Ellen Gellar Kamaras

“Age is a question of mind over matter – if you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.”

Have you heard that 70 is  the new fifty?  In 2025, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded that 70 is now viewed as the new 50, with studies indicating that older adults are sharper and fitter than they were 25 years ago. 

Charles Kalshoven is a macroeconomist and financial market specialist based in Amsterdam. He explored why the IMF said the average 70-year-old has the same cognitive abilities as a 53-year-old possessed in 2000.  Contributing factors may include the decrease in alcohol and tobacco use and the increase in higher education in the 1960s. 

Research revealed that people with higher educational levels remain healthy longer, including cognitively. This is attributed to activities that maintain one’s cognitive faculties. An example is working part-time after retirement in a job involving mental tasks.

Since approaching my 70^th birthday, I’ve been thinking about how I want to spend the next ten years.  I chose a decade for planning purposes and for creating a bucket list. Tehillim (90:10) describes a typical lifespan as seventy years, or eighty for those with greater strength.

Focus on Life

Focus on living fully rather than fearing a number. Remember the saying, “Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional. The message is clear, that youthfulness is a matter of mindset.

Google offers an abundance of quotes on aging, which is viewed as a natural, frequently celebrated journey of gaining wisdom and perspective.

Aging is described as a privilege rather than a burden and provides an opportunity for learning and growth.

Staying Healthy

As a society, we are getting collectively older, and the way we are aging has changed. According to the American Psychological Association, “One out of every four 65-year-olds today will live past age 90. This demographic shift has moved the focus of researchers, health care providers, and policymakers from how to extend the lifespan to ways to improve the quality of our later years.”

Staying healthy is the biggest goal of many older Americans.  “Keep Moving” is my guidepost for a healthy life, both physically and mentally.  An article in Community Magazine’s March issue noted that exercise helps every part of your body as well as your mind. 

A recent study led by AdventHealth Research Institute and the University of Pittsburgh verified that consistent moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise can substantially slow the structural aging of the brain, making it look almost a year younger. Additionally, everyday movement may help support brain health long before memory or focus becomes a concern.

Accountability and Goal Setting

To get when you want to go in life and to become healthy, setting realistic goals combined with building in accountability is a winning proposition. My accountability partner is my dog Davy, who gets me out of the house to walk in nature. 

Besides getting me moving, Davy offers emotional and social support and helps me be mindful.  He’s my companion and I have made several new like-minded friends through Davy, also out walking their dogs.

Take C.S. Lewis’s advice, “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” Setting new goals contributes to aging well and to keeping our minds and physical skills sharp and to increasing our emotional well-being.  Goals keep younger people focused and hopeful, too.

As we get older, we sometimes ask ourselves what’s left to accomplish.  Susan Flashner-Fineman is a health and wellness consultant at Hebrew SeniorLife. She believes that we need goals as we age, more than ever. “You want your remaining years to be good ones, so what do you want them to look like? Goal setting can help you get there.”

Try SMARTing your goals, which stands for making them Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely.  Following these guidelines will help you attain your goals.

Many older individuals enjoy learning new skills such as painting or playing a musical instrument. Or try to challenge yourself to walk a certain distance each day or week. Flashner-Fineman recommends avoiding overly grand or unrealistic goals. For example, if you used to walk five miles without fatigue and now can only walk one mile easily, try setting a goal of two or three miles.

Meet and Greet

Aging better also means socializing with like-minded people or finding one’s tribe.  It’s about meeting individuals who share similar values, interests, or beliefs.  When we are teenagers or young adults, finding our tribe is easier. Later, as we grow older, our paths may deviate from those who we are regularly in contact with. We lose touch, and we find we no longer have a lot in common.

To connect with like-minded people try joining groups based on your interests or volunteer with an organization whose mission resonates with you. Doing acts of kindness also boosts physical and psychological health.

Focus on activities that bring you joy.  Engaging in a fun and active lifestyle can help support healthy aging. As people grow older and spend more time at home, they may feel lonely and isolated, which increases depression or anxiety.

Incorporating joyful and meaningful activities into your schedule can prevent or lessen these negative feelings and can add purpose to your daily life.

