_______ Malverne/West HeMpstead ______
HERALD
Did you know...
Maidenbaum is : LI Choice Award W#1 r for Three Consecutivinene Years!
Also serving Lakeview
2023
Celebrating Black history
Resident promotes financial planning
Page 2
Page 5
Vol. 33 No. 10
MARCH 5 - 11, 2026
2024 2025
THE LEADER IN PROP ERTY TAX REDUCT ION
DEADLINE MARCH 31ST
Apply online at mptrg.com/heraldn ote or call 516.715.1266
Maidenbaum Property
$1.00
Hablamos Español
Tax Reduction Grou
p, LLC
Former Hamas hostage speaks at synagogue Ohana eventually took shelter with several people, all of whom were killed by Hamas Yosef Chaim Ohana, a for- militants before they abducted mer hostage who spent 738 days him. Ohana was one of 251 hosin Hamas captivity, was the tages taken that day and held guest speaker at a packed Con- captive in the Gaza strip. During his two gregation Anshei years in captivity, Shalom, 472 HempOhana recalled stead Ave., last Satbeing beaten, toru rd ay eve n i n g , tured, starved, and when he shared a psycholo gically harrowing story of abu s e d . H e a l s o survival with the recalled being held We s t H e m ps t e a d in underg round Jewish community. tunnels and being Ohana attended forced by his capthe special talk tors to choose with his friend, which of his fellow Daniel Sharabi, hostages would be who acted as Ohainjured or killed. na’s translator and He recalled “the was also present on knowledge of how Oct. 7, 2023, when YoSEf CHAIM close the end was, t h e N ova M u s i c oHANA just one breath Festival massacre former hostage away,” Ohana said took place. of Hamas through Sharabi. The pair had “The hardest been enjoying the festival with friends when the p a r t i s t h e p s ych o l o g i c a l attack occurred, they said. A impact of what happens when former member of the Israel you’re hungry like that,” SharDefense Forces, Ohana helped abi said, translating for Ohana eva c u at e t h o s e wh o we re about his experience of being wounded in the massacre. Shar- fed a piece of pita bread each abi was also helping wounded day. “It’s the war inside.” Ohana shared with the audiwhen he and Ohana were separated. Continued on page 16
By MADISoN GUSlER
mgusler@liherald.com
E
Tim Baker/Herald
environmental educator Sarah Sjoholm demonstrated how to tap a maple tree at Saturday’s Maple Fest in Hempstead Lake State park.
Tapping Hempstead Lake State Park’s maple trees By MADISoN GUSlER mgusler@liherald.com
People of all ages gathered at Hempstead Lake Park’s Environmental Education and Resiliency Center last Saturday for the park’s third annual Maple Festival. The interactive educational experience gave visitors a chance to learn about the production of maple syrup and the history of the practice. “When I moved to Long Island from upstate, I really wanted to showcase that you can get maple syrup from trees in your own backyard and trees at Hempstead Lake State Park,” the park’s director, Kate Gross said. “You can literally make maple syrup with one tree from your own backyard.
“I think one of the coolest things about this event for me,” Gross added, “is watching the kids taste our maple syrup, knowing it came from a tree here in the park.” The festival featured five activity and educational stations. Families had the opportunity to make maple leaf crafts, including dot art and leaf embroidering, or enjoy a maplethemed book in the storybook corner. They also got to sample syrup made at the park, and learn about the different grades of maple syrup. A grading system created by the International Maple Syrup Institute is used to determine whether a syrup is Golden, Amber, Dark or Very Dark. The grades have similar flavors, but serve different purContinued on page 3
ven in the darkest place, I could still choose to see hope and believe that one day we will be free.