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Metro North

Let Us Be That Village!

March 4, 2015 by Beth Besen

Beth Besen
Beth Besen

Recently, in a less-than-perfectly-scientific but, nonetheless, perfectly “grace”ful facebook inquiry, Inside Press Publisher and Editor Grace Bennett asked for community feedback regarding the level of interest in, and continued enjoyment of, Inside Chappaqua magazine. The response was immediate and heartfelt–you like us, you really like us! I have to say, the Sally Field moment felt absolutely wonderful.

There is something very special about a community that comes together to support its own. From shopping local to becoming involved in community matters to reaching out to those in need (or admitting a need and asking for help!), our town is so much more than leafy streets and handsome homes. We are proud that one of our famous residents, Hillary Rodham Clinton, coined that resonant and oft-repeated phrase “it takes a village.” Modesty aside, we’d like to think we had a hand in inspiring her thinking.

Certainly, it felt that way during the horrific Metro-North Railroad incident of early February. Initial social media posts indicated that “an accident” had occurred, and that delays to the evening commute were likely to follow. People began to reach out to family and friends, seeking to reassure each other of whereabouts and safety. Before long, however, it became all too clear that this was no small accident; instead, the February 3rd, 5:45 evening rush hour train from Grand Central Station direct to Chappaqua became the express train to a brutal nightmare for many in our area.

Even as news helicopters circled the air above, information was starting to circulate our communal information airways. And it wasn’t good. Six people were killed, many others sustained injuries. Then, we started to hear names and the abstract–as awful, as unfathomable as that was–became specific. People we knew, people in our very own community, were among those who died in the crash. We shared our grief; with each other and, respectfully, with those families, friends and colleagues who mourned. We tried to make sense of a senseless thing, even as we asked what we could do and wondered how to make sure something like this would and could never happen again.

This issue of Inside Chappaqua was conceived to celebrate Spring Awakenings; the new and noteworthy, the fresh and forward, the energy that turn turn turns things in this renaissance season. In that spirit, and as planned, we have some truly wonderful articles to entertain and inspire you.

Our gorgeous cover comes courtesy of local artist Peg Sackler. We chose it both for its rich representation of spring‘s lush beauty, and because we’re proud to highlight an exciting new local collective, the Northern Westchester Artist’s Guild or NWAG. Please do turn to page 11 to read more about this creative and talented group of artists.

And, while we’re on the subject of groups, what could be nearer and dearer than our very own Chappaqua and Millwood Chamber of Commerce. There’s a new board with fresh vision and energy, and we’re as pleased as can be to bring you the complete story inside; just turn to page 15.

What else brings a community together? How about recreation and sports? Most would agree there’s nothing quite like spring sports to encourage both players and spectators to enjoy themselves. The days lengthen, the air turns soft and the play’s the thing! Frequent contributor Dan Levitz gives us his best pitch on Chappaqua Men’s B League softball. Page 18.

Speaking of sports and community, we’ve also got a very special tale of two local high school teams that came together for a shared love of football. Without giving too much away here, let’s just say that a couple of otherwise competitive teams put good sportsmanship first and foremost, and then saw some collective dreams come true in the process. Turn to page 23 to read all about it.

As for the rest? Flip our pages and enjoy. We’re great to curl up with on your comfy home couch, equally at ease out and about in town, perhaps 
as a coffee companion in one of our inviting shops! Our hope springs eternal that you’ll continue to like and appreciate our articles and, as always, 
we invite you to email us your thoughts; we love to hear from each and every one of you!

As we spring forward this season, 
we owe it to ourselves and each other to remember to live each day for the gift it is, and to remember our neighbors and community in our thoughts and deeds and prayers. Let’s continue to be that village it takes.

All my best,

Beth Besen

“We tried to make sense of a senseless thing, even as we asked what we could do and wondered how to make sure something like this would and could never happen again.”

Filed Under: The Inside Scoop Tagged With: Accident, community, Inside Chappaqua magazine., Metro North, Train crash

“Our Hearts Are Broken”

March 4, 2015 by The Inside Press

Joseph Nadol
Joseph Nadol

In the immediate aftermath of the Metro-North accident, we expressed hope that everyone arrives home safely. Tragically, three members of our community did not.