Volunteer, develop hobbies, and spend time with friends and family.  One activity that keeps me healthy in every way is flying out to California and spending time with my grandchildren.

There are many hobbies to try out at your local JCC, including art, dance, mahjong, creative writing, and more.  An active lifestyle can have a three-prong impact, benefiting your body, mind, and spirit.

The Isolation Trap

Do you ever feel invisible as an older person?  The University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging is a recurring nationally representative survey of US adults aged 50 to 80 on health related issues.  This survey found that 56 percent of adults aged 50 to 80 felt isolated during the pandemic.

Even before the pandemic, another study determined that 43 percent of adults over 60 said they were lonely. These feelings are associated with serious health risks such as heart disease, increased likelihood of dementia and premature death.

Helpful Strategies

Here are some strategies suggested by the Area Agencies on Aging (AAA), which are local, non-profit organizations that help older adults and people with disabilities live independently in their homes and communities. If you are feeling invisible, AAA recommends to “flip the script.”

Age out loud – you have experiences and wisdom to share.  Be vocal and speak up in public forums. Your experiences, wisdom, and presence are invaluable, and you deserve to be seen and heard.

Seek out community. Network and connect with individuals of all ages.

There is no one-size-fits-all formula when it comes to friends. Intergenerational Friendships (IGF’s) benefit the old and young alike.  IGF’s, between individuals of different ages, can evolve into the most rewarding and deepest friendships. 

Research indicates that younger people often find that older friends add a new dimension to their lives.  They can serve as mentors and provide helpful guidance or life lessons and can even become wise life coaches.  On the flip side, working with younger people, can keep an older person on her toes, feeling sharp and with it.  And let’s not forget about laughing!

Advocate for yourself and your age group and push for policies that recognize the value of older adults.

Support fellow older adults and reject stereotypes and negative connotations associated with aging. Be proud of your accomplishments.

Stay away from people who are toxic and bring you down.  Toxic relationships can cause chronic stress, anxiety, and related risks like hypertension and depression. Eliminating the negative influences of toxic people allows for better physical health and improved self-esteem, energy, and general well-being.

Pardon?

Follow up if you find yourself saying this phrase often. Hearing loss in older adults can lead to depression, feelings of being cut off from others, and an increased risk of falling.  Age-related hearing loss diminishes one’s capacity to connect with others. An excellent solution is to wear hearing aids.

A new study by Johns Hopkins University found a strong, independent link between hearing loss and higher dementia risk, with studies showing that untreated hearing loss can double, triple, or even quintuple the risk of developing dementia. While a 2020 Lancet report highlighted hearing loss as a top modifiable risk factor, it is considered a major contributing factor and rather than the sole  #1 cause of dementia and Alzheimer’s.  The Hopkins study showed that wearing hearing aids can reduce the risk of dementia by 32 percent.

Keep Smiling

Please remember, dear readers, that you matter.  Use your voice to share your knowledge and wisdom.  Age with pride and let people know who you are. 

New research from NYU found that worrying about getting older – in particular, fearing declining health – may actually speed up the aging process.

So keep smiling and remember, “Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been.”

Ellen Geller Kamaras, CPA/MBA, is an International Coach Federation (ICF) Associate Certified Coach.  Her coaching specialties include life, career, and dating coaching.   Ellen can be contacted at ellen.kamaras@gmail.com (www.lifecoachellen.com). 

Isaac Setton

As the frost of winter begins to recede and the first signs of spring emerge, there is a natural shift in our collective energy. The days grow longer, the air turns crisp and inviting, and the sun begins to peek through the clouds with more frequency. This change in season often serves as a powerful catalyst for personal renewal. With the weather getting nicer, people are drawn outdoors once more, feeling a renewed motivation to move their bodies and nourish themselves with fresh, vibrant foods.

However, as we embrace this seasonal transition, it is essential to understand the profound connection between our physical habits and our mental well-being. Registered Dietitian Laura Shammah, in a discussion with Isaac Setton from the SIMHA Organization, emphasizes that what we put into our bodies is about far more than just physical appearance. It is the fuel that powers our most complex organ, which is the brain.

