Serving Great Neck, G.N. Plaza, G.N. Estates, Kensington, Kings Point, Lake Success, Russell Gardens, Saddle Rock and Thomaston
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Friday, April 19, 2024
Vol. 99, No. 16
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ON • APRIL 19, 2024
4th grader wins int’l award
O P E R A AT S O U T H H I G H
Baker Hill’s Naomi prevails in JewQ BY C A M E RY N O A K ES
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GREAT NECK SCHOOL DISTRICT
Great Neck South High School students perform the opera ‘La Bohème.’
Plaza mayor touts downtown boom At least 47 businesses open in 2 years, Rosen attributes to gov support BY C A M E RY N O A K ES In the past two years, more than 47 businesses have opened in Great Neck Plaza, which Mayor Ted Rosen attributed to the government’s inviting nature and supporting services. But he said the village is not stopping there. “With the downtown goes the
community as the downtown, we know, is vital to the community,” Rosen said. The mayor returned to speak in front of the Great Neck Chamber of Commerce for his second time Thursday morning, the first and last occurrence happening in 1985. He detailed in his speech the state of Great Neck Plaza, which
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A Great Neck fourth grader prevailed over 4,000 other students from 25 countries in clinching the highest award at the International Jewish Knowledge Championship, a spelling bee-style competition focused on Jewish culture. Naomi Cohen, who attends Baker Hill Elementary School and Chabad of Great Neck Hebrew School, came out on top at the final competition April 8 when she demonstrated her skills and knowledge in front of thousands of attendees and more than 50,000 people. Included in those tuning in remotely was a collection of Naomi’s supporters at Chabad of Great Neck. “We are super happy for her, super proud of what she’s been doing,” her father, Florent Cohen, said. “I think it shows her how if you work and you dedicate yourself to something, you can achieve great things.” The Jewish Knowledge Championship, also known as the JewQ Championship, drew in contestants from the United Kingdom, Colombia and France as well as Great Neck’s Naomi Cohen. It is facilitated by CKids, the Chabad Children’s Network that provides programming and curriculum for young Jews. Continued on Page 49
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included its history of growth and development as well as its future trajectory. The speech came just a week after the village was named New York State’s the No. 1 community in which to live. “We in the village government know that the Plaza has been for many, many years a great place to
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live, to work, to shop,” Rosen said. “And we’re very proud of that.” Rosen outlined his priorities, including downtown vitalization, honoring diversity, infrastructure improvements, pedestrian and traffic safety, fiscal responsibility and continued essential services.
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