Riverdale 12 26 2013 by Andrew Wolf

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Serrano ploy could cost Bronx 1,000s of jobs Congressman Jose Serrano has moved against FreshDirect’s proposed relocation to Mott Haven, potentially costing the Bronx thousands of jobs. Last week, Congressman Serrano, who sits on the board of the New York Empowerment Zone, voted against a $3 million loan and $550,000 to FreshDirect that had been negotiated by the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation, declaring that he thought they did not need the money since they have already received enough subsidies for this project. “I want the record to show that if it (FreshDirect) shows back up I will vote no again and again and again,” said Congressman Serrano during the meeting. Congressman Serrano also expressed reservations at the meeting that FreshDirect was asking for more money through the empowerment zone, even though the loan was part of the original deal announced to move FreshDirect to the Bronx in Febraury 2012. Despite the setback, FreshDirect has vowed to move forward with their relocation to the Bronx, which is slated to save more than 2,000 existing jobs while creating 1,000 new jobs in the borough. “FreshDirect has not yet had a chance to meet

with all of the board members but we look forward to briefing them on this project,” said a company statement. “We are continuing to move forward with plans to create 1,000 new jobs in the nation’s poorest congressional district and generate even more tax revenue for New York.” The company currently employs around 600 Bronx residents at their Long Island City facility, according to sources, and negotiated to move to the Bronx rather than move to New Jersey, which had offered the company considerable subsidies. After agreeing to move to the Bronx, New Jersey officials lured Peapod, a subsidiary of Stop & Shop, to their state instead. “Opponents of this project are convinced that FreshDirect could never leave the city, and that they don’t need any subsidies because of that. They never bother to notice that Stop & Shop was more than happy to move its delivery services to another state,” said one observer familiar with the deal. FreshDirect entered into an agreement with Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. last year to offer various amenities to the borough as part of its move, in addition to the creation of jobs and local hiring. Those include pursing EBT payments and developing a green truck fleet, among other.

“Since FreshDirect announced its move to the Bronx they have expanded their service to the entire borough, developed a pilot program to accept EBT benefits and hired dozens of Bronxites to work at their existing facility in Queens, all while working to convert their delivery fleet to environmentally-friendly vehicles. This project is a victory for our borough,” said Borough President Diaz in a statement. Last week, FreshDirect partnered with Borough President Diaz, Food Bank of New York and Give Them To Eat, and the advocacy group Health People to host a holiday dinner for 100 Bronx residents in Mott Haven. The comapny donated, prepared and served a full holiday meal including turkey, stuffing, potatoes and vegetables, for 100 clients of the food pantry run by Give Them To Eat at the Bronx Spanish Evangelical Church. “Among the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it’s important to remember those who don’t always know where their next meal will come from,” said FreshDirect Co-Founder and CEO Jason Ackerman. “We’re proud to work with these local organizations and look forward to continuing to do so as a member of the community.”

Klein files class action suit to protect victimized homeowners Standing on the steps of the Bronx County Supreme Court, Senator Klein, joined by dozens of Bronx homeowners and Assemblyman Marcos Crespo (D-Bronx), announced that a lawsuit charging fraud, conspiracy, breach of contract and negligence had been filed against members of an elaborate scheme targeting first time, minority homeowners. Homeowners allege that the defendants, working in concert, (referenced to as the “Tota-Kash Group” in the complaint), bilked them for millions of dollars by inducing them to purchase homes in the Bronx without valid certificates of occupancy and with shoddy workmanship. When the homeowners first contacted Senator Klein’s office earlier in the fall, each homeowner reported a nearly identical timeline of events, all punctuated with a series of interactions where members of the Tota-Kash Group intentionally misrepresented the true condition of their homes, conspired against the homeowners ability to rectify defects and deficiencies and exploited each victim’s inexperience in financial matters. Senator Klein said: “These

hard-working New Yorkers were robbed of the American Dream. These families were caught in a perfect storm of lies and deception that cost them not only their paychecks, but of a safe and happy home this holiday season. When scheming contractors prey on aspiring homeowners, they need to know that we will hold them accountable. “This group’s deception may not be limited to the Bronx. That’s why I’m opening my office doors on January 16th to victims beyond the Bronx who may have fallen victim to this same scheme. Together, we can put an end to the unlawful and greedy actions of this group, and prevent them from taking advantage of innocent homeowners everywhere.” Working with Senator Klein’s office and the homeowners’ attorney, the homeowners are requesting action on behalf of themselves and any other victims of the Tota-Kash Group who come forward. At the press conference, Senator Klein urged any additional victims of this scheme to contact his office. In January, Senator Klein will be hosting a meeting for additional victims who are seeking legal action and are interesting in joining the

lawsuit as plaintiffs. It is largely believed that members of the Tota-Kash Group continue to perpetrate this scheme in other areas of the Bronx and Queens.

The scheme outlined in the lawsuit filed Friday morning depicts an elaborate plan to target homeowners who, as first time homebuyers, were easier to push

into transactions not favorable to them. At each closing, the Tota-Kash Group advised the plaintiff that the house had a Continued on Page 2

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz was joined by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and State Senator Gustavo Rivera at the Kingsbridge Heights Community Center for the donation of toys, coats and other items to the center for the holiday season.

Thursday, December 26, 2013 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Klein files class action suit to protect victimized homeowners Continued from Page 1 temporary certificate of occupancy and the final certificate of occupancy would be available within 90 days of a closing. The homeowner would then sign the contract of sale and made a substantial down payment towards the home. While awaiting a final certificate of occupancy, the homeowner became the subject of several actions by the Department of Buildings regarding the construction of their homes and their lack of certificates of occupancy. At the time of transfer to homeowners, the homes contained, and continue to contain: (i) deterioration of the roofs which caused water penetration through the roofs into the walls and interiors of the buildings, water damage, mold and

Tehillah sponsors seminar for caretakers

Caring for Caretakers Winter/Spring Seminar sponsored by Congregation Tehillah: Jan 26, Feb 23, Mar 30, May 4, June 8. Join Linda Jaffe Caplan, PhD in an informal setting, as we share our experiences about caring about our parents and other loved ones that emerge over the course of time. Share in the discussion of love and loss and the changing nature of our intimate relationships as loved ones age, may become ill, struggle with chronic illness and ultimately, may die. Join family and friends discuss memories and bittersweet moments. Attention will be paid to the evolving changes in our relationships with parents, spouses, children, friends and beloveds. Attendence is free and open to the public. Individuals who have experienced a recent loss also are welcome. The first meeting will be hosted by Debbie and Ed Eisman.

leaks in the buildings and individual apartments; (ii) improper plumbing causing uneven heat, boiler leaks, rust and low water pressure; (iii) improperly installed windows and doors which cause drafts and results in excessive heating and cooling bills during the winter and summer time; (iv) insufficient sealants that allow water and mold contamination and leakage every time it rains, causing severe structural damage; and (v) improperly installed sewage systems causing constant back leakage of sewage, clogging and congestion of toilets. Upon learning of these violations, the Tota-Kash Group would refer the homeowner to the defendant attorneys, who would assure them there was nothing to worry about and that the violations would be dealt with properly. At the urging of the Tota-Kash Group, the homeowner would retain one of the defendant attorneys to represent them before the Department of Building. These attorneys would then become non-responsive to plaintiffs, which led to substantial fines and penalties from DOB. The class action lawsuit makes the following legal claims: (i) Civil RICO (i.e., defendants engaged in a criminal enterprise to defraud these minority-homeowners); (ii) breach of contract; (iii) breach of implied warranty of habitability; (iv) conspiracy; (v) attorney malpractice;and (vi) negligence. Assemblyman Marcos A. Crespo said: “Consumers are under constant attack by shady business operations. The virtual collapse of the housing market due to the fuzzy math of Walls Street executives and ongoing scams targeted at homeowners

needs increased vigilance. Our courts system has been given the tools to help homeowners fight these scams and abuse of consumers. Homeowners have my full support on this issue. I applaud Senator Klein for helping to raise public awareness of this problem and his ongoing work to protect all consumers.” Attorney for Class Action Lawsuit, Andre Ramon Soleil, Esq: “The litany of offenses committed against these innocent homeowners is totally inexcusable. Today, I filed this class action lawsuit not just for the plaintiffs listed in the complaint, but also on behalf of their families and other victims who have been subject to the illegal actions of the Tota-Kash Group. I believe that the facts of the case will speak for themselves and that justice will prevail.” Bronx Homeowner Johanny De La Cruz said: “For too long, homeowners like me have been told we have no legal recourse. As we stand together today with Senator Klein and our attorney, we are showing that we do have access to justice and will stop at nothing to prevent what happened to us from happening to others.” Bronx Homeowner Luis Nieves said: “I just wanted a chance at the American Dream – to own a home and raise my children there. Unfortunately, this ordeal has caused me to take time off of work – with no pay - and spend thousands of dollars paying fines, contractors and legal fees. We are here today because we want justice – we want them to pay for what they did to us and make sure that this doesn’t happen to anybody else.” Additional victims who are interested in learning more should call Senator Klein’s office at 718-822-2049. Senator Klein will make legal counsel available between 3 - 8pm January 16th at the Hutchinson Metro Center in the Bronx.