The Brain-Gut Connection

One of the most surprising insights Laura Shammah shares is that 95 percent of serotonin, the neurotransmitter responsible for regulating mood, sleep, and appetite, is produced in the gut rather than the brain. This means that the quality of the fuel we provide our bodies has an almost immediate impact on how we feel. Feeding our bodies “garbage” or skipping meals entirely can lead to irritability, anxiety, and brain fog within just a few hours.

When we go long periods without eating, our blood sugar becomes unstable, which directly affects how our brain functions. This instability can lead to snapping at loved ones or feeling overwhelmed by stress simply because we are not fed. Laura Shammah points out that while many people are overfed in terms of total calories, they are often starved of the vital micronutrients their brains need to function at their best.

Fueling for Focus and Mood

As we head outside for springtime walks or renewed gym routines, we should look for specific foods that act as high quality fuel for the mind. Laura Shammah suggests several brain healthy options:

• Vitamins and Minerals: Foods like beans, lentils, and bananas are rich in B-vitamins, specifically Vitamin B6, which are vital for increasing serotonin and dopamine. Furthermore, Vitamin D plays a critical role in the brain’s ability to produce serotonin. By supporting the activation of enzymes that convert amino acids into serotonin, Vitamin D helps regulate overall mood and cognitive function. 

• Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Described as “bubble wrap for your brain,” these are crucial for cognitive function. Laura identifies salmon as a primary source. For those who do not enjoy fish, seeds like chia and hemp are excellent alternatives.

• Antioxidants: Berries are packed with antioxidants that support overall brain health by protecting cells from damage.

• Fermented Foods: Yogurt, kefir, and kombucha support gut health, which in turn supports mood regulation.

• Dark Chocolate and Coffee: In moderation, dark chocolate can help relax the brain, while coffee can enhance focus and alertness.

Moving Beyond the Diet Stigma

The word “diet” often carries a negative connotation, suggesting restriction and deprivation. Laura Shammah argues that if a plan is so restrictive that you feel like you are “holding your breath,” it is destined to fail. When we deprive ourselves of essentials, the brain’s survival mechanism eventually takes over, which often leads to binges as a safety mechanism. When the body is underfed or chronically stressed, the nervous system shifts into survival mode, making emotional regulation and rational decision-making much harder.

Instead of focusing on what to take away, the goal should be “crowding out” less healthy options by adding in nutrient dense foods. This balanced approach allows for moderation, meaning you can still enjoy your favorite cake or comfort foods while ensuring your brain gets the nutrients it needs to thrive.

Small Steps to Success

The key to maintaining these healthy habits as the weather improves is preparation. Taking one day a week to shop for healthy staples and prepping simple meals or snacks can significantly impact the rest of your week. Laura Shammah suggests easy ideas like avocado toast on sprouted grain bread sprinkled with hemp seeds to provide your brain with the fuel it needs.

Spring is a time of growth and new beginnings. By viewing exercise and nutrition as acts of self-care for the mind as much as the body, we can step into the warmer months feeling energized, focused, and truly well.

---

Contact Information: If you have any further questions, you can reach out to Laura Shammah at (917) 912-1850. For mental health referrals and community support, contact the SIMHA Organization at (718) 675-3000 or via email at office@simhahealth.org.

Eddie Esses

Community leader Joey Cohen Saban has officially announced his candidacy for the New York State Assembly’s 45th District, launching a high-stakes rematch against incumbent Michael Novakhov – the same opponent Saban nearly unseated in one of the most shocking races in recent New York political history.

In 2024, in an election where more than thirty thousand people voted, Saban fell short by only 200 votes.

What was expected to be a routine re-election for an entrenched incumbent instead became a political earthquake. A first-time candidate, powered by grassroots energy and community conviction, came within inches of victory. But more importantly, his campaign ignited something far bigger than a single race – it awakened a community.

A Civic Movement Is Born

Saban’s 2024 campaign sparked an unprecedented surge in engagement across Brooklyn’s Sephardic community. Record-breaking voter registration. Historic turnout. A new generation stepping into civic life.

That movement didn’t fade after election day – it grew. Just months later, it propelled the successful election of State Senator Sam Sutton. As Sutton’s campaign manager, Saban built and executed the infrastructure that powered the victory – organizing volunteers, coordinating outreach, mobilizing voters, and ensuring flawless execution at every level. When Senator Sutton won, it wasn’t just a political win. It was proof: when the community unites, it can shape its own future.

