Library

Can you find Rabbi Josh Gray among these Hadassah Ladies? Photo by Donna Newman

By Donna Newman

Three dozen people gathered last week for a meeting of the Sea-Port Chapter of Hadassah — The Women’s Zionist Organization of America. Held at the Comsewogue Public Library, and open to all Suffolk Region members, both North Shore Chaverot (friends) Chapter and Smithtown Chapter were represented, as well as Region Board members.

Sea-Port President Edith Lilie invited Rabbi Josh Gray of Temple Isaiah in Stony Brook to be a guest speaker. Rather than lecture, Rabbi Gray chose to facilitate a discussion on the topic, “Living Jewishly in the Modern World.”

One participant complimented the Reform Rabbi on setting an inclusive tone at the outset, making everyone feel at ease. 

“The Rabbi led an engaging and open discussion on what it is to be Jewish, especially since the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israeli civilians,” said Heidi Sorkin, a vice president on the Suffolk Board. 

“He opened the discussion with a Hebrew prayer, which expresses gratitude for new or special experiences, and that created an atmosphere where Jews from all levels of observance felt comfortable talking about their traditions, beliefs and concerns,” she said.   

“What makes you a Jew?” Rabbi Gray asked. And he heard many different responses, among them: birth (it’s genetic), religious affiliation, values and actions, culture, family, choice, commitment to tikkun olam (repairing the world), and Ohr L’Goyim (to be a light unto the nations, part of the Jewish Covenant with the Lord).  

With four major branches and other smaller offshoots, being Jewish is a multi-faceted and often diverse endeavor. Jewish people are certainly not a monolith. However, a shared history of persecution and survival connects Jews to each other.

Rabbi Gray shared a disturbing fact. He presented statistics gathered by the Anti-Defamation League that document a massive spike in antisemitic posts on social media — particularly on X — that happened on October 7, 2023, as Hamas’ brutal attack on Israeli civilians progressed — long before Israel responded. What does it mean? he asked.

According to the Pew Research Center, as of 2020, Jews made up 2.4% of the U.S. population, and 0.2% of the world population. It is not surprising that 34% of Americans say they do not know a Jew.

Antisemitism is on the rise in American society and throughout the world. Today’s antisemitism may be fueled by religious anti-Jewish themes, usually unfounded hearsay, not rooted in fact. It can also be racial, deriving from false ideologies; Nazism, white supremacy, etc. And now it is also political — disguised as anti-Zionism: the denial of Jews as a legitimate people; the opinion that Israel has no right to exist.

This being his first opportunity to address the Hadassah community, Rabbi Gray said he did not know what to expect. But by the end of the discussion, he was beaming.

“Being in a room full of Hadassah women,” he said, “who are so willing to share and interact when discussing the particularly challenging subjects of being Jewish in today’s world — and antisemitism — gave me great pride.” 

Carole-Ann Gordon noted the different communities present in the audience.

“The attendees were from different Jewish organizations and communities, and the discussion brought us all together to form a new, larger entity,” she said.

“Rabbi Gray gave us suggestions on how we can feel more connected to our Jewish identity,” said Stacy Berman, another Suffolk Board member. “Becoming more involved with Hadassah is one way we can join with other Jewish women who share our ideals.” 

The session ended with sustained applause, followed by much conversation among the participants.

Photo from Emma Clark Library

Recycle and Help the Library Earn a Free Bench

Photo from Emma Clark Library

Emma Clark Library, 120 Main St., Setauket is participating in the NexTrex® Community Recycling Challenge, in collaboration with the Suffolk Library System. Library visitors are encouraged to deposit their plastic film (e.g. plastic bags, bread bags, bubble wrap, cereal bags, etc.) in the bin located in the Library’s vestibule.

If the community collects & recycles 1,000+ pounds in a year, Emma Clark Library will receive a free bench made from these materials. The Library started this challenge on March 1, 2025. All plastic must be clean, dry, and free of food residue. For more information on what is accepted, please visit emmaclark.org/nextrexchallenge.