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By IRA STOLL “Obviously, we screwed it up.” — President Barack Obama, December 20, 2013, discussing health care reform in response to a question at a year-end press conference. This column needs to be finished quickly so I can drive over to the headquarters of a local health insurance company with a premium check and copies of three proofs of state residency. I tried to use the ObamaCare exchange in my state, I really did. I probably spent about seven hours on the site in four or

five sessions over the past few months. Theoretically, I’m the sort of person who might benefit from the program. I don’t work for a big company that provides health insurance for its employees. We had been getting our family health insurance by paying for a “cobra” policy that extended the benefits my wife had gotten from her former job, but that has an 18-month time limit. So we need new health insurance for our family effective January 1, 2014. (A modest health reform might extend that 18-month time limit to, say, four years, but the drafters of

ObamaCare were not interested in modest reforms.) In the past, I had bought health insurance through the Authors Guild. But because ObamaCare outlawed individual policies of the sort that had been available through the Guild, that is no longer an option. (A modest health reform might have encouraged the purchasing or provision of health insurance through voluntary professional associations such as the Authors Guild, but the drafters of ObamaCare were not interested in modest reforms.) I live in Massachusetts, a state that had, under Governor Mitt Romney, pioneered the “individual mandate” and “universal coverage” that are at the center of ObamaCare. You’d think they’d have a functioning Web site for health insurance. And they did, a year or so ago when I

window-shopped for health insurance. Since then, however, to become compliant with ObamaCare, the state scrapped the old RomneyCare web site and replaced it with a non-functioning ObamaCare site. By “non-functioning,” I mean, “non-functioning.” As in, it really doesn’t work. Initially, I waited, figuring the site would be fixed by the time I needed to buy insurance. Indeed, there were plenty of signs that the site was being repaired. “Attention: scheduled maintenance: This site will be unavailable from Wednesday December 11th at 2 p.m. until Thursday December 12th at 5 a.m.,” the home page declared at one point. When I returned another time, there was no time span given, just a sign that said “Maintenance in Progress: Welcome The Massachusetts Health Connector is currently undergoing Continued on Page 15

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3 The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, December 26, 2013

As deadlines approach, tales of adventures with Obamacare

Thursday, December 26, 2013 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Around the schools... P.S. 24

Parents of children born in 2009 are advised that applications for kindergarten registration will be accepted from January 13 through February 14, 2014, either online at the DOE website; by phone at 718-935-240; or in person at the district office (1 Fordham Plaza, seventh floor, Bronx, NY 10458). A single application may be used for as many as 20 schools.

Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy

Homecoming festivities will begin right after the winter break. On Thursday, January 2, recent graduates will return for an alumni Q & A panel with current seniors and then enjoy a special luncheon. A pep rally on Friday, January 3, will celebrate the student athletes who participated in fall sports—soccer, volleyball, basketball, wrestling and cross-country. Following the rally are the ever-popular faculty/alumni basketball game and the varsity boys basketball game against Adlai Stevenson at 4:30 p.m.

Horace Mann School

The Upper Division dance students will present a student-choreographed dance concert in the Cooper dance studio next month. The Horace Mann Theatre Company’s winter season continues in February with student-written one-acts in its Black Box Theatre. The spring season will feature Upper Division performers in a production of “Brigadoon,” where they bring the audience into a mysterious Scottish village that exists for only one day every hundred years. The season’s final performance in June will be the seventh annual Alumni Show. The school’s department of theatre, dance and film studies offers collaborative, project-oriented courses that culminate in a public performance. The department teaches students that solutions for creative challenges can be found by using their imaginations and experimentation, not only by using traditional research. These lessons may not always yield theatrical professionals, but they often yield well-grounded, thoughtful, open-minded and hard-working individuals.

Manhattan College

The 2014 De La Salle Medal will be awarded to Dr. Milo Riverso (’81) at the college’s annual De La Salle Medal fundraising dinner on January 23 at the Waldorf Astoria. Riverso is the CEO and president of STV Group, one of the nation’s largest engineering and architectural planning, design and construction management firms. After earning his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Manhattan College, he has spent

his more than 30-year career focusing on program, construction and design management. Riverso oversees his firm’s five operating divisions: buildings and facilities, construction management, energy services, international, and transportation and infrastructure. STV projects include program management of One World Trade Center, construction management of the new Delta International Terminal at John F. Kennedy International Airport, and design of the recently opened preparatory school at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Riverso is currently chairman of the Construction Management Association of America and chairman of the board of directors for the Architecture, Construction and Engineering Mentor Program of New York. He also serves on the board of directors of the New York Building Congress as a vice chairman and is on the board of advisors for the New York Section of the Society of American Military Engineers. Prior to joining STV, Riverso held executive positions at a number of construction management firms. Earlier in his career, he was the president and CEO of the New York City School Construction Authority, where he managed the planning, design and construction of capital improvements and new construction of New York City’s nearly 1,200 public schools. He received his master’s and doctoral degrees from Purdue University and is a registered professional engineer in New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. The De La Salle Medal dinner honors people and corporations that embody the principles of excellence, leadership and service to society. Proceeds from the event are applied to a variety of needs on campus, including student scholarships and financial aid.

Local Scholars

The University of Delaware has announced that Rachel Schwartz will be studying in England this winter through her participation in the school’s study abroad program. During this winter session, more than 1,000 University of Delaware students will travel to 24 different countries as part of 50 different programs spanning 39 academic subjects. They will pursue up to seven academic credits during five weeks of study. UD is a national leader in study abroad programs. Approximately 35 percent of undergraduate students study outside of the U.S. on an annual basis. The winter session is the most popular time for study abroad. This year marks the 90th anniversary of the program, considered the first in America—eight UD students set sail to France in 1923. Since then, UD has continued to expand study abroad opportunities and has sent students to every continent.

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On January 1, 1914, some of the most prominent civic, business and political leaders in The Bronx gathered at the seven-year old Bronx Borough Courthouse on 161st Street and Third Avenue. The monumental structure with its thick granite walls and only one large courtroom inside was to be the setting for a ceremony of historic significance. When the western half of the modern Bronx was annexed to New York City from Westchester County in 1874, the mayor and other city officials largely neglected its development. A long fight for some home rule was waged that resulted in the creation of a Commissioner of Street Improvements elected by the mainland residents. When the eastern half was similarly annexed in 1895, the Commissioner’s jurisdiction was extended to cover it. At the time the city annexed Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island in 1898, it set up the borough system with the mainland now becoming the new Borough of The Bronx. The Commissioner of Street Improvements became the model for the new office of Borough President. Yet, while Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island were also counties of New York State (being Kings, Queens and Richmond Counties respectively), the boroughs of The Bronx and Manhattan were united

in New York County. That meant mainlanders had to travel the long distance to downtown Manhattan, before any subway existed, to sue another person, defend him- or herself from criminal action, serve on a jury, probate a will, register a deed, or perform any other legal function. The Bronx Borough Courthouse was erected in 1906 to provide some local court for the convenience of Bronxites, but most believed it was built to be a future county courthouse. For more than a decade, business leaders, civic association members, lawyers and politicians waged a long fight against Tammany Hall Democrats and upstate Republicans to get the State Legislature to establish a Bronx County. Now, on the first day of 1914, Judge Louis D. Gibbs would induct the newly chosen county officials into office. First to appear was the new District Attorney, Francis Martin. He was followed by Surrogate George M.S. Schulz, Public Administrator, Ernest E.L. Hammer, Sheriff J.F. O’Brien, County Clerk J.F. Ganley and Register Edward Polak. With this act, Bronx County was underway. Fifty years later, in 1964, Ernest E.L. Hammer was the last survivor of these officials. He enjoyed the hoopla of the celebration.