Delivering Results in Albany

Since that victory, Saban has served as Chief of Staff to Senator Sutton, where he has been deeply involved in shaping policy and delivering tangible results.

In just weeks of legislative session in 2025 Saban has:
    •    Helped pass multiple bills into law
    •    Played a pivotal role together with Senator Sam Sutton in securing $20 million in new   funding for religious institutions and millions more in capital grants for community institutions
    •    Advanced legislation to prohibit protests outside houses of worship
    •    Lead the fight to codify the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism into New York State law

Finishing What He Started

Now, with proven experience, relationships in Albany, and a tested political machine, Saban is ready to finish what he started.

His campaign is built on action, accountability, and unapologetic representation:
    •    Delivering meaningful funding to community institutions
    •    Fighting anti-Semitism at every level of government
    •    Securing additional security grants for synagogues and yeshivot
    •    Supporting law enforcement and strengthening public safety organizations
    •    Serving as the strongest, clearest voice in Albany against dangerous policies

A Clear Contrast

Saban argues that the current Assembly representation has failed to deliver meaningful results for the community. “Our community has received no funding under the current assemblymember,” Saban says. “He has been in Albany for almost four years and has not passed a single piece of legislation.”

This race is about access, influence, and results. It is about having a representative at the table where decisions are made, and one who knows how to use that seat to deliver.

A Personal Mission

For Joey, this campaign is deeply personal. On Election Day 2024, his grandparents – who fled their homeland decades ago in search of safety and opportunity – cast their votes for the very first time. They voted for their grandson.

That moment embodied the story of so many families in the Brooklyn Sephardic community: resilience, faith, sacrifice, and an unshakable belief in building a better future.

Joey was raised in these neighborhoods and is a proud member of our community. His children attend the same schools, he prays in the same synagogues, he walks the same streets. He understands firsthand the challenges families face and the opportunities they deserve.

Now, he is determined to become the first homegrown representative from the Sephardic community to serve in the New York State Assembly as a representative who does not just know the community, but comes from it.

The Message

Saban’s message to voters is direct and unifying: “This is about giving our community a real seat at the table – a voice in the majority that actually delivers results”.

Make sure to follow Joey throughout the campaign (@joeysaban on Instagram) and be sure to vote for Joey Cohen Saban for Assembly. He’s one of us, among us, and he will make sure our voice is heard in Albany. The movement that shocked New York once is returning. But this time it is stronger, larger, and more determined than ever. And, it’s ready to win.

Our kids are the future of the community. We invest not only in them, but in their children and the generations to come. It is incumbent on us to be the best parents we can be, and I see many in our community take this challenge seriously. This month let’s look at  a tricky parenting topic – technology for our kids. When and how should technology be allowed, and  when should it be restricted?

Most parents recognize that technology is bad for our brains – especially for underdeveloped ones. So, maybe we should cut it out completely. Unfortunately, for a multitude of reasons, this option seems untenable. Technology has become part of our lives now, like it or not. Clearly, it’s been extremely useful for classrooms and learning in general, especially during Covid. It is not practical to avoid teaching our youth how to interact with technology because in the real world, it’s practically everywhere. Especially AI can be a game changer in almost all areas of business and even for home economics.

But, the risks are high. One concern is that if we now require technology for learning then how do we keep our youth safe from the dangers associated with certain types of technology? Also, do we hold the schools responsible for making and enforcing boundaries around technology or is it primarily a parent’s job? I posed these questions to my Instagram followers. Here are their responses.

Community Member #1

As a parent of teenagers and younger children, the topic of technology in our community schools is very concerning.  After COVID, families were suddenly thrust into a world of technology far beyond what most of us had previously experienced, and it quickly became clear that many of these changes were not benefiting our kids.

It was refreshing to see schools and the community begin to take initiative together. However, the conversation seems to have stalled. While many schools have implemented different rules and regulations regarding technology, these steps, although positive, are only a starting point.

