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Takeover of 5 Towns C.C. closes its camp On Aug. 1, the county began sending out refunds to those who chose not to attend the In the weeks before the Five county program. Towns Community Center’s “Parents did receive money lease with Nassau County back if they chose not to enroll expired last month, parents their child in the camp the were still submitting deposits county offered,” Mallory Monfor the center’s summer camp talban, a parent and teacher at for their children. the community In July, before center’s Head Start the county sent out program, said. “I a letter explaining still strongly blame that the camp no our board presilonger had a permit dent for this hapto operate at the pening, and for center in Lawrence, waiting too late to Gwynn Campbell, actually try and president of the even attempt to center’s board of save anything.” directors, said that Both the Marion the camp would & Aaron Gural continue operaJCC, in Cedartions. The county MALLoRy hurst, and the Lawassumed control of rence school dist h e b u i l d i n g o n MoNtALBAN trict responded to a July 3, when the Head Start program county request for parent and teacher lease expired. proposals last year, The county submitting bids to issued the letter on July 16, operate the 5.7-acre community offering children who were center site on Lawrence Aveenrolled in the camp the option nue. The county has yet to of attending the county Sum- make a decision on the facilimer Recreation Program at ty’s future. Cantiague Park in Hicksville, “Until a decision is made by w i t h b u s t r a n s p o r t a t i o n Nassau County regarding the between the center and the future use of that site, there is park, at no additional cost. The always a glimmer of hope,” Staprogram ended on Aug. 8.
By MELISSA BERMAN
mberman@liherald.com
P
Courtesy Sara Matathias
Retired Major Sagi Dovev, left, and Officer Yonatan Ben Hamou spoke at the Israel Chesed Center, in Hewlett, on Aug. 1. They received plaques with a blessing for the safety of soldiers inscribed on them.
Helping to rehab injured soldiers IDF members share stories of resilience in Hewlett By MELISSA BERMAN mberman@liherald.com
Two Israel Defense Forces soldiers — one retired, the other still active — recently shared their stories of resilience with an audience at the Israel Chesed Center in Hewlett. Sara Matathias coordinated the Aug. 1 event, which featured retired Major Sagi Dovev and Officer Yonatan Ben Hamou. Ben Hamou was injured by a missile fired by Hamas last November while on a mission in Gaza, and had his left leg amputated. He was a guest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when Netanyahu addressed Congress last month. Matathias, who lives in Hewlett, was volun-
teering in Israel in July, and met Dovev at Sheba Hospital, in Ramat Gan, where he works. She recognized Dovev from photos on social media. Matathias invited Dovev to New York to share his story, and to raise money for a program he co-founded called Sorteam Workshops, in which wounded soldiers receive special training in fighting from Dovev after being hospitalized. “Immediately when I offered to host him for this event, my first thought was to get in touch with Moshe Bodner and do it at the Chesed Center, because I have been volunteering there for many months,” Matathias said. Bodner oversees the Chesed Center. COnTInueD On pAge 5
arents did receive money back if they chose not to enroll their child in the camp the county offered.
COnTInueD On pAge 8