For more information, call 631-941-4080

Emma Clark Library. Photo by Heidi Sutton

Emma Clark Library in Setauket recently announced the winners of the 11th annual Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Contest:

First Prize (Grades seven – nine category):

“Benny and the Lost Balloon” by Yen Lo 

(eight grader at Murphy Junior High School)

First Prize (Grades 10 – 12 category):

“What’s a Friend?” by Joyce Lee 

(10th grader at Ward Melville High School)

Second Prize (Grades seven – nine category):

“Dinky” by Athie Kim 

(eighth grader at Murphy Junior High School)

Second Prize (Grades 10 – 12 category): 

“Kittie and Fish” by Elizabeth Wright 

(10th grader at Ward Melville High School)

Each of the winning entries has their own unique artwork and storylines geared towards young children. “Benny and the Lost Balloon” by Yen Lo includes sweet illustrations with expressive facial features to tell this story. When Benny loses his favorite toy, he realizes that friendship and connection with others is more important – and more fun – than material objects. In “What’s a Friend?” by Joyce Lee, a kitten is trying to figure out what a friend truly is and realizes that they do know in the end! The questions are emphasized with charming illustrations. With colorful, bold cartoons and simple but effective text for a child, “Dinky” by Athie Kim allows the young reader to follow Dinky the Duck through her day.”Kitty and Fish” by Elizabeth Wright uses whimsical drawings with a lot of motion to tell the story of a new friendship between a cat and fish, the fun they have together, and how they resolve a problem involving ice cream!

Contest winners will be celebrated at a private awards ceremony on Monday, April 7 at 7 p.m.  Each first prize award recipient will receive a $400 scholarship, and each second prize award recipient will receive a $100 scholarship. The newly bound books – made into hardcover by the Library – will have the honor of being added to the Library’s Local Focus Collection, and winners will also receive copies of their books to cherish in their own home libraries. Desserts will be served at the reception, generously donated by The Bite Size Bake Shop. Past ceremonies have had Library Board members, teachers and top school district administrators from Three Village, as well as elected officials from New York State, Suffolk County, and the Town of Brookhaven, all in attendance to honor the winners.

The Helen Stein Shack Book Contest called for teens in grades 7 through 12 who live in the Three Village Central School District to create a children’s picture book.  Each entry could be the work of a single author/illustrator or a collaborative effort of an author and an illustrator.  The contest was divided into two grade categories, grades 7 through 9 and grades 10 through 12, with one first prize winner and one second prize winner selected from each group.

This award is given in memory of Helen Stein Shack by her family.  As a teacher, Mrs. Shack was committed to the education of children, and she especially loved literature written for them.  She was a frequent visitor to Emma Clark Library where, even in retirement, she kept current with the latest children’s books.  The Library is grateful to the children of the late Mrs. Shack who have established a substantial endowment with the Library to cover the cost of the prizes.

Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, located at 120 Main Street in Setauket and online at www.emmaclark.org, provides public library service to all residents of the Three Village Central School District.

 

Members of the Anna Smith Strong Chapter of the NSDAR present a check and donated books to Brian Debus in front of the group's showcase at Emma Clark Library. Photo courtesy of NSDAR

The Anna Smith Strong Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR), the recipient of a grant as part of the NSDAR America 250 celebration, recently donated a check for $500 to Emma S. Clark Memorial Library in Setauket to purchase historical books for the library. 

The check was presented by Chapter Regent Nancy Dorney and chapter members to Director Ted Gutmann and Head of Children’s Services Brian Debus in order to purchase books on the Revolutionary War and our first president in honor of the upcoming 250th birthday of our country.  

In addition to the check, several historical books were also donated from the private collection of DAR chapter member Patricia Cunningham. 

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution is a non-profit, non-political volunteer women’s service organization, founded in Washington, D.C., on October 11, 1890, incorporated by an act of Congress in 1896. Their  mission is to promote historic preservation, education, and patriotism. Any woman 18 years or older who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution, is eligible for membership. To learn more about the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution please visit www.dar.org,  or the chapter’s website: https://annasmithstrongnsdar.org.

