Downtown Express

VOLUME 28, NUMBER 14

DECEMBER 17 – DECEMBER 30, 2015

No tower at Seaport Developer backs off controversial plan for high-rise apartments near historic district File photo by Josh Rogers

Jenifer Rajkumar last ran for office in 2013, when she launched an unsuccessful primary challenge to Councilmember Margaret Chin.

Succeeding Shelly

New committee pushes Rajkumar for Silver seat

B Y D U SI CA SU E MA L E S E V IC Call it a “Draft Jenifer” movement.

A group calling itself the “Women for Jenifer Committee” is supporting Downtown lawyer Jenifer Rajkumar to replace Sheldon Silver in the Assembly before the local Democratic leader has even entered the race.

Just a week after Silver was convicted on federal corruption charges, the group sent out a press release on Dec. 8 touting Rajkumar’s “potential candidacy” for his seat, and featuring glowing quotes from half a dozen prominent women.

“From Alice Paul to Indira Gandhi to Eleanor Roosevelt to Golda Meir to Malala Yousafzai to Hillary Clinton to Jenifer Rajkumar,” wrote Demie Kurz, a women’s studies professor at the University of Pennsylvania, “the message stays the same: Empowerment, Equality, and Perseverance.”

For her part, Rajkumar said she’s flattered to be placed in such fine company, even if she hasn’t yet decided to toss her hat into the ring.

“I am honored to have the support and encouragement of such an impressive group of women leaders,” Rajkumar said in a phone interview. “I am considering running.”

In addition to Kurz, the committee includes Community Board 1 member and former deputy mayor Ninfa Segarra, Michigan state rep. Kristy Pagan, former head of the Women’s Campaign Fund & She Should Run Siobhan “Sam” Bennett, RAJKUMAR Continued on page 20

BY DUSICA SUE MAL ESEVIC The long dance between the Howard Hughes Corp. and the Downtown community over a tall tower at the Seaport is over.

The developer confirmed Tuesday that the controversial luxury condo tower — at one time slated to be 650 feet — will not be built at the New Market building site just outside the Seaport historic district.

There had been news reports last month that the tower may be scrapped, after a proposal to chop it down to 494 feet failed to placate opponents, but a Hughes executive definitively told Community Board 1 as much at its Dec.15 Seaport Committee meeting.

"There will be no residential tower on that site," Chris Curry, the executive in charge of the project, said at the meeting, as first reported by DNAinfo.com.

Curry said Hughes would instead build a low-rise commercial building on the site.

Locals who fought the tower proposal declared victory against a project they say would not have fit with the adjacent preservation district.

Michael Kramer of Save Our Seaport called the defunct residential tower plan “an inappropriate use in an area that we feel is clearly in the historic district.”

“It has been a public market since the 17th century and we don’t know anyone who has slept with the fishes,” he said.

Many preservationists objected to the apartment tower on historical grounds, while other locals said it would have blocked their Brooklyn Bridge views.

It has been a long struggle between the community and the Texas-based company over the development of the historic Seaport. The community and public officials had to lobby hard in late 2013 even to get Hughes and its landlord, the city’s Economic Development Corp., to reveal their plans.

When the proposal for a 50-story tower was presented in November 2013, it was met with boos. A Seaport Working Group — comprised of elected officials, Hughes executives, CB1 members, business and preservation groups, and residents — was formed to create guidelines for development in the neighborhood.

The main sticking point was a guideline on building heights and views, which stated that new buildings “should not adversely impact neighborhood scale and

1 MET ROT E CH • NYC 112 01 • COPYRIG HT © 2015 N YC COMMU N ITY MED IA , LLC

Rendering courtesy of Howard Hughes

The developers of the South Street Seaport area have given up on building an apartment tower adjacent to the historic district after strong pushback from local residents and politicians.

character” and called for alternatives to the then-50story tower.

CB1 chairwoman Catherine McVay Hughes said in an email that guideline was “something that the community felt very strongly about and that the views of the Brooklyn Bridge and historic ships are preserved and protected.”

The developer came back with another proposal in November 2014 for a smaller, 494-foot tower and many community benefits — including $10 million for the chronically under-funded South Street Seaport Museum, a community center, marina, affordable housing at Schermerhorn Row and a middle school that would occupy three floors of the tower.

The revised tower plan did have supporters. Friends of the Seaport, spearheaded late last year by three Peck Slip School parents, backed the plan — especially the middle school as Lower Manhattan has been squeezed for school seats.

One of the group’s founders, Maria Ho-Burge, SEAPORT Continued on page 20

Have Healthy Teeth & Gums For Life!

• Catch problems early and prevent cavities • Clean, state of the art office

General, Cosmetic, & Implant Dentistry • Gentle, caring, professional doctors

who listen to your concerns

• Clean, state of the art office

OPEN SuNDay & LaTE EVENINGS For your Conveni

• Catch problems early and prevent cavities

dayIlyabayev Dr. Alevtina Edgar Ca&ll Dr.ToIgor

Dr. Alevtina Edgar • Dr. Igor Ilya CALL NOW 225 Broadway Suite 705, New York, NY 10007 225 Broadway Suite 705 (212) 571-0033 CentralAveDentalNY.com New York, NY 10007 www.CentralAveDentalNY.com212.571.0033

FREE CONSULTATION

(Regular Value $150) WITH NECESSARY X-RAYS

ZOOM WHITENING

(doesn’t apply to patients with dental insurance)

$350

(Regular Value $500)

Exp. 12/31/15

NEW PATIENT SPECIAL $89(Regular Value $220)

INVISALIGN $1000 OFF

Exp. 12/31/15

Cleaning | Comprehensive Exam | X-rays Oral Cancer Screening | Personal Consultation

Exp. 12/31/15

Exp. 12/31/15

LIVE WITHOUT PAIN

N EUROLOGY P AIN MANAGEMENT & EPILEPSY S PECIALISTS SPECIALIZING IN HEADACHE, PAIN, & EPILEPSY

Virginia Thornley, MD

Fillers

($800 Value) Can be combined with offers.

Kishan Patel, MD

20 units of Botox or

Leonid Iskhakov, PA

$160

Appointment required and subject to availability.

Muscle Weakness, Spasms and Cramps Tingling and Numbness · Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

• BOTOX and other types of treatment FOR Chronic Migraines

Dizziness and Imbalance · Epilepsy and Seizure

• BOTOX Treatment for Excessive Sweating and Muscle Spasm

Post Stroke and Mini Stroke Treatment and Prevention

• IV Multivitamins for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Fainting · All Type of Tremors and Shaking

• Epidural and Facet Injections

Attention deficit · Memory Problems

• Joint Injections and Nerve Blocks

Panic / Anxiety · Insomnia

Michael Jurkowich, MD

Ellen Edgar, MD

Alzheimer’s/ Dementia · Depression Sleep Apnea Diagnosis and Treatment

Results Can Be Seen After the First Visit!

BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAY: 2

212.349.2787

December 17 – December 30, 2015

25 units of Xeomin ($320 Value, Savings 50%)

Back and Neck Pain · Joint Pain • IV Infusion to abort Migraines and OTHER Headaches

$350

Buy 3 Treatments Get 4th Free Appointment required and subject to availability.

Stella Aronova, PA

Conveniently located at: 225 Broadway, Suite 705 New York, NY 10007 DowntownExpress.com

NO SEGARRA CIGAR Ninfa Segarra has come out as one of the first boosters of Jennifer Rajkumar’s not-yet-declared Assembly candidacy to replace the ousted Shelly Silver, but she was bashing the district leader just two years ago.

Segarra, Rajkumar’s Gateway Plaza neighbor and a former deputy mayor under Rudy Giuliani, told us this week there was “no cigar smoking” to clear the air, or any big sit-down. Politics is a learning process, Segarra said, and Rajkumar has just gotten better with time.

“I do admire how she stuck it out through the ups and downs,” Segarra said.

When Rajkumar ran against Councilmember Margaret Chin in the 2013 Democratic primary, Segarra encouraged Downtown Express to “expose [Rajkumar’s] misdeeds in your paper as a public service.” Rajkumar had committed a “violation of the public trust,” Segarra wrote in an email, by exaggerating the accomplishments of a little-known non-profit the candidate had set up.

Segarra even stood up and shouted at Rajkumar during a Downtown Express-sponsored debate with Chin two years ago.

This week Segarra said she thought Rajkumar’s anti-Chin campaign literature was unfair, and she also did not like the attacks against Robin Forst, who unsuccessfully challenged Rajkumar for district leader in the same primary.

“I’m very loyal,” Segarra told Under Cover.

“Robin was a very close friend.”

The clincher for Segarra’s turnaround was when Rajkumar came to Puerto Rico last month to Somos el Futuro, a conference where New York pols meet with Hispanic leaders.

“I was pleasantly surprised she was there,” Segarra said. “It showed me she was thinking big-picture.”

She added that Rajkumar has loyalists on the Democratic County Committee, which will effectively decide Silver’s replacement. But another probable candidate for the seat, fellow district leader Paul Newell, said the same thing two years ago,

when he was vying to fill a potential state Senate seat vacancy that never materialized when Dan Squadron lost his bid for Public Advocate.

WANTED: FIDI GROCERY STORE There’s something about grocery stores that the Community Board 1’s Financial District Committee can’t resist — perhaps because the neighborhood has been called “Fresh Direct territory” before.

Earlier this year, the possibility that a Trader Joe’s may come to the nabe at 28 Liberty Plaza — formerly known as One Chase Manhattan Plaza — set the CB1 committee aglow. That rumor, BTW, persists.

So it’s no surprise that the two words many committee members latched onto in a presentation by a Westfield exec were, “grocery store.”

Westfield is handling the retail leasing for the Fulton Center and much of the World Trade Center site, including the Oculus.

Westfield’s Michael McNaughton let those two magic words slip, but when pressed which store it was, he said he couldn’t divulge.

“Jones the Grocer,” speculated Luis Vazquez, who sells real estate and has a finger on the pulse of local development — but McNaughton remained coyly mum.

When any of these stores will actually open remains to be seen.

What is the real value of your home?

Call your trusted guides in real estate for a no obligation market analysis to find out the value of your home Your southbridge towers sales team at compass has sold over $600,000,000 worth of real estate in New York City to date.

Why trust anyone else with your most important asset?

Southbridge Towers Team at Compass Hotline 646.480.9189 southbridge@compass.com

DowntownExpress.com

December 17 – December 30, 2015

3

Ask force

Shelly’s school overcrowding panel looking for new leader B Y DUS ICA SU E M A L E SE V IC The fate of Downtown’s erstwhile power broker Sheldon Silver was sealed by a jury last month, but his conviction on corruption charges has left an uncertain future for one of his main legacies: the School Overcrowding Task Force.

Silver, the former Speaker of the Assembly who represented Lower Manhattan for nearly 40 years, lent his considerable power to the task force, made up of Downtown school advocates and principals. The panel tackled problems such as waitlists, and pressed for new schools to serve the surging population of Lower Manhattan, but with its primary political patron leaving office in disgrace, locals worry whether the task force can go on without him.

