Serving Great Neck, G.N. Plaza, G.N. Estates, Kensington, Kings Point, Lake Success, Russell Gardens, Saddle Rock and Thomaston
$1
Friday, April 5, 2019
Vol. 94, No. 14
GUIDE TO SPRING
INTERFAITH GATHERING COUNTY REFUNDS AT NHP MOSQUE $150M
PAGES 41-64
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Great Neck rallies against anti-Semitism Political leaders, residents speak out BY JA N E LL E CL AUSEN
PHOTO BY KAREN RUBIN
Rabbi Dale Polakoff of Great Neck Synagogue addressing attendees at an antiSemitism rally on Sunday with other speakers, including Congressman Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove).
Great Neck residents and local leaders rallied against hate and an increase in anti-Semitism at the Village Green in Great Neck on a rainy Sunday morning with umbrellas and signs. The rally came in the wake of comments by U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, who has been under fire for remarks about Israel, including a suggestion on Twitter that pro-Israel sentiment among lawmakers was “all about the Benjamins” – or donations from
AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Organizers said that there was an outpouring of support for the rally across age groups despite a downpour, with people seeking cover from the rain or hiding under umbrellas. Estimates of the turnout varied, but organizers and attendees said there were more than 100 people. Dr. Paul Brody, a member of the Grassroots Committee to Fight Hate and Anti-Semitism and one of the event organizers, said he felt the Continued on Page 87
School trustees boost proposed budget $700K BY D E M I G U O Great Neck public school administrators on Monday night outlined a revised preliminary budget of $234.34 million." The total is about $700,000
above the amount the district tentatively proposed last month. According to the presentation laid out by the board, $300,000 of the increase will be covered by state aid just passed in Albany, $100,390 from interest
rates and $300,000 from accumulated out-of-district student tuition. None of this money, said John Powell, the assistant superintendent for business, would come from taxes. “The tax levy will not be raised,” he said. “This is a responsible budget, to get only the funding that we need, and we are sensitive to the high tax burdens of New York State.”
This budget increase would go into hiring additional secondary teachers for enrollment growth, Powell said, an additional full-time nurse and two contracted security guards to fill in the updated vestibules on hand. It would also go into supplies to start an elementary robotics program and funding special events or student competitions. Money would also go to-
ward College Board and National Merit tests, due to the growing number of students taking them." The health teacher would assist social workers with money from a $75,000 drug and alcohol grant, in order to alert students about substance abuse from early on. There is, however, a $25,000 gap. That comes from Continued on Page 19
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