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Vol. 101 No. 13
MARCH 21 - 27, 2024
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Residents voice concerns about LHS seawall By PARKER SCHUG pschug@liherald.com
Courtesy Jay Saltzman
Jay Saltzman, of Chabad of Hewlett and Hewlett United for Israel, joined the solidarity mission to Israel in the second week of March, meeting soldiers, visiting army bases and helping citizens in need.
Five Towners join mission to Israel Chabad of Hewlett collaborates with other organizations By PARKER SCHUG pschug@liherald.com
Jewish communities came together to show solidarity with Israel earlier this month. Members of Chabad of Hewlett, Hewlett United for Israel and Toys for Simcha joined forces to head overseas and help relieve hardships in Israeli communities. “Since Oct. 7, obviously all feelings and actions have been more intense,” Jay Saltzman, a Hewlett resident who traveled
with the group, said, referring to Hamas’s attacks on Israel. The trip’s itinerary for the group of about 15, half of whom were from the Five Towns, included delivering care packages to members of the Israel Defense Forces on the Gaza border, meeting with families of fallen soldiers, packing food at pantries for those in need, touring a Chabad house and a local police station, and visiting the site of the Nova Music Festival, where some of the attacks occurred. “The journey was very special and will ContInUed on page 14
March 21, 2024
Great Homes the Ultimate Local Home showcase
Cedarhurst residents packed Village Hall and crowded into a downstairs anteroom for a meeting of the board of trustees on March 14, to express their anger at the Lawrence school district for the seawall it is proposing to build on the Lawrence High School campus. Community members also directed their displeasure with the $75 million project at the representatives of the Federal Emergency Management Agency who attended the three-hour hearing. Residents of the neighborhood adjacent to the high school contend that a seawall will exacerbate the recurring flooding in the area. They cited a recent loss of cars in the area, destruction of property, and the ponding and buildup of sewage and sediment on local roads during and after rainstorms and high tide dues to a lack of drainage. “This is wrong and cannot be allowed,” Gemma Allen, a resident of a Cedarhurst cooperative, said. “We’re going to remember this the next time we’re asked to vote for a school budget or school board members.”
Attendees raised concerns about the accessibility of the school property with a wall in place, the impact of the new infrastructure on nearby property values, low enrollment at Lawrence High, and the cost of the project compared with the cost of moving the students to another building. Michael Mark, an architect working for the school district, explained that the seawall’s purpose is solely to keep the building in operation should there be another Hurricane Sandy-like storm. Mark added that in the event of a flood, floats controlling the gates of the seawall would allow students and staff to leave the area easily. “That school is a resource for the community,” Mark said. “The point is, after another flood event like that — god forbid we see that again, hopefully we never have to see those things arise — but in the event that they do, and those floodwaters subside, the school can distribute meals, offer a refuge for the community.” After some residents suggested closing the high school and moving the students to another building, district Superintendent ContInUed on page 12