“I think we need to fill that little power vacuum that’s going to be happening in our community,” said Jeff Mihok at Community Board 1’s Youth and Education Committee meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 8. “I feel there’s obviously a massive loss of clout with the Speaker’s, you know...”

That was the closest anyone came during the lengthy discussion of the task force’s fate to explicitly mentioning Silver’s conviction last month of seven counts of extortion, fraud and money laundering.

Instead, the focus was on who would take up the mantle of the task force and whether it could ever be as effective as it was under the former powerbroker.

“The School Overcrowding Task Force was very successful,” said Paul Goldstein, who worked for Silver for many years. “It was successful for a wide range of reasons: the Speaker being able to get the people that needed to be there around the table working closely with you guys. We had a formula that worked well. It may be difficult to replicate.”

As one of the three most powerful men in the state, Silver was able to get key Dept. of Education and School Construction Authority officials to the task force’s meetings. The panel successfully pushed to build Spruce Street School, P.S/I.S. 276 and Peck Slip School, which opened this year.

Silver continued leading the task force even after his federal indictment in January. At its April meeting, he was greeted with applause.

4

December 17 – December 30, 2015

Paul Hovitz, the committee’s co-chairman, pointed out that CB1 had its own school-overcrowding task force before Silver started his in 2008, but the former Assembly Speaker’s panel commanded more attention from the powers that be.

“Of course, no one got the kind of response from the D.O.E. and from other interested parties as did Shelly,” said Hovitz, using Silver’s nickname.

A D.O.E. spokeswoman would not say whether or not D.O.E. and S.C.A. officials would continue to attend future meetings if the task force continues.

Committee chairwoman Tricia Joyce said she thinks the D.O.E. would continue to “engage” with the task force if it found a new political sponsor.

“It is my opinion that it would need to be an elected official that was involved,” she said.

“Somebody needs to be the lead,” agreed Hovitz.

Councilmember Margaret Chin, Borough President Gale Brewer, state Sen. Daniel Squadron and Assemblymember Deborah Glick were all mentioned as possible champions — either individually or as a group.

Reached for comment, most of them said they wanted to continue the task force, but none stepped forward to claim a leading role.

“I think it is obviously still needed, but maybe all the more so as the city is intent on building bigger and adding population,” Glick said in a phone interview. “I would be happy to participate in some collaborative effort to keep it going on a regular basis.”

Squadron said in an email that he and his colleagues would continue the work of the task force.

"We'll be working together to ensure D.O.E. remains responsive and engaged with the task force and ongoing school overcrowding concerns in Lower Manhattan," he said.

Chin spokesman Paul Leonard said in an email last week, “We’re in discussions about how to move the task force’s mission forward, and we’re open to dialogue about the best way to achieve the goal of reducing overcrowding and providing more seats for a growing number of students Downtown.”

Borough President Brewer would not

Sheldon Silver, at right, presides over a 2013 meeting of the School Overcrowding Task Force next to then-Chancellor Dennis Walcott. Two years and one corruption conviction later, Downtowners are worried about the fate of his signature panel.

comment on the future of the panel.

If the task force does reconvene, its first priority would be the 456-seat elementary school that the D.O.E. budgeted for in the capital plan two years ago, but has yet to find a site for.

Wendy Chapman, a co-founder of Build Schools Now, recalled a task force meeting last December where the School Construction Authority was

given a list of possible sites for the new school complied by the Pratt Institute.

Silver, who was still Speaker and yet to be indicted, asked the S.C.A. to work with Pratt. The D.O.E. says it is still reviewing possible sites.

“I was really, really hopeful,” Chapman said. “I have to tell you that I am not hopeful a year later. That’s the reason we need to get the group back together.”

Photo by Lisa Zari

Downtown expressionist Downtown Express photographer Milo Hess steps out from behind the camera to sip wine at the Dec. 10 opening of Chromatic Convergence, a group show featuring some of his photographs at Anderson Contemporary Gallery in FIDI. The image behind him is from last Fashion Week at a designer show in Chelsea, shooting the models through a foreground of plants and flowers. The seven-person show at the gallery at 180 Maiden Lane runs through Jan. 8 2016.

DowntownExpress.com

DowntownExpress.com

December 17 – December 30, 2015

5

LULU LOOTER

DECEMBER 2, 2015 - JANUARY 3, 2016

“Om” turned into “oh, no” after five women got their stuff ripped off while they were taking a yoga class in Soho.

On Sun., Dec. 13 the five women — whose ages range from 28 to 51 — stowed their belongings in the locker room at YogaWorks at 459 Broadway at 4:15 p.m., police say. All told police their lockers were locked. When they came back after class, more than $3,300 in expensive wallets and cellphones were gone, according to the report.

then left. He came back again later, took another $2,375 jacket and left.

POST-OWNED Two shoplifters employed the “distract the employee” technique to nab an $8,995 crocodile Gucci jacket from a Soho store, police say.

Two men came into Authentic PreOwned, a high-end vintage shop at 461 W. Broadway, at 6 p.m. on Sun., Dec. 6. One distracted the employee while the other removed the pricey jacket from the store’s mannequin and left, police say.

TOTE CHECK A man had a very unmerry Christmas party when a thief stole not only his $3,500 MacBook laptop but a $500 USB drive with his wedding pictures on it, police say.

The 39-year-old man attended his company’s Christmas party at the Trading Post at 170 John St. in the Financial District on Thurs., Dec. 10 at 6:45 p.m., police say. He checked his bag, which also had a $200 Amazon Kindle and a $600 Amazon Fire, at the coat check.

A little more than an hour later, another man went to the coat check and said he was just grabbing his jacket. Police say the suspect then swiped the man’s bag and left.

HEAVY CHEWER Police say a man threatened a Rite Aid employee with box cutter so that he and his confederate could get away with 95 packs of gum worth $397.21.

A man and woman went into the Rite Aid at Brookfield Place in Battery Park City, on Sun., Dec. 13 at 1:47 p.m. and the woman started shoveling the packs of gum into the man’s backpack, according to the report.

An employee witnessed the theft and tried to catch the male suspect’s eye as he made his way to leave. According to the police report, the thief then brandished the box cutter and said, “Do you want to get stabbed?” The male suspect fled with the female accomplice behind him. The employee told police she said, “What is all this about?” as she left.

TOO EASY They say fortune favors the bold. A shoplifter walked into a Soho shop, put on a $2,580 jacket, and walked out, police say.

The theft happened at the Moncler shop at 90 Prince St. on Sat., Dec. 12 at 4:42 p.m., according to the report.

Shoplifters hit the same Moncler store the next day at 5:50 p.m. An employee told police that a different thief came into the store, took a $1,820 jacket and

6

December 17 – December 30, 2015

BENZ ‘ZIPPED’ AWAY A clever thief used a fake credit card to get a Zip Car ID, and used that to steal a 2015 black Mercedes Benz sedan worth at least $38,400, according to police.

Police say the ID was used at a Manhattan Parking Group garage at 225 Rector Place in Battery Park City on Fri., Dec. 4 at 2 p.m.

The police don’t know where the luxury car is now, but the last known location was Amityville, Long Island.

PAIN AT AU BON PAIN “Pain” is French for “bread” and a thief definitely got some dough, stealing $4,500 in cash from an Au Bon Pain in the Financial District.

The manager at the 111 Fulton St. location told police that she locked the door at 11 p.m. on Wed., Dec. 2, after the restaurant closed. The owner came in at midnight and had noticed the door open, but didn’t realize a theft had taken place, according to the police report.

The manager noticed the $4,500 was missing when they came in the next morning at 5:45 a.m. to open the restaurant and checked the safe. Police say there was no damage to the door or the safe.

‘LUSH WORKER’ BUSTED Cops say a “lush worker” — a thief who preys on people sleeping or passed out on the train — was having a successful night until police caught him in the act.

On Sat., Dec. 5 at 3:30 a.m., an officer watched as the 26-year-old suspect allegedly reached into the pocket of a sleeping straphanger to grab his $100 Blackberry on the E train at the World Trade Center station in the Financial District. The suspect then stuffed the phone into his right jacket pocket, according to cops, and the officer arrested him on the platform.

Besides the most recent victim’s phone, cops also found three other cellphones on the suspect as well as multiple IDs and credit cards, according to the police report.

— Dusica Sue Malesevic DowntownExpress.com

Money for Murdoch

Port Authority to pay Fox and News Corp to move Downtown

BY BILL EGBERT The Port Authority will pay 21st Century Fox and News Corp $9 million to move into 2 World Trade Center.

The board of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey voted on Dec. 10 to put $9 million towards a $43-million package of sweeteners intended to lure the two media companies controlled by billionaire Rupert Murdoch from their Midtown offices to become anchor tenants of the final tower of the new World Trade Center complex.

In addition to the $9 million from the Port Authority, Empire State Development is offering $15 million in tax credits, and developer Silverstein Properties will take a $19 hit on the rent over the course of the 30-year lease for 1.5-million square feet at 2 WTC. Securing high-profile anchor tenants for the as-yet-unbuilt 2 WTC tower was considered vital to completing the long-stalled project.

Silverstein Properties, which also developed 1 WTC and 4 WTC, signed a letter of intent with the two media companies in June, but Murdoch was reportedly holding out on inking the deal until the subsidies solidified.

“This is a deal that always made sense for the Port Authority,” said Janno Lieber, president of World Trade Center Properties, an affiliate of Silverstein Properties. “As their leaders acknowledged prior to a unanimous vote today, the Port Authority will receive $500 to $600 million over the next four years in exchange for a modest adjustment to 21st Century Fox and News Corp’s long-term ground rent.”

The total public support for the lease amounts to approximately $16 per square foot over the 30-year lease, according to the Port Authority, which owns the World Trade Center site. In its announcement, the authority pointed out that

public subsidies offered to some tenants of 1 WTC and 3 WTC were as high as $250 per square foot, and said that ultimately the proceeds from the tower leases will in turn help subsidize public transportation projects.

“Jump starting construction of Tower 2 will not only move us one step closer to finishing the work we began on the World Trade Center site more than a decade ago, but will provide us with another revenue stream to finance more than $500 million worth of critical regional transportation projects,” said Port Authority Chairman John Degnan.

The 2 WTC tower — currently just a foundation on the lot bound

by Fulton and Vesey Sts. between Greenwich and Church Sts. — is the last of the complex’s four main buildings to move forward. One WTC and 4 WTC are open, while 3 WTC has some floors built, but is not complete. The stepped design for 2 WTC by architectural wunderkind Bjarke

Rendering courtesy of DBOX

The Port Authority will pay 21st Century Fox and NewsCorp $9 million to move into 2 World Trade Center.

Ingels caused a splash when it was unveiled earlier this year.

News Corp and 21st Century Fox join a steady march of major media companies moving Downtown, including Time Inc., Condé Nast, Harper Collins, SNY, the New York Observer, and the Daily News.

Celebrate Christmas

AT TRINITY CHURCH AND ST. PAUL’S CHAPEL

All Are Welcome All events are free, unless noted.