For example, one school has asked parents to sign a contract stating that their family agrees not to give their child a smartphone until eighth grade. Another school is actively working to remove smartphones from the school building entirely. Meanwhile, other schools simply avoid acknowledging that smartphones exist at all. The reality, however, is that the phones are still there.

Children whose schools prohibit smartphones often still have them. They either leave them at home or hide them in their bags at school. When kids feel they must hide their phones to avoid consequences, it unintentionally teaches them that being dishonest is the way to navigate the rules. This is not a lesson any of us want to reinforce.

Schools may threaten consequences if phones are discovered, but punishment alone does not address the larger issue: children are not being taught how to use technology responsibly or safely.

Many parents also feel unequipped to handle this challenge. They may not fully understand how to introduce technology to their children in a safe and developmentally appropriate way. Some schools have begun pilot programs that teach students about online safety, including topics like stranger danger and the risks associated with technology. These are important steps.

However, as a community we need to go further. Instead of relying solely on rules or restrictions, we should focus on providing families with the tools and knowledge needed to introduce technology in a thoughtful, gradual, and responsible way.

Community Member #2

Our school is very vocal when it comes to technology. However, it has to start at home as a partnership with the parents. Unfortunately, I have personally had an issue with my child and group texting. As the bullying went on, many parents were not monitoring their children on their devices. I approached the school and they said they “could not parent the children.” While I agree with this, I also see it as a much larger issue. Technology and our children are quickly becoming extremely uncontrollable. If parents do not monitor their kids’ use of, technology, it will (and already does) cause a lot of harm. 

Community Member #3

Some schools even have a large screen in kindergarten classrooms – which I find crazy! Screens are in every single grade going forward. Some kids are wearing Apple watches to school and already have phones – and now they’re getting computer time in school at such a young age. I honestly think it’s just too much screen time. Shouldn’t school provide a break from screens?

Community Member #4

My kids are young now so I’ll have to cross this bridge when I get there. But I have a plan. I ‘m going to have a large computer desktop in the family room for homework. If the school requires laptops – no problem, but laptops stay in backpacks and will be for school only – not for home use. My kids will likely have phones because that is the way of the world. However, I won’t allow social media or WhatsApp- Group chats of any kind. They’re going to have to lift the phone to their ears and make some good old fashioned phone calls to connect with friends.  I feel that’s the safest way. The other side of the coin is if you don’t expose them enough when they are younger, they can get really hooked on technology when they’re old enough to self-govern. I’m aiming for controlled exposure, kind of like candy, which we enjoy in moderation. 

Community Member #5

I’m very pleased that my school has multiple meetings a year about having technology filters on all devices in the home. Also, they’re not allowed to have smartphones until a certain age. I feel like my school is on top of it and I’m grateful for that!

Community Member #6

I know one school that requires parents to pledge no smartphones until 8th grade. I wish more schools promoted this. At the end of the day, parents need to make rules for their own households and not just rely on the schools’ judgment. If parents were to band together that would be very helpful and empowering. That way, students wouldn’t feel left out, as their parents would be advocating for them. I think a lot of classroom management issues would be resolved if we banded together as a community to limit access to media that is too mature and anxiety inducing. Maybe some brave parents can take the initiative and suggest it to fellow parents who have kids in their kids’ grades.

Community Member #7

I have a high schooler – no restrictions (besides the obvious no phones in class rule). I don’t like it, but these kids grew up this way and aren’t as comfortable with textbooks as millennials were. They juggle it well and have less to carry around. They have access to everything when they need it. They never “forgot what they need in school.”

Community Member #8

As a parent, I wish kids would be taught safe ways to use technology instead of “tech is evil don’t touch it.” Let’s face it, the kids are going to be using it. We might as well teach them how to use it responsibly and safely. As an elementary school staffer (I work in a school office), those ChatGPT essays and assignments that kids hand in are obviously plagiarized. I definitely have not seen any upsides to it at all. I also hear a lot of the drama and fights that are happening on Snapchat, texting, etc.

Community Member #9

As a mom, I hate that summer homework is on a computer! What happened to getting a workbook sent home and the students actually have to write and show their work?

There’s something about hand written homework away from a screen that is simply superior. And if I leave them alone to do the work while I go shower or make dinner they click away and end up on YouTube or the like. It’s a gateway for them and I don’t see the pros outweighing the cons.

I think that as a community we recognize  that both our schools and parents are making efforts to navigate the new technology our kids are exposed to. This is an important issue that needs constant attention and effort. We are dealing with a new issue and we have to realize that  it’s going to take time and concerted effort to create regulatory systems that actually work. I am hopeful, because as a community, we have strong values and we have faith in our leaders to guide us. Bezrat Hashem  we will ultimately come up with workable solutions to address the new technology issues. Honestly, I’m praying we won’t have to because Mashiach will come soon and abolish the evils amongst us. But until then, it’s incumbent on parents and schools to stay vigilant to protect the generations to come. 

Signing off until next time,

Frieda Schweky!Frieda is an event and portrait photographer. Check Frieda out on Instagram @friedaschwekyphoto For photography inquiries or article topic suggestions email her friedaschweky@gmail.com.

Jack Gindi

I recently read a story about renowned physicist Richard Feynman as a young boy, walking with his father and learning about the world around him. Other children could proudly name the birds they saw. They had memorized them perfectly. But his father asked a different question: “What does it do? How does it move? What makes it different?”

He wasn’t teaching his son to label the world. He was teaching him to observe it. To stay curious. To look longer than everyone else.

Feynman later said the easiest person to fool is yourself.

That line stays with me.

Because I’ve seen how easily we fool ourselves, not with ignorance, but with certainty.

An Open Palm or a Closed Fist

Some people move through life with an open palm. Others move through it with a closed fist.

An open palm is willing to learn. A closed fist fights to be right.

Now here’s something important: I live with certainty. I always have.

When I entered the real estate brokerage business, I was certain of one thing. I would become a top producer. I didn’t know how. I had no connections, no playbook, no roadmap. But I was certain of the destination.

That certainty didn’t close my hand. It opened it.

Because I didn’t know how, I had to watch. I had to ask questions. I studied the best. I followed leads. I failed. I adjusted.

My certainty was about where I was going. My openness was about how I would get there.

There’s a difference.

A closed fist says, “I already know.”

An open palm says, “Teach me.”

When Certainty Turns into Fear

We see this posture in the smallest moments. A disagreement at the dinner table. Feedback at work. A spouse pointing something out. A child asking a hard question.

Something challenges what we believe, and we feel it, that tightening. We defend. We explain. We protect our position.

That tightening can feel like strength.

But often, it’s fear.

Fear of being wrong. Fear of losing control. Fear of discovering we still have more to learn.

The most dangerous certainty isn’t believing you’re right. It’s believing you no longer need to grow.

You cannot receive anything new with a clenched hand. Not wisdom. Not correction. Not even deeper connection.

I learned this the long way.

There were seasons in my life when I believed standing firm meant refusing to question myself. I thought strength meant holding my ground at all costs. Over time, I discovered something humbling: when my hand was closed, nothing new could enter.

Wisdom does not force its way in.

It waits for space.

Naming Isn’t the Same as Seeing

We label situations quickly: “That’s just how I am.” “That’s the problem.” “That’s the answer.”

Once we’ve named it, we believe we’ve mastered it.

But naming isn’t seeing.

Seeing requires humility, the willingness to look again.

And humility is not weakness. It is strength under control.

Our children are watching this more than we realize. They don’t learn humility from lectures. They learn it by watching how we respond when we’re corrected.

Do we listen? Do we reconsider? Do we admit when we’re wrong? Or do we tighten our grip?

Confidence without curiosity becomes arrogance. Conviction without openness becomes blindness.

The Strongest Posture

The strongest posture I’ve found in life is this:

Be certain about your direction.
Stay open about your method.

Be certain about your values.
Be open about how you apply them.

Be certain about who you are becoming.
Be open about what you still need to learn.

Before you leave this thought tonight, ask yourself:

Where in my life am I certain about the outcome but closed to learning the path?
When was the last time I truly changed my mind?
What belief might I be holding too tightly?

Growth does not require abandoning conviction. It requires loosening our grip on how things must unfold.

Wisdom is not something we conquer. It is something we receive. And it can only enter an open hand. Onwards together – with love and gratitude.

