What happens when a few hundred wealthy award recipients, influential politicians and those serving the needy in the Jewish community get together in one place for a Sunday breakfast? They talk amongst themselves, network for recognition, snap pictures and mostly ignore the speeches being given by the presenters and honorees.
Such was the case last Sunday at a breakfast hosted by the Community of Jewish Organizations, better known as COJO Flatbush. “All who attended did so to honor COJO whose mission is to preserve and strengthen the quality of life for those that seek assistance. COJO never says no to anyone and show respect each individual and makes everyone feel at home” said Larry Spiewak, Chairman of the Board of COJO. Louis Welz, CEO of COJO told the audience that “COJO’s array of services transforms lives and creates opportunities for all segments of our community.” He also thanked his devoted staff for their hard work and dedication.
On several occasions the leaders of COJO tried desperately to quiet down the crowd but to no avail.
Master of Ceremonies Yaacov Brisman, a labor lawyer, noted his frustration with humor. “This is my third year and the reason I love coming back is because this is the only event that it doesn’t matter what I say because nobody’s listening.”
An admonishment from COJO President Moshe Zakheim followed. “It looks like the attendees are going to win over me and I’m just going to have to finish and walk aside. There is, I feel, a lack of respect for the agency if I can’t get a couple of minutes of quiet.”
After that, the props were brought out. The president and chief executive officer of Maimonides Medical Center, Kenneth Gibbs, blew an air horn similar to what you might hear at a baseball game, to quiet down the crowd. That worked for maybe three minutes into his speech when he accepted the Distinguished Medical ROFEH award. “Get your attention, okay?” proclaimed Gibbs to no avail.
After blowing his air horn, Gibbs tried delivering his brief message by screaming over the noise of the crowd. “Thank you COJO for teaching us that partnership is strategy. Healthcare requires the totality of social services,” Gibbs said. “We just signed a clinical collaboration with Community Hospital. We are bringing Maimonides’ doctors to Community Hospital.”
When New York’s senior United States Senator, Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D –NY) entered the room, the noise levels increased a few decibels. Maybe it was because Schumer bicycled to the event from his Prospect Park West apartment clad in white sneakers, white socks, blue sweat pants, FDNY jacket and a bicycle helmet, which he used as a prop when he was speaking. Upon leaving the Kol Yaakov Hall on McDonald Avenue, Schumer bicycled away wearing a ski mask to cover his face. He was either going incognito for security reasons, to keep from swallowing the bus exhaust fumes or just to keep warm on a 40 degree morning. Schumer bicycled into the morning sun without saying a word as to why he bicycled to the event.
Back inside the banquet hall, a clearly frustrated Schumer continually admonished people in the audience throughout his speech sometimes calling them out by name. “Judge, be quiet. Sheket b’vakasha. Larry, be quiet, Larry (calling out COJO Board Chairman Larry Spiewak),” Schumer scolded. “I know everyone here. You can’t get away with anything. I am, Baruch HaShem, the highest ranking elected Jewish official ever in America. If you want to talk, go outside. I know it’s a Jewish crowd. Quiet councilman. Sheket b’vakasha. Shhhh, I’m gonna call you out.”
There was a serious and sobering message Schumer delivered regarding the next generation and growing anti-Semitism.
“The long range danger for Israel is something we don’t think about enough,” Schumer said. “The young people in America do not know Israel’s story. They don’t know what Israel has gone through and their support for Israel is declining in every part of the country, every age group. Even the evangelical young people support for Israel is declining. We need to alert the young people to the truth right now. The countries around Israel are far more destructive of any human rights than Israel is. We have to let the young people know and everyone around America know about the danger Iran presents to Israel. The number and the accuracy of the missiles Iran has brought into Lebanon is much more greater than it was during the last Lebanese war. They are more accurate and there are many more of them. We must alert the world that Iran is not a benign country but seeks Israel’s destruction and has more power to do it than just about any country since the founding of the state of Israel.”
Receiving the Lena Cymbrowitz Distinguished Legislator Award was Assemblyman Walter Mosley (D – Crown Heights, Brooklyn). “As a boy growing up in Crown Heights, we never saw a difference,” Mosley told the crowd. “We saw two different faces, two different traditions but we never saw two different communities. If we are ever going to succeed as a nation, as a state, we all have to understand that we all came over on different boats but now we’re on the same ship.”
Law enforcement played a large part in the program. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman (D – Manhattan) presented the Defender of Justice Award to newly-elected Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, a fellow democrat.
“COJO Flatbush is something that all the Jewish communities around our great state take great pride in,” Schneiderman acknowledged. “You embody the principle of tzedakah, serving 24,000 clients a year.”
Then the hard-charging law enforcer had a sobering message for the audience. “The Anti-Defamation League issued a report recently showing that anti-Semitic acts increased by 90% in the state of New York last year and that more than half of the anti-Semitic assaults in the country took place in New York state,” said Schneiderman. “My office’s religious rights initiative takes every complaint and coordinates with every law enforcement agency in this state. If you see something, say something. We have to be united together against the rise and uptick of anti-Semitism no matter what its source.”
Gonzalez, the Brooklyn DA, let it be known that opioid abuse, domestic violence and hate crimes have not escaped the Jewish community. “COJO has been a partner with me in providing services for victims including domestic violence and immigration. There’s a lot of work that continues to be done by COJO. My role in law enforcement is to make sure that we have a fair and just society and working with COJO is an important step in making sure that people receive fairness and equal justice.”
Alex Rovt, president of IBE Trade Corp. received the Distinguished Chesed Award from Danny Danon, the Ambassador for Israel to the United Nations.
“Chesed is about the soul, about the neshama, and my dear friend Alex Rovt he has a big neshama,” Danon said. “I try at the UN to bring the Jewish neshama into the halls of this dark place. Every day when I walk inside the UN I see 193 flags but there is one flag with the Star of David and I am proud to represent that flag.”
Rovt, 65, grew up poor in Munkatsh (also spelled Mukachevo), Ukraine in the eastern portion of the Carpathian mountain range. He attended Lvov State University of Trade and Economics. As president of IBE Trade Corp., he is known as a fertilizer tycoon, dealing in ammonium-based fertilizer, holding a cornering the world market of fertilizers. Recently, Rovt has been pouring his money into New York City real estate, including several apartment buildings in Brooklyn. He has a net worth of $1.29 billion.
Rounding out the award recipients were:
* Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan (R – Smithtown, Suffolk County) received the Distinguished Leadership Award from fellow state Senator Simcha Felder (D – Midwood, Brooklyn).
* NYC Council Speaker Corey Johnson (D – Manhattan) received the Distinguished Public Leadership Award from fellow Councilman Chaim Deutsch (D – Brooklyn). It certainly was not lost on anyone that Johnson’s nickname is Cojo, taking the first two letters of his first and last names.
* Rabbi Yosef Eisen, spiritual leader at Kollel Bnei Torah and Rabbinic Administrator for Kehilah Kashrus, received the Avodat HaKodesh Award presented to him by Zakheim.
* Connie Waterman, market manager at the Brooklyn-based Midwood/Avenue J branch of Capital One Bank received the Excellence in Banking Award, presented to her by NYC Councilman Dr. Mathieu Eugene.
* Rachel Navifar, a COJO volunteer with the Pikus Senior Enrichment Programs took home the Volunteer of the Year award, presented to her by Met Council on Jewish Poverty Chief Executive Officer David Greenfield, a former NYC Councilman.
Also in attendance were mayoral hopefuls were NYC Public Advocate Leticia James, NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams. The next mayoral election is 2021.