Trinity Church

St. Paul’s Chapel

Broadway at Wall Street

Broadway and Fulton Street

CHRISTMAS EVE

CHRISTMAS EVE

Community Carol Sing, 1pm Family Eucharist, 3pm Choral Eucharist, 6pm Choral Eucharist, 10pm (9:30pm Choral prelude and congregational carols)

Family Eucharist with Pageant, 5pm Candlelight Midnight Mass, 11:45pm

Thursday, December 24

CHRISTMAS DAY Friday, December 25

Choral Eucharist, 11:15am

an Episcopal parish in the city of New York

DowntownExpress.com

Thursday, December 24

Comfort at Christmas: Services for Those in Grief or Loss Thursday, December 17, 12:05pm trinity church Sunday, December 20, 5pm st. paul’s chapel Not everyone experiences the holidays as a time of joy and cheer— for some there is loss. Join us for meditative music, prayer, and a quiet space for comfort and support.

Coming Up…

Twelfth Night Festival: Time’s Arrow December 26, 2015–January 6, 2016 Juxtaposing early and contemporary music, this festival features The Choir of Trinity Wall Street, NOVUS NY, Downtown Voices, the Trinity Youth Chorus, and guest artists. Most events are free.

Full schedule at twelfthnightfestival.org Webcast live and on-demand View full schedule of services and events at trinitywallstreet.org 212.602.0800

the rev. dr. william lupfer, rector the rev. phillip a. jackson, vicar

December 17 – December 30, 2015

7

Photos by Bill Egbert

The huge presepio on display at the Shrine Church of the Most Precious Blood depicts not only the birth of Jesus, but also dozens of other characters from the Neapolitan tradition.

Nativity of mercy

Neapolitan display in LES evokes theme of Holy Year

BY BIL L EGBERT This is not your average Christmas decoration.

The massive, Neapolitan-style nativity scene, or presepio, that greets visitors to the Shrine Church of the Most Precious Blood carries on an 800-yearold tradition, but its message is very current.

“The whole concept was that the nativity scene would be centered on the theme of the Holy Year of Mercy,” said parishioner Bill Russo, who helped bring the Neapolitan display to the church from Italy.

Pope Francis declared 2016 to be an “Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy” offering special blessings and indulgences to the faithful.

The Shrine Church on Baxter St. at Canal St. commissioned a family of Italian artisans to craft a presepio following that theme, and they drew inspiration from two classical paintings — “The Prodigal Son” by Rembrandt and “The Seven Acts of Mercy” by Caravaggio.

The Neapolitan tradition of the presepio goes back centuries. St. Francis of Assisi is said to have been the first to construct a display of figurines representing the birth of Jesus in the 13th century. But in Naples, people began to embellish the Biblical scene by adding contemporary figures and characters from other stories in the Christian tradition, and developing conventional tropes of their own.

One corner of the display shows scenes from Caravaggio's paining “The Seven Acts of Mercy,” with a man clothing the naked, a woman visiting a prisoner as well as feeding him, while behind her a man welcomes a homeless man indoors.

The centerpiece of the display, of course, is the bouncing baby boy.

8

December 17 – December 30, 2015

DowntownExpress.com

Downtown lights Bowling Green menorah lighting recalls nation’s first Chanukah

BY BILL EGBERT The nightly menorah lightings held at Bowling Green last week through Sunday, Dec. 13, evoked the first Chanukah celebrations in America, according to the organizer.

“The first Jews to step foot in North America came here, to Lower Manhattan, on Sept. 7, 1654,” said Arthur Piccolo, head of the Bowling Green Association. “Their first Chanukah would have been right here.”

Asser Levy led nearly two dozen Jews to the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam in Lower Manhattan that year, establishing the first Jewish congregation in North America.

“Where the Jewish experience began in America, that’s where we celebrate Chanukah,” said Piccolo.

The highlight of this year’s celebration came on Thursday, the fifth night of Chanukah.

Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, WABC

radio host and executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis, served as emcee for a ceremony commemorating another landmark event of Jewish-American history — George Washington’s Newport Letter.

This is the 225th anniversary of the first president’s 1790 letter to the Jewish congregations of Newport, RI, affirming the new nation’s commitment to religious tolerance with the words: “the Government of the United States gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance.”

Downtown’s Museum of Jewish Heritage participated in the celebration for the first time this year, with chairman Bruce Ratner doing the lighting honors on Thursday. Ratner said he looks forward to the museum being a part of the Bowling Green observance in the future, and agreed with Piccolo that the spot — which looks out on both the Statue of Liberty and Ellis

dles was first lit in 1997 to begin a new Downtown tradition. Unfortunately, that original menorah was lost less than a decade later, replaced in 2005 by a new version lit by LEDs. Piccolo, who co-founded the Lower Manhattan Historical Society, likes to point out that Bowling significance in Photo by Milo Hess Green’s Downtown celebrates Chanukah with a nightly America’s revolutionary hismenorah lighting at Bowling Green. tory makes it a particularly apt place for lighting the Island — holds a special significance menorah to commemorate the rebellion for the American Jewish experience. of the Maccabees and their reclaiming “Lighting the menorah at that loca- of the Temple in Jerusalem. tion is meaningful and important,” he Bowling Green, America’s first pubsaid. “We were honored to be invited lic park, was actually fenced off by the to participate.”

British authorities as revolutionary sentiThe first public menorah lighting ment grew in order to protect the statue at Bowling Green took place nearly 20 of the English king from vandalism. years ago after Piccolo convinced the But when a copy of the Declaration of Sapir family, owners of 2 Broadway, Independence reached New York City to commission the creator of Bowling on July 9, 1776, colonists tore down the Green’s iconic Charging Bull statue, fencing and reclaimed Bowling Green, sculptor Arturo DiModica, to create a famously topping the statue. menorah for the park. The 15-foot-high, “There is no better place for Americans bronze menorah adorned with real can- to celebrate Chanukah,” he said.

ARNOLD & MARIE SCHWARTZ COLLEGE OF PHARMACY AND HEALTH SCIENCES Doctor of Pharmacy | Doctor of Pharmaceutics | MS in Pharmaceutics MS in Pharmacology/Toxicology | MS in Drug Regulatory Affairs

Nationally ranked training for pharmacists for over 125 years Over 400 professional preceptors and 65 elite clinical affiliations 3 high-tech research laboratories A global network of over 200,000 alumni Led by Dean John Pezzuto, world-renowned scholar and researcher

liu.edu/pharmacy

APPLY NOW DowntownExpress.com

December 17 – December 30, 2015

9

Up in lights Colorful lanterns shine over Winter Garden 3024 QUENTIN ROAD • BROOKLYN NY

718-339-0700

STONEYCREEKCREMATION.COM Stoney Creek Cremation & Burial Society is an alternative to costly funeral home and cemetery services and merchandise, allowing us to leave a more meaningful, healthier, greener society to those we leave behind. Join our Society today and know you have chosen to leave a footprint for the future.

Photo by Yannic Rack

For those wishing to preplan their final contribution to society, if paid in full today we will include the cost of the crematory. ($995 Society’s Service Fee)

✁

If you are requesting info, please email us at stoneycreekcremation@gmail.com or mail coupon to our address: ❑ YES Name_________________ Address__________________________

Tel:____________________Email____________________________ Acting as a for profit organization. Crematory fee is not included, death certificates and disposition permits not included in service fee.

10

December 17 – December 30, 2015

Photo by Milo Hess

Photo by Milo Hess

The 650 lanterns of Luminaries, an interactive light display at the Winter Garden this season, change colors in rippling waves, both in choreographed light shows and in response to “wishes” made by visitors.

BY YAN N IC RACK Shoppers expecting to see Brookfield Place’s Winter Garden festooned with the typical holiday staples of snowflakes and silver bells may be surprised this season to find the ceiling hung instead with a glowing canopy of 650 lanterns embedded with LEDs that constantly change color.

But Luminaries, an interactive light display suspended above the Winter Garden, is getting rave reviews from residents and visitors to the area.

“It’s a great idea, good concept,” said Patrick Farrell, who stopped by the colorful contraption with his 6-year-old son Jacob on a recent Saturday afternoon.

The interactive installation includes a handful of touch-sensitive “wishing stations” scattered throughout the solarium at ground level, which visitors are encouraged to touch to make a wish.

Touching one of the glowing boxes sets off an ever-changing ripple effect in the lanterns above it, with the reds, blues, and greens radiating outward to mix with colors originating from the other corners of the display.

“It’s nice, I didn’t even realize it did that,” said Farrell when he gave it a try.

The display was designed by the Rockwell Group, an award-winning New York architecture and design practice, and was inspired by the concept of a wishing well.

More than just a treat for the eyes,

the installation also has a philanthropic twist: each time someone “makes a wish,” Arts Brookfield will donate $1 — up to $25,000 total — to the Grammy Foundation to support music education programs in high schools.

For some visitors, it almost seemed too good to be true.

“I tried it, then I realized maybe they were stealing my fingerprints,” joked Tessy Omina, 28, who had come the Winter Garden with her friend Marie Okondo, 27.

Originally from Kenya, both now live in New Jersey and made the trip into the city just to check out the display.

“That was cool,” Okondo said approvingly after testing one of the stations.

She said she had indeed made a silent wish when she set off the rippling display, but her friend had forgotten to when it was her own turn.

“I was too caught up in the whole thing,” Omina said, marveling at the multi-colored lights shimmering overhead.

When not flickering at the whims of wishful visitors, Luminaries also offers choreographed light shows scheduled every half hour from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. The shows were originally scheduled to only run every two hours, but were expanded due to popular demand, according to a spokesperson for Brookfield.

The colorful lights will remain among the fronds of the Winter Garden’s iconic palm trees until January 10.

DowntownExpress.com

Scavello’s On The Island RestauRant & Lounge pr es ent s “It’s a ‘HIT.” No pun intended!” FoX tv “It’s guaranteed to give you more laughs…

This is actually funny!” daiLy NeWs

perForminG live

special Guest DJ Chris Navatta | NoN-stop eNtertaiNmeNt

FUN FOOD DANCING LAUGHING Forget a date, bring an alibi!

Friday, January 8th, 8pm Interactive comedy murder mystery show with a 4-course dinner, unlimited Wine, dancing and a show! $90 per ticket to buy tickers, call 718-885-2570 or email scavellop@aol.com

Give your valentine the gift of freestyle Friday, February 12 | starts 9pm

EntrancE $125 IndIvIdual Groups of 8 or morE dIscountEd ratEs Four course sit Down Dinner unlimiteD Beer anD House wine

718-885-2570

*a small convenience fee will be charge to all tickets to cover the tax and service.

101 City island avenue | Bronx, ny 10464 | telephone: 347-680-3865 | email: sCavellop@aol.Com

DowntownExpress.com

December 17 – December 30, 2015

11

Senior Helpers® Caregivers

Are Like Family.

This is why families trust in-home senior care from

Emmy® award-winning broadcaster Leeza Gibbons knows that when you trust your loved ones in the care of professionals, you want to know they will treat them like family. When families need to trust someone like family, trust Senior Helpers®.

Care peopLe need

Expertise to HeLp

Family you truSt

From mobility assistance to meal preparation, Senior Helpers is ready to help your loved one live independently.

Senior Helpers’ leading Senior Gems® program for Alzheimer’s and dementia can help your family.

Senior Helpers is locally owned and operated, and works with families right in your own neighborhood.

Visit us at SeniorHelpers.com/newyorkny, e-mail us at infonyc@SeniorHelpers.com or call us at 646-214-2086.

BROOKDALE

Once you’re here, you’re home.

Come discover the many comforts of our caring community. Become a member of our family and you’ll enjoy the security of never having to move again. Regardless of what your future holds, our communities are designed to care for your needs, through all the stages of life.

For more information, call (212) 791-2500.

Brookdale Battery Park

brookdale.com

Formerly Hallmark® Battery Park Independent Living | Assistive Living 455 North End Avenue | New York, NY 10282 02000-P1-0915-ROP1 RM

12

BROOKDALE® is a trademark of Brookdale Senior Living Inc., Nashville, TN, USA 08/15

December 17 – December 30, 2015

Courtesy of Comedy Central

Jon Stewart returned to “The Daily Show” Dec. 7 to shame the Senate into renewing the Zadroga Act for 9/11 first-responders with the hashtag #worstresponders.

Hope for heroes

Jon Stewart, NY pols shame Senate into passing Zadroga Act renewal

BY BILL EGBERT Congress will vote this week to renew the 2010 Zadroga Act, permanently funding health care for first responders injured or made ill by the 9/11 attacks — but only after a fullcourt press by supporters.

Jon Stewart even returned to “The Daily Show” last week as a guest to call out Senate leaders for blocking the renewal, calling for a social-media campaign to shame lawmakers into renewing the 9/11 first-responders’ healthcare program using the hashtag #worstresponders.

In late October, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, the lead Senate sponsor of the renewal bill, announced a fillibuster-proof majority in the Senate to permanently fund the World Trade Center Health Program, which expired in September and will run out of money by the end of this year. But Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) had prevented the renewal bill from coming up for a vote.

In addition to the 60+ supermajority in the Senate, the House version of Zadroga renewal bill is cosponsored by a majority of representatives, so the bill is guaranteed passage — if congressional leaders would allow a vote.

Stewart was widely credited with helping to rally the necessary votes for passage of the original Zadroga Act in 2010 by interviewing a panel

of four 9/11 first-responders about the bill when it was struggling for support in Congress.

Aiming to underline the continued need for the program, Stewart attempted to reconvene the same panel on the Daily Show on Dec. 7, but only one of the original panelists, Kenny Specht of the FDNY, was able to participate. Two of the original panelists were too ill to attend, and the fourth, John Devlin, had died.

Late on Tuesday, Gillibrand announced that McConnell had finally agreed to attach the Zadroga Act renewal to the “must-pass” omnibus spending bill expected to come to a vote later this week.

“This agreement is incredible news for our 9/11 heroes and their families,” said Gillibrand, “and it is a testament to the extraordinary power that Americans can have when they raise their voice and demand action.”

But until the vote actually happens, the bill’s boosters can’t let up on the pressure. Specht pointed out to Stewart last week that McConnell had already reneged on a promise to attach the renewal to an earlier bill.

The World Trade Center Health Program provides medical care to 33,000 first responders and survivors suffering from 9/11-related illnesses or injuries and provides medical moniHOPE Continued on page 21

DowntownExpress.com

Unfrozen

Gateway Plaza lawsuit inches forward

BY DUSICA SUE MALESEVIC It has taken more than a year and a half, but the $100-million class-action lawsuit brought by Gateway Plaza tenants over freezing apartments is finally moving forward.

State Supreme Court judge Eileen A. Rakower denied a motion from defendants Marina Towers Associates and Gateway Plaza Management that would dismiss part of the tenants’ case on Dec. 3.

Residents claim they have to use duct tape and towels to seal drafty windows and still had to bundle up at home in chilly weather, according to the suit filed in April 2014.

“When it’s cold outside, some of the temperatures in these apartments drop below 50 degrees no matter how much they’re running their heating systems,” said Jeffrey M. Norton, the tenants’ lawyer with the firm Newman Ferrara.

“A lot of people have put up plastic all

around their windows. They bring in portable heaters. They do everything they can to try to mitigate the cold temperatures. But still people walk around in the winter in their ski jackets to stay warm in their apartments.”

The drafty, ill-fitting windows of the six-building, 1,712-unit complex on South End Ave. in Battery Park City are a perennial source of complaints in winter and summer alike, driving up electricity bills for both air conditioning and heat.

“It’s two extremes and there’s not sufficient protection from those elements in the apartments,” Norton said. “Their elecPhoto courtesy of the Gateway Plaza Tenants Association tricity bills are through the roof because A $100-million class-action lawsuit brought

by Gateway Plaza tenants over faulty they have to run all of these things conwindows and freezing apartments is finally moving forward. stantly to try to maintain a moderate temperature in the apartments.”

Some residents are paying $700–$800 purchase electricity from the landlord, additional fees, according to the coma month for electricity in a one- or two- Marina Towers Associates, which buys plaint, which says that tenants end up bedroom apartment, according to Norton. its electricity directly from Con Edison UNFROZEN Continued on page 22 Gateway leases require tenants toT:8.75”and then resells it to the tenants with

DISCOVER REAL POSSIBILITIES IN NEW YORK CITY. From ghting for you on the steps of City Hall to turning your dreams into reality, we’re here to help you get the most out of life. Whether it’s great local discounts, rewarding volunteer opportunities or fun, informative events, we’re bringing you exciting things all across the ve boroughs. If you don’t think Real Possibilities when you think AARP, then you don’t know “aarp.”

Get to know us at aarp.org/nyc

New York City

Real Possibilities is a trademark of AARP. DowntownExpress.com

December 17 – December 30, 2015

13

Gateway gala

Tenants’ annual bash fetes congressman

BY DUSICA SU E M A L E SE V IC At its annual holiday party, the Gateway Plaza Tenants Association honored Congressman Jerrod Nadler with its lifetime achievement award for his decades of service to Downtown.

“We wanted to thank Congressman Nadler for everything he has done,” said association president Glenn Plaskin at the soiree at SouthWest NY in Battery Park City on Sun., Dec. 6.

Nadler has fought for civil liberties, women’s health, reducing gun violence, climate change, and marriage equality — not to mention rent stabilization, Plaskin said.

The yearly party for Downtown’s largest residential development drew a long list of public officials and local leaders, including Sen. Charles Schumer, Comptroller Scott Singer, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, Community Board 1 chairwoman Catherine McVay Hughes, and Downtown Independent Democrats

district leaders Jenifer Rajkumar and Paul Newell.

Hughes praised Nadler for his work — often behind the scenes — on behalf of his Downtown constituents.

“He’s done so many things in quiet ways that people don’t know about,” she said.

After the 9/11 attacks, Nadler pushed for funds to clean up and rebuild Lower Manhattan, and has been on the forefront of the successful push for the permanent reauthorization of the Zadroga Act, which provides healthcare for 9/11 first responders and survivors and is expected to be renewed this week.

Hughes pointed out that Nadler also pushed for the National Guard to be deployed Downtown to distribute water and food after Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

“He is there for the real people,” Hughes said.

Nadler, whose district includes Downtown, the Upper West Side,

Courtesy of the Gateway Plaza Tenants Association

Congressman Jerrold Nadler, center, holding his award from the Gateway Plaza Tenants Association, flanked by association president Glenn Plaskin on the right and Sen. Charles Schumer on the left, at the G.P.T.A. holiday party on Dec. 6.

Hell's Kitchen, Chelsea, SoHo, Greenwich Village, and parts of Brooklyn, said the nod from Gateway’s tenants meant a lot.

“It was gratifying to be appreciated — especially by as active of a constituency as Gateway Plaza Tenants Association,” Nadler told Downtown Express after receiving the award.

There is much for tenants to celebrate this year, said Plaskin, as

T:8.75”

Gateway will be getting its 10,000 windows upgraded and see other improvements.

However, the rent stabilization agreement reached in 2009 with the complex’s landlord, the LeFrak Organization, ends in 2020.

“We have to keep Gateway rent stabilized,” said Nadler, who was part of the last round of negotiations.

“We have to keep it affordable.”

askinG A

search engine to FIND AN

orthopedist is like asking an orthopedist

T:5.68”

to fix your

computer.

Visit nyp.org/lowermanhattan or call (855) 969-7564 instead.

You’ll get top-ranked Weill Cornell specialists, just three blocks south of the Brooklyn Bridge.

14

December 17 – December 30, 2015

DowntownExpress.com

P.E.P. rally

Pols push BPCA to back off plan to privatize security

BY D U SI CA SU E M A LE S E V IC The call for the Battery Park City Authority to reconsider its decision to replace city Parks Enforcement Patrol officers with a private security firm just keeps getting louder, despite the move being a fait accompli.

Elected officials joined Community Board 1 in asking the B.P.C.A. to withdraw its request for proposals, or R.F.P., that it issued in May and awarded to AlliedBarton Security Services in October without input from residents.

“Residents weren’t consulted,” Borough President Gale Brewer said Thursday, Dec. 3, at a press conference in front of City Hall. “CB1 was not asked for input. All of us agree the neighborhood deserves to be consulted.”

Unbeknownst to them, however, the

B.P.C.A had already signed the contract the day before, on Dec.2.

The move to replace city Parks Enforcement Patrol officers — who can issue summonses and make arrests — with private security agents with no enforcement powers sparked an outcry from residents when it was made public in October.

At the CB1 meeting on Nov. 19, board member and Battery Park City resident Tammy Meltzer joked about how AlliedBarton’s so-called “security ambassadors” might respond to a crime.

“I’m sorry you’re being robbed, ma’am. Please, sir, can you wait there while I call a cop?” she said wryly.

The city’s public employee union, DC 37, which organized the City Hall press conference, warned that privatizing public services hurts not just the

Photo by Dusica Sue Malesevic

A City Hall press conference aiming to protect the role of city Parks Enforcement Patrol officers in Battery Park City’s security drew local politicians — including Councilwoman Margaret Chin and Borough President Gale Brewer — as well as some from further afield, such as outer-borough state Sen. Diane Savino, speaking, a labor booster who showed up in support of the P.E.P. officer’s union.

union’s members, but the public as well.

“The community is the one that ends up suffering,” said DC 37 executive director Henry Garrido.

Joe Puleo, president of the P.E.P.’s Local 983, accused the B.P.C.A. board P.E.P. RALLY Continued on page 21

SHOP, DINE & CELEBRATE IN LOWER MANHATTAN

DowntownNY.com/holiday

DowntownExpress.com

#DOWNISWHATSUP

December 17 – December 30, 2015

15

Green as grass West Thames Lawn being resurfaced until the spring

Photo by MIlo Hess

Work kicked off this month on the West Thames Lawn in Battery Park City, where artificial turf is replacing the seasonal grass.