Why Brooklyn’s Jewish Community Must Speak Up Now

Linda Argalgi Sadacka

In Brooklyn’s Jewish neighborhoods, certain scenes are so familiar that we rarely pause to notice them.

On Shabbat morning, fathers walk with their sons toward shul. Mothers guide small children down the block. Teenagers drift toward friends already waiting outside synagogue doors. Grandparents move more slowly along the same sidewalks they have walked for decades, sometimes leaning on a cane, sometimes arm in arm with a spouse or child.

In neighborhoods like Flatbush, Midwood, Gravesend, and the surrounding communities, the walk to shul is not simply routine. It is one of the quiet, defining rhythms of Jewish life.

No one used to think twice about it.

New Question of Safety

Which is why the question many Brooklyn families now quietly ask would have sounded unimaginable not long ago: will the walk to shul always feel safe?

For generations, Brooklyn represented something powerful for Jewish life. It was a place where Jewish families could practice their faith openly, build institutions, and raise children with the confidence that their synagogues were places of prayer, dignity, and community.

But since October 7, the atmosphere surrounding Jewish institutions in New York has shifted in ways that many families feel every week.

Sometimes the change is subtle. Sometimes it is unmistakable.

Security outside Jewish schools has increased. Synagogues have become more vigilant. Parents walking with their children to services find themselves paying closer attention to their surroundings.

A Pivotal Event

For many Brooklyn residents, the moment when that tension became impossible to ignore came during the protest outside Congregation Shaare Zion on Ocean Parkway, when demonstrators gathered outside the synagogue in response to a planned appearance by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

Supporters also arrived, and police were forced to separate the groups as tensions escalated. Clashes broke out, arrests were made, and the event was eventually canceled.

For those watching the scene unfold, the most unsettling aspect was not the political disagreement itself. New Yorkers are accustomed to protests. The city has always been a place where people gather to express strong views about global events.

What made this moment different was where it was happening. This was not a demonstration outside a government building or a public plaza. It was unfolding outside a synagogue where families had gathered for a community event and where worshippers regularly come to pray.

Once protests move to the doors of houses of worship, the nature of the confrontation changes.

Sanctity of the Synagogue

A synagogue is not a ministry or a parliament. The people walking through its doors are not policymakers or negotiators. They are parents bringing children to services, elderly congregants attending prayer, and families participating in the rhythms of Jewish life.

Yet the protest outside Shaare Zion was not an isolated moment. Similar scenes have taken place outside Jewish institutions across New York, including outside Park East Synagogue in Manhattan, where protesters gathered while congregants attempted to attend services.

Moments like these raise a troubling question: if houses of worship become routine protest sites, what happens to the ordinary act of entering a synagogue?

Children absorb these moments in ways adults sometimes overlook.

A child approaching synagogue should be thinking about prayer, about friends waiting inside, about the warmth of community. That child should not be processing hostility directed toward the place where their family gathers to worship.

The elderly feel this tension as well.

Anyone who has watched older congregants make their way slowly toward synagogue understands how vulnerable that walk can already be. Many move carefully. Some rely on assistance. To place them in the middle of emotionally charged demonstrations is not merely inconvenient. It is deeply unsettling.

Buffer Zones

The debate over buffer zones around houses of worship grew out of precisely these concerns.

Within a week of the October 7 attacks, as protests began spreading throughout New York City, I reached out to members of Mayor Eric Adams’s staff to raise the idea of establishing buffer zones around houses of worship. Watching demonstrations escalate so quickly, it seemed clear that the city needed to think several steps ahead.

The proposal never advanced to the level of serious policy discussion.

Fast forward to City Hall, where the New York City Council recently held a nearly ten-hour hearing debating legislation that would allow the NYPD to establish limited buffer zones around houses of worship and schools.

The proposal, part of a broader effort introduced by Council Speaker Julie Menin to combat rising anti-Semitism and hate crimes, does not prohibit protest. Demonstrators would still be able to assemble and express their views.

What the legislation seeks to do is to ensure that protests do not take place directly at the entrances of houses of worship where worshippers must pass to enter.

For many members of the Jewish community, that distinction is both reasonable and necessary.

Community Members Take a Stand

During the hearing, several voices from the community articulated that concern directly.