The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, December 26, 2013

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Thursday, December 26, 2013 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Schervier Center sponsors trip to Atlantic City

On Tuesday, Dec. 31,2013 Schervier Home will sponsor a Day trip to SHOWBOAT CASINO at Atlantic City. Cost is $30.00 per seat, with casino cash back of $25.00. The bus picks up from Schervier Apartments at 2995 Independence Avenue, Riverdale @ 8:55amand Knolls Crescent @ 9:00am. Returns at 8:30pm with drop offs at 230thst. & Kingsbridge Ave.; 232ndst. & Henry Hudson Parkway; Knolls Crescent and Schervier Apartments. For reservations please call NELLIE KENNY @646-269-4906 or @718-543-0237

Ice Carving Week at Bronx Zoo

The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo’s Salute to Wildlife Ice Carving Celebration is back for the holiday season.. The week-long celebration, running from Thursday, Dec 26 - Tuesday, Dec. 31 features professional ice carving demonstrations, wildlife-themed ice sculpture displays, an interactive play area, and the popular Salute to Wildlife Ice Carving Contest. Professional ice carvers will demonstrate their ice carving skills by creating icy representations of animals native to Arctic Beringia - an area that spans from Russia across Alaska into Northwest Canada. The region’s tundra, coastal, and marine habitats are home to polar bears, whales, seals, muskoxen, arctic foxes and caribou and more, and these carvings will highlight the conservation work WCS is doing in the area. The featured event of the week-long ice carving festival will be the Salute to Wildlife Ice Carving Contest on Saturday, December 28. The carvers will be judged

by popular vote in categories including most lifelike, best in theme, and overall favorite. Additional activities include animal enrichment activities, crafts, an ice play area featuring a giant polar bear ice slide, and lifelike animal displays all carved out of solid ice. Toy Soldiers on Parade - a high-energy holiday carol trio - will provide entertainment as they sing and dance fully costumed as toy soldiers. For a full schedule of holiday activities, please visit www.bronxzoo.com.

Camp Gan Israel of Riverdale is excited to announce that it is now open for registration, and is offering an early bird special of $125 per child off camp tuition. The offer ends on December 31, 2013. Camp Gan Israel, to be held June 30 August 4, 2014, is much more than just a physical break from the school routine. It’s a comprehensive program designed to strengthen the body and soul. It provides your child with a rich and wholesome summer vacation of excitement along with friendships and meaningful Jewish experiences. Camp Gan Israel is packed with exciting activities ranging from tennis, gymnastics, music, Zumba, drumming, karate to rollerblading, safari animal workshop, and more. Children will also enjoy trips to the Bronx Zoo, Osceola Beach, Splashdown Water Park, Camp Kochavim, White Post Farm, Adventureland, Liberty Science Center, and the older division will see a Yankee’s game! All campers enjoy swimming instructions during pool time at the Whitehall

Club under the guidance of our professional swimming director and certified lifeguards. They can also participate in various recreational activities and sports, such as soccer, baseball, basketball, football, and more. Camp Gan Israel has two divisions: Mini Gan Izzy Division for children ages 3-4 years old and Junior Gan Izzy for children ages 5-10 years old. Visit our website www.ChabadRiverdale.org/Camp today to register online and enjoy the Early Bird Special! You can also pick up a form from our office. For more information on Camp Gan Israel, please contact Chabad of Riverdale at 718-549-1100 Ext. 10.

Dinowitz works to protect utility customers

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (D-Bronx) announced today that he will once again make a major push to pass legislation, A.6239, which would create a new state consumer advocacy office named the State Office of the Utility Consumer Advocate. Mr. Dinowitz, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection, originally proposed this legislation earlier this year. The bill was approved by the State Assembly, but it has yet to be voted on by the State Senate. In the wake of Superstorm Sandy, Hurricane Irene, and Tropical Storm Lee, consumers in New York have been left without a voice and real representation when it comes to utility services. Currently more than 40 states and the District of Columbia have an independent state agency that represents the interests of residential utility customers. New York is one of few states, and by far the largest, without such an independent office. The bill would create the State Office of the Utility Consumer Advocate to serve as an independent advocate and appear on behalf of New York consumers in state

and federal regulatory proceedings, as well as judicial review proceedings concerning rates and conditions of public service utilities. Though New York currently has the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the Utility Intervention Unit (UIU), which is a division of the Department of State, the Utility Consumer Advocate would focus solely on consumers and their interests as related to utility services. In past proceedings before the PSC, utility providers and large commercial and industrial customers have actively and vigorously represented their own interests; however, there is a stark lack of input from parties that represent consumers. The Utility Consumer Advocate would be appointed by the Governor, subject to Senate confirmation, and would serve a six-year term. He or she would exercise independent discretion in determining when to initiate and participate in proceedings that affect residential utility consumers and how to advocate for their interests. ‘The creation of an appointed advocate with the powers allotted in this bill would give New York utility customers a voice at the table and save them a considerable amount of money when it comes to the utilities they use every day’ Dinowitz said. ‘This bill will be a major step in bringing New York State to the front of the pack when it comes to consumer protections and making sure the State is working on consumers’ behalf. When the utility companies come with their hands out asking for a rate increase every customer in New York will know that there is someone at the table with the ability to question and review their proposals.’ The Bill is widely supported by consumer advocate groups representing various demographics around the State including AARP, New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG), Public Utility Law Project of New York, Inc., and Consumers Union.

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The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, December 26, 2013

Wishing you a Merry Christmas, and a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Thursday, December 26, 2013 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Thursday, December 26

tips and tricks as you work on your own creations. For more information, call 718-549-1212.

BABY STORYTIME 11:30 a.m. Riverdale Branch Library 5540 Mosholu Avenue Babies from birth to 18 months old and their parents/ caregivers can enjoy great books, lively songs, and rhymes, and meet other babies in the neighborhood. For more information, call 718-549-1212.

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HOLIDAY FILMS 2 p.m. Spuyten Duyvil Branch Library 650 West 235th Street The library will show films for children at 2 p.m during the school break. The films are all G or PG rated. The films should be over by no later than 4 p.m. The films that the library will show are the following : Pete’s Dragon, Wreck-It Ralph, Disney Treasure Buddies and Disney Aristocats. The film programs are free of charge. Come on down to the library during your holiday break! For more information, call 718-796-1202.

Riverdale

KNITTING UNIVERSITY 3 p.m. Riverdale Branch Library 5540 Mosholu Avenue Do beautiful sweaters make you happy? Do colorful scarves warm your heart on cold winter days? If you answer yes to these questions you are the perfect candidate to enroll in Knitting University at the Riverdale Branch and start learning the skills to make your winter woolen dreams come true! Students of all ages are welcome to come and learn the skills needed to begin your wonderful knitting journey! Materials will be provided. Audience: School Age (5-12 years) Children. For more information, call 718-549-1212.

Kingsbridge

GAME ON 4 p.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Come have some fun playing Xbox and Xbox Kinect games at the Kingsbridge Library! For ages 12-18. For more information, call 718-548-5656.

Spuyten Duyvil

READING ALOUD 4 p.m. Spuyten Duyvil Branch Library 650 West 235th Street Reading Aloud will be held at the library after school at 4 p.m. for ages 4 to 10 years old in the company of a parent and or caregiver. The program is 30 minutes long and includes picture books, easy books, folk tales and poetry. Nice way to escape the late fall and early winter chill. For more information, call 718-796-1202.

Saturday, December 28 Kingsbridge

INTERMEDIATE MEDITATION 10:30 a.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Join us for an intermediate meditation class. This session is open to those who’ve been regularly attending the weekday beginner’s class for a couple of months. Learn to go into a deeper meditation and learn new techniques that will help your spiritual ascent. For more information, call 718-548-5656.

Spuyten Duyvil

SATURDAY MOVIE 2 p.m. Spuyten Duyvil Branch Library 650 West 235th Street “Love Actually”--Follows the lives of eight very different couples in dealing with their love lives in various loosely and interrelated tales all set during a frantic month before Christmas in London, England. Liam Neeson, Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Rated R, 135 minutes, 2003. For more information, call 718-796-1202.

Riverdale

SATURDAY FAMILY MATINEE 2 p.m. Riverdale Branch Library 5540 Mosholu Avenue Parents and children are welcome to come to the library to enjoy family friendly films in a relaxed environment. Featuring the movie, “Despicable Me 2.” For more info, call 718-549-1212.

