. I am with you and I am listening, and I am grateful for you.”

“May we open our hearts and minds to the racism that lives within most of us. May we open our hearts and minds and be really honest with ourselves about how we feel about people who are different from us. God help us to acknowledge the pain of those who have been targeted because of the color of their skin. Help us to acknowledge our own tacit approval of those who are targets,” Reverend Dr. Martha Jacobs continued in prayer.

Emily Nobel, a member of Greeley’s graduating class of 2020 then delivered a stirring and passionate speech detailing her experiences with discrimination and racism. “I feel like … I’m underwater, drowning in a pool of my own thoughts and I don’t know how else to explain except by telling you sometimes the only place I feel safe is in my own bedroom.” Nobel detailed how her struggle with racial bigotry is present in her own family and community. “I don’t want the only place I ever feel completely safe to be my own bedroom because I know the minute I step outside my room, the minute I step outside my door, my pigmentation will determine how I am treated and it’s overwhelming. I don’t always want to be reminded that my skin color, something I had no choice over, something that I was born into, could be the same reason that I am perceived as a threat, that I am the one who is dangerous when all I ever did was live. That’s all we want to do. We want to live.”

“Although we cannot change our inaction in the past, we cannot continue to silence the power of our voices because this conversation could be too uncomfortable or too unfamiliar. We need to address the discomfort and invite it in with the stories and realities of the lives of others. We must use our voices to support people or color and organizations that fight for racial equality and legal protection. We must speak up and take active steps to call out and combat racism in our own lives. We must demand change from our institutions while also looking inwards to see how we can improve on a personal level,” declared Greeley junior and member of Saint Mary Virgin Church, Alexandra Fitzgerald.

James Blasdell, a graduating senior from Pleasantville High School and member of the First Congregational Church of Chappaqua also joined in and spoke on behalf of the United Church of Christ Leadership and the staff of the Open and Affirming Coalition. “We have been saddened and angered, but unfortunately not shocked to witness, along with the rest of the country the deaths of Geroge Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, James Scurlock and David McAtee. They are the latest in a long long line of black folk, queer, straight and transgender, our parents, siblings, children, neighbors and friends, God’s children, murdered by the white supremacy that lies so close to the heart of our nation like a cancer.”

Lauren Clark, a Horace Greeley senior alumni, also expounded on what she believes to be the core foundations of the ensuing protests. “The death of George Floyd sparked reactions all over the world. Some may find this time frightening, but it gives me hope. Speaking out against white supremacy and race-based violence doesn’t make you anti-white, anti-police, right or left. It makes you pro-justice, pro-accountability, and pro-racial equality. Caring about the life of another person isn’t political – it’s human.”

Following Lauren Clark’s speech was Sam Rosenberg, a member of Greeley’s junior class and co-president of the E.N.O.U.G.H. club. He advocated for ways in which we can be a more inclusive and wholesome community. “We can start by not allowing police officers with 18 previous complaints to remain active on the force. We can work in our schools to educate our youth in a way that allows them to grow without learning the terrible stereotypes that my generation and all the ones before have been plagued with. We can teach them that words can be poisonous. But most of all, we must make sure that in one week, in 5 weeks and in a year, that the urgency of this issue does not die the same way George Floyd did.”

President of Greeley’s Black Student Union and graduating senior Gavrie Wayne added: “I have been angry for most of my time in CCSD. I was angry when Trayvon Martin was killed. I was angry when I walked into my 7th grade history class and saw a Confederate flag. But some of you are new to anger. You were angry when George Floyd was killed. That was when you woke up. When I was new to anger I didn’t know how to handle it well. I was just angry with no action. That is when I started the BSU. With the help of the current administration, the BSU was able to make significant changes, so I implore those new to anger, find your BSU and create the change you want to see.”

Dr. Christine Ackerman, Superintendent of the Chappaqua Central School District also made an appearance, addressing the racial inequities present in the school system. “As the superintendent, I want to begin by apologizing – not just for the video that is circulating on social media, but to every student who has felt marginalized and not accepted for who they are as a student and a member of our school community. I accept responsibility for this – I am the leader of this district. It is unacceptable, it is wrong and it cannot be allowed to continue. For my part as an educator, I see this as a systematic curricular issue which needs a holistic approach.”

James Carroll, New Castle Chief of Police, and Zabeen Mirza, Interfaith Council Ambassador at the Upper Westchester Muslim Society, New Castle resident and Chappaqua mom, along with Ali Rosenberg and Stacey Saiontz who co-chair the New Castle Holocaust and Human Rights Committee, also delivered heartening messages aimed at spreading acceptance and inclusion within our society.

Reverend Canon Alan Dennis then delivered the prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi in remembrance of all those who have died. Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe continued with a special version of Mourner’s Kaddish in which he included the names of those who have been the victims of racial injustice. Reverend Dr. Martha Jacobs delivered the closing prayer in which she advocated for unity and strength within the town of New Castle. The vigil concluded in song by Sophia and Michela Masotti as they sang Bill Withers’ “Lean on Me.”

Interfaith Vigil: