INTERFAITH HOLOCAUST COMMEMORATION EVENT ALSO HONORS LESSONS OF SLAVERY

The Staten Island Community Center, The First Central Family Life Center, and the Stop Anti-Semitism Foundation will commemorate the lessons of the Holocaust and Slavery

On Monday April 28, 2014, The Staten Island Community Center, in collaboration with The First Central Family Life Center, and the Stop Anti-Semitism Foundation, will host an event designed to commemorate the Holocaust, as well as remember the atrocities of American Slavery, and other past and present victims of genocide and persecution.

In 1979, Congress established, April27 - May 4 as the Days of Remembrance for the nation’s annual commemoration of the Holocaust. The Congressional purpose was for civic commemorations and special educational programs that help citizens remember and draw lessons from the Holocaust.

As Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel writes: “We are duty-bound to denounce anti-Semitism, racism, and religious or ethnic hatred.” “Never Forget.” What does it mean? In Nazi-occupied Europe, over six million Jews were humiliated, isolated, tormented, tortured, and murdered. The mentally-ill, Roma and Sinti (gypsies), Afro-Germans and Russian Prisoners of War were also victims. During the era of slavery, 12 million Africans were forced from their homes, uprooted from their villages, separated from their families and kept in bondage for generations. The Jim Crow era institutionalized racism in the United States. During the civil rights era, Jews and African-Americans often worked side-by-side to fight for justice. Both the Holocaust and slavery cast dark shadows that we must remember and memorialize and we must educate.

The Staten Island commemoration will start at 10:00 AM, at 135 Canal Street, Staten Island, New York 10304, site of the Golden Years Adult Day Care Center.

The program, which is open to the public, will include; the honoring of survivors from the Holocaust, a presentation from a diverse and distinguished panel, and the viewing of two videos comparing the similarities between the Nazi Era and the Holocaust and American Slavery and the Jim Crow era. Presenters and panelists include: Pastor Carolina of the Central Family Life Center, Bill Taitt, Prof. Lori Weintrob and Rita Reynolds, History Department, Wagner College. There will also be an open discussion as well as a question and answer period.

Hurricane Sandy recovery event 2013

    Hurricane Sandy recovery event - August 11, 2013

 

 

Staten Island Community Center head pulls together to help in Sandy recovery

(By Staten Island Advance) on Augist 11, 2013

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Months after repairing storm damage to both his home in Dongan Hills and the Staten Island Community Center he operates on Jefferson Avenue, SICC president Arkadiy Fridman decided to pay it forward to the same community that helped get him back on his feet.

To that end, the Staten Island Community Center teamed up with government agencies, nonprofits and businesses on Sunday for "Super Storm Sandy Recovery into the Future" -- an information session to help people become aware of programs and services available to them.

Some 1,500 Islanders crowded into New Dorp High School to participate in the free event, which included giveaways from local businesses, a short concert, and an opportunity for representatives from government agencies and elected officials to provide updates and answer questions.

"We achieved our goal of connecting hundreds of Staten Islanders with the government agencies and non-profit organizations that can provide the assistance they need," said Fridman. "This event truly brought the community together."

Folk congregated around all the available resources, but the busiest was FEMA. At the end of the day, there were still residents waiting in line to speak with a representative -- Fridman noted that everyone seeking help was assisted throughout the day.

Also available were representatives from the Mayor's Office of Housing Recovery Operations, Staten Island Legal Services and The Staten Island Community and Interfaith Long Term Recovery Organization.

The event was sponsored by the Staten Island Community Center-SICC and Davidzon Radio, along with a host of local organizations.

Also participating were the city Office of Housing Recovery, the state Department of Financial Services, the city Office of Emergency Management, the city Department of Small Business Services, the Jewish Community Center of Staten Island, Rev. Erick Salgado's Iglesia Jovenes Cristianos Church Mobile Food Pantry, Project Hope at OHEL and Staten Island Mental Health Services and the World Cares Center.

Besides the recovery assistance, participants were treated to a free concert courtesy of internationally renowned singers Lyudmila Fesenko and Sergei Pobedinski. There were also free raffles that gave away over 50 prizes, including gift cards to Net Cost Markets and P.C. Richard & Son.

Source: silive.com

 

 

SICC organizes various events for its members and the community. They range from plays to artistic performances, which all the children partake in. Many well-known artists and performers from the U.S. and other countries participate in these events.