Monday, December 30 Spuyten Duyvil

KNITTING & CROCHET 11 a.m. Spuyten Duyvil Branch Library 650 West 235th Street A get-together for knitters and crocheters at all skill levels to work on a current project, exchange information, and learn new techniques. All skill levels welcomed. For info, call 718-796-1202.

Riverdale

KNITTING CIRCLE 2 p.m. Riverdale Branch Library 5540 Mosholu Avenue Gather with other knitters, and perhaps pick up a few

KNITTING & CROCHET 3 p.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Gather with other knitters and crocheters and perhaps pickup a few tips and tricks as you work on your own creations! For more information, call 718-548-5656.

Kingsbridge

MEDITATION 6 p.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Feel the energy within. Sahaja Meditation is a simple, time-honored technique. It helps reduce stress and increase wellness. For more information, call 718-548-5656.

Tuesday, December 31 Spuyten Duyvil

BABY LAPSIT 11 a.m. Spuyten Duyvil Branch Library 650 West 235th Street Baby Lap-Sit time is held twice a month at the library for infants to 17 month olds in the company of a parent and or caregiver. The program is 20 -25 minutes long and consists of books , music, exercise rhymes , action rhymes and circle time. The maximum attendance is 50 (combined attendance of children and adults). Please arrive at the library by 10:45 a.m. at the latest. For more information, call 718-796-1202.

Riverdale

TODDLER STORY TIME 11:30 a.m. Riverdale Branch Library 5540 Mosholu Avenue Toddlers from 18 months to 3 years old and their parents/ caregivers can enjoy interactive stories, action songs, and fingerplays, and spend time with other toddlers in the neighborhood. For more information, call 718-549-1212.

Van Cortlandt

NEW YEAR’S EVE MUSICALE 1 p.m. Van Cortlandt Senior Center 3880 Sedgwick Avenue Usher in the New Year with dynamic music duo Kathy Lord and Susan Weber on Tues. Dec. 31st at 1:00 PM. Lord and Weber will play a mix of music including swing, 50’s, popular and Latin. For more information, call 718-549-4700.

Riverdale

SCRABBLE 2 p.m. Riverdale Branch Library 5540 Mosholu Avenue If words work you up and crossword puzzles keep you going, come to Riverdale and share your passion with friends every Tuesday afternoon for a lively game of Scrabble. Pre-registration required. For more information, call 718-549-1212.

Spuyten Duyvil

HOLIDAY FILM 2 p.m. Spuyten Duyvil Branch Library 650 West 235th Street “Wreck-It Ralph”--A video game villain wants to be a hero and sets out to fulfill his dream, but his quest brings havoc to the whole arcade where he lives. Rated PG, 108 minutes, 2012. For more information, call 718-796-1202.

Wednesday, January 1 Riverdale

LINDA’S JAZZ NIGHTS 8 p.m. An Beal Bocht Cafe 445 West 238th Street Linda’s Jazz Nights will present The Kat Gang Quartet Featuring: Phil Palombi on bass Matthew Fries on piano Tim Bulkley on drums Kat Gang on vocals New Years Day. Tickets and info: www.LindasJazzNights.com.

Thursday, January 2 Kingsbridge

WRITER’S CIRCLE 1 p.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Are you an aspiring writer? Join our writer’s group to share your work and get feedback from other members. All types of writing are welcome, whether it’s fiction, memoir, poetry, or other! For more information, call 718-549-1212.

Friday, January 3 Kingsbridge

STAY WELL EXERCISE 10 a.m. Kingsbridge Branch Library 291 West 231st Street Stay Well volunteers certified by the NYC’s Department for the Aging will lead participants in a well-balanced series of exercises for seniors of all ability levels. Please wear loose comfortable clothing. Exercise equipment will be provided. For more information, call 718-548-5656.

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Riverdale Professional Building 5678 Riverdale Avenue • Suite 200 • Bronx, NY 10471

Thursday, December 26, 2013 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

HERE’S MY CARD ContraCtor

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Weddings • Parties Bar/Bat Mitzvahs

Riverdale’s Most Widely Circulated Newspaper!

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Monday - Friday 9am to 5pm • DEADLINES Monday, 11AM

IN PERSON

5752 Fieldston Road Riverdale, NY 10471

BY PHONE

BY FAX

(718) 543-5200

We make every effort to avoid mistakes in your classified ads. Check your ad the first week it runs. The Riverdale Review will accept responsibility ONLY for the FIRST INCORRECT INSERTION. The Riverdale Review assumes no financial responsibility for errors or omissions. We reserve the right to edit, reject or reclassify any ad. Copy changes are $10 per change. Contact your sales rep directly for any copy changes. All classified ads are prepaid. No refunds on classified ads whatsoever. House credit only.

BOX NUMBER REPLIES

(718) 543-4206

Address Your Reply to the Box Number in the Ad c/o the Riverdale Review Co-ops For Sale

SKYVIEW ON DOWN-SIZING? Have it all at THE HUDSON GYM & POOL INCLUDED!

5900 ARLINGTON AVE.

#3-S 1Bedroom, terrace ................... $155K

5700 ARLINGTON AVE.

NEW #3N Renovated studio....... $125K #15P Renov Studio, river views .........$139K

“Skyview” offers a full service doorman, health club, pool, transportation & parking

Knolls Co-op Sect #1 Lovely full 2-br 1 bath apts. Windowed eat-in kitch. $145k to $158k. Maint below $700 incl utils; Excel restored cond. Great views. Gorgeous gardens, sitting areas, playgr; Super; Laundry; Bike rm; Storage; Conv. shopping; Expr buses at door; Easy IRT and Metro North access. Parking $49/mo. See www.knolls1.com

Call Sales 718-796-0171 or Sheila at 718-796-5478

Co-ops For Sale THE WINDSORS APTS. Studios, one, two and three bedrooms available for sale and rent

Linda Lepson Cell: 646-305-4009 Office: 212-896-8699

PLEASE CALL FOR APPOINTMENT

www.argo.com

Holiday Specials 530 Riverdale Avenue 1 BR, 1 bath.....$85K Valentine Gardens 2 BR, 2 bath.....$169K 5639 Netherland Avenue 1 BR, 1 bath.....$129K 5425 Valles Avenue 1 BR, 1 bath.....$149K (or RENT for $1350 mo.)

Apt. For Rent

3240 Netherland Ave. 6A 2 BR, 2 bth, 2balc $2200 mo.

Call Renee White

917-701-5627

750 KAPPOCK STREET

#314 1 BR, river views, deeded

parking spot .................................... $149K

PLEASE CALL FOR APPOINTMENT

Linda Lepson Cell: 646-305-4009 Office: 212-896-8699

www.argo.com Apartment For Sale SKYVIEW

Studio w/pvt alcove, new cabinets, ceramic tiles thruout, terr w/view. FSDM, health club, pool, prkng & transport.Easy commute to Manhattan.

Must see. $185K Contact: (347) 603-7063

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

renee.white @elliman.com

FIND IT IN THE CLASSIFIEDS!

CHINTAN TRIVEDI  PRINCIPAL BROKER LICENSED REAL ESTATE SALESPERSONS  ERNEST VASQUEZ, JOHN LAJARA, NICANOR GONZALEZ, SAMUEL BUCHANA OTHER AGENTS - RUT MEHTA, CHRYSTAL REID, GINA MALDONADO, LISA SILLS, KATHERINE DIAZ, JONATHAN TRAVIESO, ENRIQUE WALLACE, IMELDA OTTO, ARJUN PATEL OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY- 12/22/2013... 11:30 - 12:30

Wishing everyone

3850 HUDSON MANOR TERR Gorgeous 3 Bedroom, 2 Bath, Playground, Doorman ..................................$424,900 3750 HUDSON MANOR TERR: 2BR/2Ba Renov, Window Kitchen, East Facing, Low Fl .................................$274,900

a Merry Christmas

OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY- 12/22/2013... 1:00 - 2:00

3135 JOHNSON AVE 2 BR /2 Bath, Luxury Bldg, Pool, Parking, Storage, Gym ..........................................$349,900

and Happy New Year!

OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY- 12/22/2013... 2:30 - 3:30 5715 MOSHOLU AVE: 1 BR / 1 Bath, Updated Kitchen and Bath, Close To Transportation, Schools ................$109,900

HOUSES

INVESTMENT BLDG IN NORTH RIVERDALE 3 Commercial Units & 3 Residential Units (2+ 2+ 4 BRs) & Basement ........... $1,700,000 FIELDSTON TERR: Newly Renov, Gorgeous 5BRs, 4.5Baths ..... $1,100,000 1232 CHOCTAW Single Family Bronx House, 5 BR, 3.5 Bath, Finished Basement .......................................$999,900 371 W 254TH ST: Gorgeously Renov, 3BR/2Bath In CulDe-Sac, In-Law Apt W/ Sep. Entrance ..................$974,900 411 W 261 STREET, Multifamily House w/ Walk-Out Renov Basement, In-Law Apt, 3 BR/1 Bath + 4 BR / 1 Bath..........$899,900 50 W MARBLE HILL AVE, Multifamily House in Bx.....$750,000 101 HELENA AVE, Immaculate 2 Family W/ An Adjacent 50x100 Buildable Lot Sold Separately, 3 BR+2 BR ................ $..$699,000 5808 MOSHOLU AVE, Great Investment Property 3 Multifamily, Store Front.........................................$674,900 5137 POST ROAD HOUSE: 3BR/1.5Bath, Jacuzzi, Fenced Backyard & Deck 2 Car parking ............................$624,900 5 HIGHLAND AVE, Multifamily House 3 Apts W/ 1 Bedroom Each, Walk-Out Basement, Porch, Backyard .............$599,999 2511 ST. RAYMONDS AVE, In Westchester Village, 3 family detached home with 4 car garage/driveway .................$599,900 1158 ARNOW AVE, 2 Family Bronx House comes With Stainless Steel Appliances, Granite Counter and More ................$599,000 647 CARDINAL RD, Two Story Single Family House In Yonkers, Large Backyard, In-Ground Pool ............$575,000 1525-1527 BRYANT AVE, Bx Multifamily House ...$550,000 515 BRUSH AVE Single Family House, 3Br/2Ba ...$525,000 1468 ST. LAWRENCE AVE, Multifamily Bx House, 3+3 BR, 2 Ba, Full Basement ..............................................$525,000 254 CALLHOUN AVE Perfect Red Brick Semi-Detached 3 BR + 2BR + 2 Bath ................................................$515,000 210-20 88TH RD Single Family In Queens, 3Br/3Ba, Great Location .................................................................$489,000 574 MCLEAN AVE Single Family 4 Br, 3 Ba, 2 Stories, Great Value......................................................................$469,999 1466 ST. LAWRENCE AVE, BRONX 3+2 Bedroom, 3 Bath, Newly Renovated Spacious 2 Family Detached Duplex House, has over 2100 Sq Ft of Living Space .........$480,000 1051 E 227TH STREET Great 3-Family House, 1st& 2nd Flr Have 2B & 3rd Flr Has 3Br, Spacious Backyard ...$425,000 135 CARYL AVE, Yonkers, 6 BR/4 BA with a finished walk-out basement + 2 car garage ........................$389,999 1517 COMMONWEALTH AVE 2 Family House, 2 BR/1 Bath Over 3 BR/2 Bath, Finished Walkout Basement .... $385,000 75 ELISSA LN, 2 Family Home On A Cul-De-Sac For The Price Of A Single Family In Bronxville Heights.....$379,999 325 UNDERHILL AVE, 2 Houses On Lot, 2 Br Each .......$370,000 1536 COMMONWEALTH AVE, Multifamily House Great Income Producing Property - 2 BR/1 Bath, 3 BR/1Bath ..............$370,000 290 RESERVOIR PLACE, 2 Family House..............$369,000 936 CRANFORD AVE, Two Detached House W/ Shared Driveway And Finished Basement .........................$365,000

6200 Riverdale Avenue 1 BED., 1 Bath Co-op. Spacious Living room, Beautiful renovated kitchen, Dining room area, Renovated bathroom, Plenty of closets, Hardwood floors, Lots of windows, Pet friendly. Laundry + Super + Garage on premise. Close to park, transportation, Metro-North, Hwys., Manhattan Express Buses and shops. $125,000/ Rent $1,300 with Option to buy.

Contact ERA Empire Realtor Julie Reyes, (646) 732-2369 • Julie.Reyes@era.com

Read the

SHORT SALE HOUSE

189 CHURCH STREET, POUGHKEEPSIE, 5 BRs & 3 Baths ...$450,000 15 BRENNER RIDGE ROAD, Pleasant Valley, 4 BRs & 4 Baths, Beautiful Garden, Build In 1991 .................$430,000 27 VIRGINIA AVE, POUGHKEEPSIE, 3 BRs & 3 Baths, Buyer Responsible For City & Estate Certification Req.. ...........$125,000 29 VIRGINIA AVE, POUGHKEEPSIE, 3 BRs & 3 Baths, Buyer Responsible For City & Estate Certification Req....$125,000 31 VIRGINIA AVE, POUGHKEEPSIE, 5 BRs, 3 Baths... Original Price 12,500,000 In Short Sale For.........$95,900 91 GARDEN ST, POUGHKEEPSIE, 4 BRs, 1 Bath, Short Sale, Buyer Responsible For City & Estate Certification Req .....$80,000

CONDOS

531 WEST 235TH ST: Penthouse 4BR/3Ba, 3 Balconies, 2 Roof Tops/2 Indoor Parking spaces ................... $1,599,900 531 WEST 235TH ST: NEW CONDOS 2-5 BR/2-3 Bath, 2 Balconies... Starting from ......................................$449,900 5775 MOSHOLU AVE: 3 BR / 2 Bath, Renovated, Ready To Move In - CONDO, No Board Approval .................$399,900 3538 JUNCTION BLVD Luxury 2 Bedroom With Renovated Kitchen, Lots of Closet Space ...............................$375,000 5775 MOSHOLU AVE: 2 BR / 1 Bath, Needs TLC, Great Location, Best Priced - CONDO, No Board Approval ....$299,900 543 MAIN STREET, NEW ROCHELLE: Immaculate 1 BR Unit with Balcony & Deeded Parking............................$255,000

CO-OP FOR SALE

332 CENTRAL PARK AVE - SCARSDALE: 3 BRs / 3 Baths, MUST SELL, 2100 Sq.Ft, BY APPT ONLY ..............$499,900 47 FORT WASHINGTON, 3 Br/1Ba In Washington Heights, Great Location, Priced To Sell ...............................$424,900 7 BALINT DR, YONKERS: 2 BR/2Ba w/ Huge Balcony, Upscale Renovated ................................................$299,900 525 W 235TH ST, 2Br/2Ba, Parquet Fl, Spacious Living Rm, Abundant Closet Space, Pet Friendly ............$274,900 555 KAPPOCK AVE Luxury 2 Bedroom/2 Bath, Parquet Floors, Lots Of Closet Space, Great Location ....... $264,900 3901 INDEPENDENCE AVE, 2 BR/2 BA w/ Terrace, Playground, Great Location, Avail to Rent For $2100.......... Sale Price $224,900 601 KAPPOCK ST: 2BR/1Ba Indoor Parking Avail, Pool, Doorman........................................ MUST SELL !! $199,900 3050 FAIRFIELD AVE Jr 4, Eat-In Kitchen, Terrace With Gorgeous Views, Lots Of Closet Space.................$199,900 75 W. 238TH ST 3 Bedroom/1.5 Bath, Great Location W/ Most Amenities .....................................................$190,000 555 KAPPOCK ST 1Br/1Ba, Hardwood Fl, Lots Of Closet Space, Excellent Views ..........................................$189,900 629 KAPPOCK ST: Jr.4 Convt. To 2BR/1Ba, Great Space, Priced For A Quick Sell .........................................$184,900 512 KAPPOCK ST: Huge 1BR, 1Bath, Ready to move-in, Best Price and Location.........................................$184,900 3635 JOHNSON AVE 2BR/1Bath, Spacious LV RM & Beautiful Crown Molding, Renov Kitc & Bath .......$184,900 512 KAPPOCK ST, Charming 1Br/1Ba, Low Maintenance,

CALL FOR FREE MARKET ANALYSIS

For Sale or Rent with Option to Buy

7187981200

1521 COMMONWEALTH AVE, ................................$365,000 1561 HERING AVE, BRONX Single Family House In Morris Park! Great Starter Home In Need Of A Little TLC ....$350,000 3013 PAULDING AVE, 3 Bedrooms/ 2 Bathrooms....$315,000 1915 BUSSING AVE Single Family, 2 Story, 3Br, 2Ba .....$300,000 283 WARBURTON AVE, 2 Bedroom/ 1 Bathroom..$235,000 3421 EDSON AVE, 2 Br/1 Ba Single Family Bronx Home, Stainless Steel Appliances, New Kitchen ..............$224,500 2860 VALENTINE AVE, Multifamily House 1BR+4BR+5BR..$205,000