C M

MAR BLE CO LLEG IAT E CH U RC H

hristmas at arble

Christmas Eve Thursday, December 24 4:00pm - Family Friendly Service 6:30 & 8:30pm (Live Streaming of the 6:30pm service) New Year’s Eve Jazz Revelation Thursday, December 31, 7:30pm Followed by a Festive Reception

For our full calendar of events, visit MarbleChurch.org

1 West 29th Street / New York, New York 10001 / 212 686 2770 MarbleChurch.org

16

December 17 – December 30, 2015

the same material covering the ball fields

BY YAN N IC RACK The grass will soon be greener on the in the northern part of the neighborhood.

Since the sod lawns in Battery Park other side of the construction fence — City are usually closed for around six only it won’t actually be grass.

Work is well underway on the resur- months every year, Forst said the new facing of the West Thames Lawn in synthetic turf would be a welcome Battery Park City, where artificial turf is improvement.

“People in the south particularly had replacing the sod lawn to make the park nowhere for their kids to play in the accessible all-year round.

“The grassy surface is really difficult winter, unlike the north neighborhood, to maintain — it would turn to mud, it which has the ball fields,” she said.

Artificial turf has been controverwould get worn out because the usage was so high,” said Robin Forst, the sial for years because some particles Battery Park City Authority’s vice presi- used in common varieties have been linked to cancer. dent for external relations.

Work on the $1.59 million project started on Dec. 2 and the area around the lawn, including the walkway on its western side, are now closed off for the construction.

The work should be completed in Photo by MIlo Hess April, according to The walkway on the western side of the park will be closed the authority. until the work in finished in April.

By then, a set of raised, granite-clad The type of turf used in Battery Park planters will be installed along the lawn’s western border, framing three backless City is non-toxic, however, which was one of the provisions that Community benches in the middle.

In addition, the contractor will install Bard 1’s Battery Park City Committee a new drinking fountain at the entrance asked for when endorsing the West to the basketball courts under the Rector Thames Lawn project back in July.

“We want this to be neighborStreet Bridge and also put in a set of misting stations for the new turf — which is hood-friendly,” Forst said.

DowntownExpress.com

EFFICIENT CARE TRAINING CENTER EFFICIENT CARE TRAINING CENTER

t Course

GRAND OPENING

eridge

ng Courses: Jacket e

s

Name 4C 6 x 5.69

YourFuture Future Starts NOW! Your Starts NOW! Every course you need to be certified is offered daily.

Su Futuro Empieza Ahora!

Home Health Aide (Day and Evening Courses) Experienced Instructors Job Assistance Provided

RAINING CENTER

za AHORA!

star certificado se ofrece diario.

a

HOME HEALTH AIDE TRAINING New to our Jamaica Campus Home Health Aide Training

a division of

Day and Evening Courses• Experienced Instructors 54-06 Myrtle Avenue, 2nd Fl. 168-25 Jamaica Avenue JOB Assistance Provided • Se Habla Espanol

Jamaica, NY 11432 Ridgewood, NY 11385 168-25 Jamaica Ave., 54-06 Myrtle Ave., 2nd Fl.718-609-1674 718-307-7141 Jamaica, NY 11432 Ridgewood, NY 11385 718-609-1674 718-307-7141 EXCLUSIVE! Accessible by Accessible by FJE M andBECOME Q58, Q55, B52,A TRAINLTO and Q24, Q56

B26, B54

SECURITY GUARD INSTRUCTOR 40 Hour Instructor Development Course

SECURITY GUARD TRAINING Instructors: Tom Flynn & Bob Loveridge

We have NYS DCJS mandated Security Guard Training Courses: • 8 Hour Pre-Assignment Training Course Become a NY State Certifi ed Job Security Guard Today!

• 16 Hour On the Training Course • 8 Hour Annual In-Service

8 Specialty HR. Pre-assignment Courses: • Fire Guard Prep Class OSHA 10 Job • OSHA 30 •CPR / AED 16 HR. •on the Training Fireguard Prep CARE TRAINING CENTER IDC - (InstructorEFFICIENT Development Course)

Su Futuro Empieza AHORA! Jamaica Ave., paraestar certificado se ofrece diario.

54-06 Myrtle Ave., 2nd Fl.Cada168-25 curso tiene que necesitas Jamaica, NY 11432 Ridgewood, NY 11385 Asistente de salud domiciliaria a division of 718-609-1674 718-307-7141 (Cursos de Dia y de Noche) Accessible by L M and Q58, Q55, B52, B26, B54

DowntownExpress.com

Accessible Instructores con by experiencia J Ebuscar trabajo Assistimos Fen and Q24, Q56 December 17 – December 30, 2015

17

EDITORIAL

Yiddish songs of yesteryear, recalled PUBLISHER

Jennifer Goodstein EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Bill Egbert

EDITOR-AT-LARGE

Josh Rogers REPORTER

Dusica Sue Malesevic ARTS EDITOR

Scott Stiffler EXECUTIVE VP OF ADVERTISING

Amanda Tarley

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Jack Agliata Allison Greaker Jim Steele Julio Tumbaco ART DIRECTOR

Michael Shirey GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Rhiannon Hsu Chris Ortiz PHOTOGRAPHERS

Milo Hess Jefferson Siegel PUBLISHER EMERITUS

John W. Sutter

PUBLISHED BY

NYC COMMUNITY MEDIA, LLC ONE METROTECH CENTER NEW YORK, NY 11201 PHONE: (212) 229-1890 FAX: (212) 229-2790 WWW.DOWNTOWNEXPRESS.COM NEWS@DOWNTOWNEXPRESS.COM Downtown Express is published every week by NYC Community Media LLC, One Metrotech Center North, 10th Floor, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201 (212) 229-1890. The entire contents of the newspaper, including advertising, are copyrighted and no part may be reproduced without the express permission of the publisher - © 2015 Community Media LLC. PUBLISHER’S LIABILITY FOR ERROR The Publisher shall not be liable for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value of an advertisement. The publisher’s liability for other errors or omissions in connection with an advertisement is strictly limited to publication of the advertisement in any subsequent issue.

Member of the New York Press Association Activities

B Y L E NO R E S K EN AZY Yiddish is the language that used to work like magic for the Jews of Europe.

You could be from Russia, Romania, or France, and even if you couldn’t understand a lick of each other’s official languages, you could almost certainly speak the Jewish language of Yiddish, and all talk together. Or sing.

Coming this Dec. 24–29 you can do (or attempt) both, at the first annual Yiddish New York Festival sponsored by the Center for Traditional Music and Dance, on the Lower East Side. But those activities are also what the Jews who survived the Holocaust were asked to do in the hobby of an Upper West Side hotel in 1948: Talk and sing.

Sing your hearts out.

The man requesting this was Ben Stonehill, the owner of a flooring company in Sunnyside, Queens. He had heard that Jewish refugees were being temporarily housed at the Marseilles Hotel on 103rd Street, and wanted to save their songs that came from a world literally gone up in smoke. So he schlepped into Manhattan with the best sound equipment he could find: A big, bulky wire recorder. He set himself up in the lobby, which was teeming with Jews only recently arrived from Europe.

“Sing,” he told them in the Yiddish he, too, had grown up speaking. “Sing whatever you’d like.”

Those are the recordings socio-musicologist Miriam Isaacs will play at the Festival on Dec. 24. And then she will teach some of those songs to the audience.

“Stonehill’s recordings are a kind of time capsule,” says Isaacs, herself born in a Displaced Persons camp in Germany. “It’s a snapshot taken only a

Posted To WORLD TREE CENTER (NOV. 25) As a downtown resident & worker, I strongly agree w/ Michael Burke's posting. The WTC Memorial is 100% P.C., antiseptic. And if a visitor wants to see anything authentic to 9/11, the must pay the till @ the Museum. Something just wrong about this. The Sphere should be at the WTC site -not languishing in a corner of Battery Park.

Joseph

Member of the National Newspaper Association

© 2015 Community Media, LLC

18

short time after liberation, before pressures to Americanize and forget what had happened.”

Some of the songs date from before the war. They come from the Yiddish theater, or synagogue. But believe it or not, there are also some that are positively bawdy.

“A lot involve rabbis or rabbis’ wives,” said Isaacs, laughing. “I’m not a psychologist but I guess these boys who were studying in the yeshivas [religious schools] were so protected from sex, who do they [see] who’s a female at all?”

Only the rabbi’s wife. So there’s a song, for instance, about how her “apron goes higher” — that is, she’s pregnant. Except, being yeshiva boys, they could never say that. Other songs mention delicious pastries that make it clear that pastry is not what they’re singing about at all.

But of course there are also the heart-wrenching songs, including some composed in the concentration camps to remember and tell what happened there — if the singers survived. And there are many songs from after the war about never being able to go home again. “Where Shall I Go?” is one. “Pack Up,” another.

And then there are the songs just trying to make sense of the world — “songs philosophizing about the brevity of life, questioning God,” says Isaacs.

She grew up hearing some of these.

“My mother was a survivor who had been in Auschwitz and Ravensbruck [concentration camps]. She never talked about it, but she did sing while she was doing housework, and there were

some songs that I’d never heard elsewhere.” One of these was, “God in His Judgment Is Right.”

Isaacs’ father did not agree that God could possibly have approved the Holocaust.

“So my parents used to quarrel in a good-hearted way over theological issues,” Isaacs recalls. “And my mom would say, ‘Well, you just have to have faith in God.’ ” And she’d sing that song.

It was a song Isaacs had never heard again — until she heard it on a Ben Stonehill recording from the Hotel Marseilles.

The recordings are not pristine, but that’s part of their moment-in-amber magic. In the background horns honk, people call out lyrics when someone forgets a line, and babies cry. There are lots and lots of babies crying, because after the war, many of the survivors were young.

Their parents and grandparents had been killed, and some of their children, too.

They wanted to create new life.

That is why many of the Stonehill recordings are simply love songs.

“Singing is restorative,” says Isaacs.

“The survivors who made it through the war were not treated to therapy. They were as traumatized as human beings can get. But remarkably and wonderfully, music is very healing, and this gave them an opportunity to express what they had been through and to meet people of the opposite sex.”

Amazingly, life goes on.

Thanks to Ben Stonehill, it is also frozen forever.

For more information on Yiddish New York, go to yiddishnewyork.com.

Lenore Skenazy is a keynote speaker and author and founder of the book and blog Free-Range Kids.

December 17 – December 30, 2015

JON STEWART SHAMES SENATE ON ZADROGA (DEC. 8)

Most of those affected live in blue states. And there's no profit incentive for Republican donors.

Marticia

PORT AUTHORITY WILL PAY MURDOCH COMPANIES TO MOVE TO 2 WTC (DEC. 10) When do they move in, 2028?

J. Frank

NOISY NEIGHBOR (DEC. 3, 2015) About construction noise hell - nearby residents

I don't see how funding this could be controversial.

Jared

POSTED TO Continued on page 19

DowntownExpress.com

POSTED TO Continued from page 18

should be given Bose head phone and ways found to quiet machinery noise! all noise.

Bette Dewing

BARKING OVER DOG LEASH RULES IN BATTERY PARK (OCT. 22, 2015) Instead of wasting time talking about whether or not to let dogs off their leashes, community board 1 should be spending their time reminding dog owners of the "Curb Your Dog" rule. This is a Big Health Problem and now you want to let dogs do their business on what little green grass we have!

The sidewalks downtown are a patchwork of dog feces and urine everywhere you walk. A lot of feces is either smeared all over the sidewalks or not picked up at all by people who walk their dogs late at night or very early in the morning. I myself always have my little dog do his business next to the curb on the roadside where I then pick it up and place it in the trash. Parents always have to be aware of where their children are walking all the time. Let's protect our children and our homes from this health problem.

Josh Fineman

WHAT STORES & RESTAURANTS ARE IN STORE FOR DOWNTOWN (MAR. 12, 2015) Is there one type of retail that's missing in all this? All these fancypants eateries and clothes merchants. NOT A SINGLE DAMN GROCERY STORE ON THE LIST. I have to lug 40 lbs of groceries 12 blocks from the Fulton Street Key Food all the way to Wall Street every week. This is pathetic. The only other ones are garbage (Gristede's) or way too gourmet/expensive (Zeytuna, Jubilee) Did Freshdirect pay off some of these city planners to ban grocery stores here? How about that rumored Trader Joe's? The ratio of residential population density to grocery stores is through the roof here; it doesn't take a genius to realize the first grocer to take advantage of this is going to make a killing.

Alain

METER MADE: SCULPTOR FINDS NEW PLACE TO PARK HIS ART (DEC. 3, 2015) Conrad Stojak is a genius that will be going down in the art history books. He's a pioneer with an idea no one thought of to preserve the greatest city in the world in a manner unique to art forms.

Alice Jaworsky DowntownExpress.com

Letters THE PAC IS WACK

GATEWAY GALA GRIPES

To the Editor: It won't matter what designer is found for the Performing Arts Center over at the World Trade Center site, especially when just about every part of it has exceeded its original costs (New designer named for WTC PAC, November 21). In reality, there is no real reason to have such a place there anyway.

More importantly, where is the money for this going to come from? Knowing the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, it will probably be from just raising their tolls and fares on all transportation that involves their jurisdiction. A better idea would be to just scrap this plan altogether and forget about it.

Overall, it's just another reason to how so much money could have been saved had they just agreed to have the Twin Towers rebuilt rather than just build what they did get built instead.

Tal Barzilai Pleasantville, NY

To the Editor: The politicization of this reception is disgraceful. I wonder why past honorees Kelly and Silver are persona non grata. Will Plaskin's lame book be for sale, too?

Why not invite GP staff and reclusive GP / LeFrak managers? I'd rather meet these individuals (than callous politicians).

Enough is enough with Plaskin's self-promotional and political agenda. We need a real tenants association that is responsive to and focused on addressing all of its resident's concerns.

Judith Levy-Greenberg

WAITING FOR THE TRAINS To the Editor: The legacy of former State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver in the area of transportation leaves much to be desired. Consider the schedule, budget and the cost for four major transportation projects that he took great pride in promoting.

Washington paid twice with your tax dollars for building the new South Ferry Terminal #1 New York City Transit subway station. First, for almost $600 million in 9/11 funding, a second time with over $300 million in Hurricane Sandy funding to rebuild what was damaged.

The downtown NYC MTA Manhattan Fulton Street Transit Center was first paid for with 9/11 funding. Cost overruns of several hundred million were covered by American Recovery Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding.

Fourteen years after 9/11, the Cortland Street World Trade Center NYC Transit #1 IRT subway station is still several years away from being back in service. If there are no new delays, perhaps the station will reopen

by December 2018. The PANYNJ & MTA fought for years over budget, funding sources, scope and schedule.

Construction for the MTA portion of the project just started a few months ago.

There is no funding in the proposed MTA 20152019 Capital Program to initiate construction for the second segment of NYCT Second Avenue Subway north from 96th Street to 125th Street. It will take several decades and $20 billion more for completion of the next three segments of the 2nd Avenue Subway north to 125th Street and south to Hanover Square downtown in the Financial District. The project was originally proposed in 1929!

Silver claimed to be a friend of both commuters and the 99%. In reality, he lived the life style of the one-percenters. Silver frequently traveled around town by his personal driver at taxpayers’ expense. I doubt if he ever purchased a Metro Card or rode the subway like several million New Yorkers do daily.

Larry Penner Great Neck, NY

YOU BETTER WATCH OUT To the Editor, It’s the season of giving – and of getting ripped off.

As consumers shop online and at brick-and-mortar stores, their odds of encountering identify theft appear more likely than ever.

The transition from traditional credit cards equipped with magnetic strips to cards embedded with microchips – and requiring PINs – has been long overdue, and sluggish at best.

The cards already were fully adopted overseas, and were envisioned as a panacea to combat identity theft here in the United States. Yet, many retailers still require signatures – which can be forged – and consumers seem to encounter a different process at each venue they visit.

Consumers need to remain alert, too, at the gas pump and ATM. Skimmer fraud is a huge problem both in the United States and around the globe. Skimmers are electronic devices used to read and store electronic data, and they have advanced quite considerably over time; they have more memory and are much smaller (and more easily hidden).

The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and Pace University reported that the United States was ranked number one in the world in terms of financial losses associated with skimming fraud in the first six months of 2011, followed by the Dominican Republic, Russia and Brazil.

There are 2.2 million ATMs worldwide, which will escalate to more than 3 million by 2016. A new ATM is installed every five minutes, and North America has the largest ATM market in the world, with the most – approximately 425,000 – in the United States.

This season, it’s important that – when shopping and traveling – consumers take necessary steps to rebuff identity thieves, from changing passwords for each account to using credit over debit to using chip cards.

Consumers also should use a hand to cover a keypad when entering a PIN and be careful of criminals “shoulder surfing”; regularly monitor their accounts, financial statements, and credit reports to be alerted to skimmer fraud or any type of identity theft; and, provide financial institutions with up-to-date contact information, including a mobile telephone number.

Steps like these, unfortunately, warrant another holiday list. But if practiced, they should make you enjoy the giving spirit of the season.

Warner Johnston Warner Johnston is the Head of the New York City-based Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.

December 17 – December 30, 2015

19

Join us!

SEAPORT Continued from page 1

lamented the community missing out on the benefits the new tower plan could have offered.

“I think some residents view Howard Hughes as an enemy, when one of the reasons they've been targeted is because they were here first — trying to rebuild and make better what we lost to Sandy,” she said in an email.

“There are new developments popping up all over, none of which are giving a thought to the skyline or giving back to the community as Howard Hughes has and continues to do.”

Kramer, who is also a public member of the CB1 Seaport Committee,

christmas

5pm Children’s Pageant & Holy Eucharist*

9:30pm Christmas Music and Carols 10pm Festive Choral Eucharist

eve

christmas day

RAJKUMAR Continued from page 1

10:30am Choral Eucharist, Rite II

*Childcare available for children ages 6 and under The Church of Saint Luke in the Fields 487 Hudson Street New York, NY 10014 www.stlukeinthefields.org | 212.924.0562

Let us Give your Car that

CALL ANYTIME

” New Car Look ”

24/7

Package Deal $995 Most Cars

Limited Time offer = Repair Small Damages = = Compound Entire Car = = Renew Car to its Full Value = Only at AUTO DENT COLLISION 3511 Fort Hamilton Pkwy (at 35th St.), Brooklyn, NY 11218

Just 5 miles from the Brooklyn Bridge & 4 miles from the Tunnel - Same location since 1958 -

AutoDentCollision.com 718-854-7900 Official Insurance Inspection Station OPEN MONDAY–FRIDAY, 7:30 A.M.–6 P.M.

20

December 17 – December 30, 2015

Women’s Information Network New York City co-founder Monica F. Guerra, and Jodi L. Ochstein of Hillary for America.

“They are transforming the national debate in government, academia and nonprofits, and they inspire me every day,” said Rajkumar of the group.

Currently Democratic district leader for the 65th Assembly District Part C, Rajkumar last ran for public office in 2013, when she launched an unsuccessful primary challenge to Councilmember Margaret Chin.

Rajkumar said she has learned a lot about the district from her three successful district-leader races, as well as her failed bid against Chin.

“Being very active in the community has been transformative,” she said. “I have learned so much from constituents all over Lower Manhattan. In my three campaigns for district leader and in my Council race, I knocked on doors in Lower Manhattan from the east side to the west side. I’ve been to every floor of public housing in this district from top to bottom.”

Segarra, co-chairwoman of CB1’s Battery Park City Committee, strongly opposed Rajkumar when she challenged Chin, but put that conflict behind them when it came to choosing whom to back for Sliver’s seat.

“I had to make a very objective decision about this,” Segarra said.

Segarra grew up on the Lower East Side and moved to Battery Park City in 2002, and she said the fact that Rajkumar spent time on the east side of the district was one of the reasons she joined the Women for Jenifer Committee.

She also thinks that as a junior Assemblymember Rajkumar will be able

said Wednesday that Save Our Seaport is hopeful that the community can find the best use for the site, and a Hughes spokeswoman struck an optimistic note as well.

“We continue to work on a revised mixed-use development plan taking into account feedback from the community and elected officials which request[ed] the omission of a residential tower,” she said. “We are steadfast in our commitment to the revitalization of the storied Seaport District.”

Meanwhile, Hughes continues its work on Pier 17. The Landmarks Preservation Commission recently approved the pier’s new design after the developer nixed a planned canopy.

to win over her colleagues in Albany, which can be a difficult and lonely place.

“I thought she had those skills,” Segarra said. “I thought she had a skill set and a temperament that she would be able to go to Albany and build support for our very complex community.”

If she does run, Rajkumar said she would champion two main issues: school overcrowding and the lack of local representation on the Battery Park City Authority board, which currently has only one local resident.

“The population of Lower Manhattan has exploded and has increased 91 percent since 2001, according to the U.S. Census,” she said. “Building new schools would be one of my top priorities for Lower Manhattan.”

With Silver’s conviction, the fate of his School Overcrowding Task Force is now in limbo, but Rajkumar said she will “seek to continue the incredible work” of the group.

“I meet so many constituents as district leader. Even here where I live in Gateway Plaza people tell me, ‘Jenifer, getting my kid into kindergarten is harder than getting into Harvard,’” said Rajkumar, who has lived at the Battery Park City complex since 2010.

Rajkumar said she would also use a seat in Albany to push for more residents to be included on the Cuomo-appointed B.P.C.A. board.

The special election to fill Silver’s seat is expected to take place next April, but political maneuvering for the seat began even before the former Assembly Speaker’s Nov. 30 conviction. Paul Newell, who is also a Democratic district leader and challenged Silver in 2008, has been making the press rounds. If elected, Rajkumar would be the first South Asian to serve in the state legislature.

DowntownExpress.com

P.E.P. RALLY Continued from page 15

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, center, calls for Congress to vote on renewing the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act at a Dec. 6 press conference at 7 World Trade Center, joined by Sen. Charles Schumer, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, Rep. Joe Crowley and Rep. Nydia Velazquez.

HOPE Continued from page 12

toring for more than 72,000 others to screen for cancers and other diseases observed in the 9/11 population.

The Zadroga Act is named for NYPD officer James Zadroga, who died from a respiratory disease cause by his recovery work at Ground Zero after the 9/11 attacks.

— appointed by Gov. Cuomo — of playing games with people’s safety.