Community activist Abie Hamra addressed lawmakers and made a straightforward point: the First Amendment protects freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, but those rights do not extend to blocking access to houses of worship or interfering with another person’s ability to pray.

Cities impose reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions all the time. Ensuring safe access to houses of worship should not be controversial.

District leader Joey Saban also emphasized the importance of legislation introduced by Senator Sam Sutton. In addition to serving in the Assembly, Saban is also Senator Sutton’s Chief of Staff.

“The buffer zone legislation introduced by Senator Sutton is precisely why it is so important that we have a seat at the table,” Saban said. “Through his leadership we have been able to introduce a major piece of legislation that will have a direct effect on keeping our community safe at a critically fragile time for the Jewish community in New York.”

I was invited to testify during the hearing as well. Because I was available earlier in the morning and could not remain until my scheduled speaking slot later in the day, I submitted my testimony to the Council by email.

Addressing Arguments by Opponents of Buffer Zones

In my testimony I addressed an argument raised by several opponents of the legislation.

During the discussion, much of the justification for protests centered on claims that certain religious institutions host events connected to political or international disputes. People may strongly disagree with those issues, and protest is a protected and important part of democracy. But the individuals walking into a synagogue, church, or mosque are not policymakers or negotiators. They are ordinary people coming to pray.

If disagreement with an idea becomes justification for confronting people at the doorway of a house of worship, then no doorway remains neutral ground.

Parents arrive pushing strollers. Grandparents move slowly with walkers. Families come seeking prayer, comfort, and community. They should not have to pass through shouting crowds or emotionally charged demonstrations simply to enter a religious space. At that point, it ceases to be protest and becomes intimidation.

Buffer zones do not silence protest. Demonstrators remain visible and heard. What buffer zones do is create a margin of space so that worshippers are not forced into confrontation simply to practice their faith.

Devorah Halberstam and Inna Vernikov

Among those who also addressed lawmakers was Devorah Halberstam, whose son Ari was murdered in a terrorist attack on the Brooklyn Bridge in 1994. For decades she has worked to combat anti-Semitism and advocate for Jewish safety in New York.

Speaking during the hearing, she urged lawmakers to pass the legislation for Ari, a”h, and ensure that houses of worship remain places where families can gather without fear.

Council Member Inna Vernikov has also expressed support for protecting access to houses of worship, emphasizing that while protest is a protected right, intimidation that interferes with the free practice of religion should not be tolerated.

Troubling Trends

Still, beyond individual statements, many Jewish New Yorkers are concerned about a broader convergence of troubling trends.

Public sympathy for groups that openly celebrated the October 7 massacre has appeared at protests and across social media. At the same time, debates about policing and enforcement have left some communities questioning whether sufficient resources exist to respond when demonstrations escalate.

When sympathy for extremist violence, uncertainty about enforcement, and the absence of clear protections around houses of worship collide, the result can feel like a dangerous vacuum.

And that vacuum is felt most clearly at the doors of synagogues.

If the ordinary rhythms of Jewish life begin to feel uncertain, the consequences ripple outward. Parents hesitate. Children absorb the tension. The sense of security that once defined community life begins to erode.

That is why this moment cannot be met with quiet concern alone. Brooklyn’s Jewish community must make its voice heard.

Speak Up!

Residents should contact their City Council members and state representatives and tell them clearly that protecting access to houses of worship must remain a priority.

Reasonable buffer zones are not about silencing protest. They are about ensuring that families can enter synagogues without intimidation.

New Yorkers can identify their elected officials by entering their address here: https://www.mygovnyc.org.

The message should be simple. Support reasonable buffer zones around houses of worship so that worshippers can pray without fear.

Congregants should also speak with their rabbanim and community leaders and encourage them to publicly support these protections. When lawmakers hear directly from the families who fill Brooklyn’s synagogues every week, the issue becomes impossible to ignore.

The demonstration outside Shaare Zion should not become normal in Brooklyn.

The hostility seen outside Park East Synagogue should not become the expectation for Jewish families entering houses of worship anywhere in this city.

The walk to shul should remain what it has always been, a peaceful expression of faith – not an act of courage. And ensuring that it stays that way requires the community to speak up now.