Great Location .......................................................$174,900 5620 NETHERLAND AVE: 2BR/1Ba, Windowed Kitch, Utilities & Parking Space Inclu .............................$172,500 3840 GREYSTONE AVE: Spacious Jr.4, Lg LR, Dinning Area, NEW Kitch & Bath .......................................$169,000 2390 PALISADE AVE Spacious Jr.4 Convt. To 2BR/1Ba, Gym, pool & steps to Metro North..Also Avail for Rent For $1600...Sale Price .........$162,999 5550 FIELDSTON RD: Jr.4 w/Terr – Gorgeous Views, Maint Incl Util,Pets OK...PRICE REDUCE TO SELL ..........$160,000 5715 MOSHOLU LARGE 1 BR, 1 BA, Windowed Kitchen, Renov Bath, Abundant Closet Space .....................$149,000 5235 POST ROAD: Great Location 1 BR / 1 Bath, Priced To Sell In Well Maintained Building...........................$149,900 3901 INDEPENDENCE AVE: Renov 1Br/1Ba, Hardwood Fl, Updated Kitchen & Bath ........................................$149,900 3901 INDEPENDENCE AVE 1 BR/ 1 BA, Parquet Fl, Open Kitchen, Great Condition! ......................................$149,900 180 VAN CORTL PARK SOUTH, 1BR/ 1BA.............$145,000 5615 NETHERLAND AVE: Bright & Renov HUGE 1BR/1Bath, Indoor Parking Space, MUST SELL .......................$139,900 1175 ANDERSON AVE 3 BR/ 2 Bath, Great Value ..$130,000 5610 NETHERLAND AVE, Priced To SELL 1 BR / 1 Bath, Renovated, Motivated Seller ..................................$129,900 5635 NETHERLAND AVE: Gorgeous 1 BR, 1 Bath, Close To Metro North Riverdale Train Station ......................$127,000 5235 POST ROAD: Renovated Studio L Shape, Brand New Kitchen and Bath, Lots Of Closets.........................$119,900 5644 NETHERLAND AVE Priced To Sell, Gorgeous 1 BR/1Bath, Great Location ......................................$119,000 3065 SEDGWICK AVE, 1 Bedroom/ 1 Bathroom....$115,000 6535 BROADWAY: 1Bedroom, 1Bath, Ready to move-in, HIGHLY MOTIVATED SELLER .................................$99,900 5235 POST ROAD Sunny Studio W/ Renov Kitchen, Bathroom...Price Reduced .....................................$69,999 3121 MIDDLETOWN RD, 1 Bathroom....................$ 69,999

RENTAL: SOME LISTINGS ARE NO FEES OR NBA

739 W 231 ST, 2 Bedroom, 2 Bath ........................$5,000 245 E. 93RD ST., Large Jr. 4 W/ 1.5 Marble Bath, Terrace, Updated Kitchen, Rent With Option To Buy...........$3750 699 W. 239TH ST, 2 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom ..........$2250 699 W. 239TH ST, Junior 4....................................$1750 6200 RIVERDALE AVE, 2 Bedroom ........................$1750 6200 RIVERDALE AVE, 2 Bedroom.......................$1700 3800 INDEPENDENCE AVE, Junior 4 (CONV 2).....$1525 3800 INDEPENDENCE AVE, 1 Bedroom .................$1450 BAINBRIDGE AVE: Walk-Up - Brand New Renovation, 2BR/1Ba ...................................................$1350 - $1550

GO TO WWW.REMAXINTHECITY.COM

Apts For Rent

Riverdale Gardens

West of Pkwy:

Studio - $975/mo 1 Bedroom - $1175/mo

$2500

Sponsor Apt - No BD Approval

256th St. & Netherland Avenue 2BR, 2bth, terrace, beaut renov

10 building elevator complex

Anita Wolfe 718-796-3135 Licensed - Real Estate Broker

718-543-2746 or

718-549-7766 No pets allowed

Riverdale’s Most Widely Circulated Newspaper!

The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, December 26, 2013

POLICY NOTICE:

HOW TO PLACE YOUR CLASSIFIED AD

Brooklyn, NY 11201

Ad #

Thursday, December 26, 2013 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Approved by: Client: 88155 Sales Rep.:

WE BUY DIAMONDS C A S H PA I D ! PINS ANTIQUES

PLATINUM BROOCHES

SILVER FLATWARE

GOLD

Lic. # 1282551 NYC Dept. of Consumer Affairs

Marilyn’s

Diamond Collection, Inc. 3264 Johnson Avenue (next to Regal Pharmacy)

718.601.4653 Family Owned & Operated • Lic. #1392376

Design & Build Interior Design and Full Construction Services by an Architect Schlomo Raan Papo 646-730-2272 Yosi Green 917-767-3467

570077 C004

Class.:

0110

Start Date:

11/14/2013

POAntiques/Furniture #:

Call Total Price:

Anytime

646-249-7480

F Day OCare

RODAY CARE RODI P CENTER

718-601-0403 • 0406 3560 Netherland Avenue Bronx, NY 10463 www.rodidaycare.com

Carpet Cleaning

MICHAEL’S

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Oriental & Area Rugs 7 Days A Week!

FREE ESTIMATES

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ISRAEL JACHIMOWITZ Fax:

Requested By:

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Linda’s Jazz Nights will present The Kat Gang Quartet Featuring: Phil Palombi on bass Matthew Fries on piano Tim Bulkley on drums Kat Gang on vocals New Years Day, Wednesday, January 1st, 2014. Linda’s Jazz Nights at An Beal Bocht Cafe 445 W. 238th Street Bronx, NY 10463 (10 min. walk from the 238th Street stop on the 1 train) Two shows: 8:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. $15.00 cover (no minimum) Tickets and info: www.LindasJazzNights.com.

Young families ‘Tot’ Shabbat at Congregation Tehillah

Congregation Tehillah meets at RYSEC, 4450 Fieldston Rd., Riverdale NY 10471 on Fridays: Kabbalat Shabbat at 6:30 PM; 1st Saturdays: Young Families ‘TOT’ Shabbat at 10 AM -11 AM; 3rd Saturdays: Morning and Torah Services at 10 AM; Wednesday afternoons: Tehillah Hebrew School (THS). Contact Rabbi Linda for particular class times. Congregation Tehillah is an inclusive

Attorney

DAviD i. Bliven Divorce & Family Court Lawyer

Contested & Uncontested Divorce, Custody/Visitation, Child Support/Paternity, Adoptions, Child Abuse/Neglect, Juvenile Delinquency & Family Offense cases.

(718) 725-9600 Email: davidbliven@msn.com Web: www.blivenlaw.net 1 Riverdale Ave., Ste 3, Bronx, NY Main Office: 445 Hamilton Ave., Ste 607 White Plains, NY

Audiology

Dr. FlorA HolDerbAum, AuD, CCC/A Pediatric and adult hearing evaluation, counseling, hearing aid fitting/repairs, CAPD testing

Jewish community, celebrating its multicultural diversity, and drawing from Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist traditions. For more information, contact Rabbi Linda Shriner-Cahn at 718.884.4839 or email info@congregationtehillah.org. You may also visit their website at congregationtehillah.org.

’Intimate Voices‘ features concerts and community outreach

Intimate Voices, a Riverdale-based chamber music series featuring worldclass musicians, will present the second Saturday evening concert of its fifth season on Saturday, January 4, 2014 at 8 p.m. at its home, the Conservative Synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale (CSAIR), 475 West 250th Street, Bronx, NY. The series presents chamber music in an intimate and acoustically excellent setting. The participating musicians have performed in venues all over the United States and abroad as soloists, as well as in ensembles ranging from major string

Attorney/real estate DAniel PADernACht Attorney at Law

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Video Transfers sAve your vhs memories • Transfer your special VHS tapes to long-lasting DVDs. • We also transfer from your mini-DVs, photos, LPs, audio cassettes and more.

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Tutoring

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Pet services

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Physical Therapy PHysiCAl THerAPy AT meTHoDisT Home For NursiNg & reHAbiliTATioN • Post surgical rehab — Spinal Surgery Rehabilitation • Arthritis clinic • Stroke Rehabilitation • Sports and orthopedic injuries • Gait and balance training 2,000 square foot state of the art rehab center Most major insurances accepted

The January 4 program will be followed by the season’s final Saturday evening performance on March 8, 2014 at CSAIR, with a wine-tasting provided by Skyview Wine & Spirits.. There will be a free Sunday afternoon family program on March 9, 2013 at CSAIR. For more information, go to www. intimatevoices.org or call 718-543-8400.