“A panel who are not elected … to make a decision to put [the community] in harm’s way is outrageous,” he said.

Councilmember Margaret Chin cited the low crime rate in Battery Park City and questioned the rationale for hiring a private security firm.

“It’s hard to understand why the B.P.C.A. has issued a R.F.P. for a private security firm,” she said.

At the authority’s October board meeting, it announced that P.E.P. officers, who have patrolled the neighborhood’s parks since the ‘90s, would have a “diminished” role going forward and awarded a $2.1 million contract to AlliedBarton.

Bringing in AlliedBarton will extend security patrols beyond the neighborhood’s green spaces — the only areas where P.E.P. can operate — and put 30 percent more boots on the ground in the neighborhood at roughly the same cost as the B.P.C.A. now pays the city for the park patrols, according to Benjamin Jones, the authority’s vice president of administration.

A Parks Dept. spokeswoman said discussions are ongoing and there is no update about how many P.E.P. officers — if any — will be assigned to the neighborhood once the agency’s current contract expires at the end of the year.

The community reacted angrily at a meeting of CB 1’s Battery Park City Committee shortly after the decision, and the committee passed a resolution, later endorsed by the full board, asking for the B.P.C.A. to clarify why it had decided to privatize local security, and to start the contracting process all over again.

Brewer and Chin, as well as state Sen. Daniel Squadron, Assemblymember Deborah Glick, and Congressman Jerrold Nadler signed onto a Dec. 2 letter to B.P.C.A.’s Chairman Dennis Mehiel asking the authority to withdraw the R.F.P. “until the community’s concerns are met.”

But the authority revealed on Wednesday that the AlliedBurton contract was signed the same day the pol’s letter was sent.

The B.P.C.A. board didn’t discus the backlash or the contract signing at its most recent meeting on Dec. 4.

168 West 4th Street, NYC

212.242.6480

www.pepesrestaurants.com

AMAZING BOTTOMLESS BRUNCH

A traditional Spanish and Mexican restaurant located in New York’s West Village neighborhood.

JOIN US FOR AN

SERVED DAILY BETWEEN 12PM AND 3:30PM

Our menu showcases the simple reflective food flavors of Spain.

Using the best ingredients and implementing a simplistic technique resulting in a clean, dynamic presentation, creating memorable dining experiences through passionately created culinary dishes, many of which are prepared in the wood-fire oven, including our signature dish, Paella Valenciana.

WE SERVING ARE OPEN CHRISTMAS EVERESERVATIONS &1970 DAY NEW YEARS STRONG! EVE & DAY! WEOUR ARE NOW ACCEPTING FOR THANKSGIVING COMMUNITY SINCE —AND AND STILL RUNNING DowntownExpress.com

December 17 – December 30, 2015

21

Jacob a.

Riis revealing new york’s other half

“heart-rending retrospective” – The New York Times

Inequality remains a fact of life in America.

A century later, this New York master’s photos still explode with outrage.

mcny.org 1220 FiFth ave at 103rd st

THE NEW SOUND OF

BROOKLYN The Community News Group is proud to introduce BROOKLYN PAPER RADIO. Join Brooklyn Paper Editor-in-Chief Vince DiMiceli and the New York Daily News’ Gersh Kuntzman every Monday at 4 pm for an hour of talk on topics Brooklynites hold dear.

Each show will feature in-studio guests and call-out segments, and can be listened to live or played anytime at your convenience.

WITH

SPONSORED BY

VINCE DIMICELI

GERSH KUNTZMAN

LISTEN EVERY MONDAY AT 4PM ON BrooklynPaper.com/radio 22

December 17 – December 30, 2015

TRANSIT SAM Thurs., Dec. 17 – Wed., Dec. 23 ALTERNATE SIDE PARKING RULES ARE IN EFFECT ALL WEEK Happy holidays to all my readers!

The roads are decked with major gridlock: the city announced official Gridlock Alert Days for Thursday, Friday, and next Wednesday. Traffic volumes will be higher all over the city, especially at crossings in Lower Manhattan, including the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges and the Battery and Holland tunnels. Use mass transit whenever possible.

Last-minute Christmas shoppers are going to be out in full force this weekend. Shopping areas throughout Lower Manhattan will be completely jammed from now through the New Year, including the shopping rows along Broadway and West Broadway in SoHo as well as Century 21 on Church St. Follow me on Twitter @GridlockSam for the more traffic updates through the holidays.

If you opt for the Holland Tunnel Sunday afternoon, you may find yourself colliding with drivers either going to or returning from the 1 p.m. Giants vs. Panthers game at Met Life Stadium.

Also, keep in mind one New Yorkbound lane of the Holland will be closed overnight 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. both Wednesday and Thursday, and

one Jersey-bound lane will be closed overnight 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. same days.

School’s almost out! Public schools kick off their winter recess Thursday, December 24, and return to school Monday, January 4. The morning commute should lighten up a bit during that time, but will be offset by extra holiday traffic.

On West St./Route 9A, one lane will close in both directions from Vesey St. to West Thames St. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Wednesday and Thursday.

Thames St. between Greenwich St. and Trinity Pl., Fletcher St. between Front and South Sts., and Dutch St. between Fulton and John Sts. will all be closed through the end of December.

Final words of advice: Give yourself 90 minutes of extra time if you’re catching a flight — roads leading to our three airports are going to be completely snarled with traffic — and consider using mass transit as an alternative.

Safe travels, Lower Manhattanites!

The New Year is just around the corner! Prepare yourself for traffic in 2016 with Gridlock Sam’s 2016 Parking Calendar. Twitter followers and e-Newsletter subscribers get access to a free download link.

Follow me on Twitter @GridlockSam and visit www.GridlockSam.com to sign up for my e-Newsletter.

UNFROZEN Continued from page 13

“Our clients are people who love Gateway but just hate the windows,” Aronin said.

Perry and Aronin represent tenants in a few other apartments who are also considering a lawsuit about the windows, but talks with management are ongoing, according to the lawyers.

The ongoing class-action lawsuit includes all present Gateway residents and former tenants who lived in the complex from 2008 to 2014. The tenants who were part of the separate lawsuit are included unless they opt-out or it was part of their settlement with Gateway, according to Norton, though they also may not be entitled to part of the monetary settlement.

Potential damages sought could be in excess of $100 million, Norton said.

Plaintiffs’ lawyers are now free to send out discovery requests and move to have the class action certified.

“It’s something we intend to jump on aggressively and move forward,” he said.

paying more for electricity than they would at a comparable building.

Marina Towers is owned by the LeFrak Organization, which announced in October that all 10,000 windows will be replaced, possibly by winter 2016. This is a long time coming, as LeFrak had also said the windows would be upgraded by the end of 2013.

LeFrak is not named as a defendant, nor is the Battery Park City Authority, which owns the land the complex is on.

LeFrak and Gateway Plaza Management declined to comment.

In a separate lawsuit filed last spring that also centered on windows, tenants in three apartments have settled with Gateway’s owners, according to the tenants’ lawyers, Ken Perry and Will Aronin.

The landlord has agreed to install double-glazed windows with new frames and sashes. The plaintiffs did not seek monetary damages.

DowntownExpress.com

Who is Santa?

A critical analysis of the Rankin/Bass ‘Jolly Old Elf’ B Y M A X B U RBA NK Like many modern American Jews, I learned everything I know about Christmas straight from what seemed to be the most reliable source available: Rankin/Bass. Jesus aside (a footnote at best, having a non-speaking role in only one Rankin/Bass Special, the critically panned late-Animagic-era “Little Drummer Boy”), Christmas revolves around worship of the life and deeds of the man/god Santa.

What do we know of this “Jolly Old Elf?” Is he a reliable vessel for our Children’s faith? What are his labor practices? If he and the Christ Child had a no-rules tables, chairs, and ladders cage match versus Superman and the Tooth Fairy, who would win?

To come to a better understanding of Santa, I have decided to examine the Rankin/Bass Christmas works — not in the order they were created, but in the chronological order of their storylines. For purposes of this article, no reference will be made to the “crossover” work of the late “decadent period,” where Santa is, at best, peripheral (see the execrable “Rudolph’s Shiny New Year”).

SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN’ TO TOWN (1970) Here we learn the root of Santa’s multiple issues: his abandonment as an infant. Raised by a foster family of Elves, he will suffer complex questions of identity throughout his life (see Cher, “Half-Breed”).

In this light, the compulsive rejection of the rule of law (see “Burgermeister Meisterburger”) which lands him in jail is no surprise. Rather than serve his time and allow the possibility of rehabilitation, he instead turns to the Dark Arts (see “Winter Warlock”). A brief nod is given to Judeo-Christian Ethic when the Warlock loses his powers because he has become “good.” But by the end of the hour, his abilities DowntownExpress.com

Rankinbass.com

Immortal, and forever on your screen: This image of the restored stop-motion puppets used in 1964’s “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer” is available as a free wallpaper, on rankinbass.com.

Rankin/Bass, Wikia.com

In 1974’s “The Year Without a Santa Claus,” psychosomatic illness is the flimsy premise upon which Mr. Kringle abandons the world’s children.

have inexplicably returned. Santa, having dragged a local schoolteacher into his delusions of grandeur (see Sissy Spacek, “Badlands”), convinces her that he can see children at all times, and must judge them as “naughty” or “nice.”

With his common-law bride, Elf gang and geographically misplaced penguin sidekick (see “Bonnie and Clyde”), Santa goes on the lam — fleeing, quite literally, to the ends of the earth. Only the Burgermeister’s death avoids a Waco-like siege at the North Pole. Over time, Santa’s cult of personality calcifies into a less reactionary, quasi-legitimate religion, which is certainly nicer for the Elves than the vat of grape KoolAid Mrs. Claus was almost certainly mixing up.

S a n t a ’s n e a r- p a t h o l o g i c a l orphan’s need to establish a firm societal role (see “Batman”) is at last fulfilled when Mrs. Claus suggests restricting his serial breaking and entering to a single night each year: Christmas Eve, the “Holiest night of the year.”

THE YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUS (1974) Santa, in the grip of psychosomatic illness, cancels Christmas.

Having achieved psychological domination of the world’s children, he now abandons them, symbolically becoming his own Parents on a scale befitting his megalomania (see Harry Chapin, “Cat’s In The Cradle”). His actions constitute a passive-aggressive punishment on all children for failure to “believe” in him.

Only when fealty is established (as demonstrated by the bestowing of gifts upon Santa by what appear to be the animatronic robots from the “It’s a Small World” ride) can Christmas take place. Santa’s usurpation of the religious nature of the holiday (the concept that he has the SANTA Continued on page 24

December 17 – December 30, 2015

23

Claus and effect: How Rankin/Bass sees Santa values only conformity, and is unable to embrace the diversity embodied in Hermey, an openly gay Elf. His social values are reflected in the neo-Teutonic “Reindeer Games,” forbidden to Rudolph (see “Schindler’s List”), whom Santa only accepts into the fold once a way to exploit his unique abilities has been discovered (see “X-Men”).