On behalf of the Town of New Castle, we want to express our sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of Joseph Nadol of Ossining, Robert Dirks of Chappaqua and Ellen Brody, who worked at ICD Contemporary Jewelry. Our thoughts and prayers go out to these three as well as to all victims and all affected by this tragedy. Our hearts are broken.

Joseph Nadol, 42, of Ossining, is survived by his wife, Jen, and his three young sons. Joseph worked at JP Morgan as an aerospace and defense equity analyst. He was ranked as one of the top analysts covering aerospace and defense. He received a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University. He loved skiing. His wife, Jen, regularly appeared at the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival. In the acknowledgments section of her 2011 book, Jen wrote “Boundless gratitude to my husband, Joe, whose support makes writing and so many other things possible.”

Robert Dirks
Robert Dirks

Robert Dirks, 36, of Chappaqua is survived by his wife, Christine, and his two young children, ages 2 and 5. Robert was a research scientist for the chemistry division of D.E. Shaw Research. “Robert was a brilliant scientist who made tremendous contributions to our own research, and to the broader scientific community,” the company said in a statement. Robert was born in Bangkok, Thailand. He was an avid chess player in his younger years. He then turned to playing bridge. He met his wife playing bridge in college. They both attended the California Institute of Technology.

Ellen Brody, 49, is survived by her husband, Alan, and three daughters in their teens and 20s. Ellen worked at ICD Contemporary Jewelry in Chappaqua. She lived in the Edgemont section of Greenburgh. Ellen was looking forward to celebrating her 50th birthday next month. A sign hanging in the window of ICD stated “The ICD Family mourns the loss of Ellen Brody, our beloved colleague, and prays for her family and the other families whose loved ones were lost and injured in yesterday’s tragedy.”

Ellen Brody
Ellen Brody

Every day, members of our community leave their homes to embark on what should always be a safe commute to work along with an uneventful return home. Our Town commits to all of those who live and work here that it will never stop working to protect and preserve their safety.

Rob Greenstein

Town Supervisor, New Castle

Editor’s Note: In addition to the loss of lives here in New Castle, the crash also claimed the lives of two Westchester residents: Walter Liedtke, a curator of European paintings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art; Eric Vandercar, 53, a senior managing director at Mesirow Financial; and from Danbury, Connecticut: Aditya Tomar, 41, who worked in asset management at JPMorgan. The Inside Press together with New Castle mourns the loss of precious lives with all the families and friends who have been impacted by this tragedy.

Filed Under: Cover Stories Tagged With: Metro North, Tragedy, Train crash

Lessons from a Tragedy

March 4, 2015 by The Inside Press

By Jodi Baretz

It is always more difficult to mourn when death is unexpected and tragic. The recent horrific train crash in Westchester this month from which six people were randomly taken from us, doesn’t make any sense. The impermanence and uncertainty of life is very difficult for us to wrap our heads around. Yet, sometimes it takes a tragedy to wake us up to how precious our lives are. When we face mortality, it puts everything in perspective. We all know of terminally ill patients who get a new lease on life, and often dramatically change the way they live. When we are faced with our own mortality, our whole view of life can change and we realize what matters. We live with more freedom and don’t sweat the small stuff.WomanYoga

Crisis as Opportunity

I learned about the fragility of life at an early age; I was just 15 when my father, 39, died tragically and unexpectedly. My life changed abruptly, and I have become the person I am today because of the many lessons learned from this shattering event. Sometimes, crisis can be an unbelievable opportunity to learn and grow. Its message may have been brought to all of us, so we wake up, enjoy the journey and be grateful for the gift of life.

We are always rushing to do more, and don’t often appreciate what we have. We wear stress as a badge of honor, and think: if we are busy, we must be important. We are in a race to nowhere. All this busyness can lead to depression, anxiety and lots of stress. There is no downtime anymore, and when there is, we have a multitude of screens that can distract us. When we live life in the fast lane, we don’t slow down enough to be present and live in each moment.

Our thoughts are stuck in the past, thinking about how we ended up in this unsatisfactory life, or in the future, being anxious about things that will probably never happen.

To experience peace, we have to intentionally slow down, connect with our current lives, and cultivate gratefulness. The practice of mindfulness is becoming increasingly popular in our culture, as one way to counteract all the “busyness” of our lives. It has been scientifically proven to decrease stress, as well as having a host of other emotional and physical benefits.