Go green and ‘treecycle’ at Mulchfest 2014

The 18th annual Mulchfest provides New Yorkers with a fun and environmentally-friendly opportunity to recycle their trees into woodchips that will nourish trees and gardens throughout the city. Mulchfest takes place at over 35 chipping sites and 45 drop-off sites across all five boroughs on Saturday, January 11 and Sunday, January 12, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. At chipping sites, patrons are invited to bring home a bag of free mulch for their own garden. Free mulch collection bags will be provided at all chipping sites. And this year, drop-off locations will be accepting trees starting Saturday, January 4th and running through January 12th. For more information and a list of sites in your borough, visit www.nyc.gov/parks and search for “Mulchfest.”

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Printing services

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to advertise in the Professional services guide Call (718) 543-5200

13 The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, December 26, 2013

Jazz night at An Beal Bocht

quartets to the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. Saturday evening concerts also feature complimentary refreshments, with food generously provided by Riverdale Kosher Market, an informal post-concert reception with the musicians, and the series’ popular ‘Tastings@IntimateVoices’ (once again this January featuring craft beer courtesy of the Bronx Brewery). The January 4 concert will present music for two violins and for violin and viola played by violinist Renée Jolles and Intimate Voices Music Director Sheila Reinhold, who will be performing on both violin and viola. Doors will open at 7:30 for beer, wine, coffee and tea, and the concert begins at 8:00. Intimate Voices is also continuing its community outreach, not only presenting its family programs free of charge, but visiting area rehabilitation and nursing facilities. ‘We had our first free Sunday Family Program in November, with another scheduled for March. Our annual visit to the James J. Peters VA Medical Center is coming up on January 3, and more outreach events are in the works,’ said Ms. Reinhold. ‘With continued support from individuals and from area merchants we will be able to continue these programs.’

Thursday, December 26, 2013 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

Cheerful Tidings Editorial of The New York Sun | December 13, 2013 Six generations after The New York Sun — in the most famous newspaper editorial ever issued — reassured Miss O’Hanlon, age eight, that, “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus,” we are called upon again. This time it’s not Miss O’Hanlon’s “little friends,” as she put it in her letter to the Sun, who are insisting there is no Santa. It’s a professor, at Harvard University no less, who has been consulted by Politico, which is reporting that the teacher is denying the existence of Saint Nick. So a telegram from a reader asks us to “weigh in.” An editor’s work is never done. Politico is quoting Laura Nasrallah, an associate professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at the Divinity School at Harvard. A picture of her on the Web gives the impression that she is a person of cheerful spirit. That and her line of work would suggest Ms. Nasrallah’s confusion is a bit different from that of Virginia O’Hanlon’s friends who were, the Sun explained, “wrong” and “affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age.” For it seems, according to the Web site of the Massachusetts Bible Society, that Ms. Nasrallah in her teaching emphasizes “issues of colonialism, gender, status, and politics.” No wonder she’s denying the existence of Santa. Not only is she denying his existence — “take it from an expert,” is the way Politico starts its story, “Santa Claus isn’t real” — but she is claiming “questions about his racial identity ‘don’t make any sense.’” She’s in a swivet about the statement of a competing sage, Megyn Kelly, who asserted on Fox News that Santa is white. “That’s a really odd claim,” Politico quotes Ms. Nasrallah a saying, “because Santa doesn’t exist.” She voices just one hesitation. “Don’t tell my three kids.” The professor wouldn’t be the first person whose own children had the better part of wisdom in respect of Santa. Ms. Kelly herself had her facts right, referring, as she apparently was, to the actual original Saint Nicholas, the Christian cleric who died in 343 of the common era. She wasn’t referring to the Santa Claus about whom so many children wonder, who climbs down chimneys. It was this latter Santa on whom the Sun got the scoop a century ago, though we don’t mind disclosing that we ourselves have wondered what to do about it. Should the Sun run the famous reply to Virginia O’Hanlon every year? Is the editorial appropriate in a newspaper that has passed into the hands of an editor who is Jewish? Readers of the paper were asking that we reprint the famous reply to Virginia O’Hanlon. Should we comply? Laugh not. We puzzled over this for some time and finally did what we often do when we need someone wise. We took it to a rabbi. Several of them, in fact. And not just any rabbis. We took it to several sages of a rank and degree of Orthodoxy that would be unquestioned even by the heads of the greatest yeshivas. We sent them the whole editorial of more than a century ago. It warned Virginia about the skeptics. “They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds.” Wrote the Sun: “All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.” It never occurred to the Sun of Virginia O’Hanlon’s time to get into the question of Santa’s race. We have an idea of what it would have said, because of these famous sentences. “You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see.” That’s what we sent to the Torah sages, along with the rest of the Sun’s famous editorial. Their replies were unanimous. They found it delightful, a joyous articulation of faith. “Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.” That’s how the modern Sun came to reprint annually the reassurances to Virginia O’Hanlon. Our advice to Professor Nasrallah is that if she doesn’t want her three youngsters to be told there’s no Santa, she shouldn’t give a wire service interviews to the contrary. We send the message to her with the same warm greetings we extend to Ms. Kelly and to our modern readers. Merry Christmas.

Engel urges extension of unemployment benefits

Congressman Eliot Engel said today that 1.3 million Americans people will lose their federal unemployment insurance on Dec. 28, unless Congress acts to extend the program. House Republicans in mid-December blocked an effort by Democrats to extend the program before the cut-off, when 127,100 New Yorkers will lose their benefits and another 132,800 will them in the first half of 2014. Rep. Engel said, ‘This is a time for families to celebrate the holidays, but instead hundreds of thousands are having their lifeline cut because of the House Republicans. Americans deserve better at a time when our economy continues its recovery from the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. House Speaker John Boehner should allow the House to vote, so we can extend this vital relief to those who lost their jobs through no fault of their own.’ The federal unemployment insurance program - formally called Emergency Unemployment Compensation - has been reauthorized several times as the economy incrementally recovered. Despite the progress

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the economy has made since its near collapse in 2008, there are still 1.3 million fewer jobs than there were before the recession. The long-term unemployment as a percentage of the unemployed is 37 percent, far higher than during previous recessions. On average, nationwide, the program provides about $300 a week to recipients. Rep. Engel said, ‘Now is not the time to abandon our workers and their families. Congress should extend this program until the economy has fully recovered.’

Auditions for ‘Diary of Anne Frank

Riverdale Rising Stars and Riverdale Rep announce auditions for their upcoming production of the play “The Diary of Anne Frank.” Teen and adult actors may audition on any one of the following dates/times: Sunday, January 12, 5- 8 p.m.; Tuesday, January 14, 5:30 - 8:30 p.m.; Wednesday, January 15, 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. It is not necessary for actors to attend all three nights. Callbacks will be held the following week. Audition monologues and character descriptions are available at www.RiverdaleRisingStars. com. Auditioners should be very familiar with their monologue, but memorization is not neces-

ANDREW WOLF, Editor and Publisher JOEL PAL Production Manager ROBERT NILVA Marketing Director

CECILIA McNALLY Office Manager

STAFF: Robert Lebowitz, Paulette Schneider, Lloyd Ultan, Daniel R. Wolf

sary, All roles will be filled with age-appropriate casting. Auditions and performances will be held at the Riverdale YMYWHA, located at 5625 Arlington Avenue (just off of Riverdale Avenue and West 256th Street), in Riverdale, Bronx, NY. ‘The Diary of Anne Frank,’ dramatized by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett and newly adapted by Wendy Kesselman, will be directed by Riverdale Rising Stars Managing Director of Performing Arts, Shawn Renfro. Performances will be held April 26-28, 2014. Riverdale Rep and Riverdale Rising Stars will collaborate again in June 2014 on a multi-generational production of ‘Fiddler on the Roof,’ with auditions to be held in the spring. For more information, please visit www.RiverdaleRisingStars. com, email srenfro@riverdaley. org, or call 718.548.8200 x208. Riverdale Rising Stars, under the direction of Founder Laurie Walton, was created to provide the teens of the Riverdale community and beyond a professional repertory company experience, creating a nurturing environment where they feel free to express themselves artistically; as they grow both onstage and off. Since our inception 13 years ago, we have now expanded our programming to include Rising Stars Jr. and Riverdale Repertory Company. Of greatest importance is the way that all build self-esteem, learn enormous respect for others, develop camaraderie and create lifelong friendships. Together, these award-winning companies provide a world of expression, passion and creativity for all ages.