The lower level of the Smithtown Library's main branch has been restored after Aug. 19 storm. Photo by Robert Lusak

By Sabrina Artusa

After the Aug. 19 storm, the lower level of the Smithtown Library’s main branch at 1 North Country Road had to be cleaned and gutted. The stairwell has been repainted and all electriclal equipment has been removed. Now, the floor is a blank slate. Smithtown Library Director Robert Lusak views this as an opportunity to re-situate the floor to make it a better, nicer area.  

–Photos by Robert Lusak

Visitors are cautioned not to enter Harbor Road in Stony Brook Village. Photo by Sabrina Artusa

By Sabrina Artusa

Six months after the Aug. 19 storm that damaged infrastructure, washed away the dams at Stony Brook Mill Pond and Blydenburgh County Park’s Stump Pond and upturned Harbor Road in Stony Brook, community pillars such as the Smithtown Library and Stony Brook University are on the mend. 

The storm, which unleashed 9.4 inches of rain in only 24 hours, flooded the lower level of the Smithtown Library, bursting one of the windows and completely filling the area with water. Since the library sits at a lower grade, the water from higher grades flowed to the building and down the staircases on either side, overwhelming the sump pump and clogging it with leaves; therefore, it was not only 9 inches of water that flooded the library, but 8 feet. 

However, walking through the Smithtown Library today, it would be difficult to discern evidence of the storm on the first floor or the mezzanine. The bookshelves and tables look relatively untouched; it seems that at any moment a library page might round the corner with a cart of books or a high school student will settle down at one of the tables. In a few months — April, possibly, according to Library Director Robert Lusak — the library could open again. 

“In order to bring people back into the building, first we need power obviously, we need HVAC, we need heat and air-conditioning functioning, we need to have the elevator working, we need to have fire sprinklers operational … so there are a lot of factors that need to come into play before we can open the building,” Lusak said. The library’s architect, in collaboration with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, has put together “a two- to three-inch book” detailing the steps to reopening. 

Temporary power has been restored. “Everything is moving along pretty well,” Lusak said.

Lusak and the rest of the library staff have been working with FEMA to account for damages to potentially get up to 75% of eligible costs reimbursed. The staff listed every item that was destroyed. One of the main obstacles, however, is the time-consuming process of ordering the necessary materials and the months it takes to ship. 

“It is really the equipment that we need to reinstall that is keeping us from moving forward,” Lusak said. “When we have to wait for materials we have to wait 6 to 8 weeks in some cases. That is what we need in order to open the building up.”

Next month, Lusak and other staff members are flying to Michigan to evaluate the archive renovation progress done by Prism Specialties. The Richard H. Handley Collection, which features centuries-old documents and maps, was situated on the lower level. On the day of the storm, however, the water detection system failed and water infiltrated the room. 

Lusak will have to determine which archives should be restored, such as precious original copies, and which would not be worth the expense, perhaps second copies. The cost of archival restoration already amounts to over $700,000. The archives will be considered by FEMA for reimbursement. 

Lusak said that the designers will begin to redesign the lower floor this week. Since the first floor and mezzanine are nearly ready to be opened to the public — after the elevator, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system and electricity are restored — Lusak plans to open the upper levels and have construction on the lower floor occur simultaneously. 

In addition, the storm has exposed issues in the grading and stairwells. “We are looking at ways of safeguarding the building to make sure a situation like that never happens again … we are going to change the grading there [and] we are going to address the stairwells.” 

At Stony Brook University, the rainfall affected 61 buildings, according to university officials; the Ammann and Gray residence halls were hit the hardest, and students residing there had to be reassigned to other buildings. 

Vice President for Facilities and Services Bill Hermann wrote in an email, “In response to the flooding of our residence halls, we advocated for and will be relocating core facilities infrastructure (boilers, electrical equipment, IT and fire alarms) to upper floors.”