Today, technology gives us the ability to work around the clock, including weekends, and never turn it off. Mindfulness builds in a break for us, even from the constant chatter of our mind. It can bring us clarity, focus; an awareness arises when we pay attention to the present moment without judgment.

Meditation, as an exercise, quiets the mind; it literally can rewire the brain. People often say they can’t mediate because they could never slow down their mind. Guess what? Those people need it the most–myself included! Meditation is not shutting your mind off; that’s impossible. It is observing what thoughts are there, labeling them thinking, and then gently coming back to observing your breath. Simple enough. Five to ten minutes a day can make a huge difference. It may even bring you some peace to send thoughts of compassion to the victims of the crash, their families or others who are hurting. It also may be nice to send some much needed compassion to yourself and stop trying to always be better, smarter, richer. You’re fine the way you are!

Toward Peace of Mind

My heart goes out to the families of the victims. I know firsthand that, with time, they will survive, heal, grow and learn. I share my lesson and the lesson of the train crash with the hope that it helps you to appreciate life, slow down and change the way you relate to the mini-traumas of daily life. You cannot always change your circumstances, but how you respond to them defines your quality of life and peace of mind. What would you do differently if you knew you did not have a lot of time left?

In addition to being a Chappaqua mom, Jodi Baretz is a psychotherapist with a private practice at The Center for Health and Healing in Mt. Kisco. She leads a variety of mindfulness workshops including a Modern Day Mindfulness class for Chappaqua Continuing Ed, and a Mindfulness and Stigma workshop for “Stop Stigma Now,” both upcoming in March. You can reach her at jodibaretz@gmail.com, or visit her website, 
www.jodibaretz.com

Interfaith Council’s Blood Drive 


In response to the tragic accident, the Chappaqua Interfaith Council organized a blood donation drive on February 8th at Temple Beth El. Representatives from the New York Blood Center were on hand to take donations at Temple Beth El 
at 220 South Bedford Road 
here in Chappaqua.

Robert Dirks Memorial Fund

robert-dirksThe family of Robert Dirks has created a fund to help his wife, Christine, and two young children, Owen, 5, and Phoebe, 2, with immediate expenses. In the first 24 hours of the fund’s creation, almost $50,000 was raised, thanks to efforts by Chappaqua Cares and the Chappaqua Moms Facebook group. Friends and neighbors of the Dirks, as well as local businesses, have rallied to help.
A benefit is planned at Jodi’s Gym on March 15th.

Donations may be made at: www.youcaring.com

Robert Dirks Memorial and Family Fund

Filed Under: Cover Stories Tagged With: Metro North, Tragedy, Train crash

What ‘Making it’ Actually Means

March 4, 2015 by The Inside Press

Editor’s Note: In a search for meaning, Inside Chappaqua also came across this noteworthy post on Facebook from Rabbi Aaron Brusso, Spiritual Leader of 
Bet Torah Synagogue in Mount Kisco.

By Rabbi Aaron Brusso

Sometimes the dividing line between safety and danger is a surgical margin of glass and metal. The thickness of that margin in our minds is not measured in inches but in familiarity.

What we do every day feels like sitting on a cushioned bench reading emails or doing the crossword puzzle. What we do every day doesn’t feel even remotely connected to a collision in which the margin bends, twists and melts by fire. Life can feel like a dream lived in our minds until we are reminded how very real it is. Something happens and we wake to realize that we are here.

When our kids were little Hana and I would wake them up by singing:

Modeh ani lefanecha melech chai v’kayam she’hechazarta bi nishmati b’chemla. Rabbah emunatecha.

“I am grateful to You, living and enduring God, for restoring my soul to me in compassion. You are faithful beyond measure”.

We would sing a song to wake them up to the fact that they woke up. As they have gotten older, mornings have grown more hectic…and way too familiar. There seems to be less time for these sentiments. There seems to be less “usefulness” for them too.

But then there’s the day when mom takes the train and makes it home.

We spend so much time wondering if she will “make it on time” or “make it in time”. And then we remember what “making it” actually means.