PROJECT FEEDER WATCH 8 a.m. Croton Point Park Croton Point Avenue Watch and learn about birds with members of the group, and photograph and record the birds at the feeders. For more information, call 914-862-5297.

Yonkers

Somers

FEEDING BIRDS IN WINTER 2 p.m. Lasdon Park Route 35 Learn which plants attract birds to your landscape, along with the types of seed and feeders. For more info, call 914-864-7264.

Croton-on-Hudson

Rye

VOLUNTEER WORK PROJECT 1 p.m. Marshlands Conservancy Route 1 Bring work gloves and help out with a different project each week. Hand tools provided. For more info, call 914-835-4466.

Scarsdale

Tuckahoe

Sunday, January 5 Croton-on-Hudson

PROJECT FEEDER WATCH 8 a.m. Croton Point Park Croton Point Avenue Watch and learn about birds with members of the group, and photograph and record birds at the feeders. For more information, call 914-862-5297.

Scarsdale

CHILDREN’S ART CLASS 2 p.m. Greenburgh Nature Center 99 Dromore Road This class focuses on several kid-friendly, nature-inspired techniques ranging from cartoons to portraits. Students learn to work independently and in a group to use a variety of basic supplies. Instructor Jake Hurwitz is a fun, outgoing, and experienced art teacher who relates well with young students. Recommended for children ages 7 to 10. Members $15, Non-members $25. Pre-registration and pre-payment required online. For more information, call 914-723-3470.

FAMILY PROGRAM 2 p.m. Westchester Italian Cultural Center One Generoso Pope Place Musical retelling of the folk tale of La Befana, featuring Mariuccia Romano of the Coro d’Italia, Italian Singing and Dancing Ensemble. La Befana is an Italian Christmas tradition that has its origins in the 13th century legend of “La Befana.” Befana is a benevolent old woman who delivers gifts to children on January 5th, the eve of the Epiphany. Sing, dance and enjoy a wonderful afternoon with your children. The program will conclude with a holiday reception and gifts from la Befana. A program for all ages! For more information, call 914-771-8700.

Scarsdale

OWL PROWL 6 p.m. Greenburgh Nature Center 99 Dromore Road This fun and informative program has you meeting owls up-close, learning about their unique behaviors, and hiking at night through the forest looking and listening for our nocturnal neighbors. Bring flashlights! FREE. For info, call 914-723-3470.

Sunday, January 12 Croton-on-Hudson

Tales of adventures with Obamacare Continued from Page 3 maintenance. Your health coverage needs are extremely important to us. Please check back soon.” ObamaCare’s defenders like to blame Republican obstructionism for the program’s problems. But Massachusetts has a Democratic governor, Deval Patrick, who is such a pal of the president’s that they regularly have dinner during Obama’s Martha’s Vineyard vacations. Both houses of the state legislature are solidly under Democratic control. One can’t blame the Republicans for this one. I did call the phone number listed on the site and ask for help at one point. The woman who answered helpfully told me that the language on the site about a December 15 deadline was wrong, and that I actually had until December 23. She also gave me the phone numbers of three insurance companies I could call directly. (A modest health reform might have just planned on consumers purchasing insurance directly from insurance companies rather than on some government-operated web site, but the drafters of ObamaCare were not interested in modest reforms.) The Massachusetts Web site did eventually begin to function well enough for me to compare plans and find one that would work best for me. I stuck it in the shopping cart the way you would with a

th St

Saturday, January 11

FIRST HIKE OF THE YEAR 10 a.m. Lenoir Preserve 19 Dudley Street Get out on the trail for the first time in 2014. For more information, call 914-968-5851.

WILD MOSAICS 2 p.m. Greenburgh Nature Center 99 Dromore Road Feeling creative? Come make your own ‘WILD’ mosaic using natural materials. Let nature be your guide and see what type of masterpiece you can create. Members $5, Non-Members $8. For more information, call 914-723-3470.

W 236

n Ave

Croton-on-Hudson

Johnso

Saturday, January 4

purchase at L.L. Bean or any other online shopping site. Instead of a credit-card check-out, though, I found myself in a kind of tax-return hell. The annual pre-April 15 encounter with the IRS is bad enough, but the idea that one should be required to go through the whole thing before buying some health insurance is downright obnoxious. The web site wouldn’t accept a hyphenated last name. It had strong opinions about abortion (“How many people are in your family? Include unborn child(ren) if someone is pregnant.”) Finally, about two-and-a-half hours in, I got an error message that said “a connection to the server has failed. (status=503).” That’s when I gave up on ObamaCare and went to the Web site of a health insurance company. Unlike the government web site, the health insurance company’s Web site worked, at least long enough for me to enroll. It was not ideal — “sorry, credit card payments are not accepted.” And they don’t seem to accept electronic copies of the three proofs of state residency, either. But at least it’s possible to purchase health insurance that way — or at least I hope it is. If it isn’t, I plan to blame President Obama. He’s the one who, by his own admission, screwed it up. Ira Stoll is editor of FutureOfCapitalism. com and author of JFK, Conservative.

Please call and make an appointment

347-947-9849 Our Address: 3547 Johnson Avenue, (off 236th Street) Dr. Shirley Koshi has been a veterinarian for 33 years Visit Our Website www.gentlehandsvet.com for more information

15 The RIVERDALE REVIEW • Thursday, December 26, 2013

For Your Convenience, Gentle Hands Veterinarian is located right here...

Thursday, December 26, 2013 • The RIVERDALE REVIEW

THE RIVERDALE REVIEW

Wishes All of Our Readers a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! RIVERDALE CHAPTER

AARP 1546

Manfred Segal

(718) 549-0088

ALWAYS PRINTABLE CALLIGRAPHY BY SHEILA Personalized Invitations Printing • Party Favors

HAPPY HOLIDAY

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MARILYN'S

WE BUY DIAMOND GOLD! COLLECTION 3264 Johnson Avenue

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RIVERDALE

DENTAL CARE Riverdale Professional Building

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STATE FARM

INSURANCE

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SKYVIEW DISCOUNT WINE & LIQUOR OUTLET

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MOSHOLU MEDICAL GROUP Theodore Docu, MD, PC 5750 Mosholu Avenue

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Thomas & Staff 3701 Riverdale Avenue

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RIVERDALE CAR WASH

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PIZZA • PASTA • CAFE

3738 Riverdale Ave.

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CAPELLI 6001 HAIR SALON

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BRONX

JEWELRY & ANTIQUES

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Anita Wolfe

Licensed Real Estate Broker

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Yogurt • Burgers • Shakes • Fries

GOTHAM DRIVING SCHOOL 5682 Mosholu Avenue

310 West 240th Street

(718) 549-8100

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Defensive Driving Course Sunday, January 19th

309 W. 230 Street

Riverdale

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& DETAIL CENTER TH

5521 Mosholu Avenue

PRETTY PLEASE BEAUTY SALON

RIVERDALE BAGELS 19 Knolls Crescent 718-884-5154

RIVERDALE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE

Housekeeping Services

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718-708-6828

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PONCE

DE LEON

FEDERAL BANK 5560 Broadway

(718) 548-4800

Maria M. Rosario, Manager

eco salon

3262 Johnson Avenue

(718) 548-4023

FIELDSTON PETS PET FOOD, SUPPLIES & GROOMING

583 West 235th Street Riverdale

(718) 601-8300

LIEBMAN’S KOSHER DELI & CATERING

552 West 235th Street

(718)548-4534

www.liebmanskosherdeli.com

WE BUY & SELL

don THE JEWELER

3537 RIVERDALE AVENUE

718-548-3492 Lic.# 1452301

INTERNATIONAL HOUSE OF PANCAKES 5655 Broadway

(718) 549-4565

3476 Bailey Avenue

3508 Johnson Avenue

www.fieldstonpets.com

(718) 548-2824

718-796-4541

GENTLE HANDS VETERINARIAN

Areta Vokrri, Manager

BAR & GRILL

3547 Johnson Avenue

6025 Broadway

Dr. Shirley Koshi

718-796-5095

BROADWAY DINER 590 South Broadway

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(on the Yonkers border)

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(North of 242nd Street)

santafegrillrestaurant.com

ROB NILVA

(718)543-5200 Ext. 114