Santa is again seen as willing, perhaps even eager, to “cancel” Christmas. His excuse this time is Weather, demonstrating that either his will or his magic have become weaker than the Oath of the United States Postal Service. Those who see Santa’s inclusion of the “Misfit Toys” as a sign of ethical growth will be dismayed to learn that Rankin/Bass added this scene in 1965 after an intense write-in campaign (see “The Enchanted World of Rankin/ Bass” by Rick Goldschmidt — an actual book, and not just another lame “see” joke). The psychological import of Santa hot-rodding around the North Pole on an oversized Norelco electric shaver is really anybody’s guess, but was obviously disturbing enough to be cut from modern broadcasts.

Rankin/Bass, Exploretalent.com

A geographically misplaced penguin sidekick isn’t the only fishy thing in 1970’s “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town.”

SANTA Continued from page 23

authority to “cancel” the celebration of Christ’s Birth) is now complete. This episode’s overall darkness of tone (see “The Empire Strikes Back”) is mitigated slightly by the show-stopping and surprisingly inclusive “Heat Miser” and “Snow Miser” numbers.

Abandoning the ideology of his youth, he becomes a primarily secular authority. Crabby, irritable, old, and above all, thin, he drifts easily to the role of supporting character. Voiced twice as a younger man by Mickey Rooney, the role is now taken up by Stan Francis — a virtual unknown whose vocal identity is further diluted by his double casting as the hybrid tyrant, King Moonracer.

Santa’s management style can be seen in the brutal sweatshop mentality of the Toy Shop — which

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS So who is this “Santa” (see “Easily Decipherable Anagram”)? Dominated by abandonment, his entire life is dedicated to being the “good father” to all humanity’s children — but in pursuit of this goal he becomes neurotic, domineering, hypochondriacal, exploitative, and increasingly powerless.

Once immortal and near omnipotent, he is, in the end, distinctly human. I would invite readers to draw their own conclusions, but would at least suggest they exercise caution before allowing their children onto the old man’s lap.

RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER (1964) Santa’s power has begun the long, inescapable decline of all revolutions, a process graphically symbolized by his rapidly fluctuating weight — a sure indicator of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (see any movie featuring Eddie Murphy in an offensive fat suit).

ES & MORE SINCE 1982 I P !

CO

COPIES • COLOR PRINTS • FAX • SCANNING STICKERS • RUBBER STAMPS • BUSINESS CARDS LAMINATING • BINDING • VIDEO & CASSETTE CONVERSIONS UNIQUE GREETING CARDS • OFFICE SUPPLIES SAVE TIME: SEND YOUR FILES TO: santo@sourceunltd.com & PICK UP @ STORE!

331 East 9th Street, New York, NY 10003 Phone: 212-473-7833 / Fax: 212-673-5248 www.sourceunltd.com

“It’s worth the trip down the street!”

24

December 17 – December 30, 2015

Rankin/Bass, CBS

Stan Francis does double duty in 1964’s “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer,” voicing Santa and “hybrid tyrant” King Moonracer.

DowntownExpress.com

Console-Able

An empowering gamer gift guide

“Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection” brings the original three games to Sony’s newest console, the PlayStation 4.

All in one: “Halo: The Master Chief Collection” is a coveted compilation of previous games in the series, updated for the Xbox One.

KontrolFreek thumbsticks clip onto controllers, and come with logos of popular games like “Call of Duty.”

“Rise of the Tomb Raider” will eventually come to PlayStation and PC, but for now it’s one of best reasons to own an Xbox One.

DowntownExpress.com

BY CHARL ES BATTERSBY Video games are ubiquitous during the holidays — but gamers frequently have to feign delight when they receive the dreaded “wrong game” from a well-meaning (albeit ill-informed) relative. With dozens of seemingly interchangeable games on the market, it can be difficult to keep up with which game is the killer app for that new console under the tree. These recommendations will arm you with the knowledge to pick the right gift for the gamer in your life.

CONSOLE CONCERNS Hardcore gamers will argue about the minute technical differences between a PlayStation 4 and an Xbox One. For many consumers, though, the choice of which console to buy comes down to which games are available for that system only. When the holidays roll around, gamers will often want these exclusive titles.

The first Halo game was the sole reason why many people bought the original Xbox back in 2001. This science fiction shooter series is known for both its multi-player experience, as well as the ongoing story that is continued from game to game. “Halo 5” is the first in the series to debut on the new Xbox One. People who are upgrading from an Xbox 360 are likely to have already played the previous games in the series, so “Halo 5” is the best choice for them. If this is someone’s first Xbox system, “Halo: The Master

Chief Collection” is the way to go. This is a compilation of the previous games in the series, updated for the Xbox One. ACTION WITHOUT ARMS For people who don’t like shooters, there is another exclusive on the Xbox this season: “Rise of the Tomb Raider.”

“Tomb Raider” has been around for two decades, but the series has had a resurgence in popularity lately. “Rise of the Tomb Raider” will eventually come to PlayStation and PC, but for now it’s one of the best ways to make people jealous of your new Xbox One. It’s also available for the old Xbox 360, for those who haven’t joined the current generation yet.

“Tomb Raider” inspired another big franchise: “Uncharted.” Instead of Lara Croft, “Uncharted” features a male protagonist named Nathan Drake, who raids tombs in exotic locations all over the world. This series was one of the PlayStation 3’s best exclusives, and a new “Uncharted” game is coming to PlayStation 4 next year. In the meantime, the newly released “Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection” brings the original three games to Sony’s newest console. Players who have a PlayStation 4 but never played the old “Uncharted” games will find this to be a must-have.

GAMER GIFTS Continued on page 27

December 17 – December 30, 2015

25

26

December 17 – December 30, 2015

DowntownExpress.com

Gift list in play GAMER GIFTS Continued from page 25

EXCLUSIVES A major exclusive for the PlayStation 4 is “Bloodborne.” This came out earlier in the year and might slip under the radar during the holidays. Giftgivers should take care in who receives this game, though, because “Bloodborne” is for hardcore gamers only. From the developers of the notoriously difficult “Souls” series, “Bloodborne” has a merciless difficulty level that will be appreciated by players who pride themselves on their skill and dedication.

The Nintendo 3DS has been around for four years, but Nintendo keeps updating its hardware with slight revisions. The latest is the New Nintendo 3DS, which is fully compatible with all of the games for the previous versions (and most games for the original Nintendo DS).

While there are some newer, flashier games for this platform, “Animal Crossing: New Leaf” is the ideal gift for both kids and adults with their first 3DS. It is a cute, whimsical “life simulator” that is intended to be played a little bit every day — for years on end. Many other games can be “beaten” after a few hours, but “Animal Crossing” is a gift for the long run. But players who are dying to have something that takes advantage of the special features of the New 3DS will appreciate “Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate.”

Most games are not exclusive to any particular platform, though. “Fallout 4” was released last month, and is currently the big new game on both consoles and on the PC. It’s a free-roaming adventure through a post-apocalyptic wasteland, and players can spend hundreds of hours exploring it. Despite the post-nuclear setting, there is a heaping dose of humor to this game. Older teens and adults will enjoy the dark comedy, although its use of gore and drugs means that it’s not suitable for younger players.

KEEPING UP WITH THE DOWNLOADS Many of the best games from the past year aren’t actually available as physical gifts. Consoles, handheld platforms, and desktop computers can all download games without needing a physical disc. Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, Nintendo’s eShop, and the popular PC digital distributor Steam all sell physical gift cards that can be put under the tree or in stockings.

One notable game that can only be downloaded is “Life Is Strange.” It goes against some of the stereotypes about video games. There are no zombies or space marines — rather, it is a thoughtful and emotional story about a teenage girl who mysteriously gains the ability to rewind time. She uses her new power to address the countless “what if” situations that people encounter every day. Eventually the story DowntownExpress.com

gameratedgames.com

The thoughtful and emotional story of a teenage girl who gains the ability to rewind time, “Life Is Strange” is a great alternative to games about zombies or space marines.

tackles more serious fare, like teen suicide, sexual assault, and euthanasia. It is highly recommended for teens, as well as adults.

PC PLENTY Plenty of people still play their games on PCs, and serious PC gamers will appreciate a mouse built specifically for their favorite game. Razer makes special mice with additional buttons intended for certain genres. The Razer Naga is designed for MMOs (massively multiplayer online games) like “World of Warcraft,” while the Hex is for MOBAs (multiplayer online battle arenas) like “League of Legends.”

They’re a fun extravagance for someone who already has the game they want.

ALWAYS ACCESSORIZE Finally, for those who are stumped about what to get the gamer who already has everything, consider accessories for their existing controllers. KontrolFreek thumbsticks clip onto controllers to add functionality and flair.

They come with logos of popular games like “Call of Duty,” and are designed to enhance performance of specific kinds of games, like shooters. Grip-iTs offer similar features, but at a stocking stuffer price point.

December 17 – December 30, 2015

27

GRISTEDES SUPERMARKETS

-

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS!

315 SOUTH END AVENUE • 71 SOUTH END AVENUE

Blueberri b ies 21 Magnifique $ 99 60% Clementines 5 Brie Imported • Sweet 10 oz.

6 oz. Pkg.

$ 8899

ShopRite ite te Whole White Mushrooms

Ea.

Gristedes es Sabra Boxed Lunch Hummus

Imported • Sweet 3 lb. Bag

Ea.

Assorted Var. • 64 oz.

Ocean Spray y Cranberry Juice Cocktail

3 $ 2/ 3 $ 8899 31 $ 29

Ea.

10X, Dark or Light Brown • 16 oz.

Domino Baking Sugar

Assorted Var. • 19.6 oz.

10 oz.

ShopRite Pepperidge Whole Farm White Layer Mushrooms omss Cake room

Assorted Var. • 7.5-10 oz.

Nabisco Snack Crackers

Ea.

25 $ 99 8 $ 2/ 3 $ 99 3 $ 99 35

Includes AssortedBag Var.of Chips & Bottle of Water 10 oz.

Assorted Varieties 16 oz.

Colavita Pasta

Assorted Varieties 10-12 oz.

Nestlé Morsels

$ 99

Ea.

lb.

Ea.

Includes AssortedBag Var.of • 59 Chips oz. & Bott Bottle of Water

Tropicana Gristedes Premium Boxed Orange Juice Lunch

2

$ 99

Ea.

Ea.

Australian • Grass Fed Fresh Grade Frenched A

141 $ 49 2 $ 2/ 3 $ 59 3 $ 6999 21

Antibiotic Free $ $ Whole Rack ofe Lamb ken en Chicken

Cook’s Smoked Ham Portion

Red Pack Tomatoess Reg. or Unbleached 5 lb. Bag

Pillsbury Flour

Ea.

Breakstone’s Whole Sour Cream n Chicken

Assorted Var. • 48 oz.

Turkey Hill Ice Cream

lb.

lb.

Assorted Var.• 28-29 oz.

Assorted Var. • 16 oz.

Fresh Grade A

6999

3

Ea. lb.

$ 99

PICK UP OUR IN-STORE CIRCULAR FOR MORE SAVINGS • PRICES EFFECTIVE 12/18/15 TO 12/31/15 28

December 17 – December 30, 2015

DowntownExpress.com