There is a surgical margin of familiarity between one moment and the next in our lives. Moments that feel similar can go by without the awareness that we have arrived at a moment in time in which we have never before lived…and we are alive to see it. We are all hurtling forward surrounded by glass, metal and familiarity…things that protect us from danger… things that insulate us from appreciation.

May the memories of those who lost their lives be forever a blessing.

Filed Under: Cover Stories Tagged With: Metro North, Train crash

Congresspersons Lowey and Maloney Join Town and School Officials at Roaring Brook Road Metro North Railroad Crossing to Address and Propose Solutions

March 2, 2015 by Inside Press

Both Congresswoman Nita Lowey and Congressman Sean Patrick Mahoney (to her left) arrived to address railroad crossing hazards. Town Supervisor Robert Greenstein challenged public officials to take action on improving safety in the wake of the tragedy.
Both Congresswoman Nita Lowey and Congressman Sean Patrick Mahoney (to her left) arrived to address railroad crossing hazards. Town Supervisor Robert Greenstein challenged public officials to take action on improving safety in the wake of the tragedy.
Article and Photos by Eileen Gallagher

With the backdrop of the Harlem Line trains roaring by, Congresspersons Nita Lowey and Sean Patrick Maloney joined members of the town board, school board, and various public officials at the Roaring Brook Road railroad crossing on Monday afternoon to talk about their efforts regarding rail crossing safety.

“We know that rail crossings are where the overwhelming number of fatalities occur in railroad accidents. We know that 95% of fatalities occur at rail crossings…we can do better.” The words of Maloney were nearly drowned out by the whistle sounding as both southbound and northbound Metro North trains passed in the background.

Flanked by Supervisor Rob Greenstein, town council members Adam Brodsky and Lisa Katz, Westchester County Legislator Mike Kaplowitz, Town Administrator Jill Shapiro, Superintendent Lyn McKay, board of education members Karen Visser, Victoria Tipp and Warren Messner, and Police Chief Charles Ferry, Maloney and Lowey spoke of their dedication to improving safety at rail crossings and the implementation of positive train control.

“We are acting now in a bipartisan fashion to save lives before we have another tragic accident on Metro North rail space.” Referring to the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act up for consideration by the House of Representatives this week, Maloney spoke particularly of the Rail Crossings Safety Improvement Act, which invests in state and local governments’ efforts to build bridges or tunnels to improve the safety of grade crossings. Maloney then introduced Lowey, who echoed his sentiments.

“The tragic collision at Valhalla should never have occurred. But incidents at grade crossings are all too common. On average there is a collision at a grade crossing every three hours, and they account for nearly 95% of rail related deaths each year.” Lowey went on to say that with over 212,000 public and private grade crossings around the country, a multi-faceted approach is needed to tackle this safety issue, most importantly educating motorists.

“We’re going to make these kinds of crossings less common, and in the meantime I want to ensure that drivers know what to do and, more importantly, what not to do when they approach a crossing.” Lowey spoke of a proposal of $10 million for efforts in a high visibility campaign to address critical safety risks.

Chappaqua School Board Members: Warren Messner, Vicki Tipp, Karen Visser, and Superintendent Lyn McKay
Chappaqua School Board Members: Warren Messner, Vicki Tipp, Karen Visser, and Superintendent Lyn McKay
Evan Eisenhandler, the Executive Director of Operation Lifesaver (a nonprofit organization dedicated to rail safety education), shared his organization’s efforts to educate the public. Per their press release, Operation Lifesaver “provides free safety presentations for motorists and pedestrians throughout the U.S.” and warns “rail safety is something everyone should take seriously.”

Greenstein thanked Lowey and Maloney for their leadership on this “critical public safety initiative,” while reminding them of the urgency for safety at this crossing, located in close proximity to the high school and traversed by a large percentage of young drivers. Speaking of adjacent land owned by the town, donated in the 1930’s by Readers’ Digest owners Dewitt and Lila Wallace, Greenstein said that the land is available to build a bridge over the tracks. “All we need is money. I believe there is a will to do it, and certainly a need to do it, and I thank Congresswoman Lowey and Congressman Maloney for their leadership on this issue.”

Filed Under: New Castle News Tagged With: Chappaqua, Metro North, New Castle, Nita Lowey, Sean Patrick Maloney

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