The university paid for a comprehensive storm infrastructure study which, according to Hermann, “revealed that our campus growth over the years had not been matched by adequate increases in storm infrastructure capacity.”

The university already addressed some of the weak spots dictated by the study, such as collapsed sections, but still has stormwater maintenance plans in the horizon, one being a plan to implement a stormwater detention and retention system under the athletic stadium surface lot to manage runoff. 

“This mitigation is needed to upgrade and modernize the campus storm infrastructure to meet the current demands,” Hermann wrote. 

At this time, Gloria Rocchio, president of the Ward Melville Heritage Organization, was unable to comment on the damage to Harbor Road, the ownership of which is debated as it crosses into Head of the Harbor. 

Head of the Harbor Mayor Michael Utevsky said that discussions are progressing.

'Bike Vessel' will kick off the series in Port Jefferson on Feb. 27. Photo courtesy of Independent Lens
Watch the film & join the conversation

Independent Lens has announced the launch of the new season of Indie Lens Pop-Up, the long-running screening series that brings people together for community-driven conversations around its thought-provoking documentaries. The free event series will include in-person screenings in more than 100 cities across the U.S. including Port Jefferson, Stony Brook, Centereach and Selden, thanks to a partnership with The Greater Port Jefferson-Northern Brookhaven Arts Council (GPJAC).

Middle Country Public Library’s Centereach branch will screen ‘Free for All: The Public Library’ on April 11. Photo courtesy of Independent Lens

Through its roster of five documentary projects, Indie Lens Pop-Up will ignite conversations on a range of topics, including a Cambodian American basketball prodigy, the American institution of public libraries, and the history of funk music. This season’s topics also aim to expand perspectives through deeply personal stories, like what it means to live with Alzheimer’s disease and the bond between father and son. The screenings, which are approximately 60 minutes long, will be followed by impactful post-screening activities ranging from panel discussions to performances.

Each film will eventually make its television debut on PBS and will be available to stream on the PBS app.

Since its inception in 2005, more than 7,200 Indie Lens Pop-Up events have brought an estimated 430,000 participants together to discuss issues that impact local communities.

“We’re so excited to continue these Indie Lens Pop-Up screenings that not only advance independent stories, but continue to bring together local communities across the U.S.,” said Beatriz Castillo, senior director of engagement operations at Independent Television Service (ITVS), the production arm of PBS which produces Independent Lens.

“The Greater Port Jefferson – Northern Brookhaven Arts Council (GPJAC) is delighted to join the Indie Lens Pop-Up program as screening partner. We welcome the chance to support these award-winning films while having the opportunity to craft impactful activities with our venue and community partners such as the Middle Country Public Library, the First United Methodist Church and the Long Island Museum,” said Kelly DeVine, Board Member and Chair of film programming at GPJAC

“Supporting independent artists and filmmakers is at the center of our work,” added Allan Varela, Chair of the GPJAC. “And getting to collaborate with our community partners to raise up their work is icing on the cake.”

The Indie Lens Pop-Up 2024-2025 lineup includes the following documentaries: 

‘Bike Vessel’

Bike Vessel by Eric D. Seals will be screened at the First United Methodist Church, 603 Main St., Port Jefferson on Thursday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. In this portrait of familial love, father Donnie Seals Sr. undergoes a transformation after several medical crises and, at age 70, embarks on a long-distance cycling trip with his son. 

A panel discussing the health, social and infrastructure issues raised by the film with a cardiologist, a representative from a safe transportation organization and a librarian from Port Jefferson Free Library will follow. Register here.

 

‘Home Court’

Home Court by Erica Tanamachi heads to the Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook on Tuesday, April 1 at 7 p.m. The film traces the ascent of Ashley Chea, a Cambodian American basketball prodigy whose life intensifies amid recruitment, injury, and triumph throughout her high school career. 

The screening will be followed by a panel of SBU and local high school athletes and coaches discussing the challenges of transitioning from high school to college as a female and Cambodian American athlete.

‘Free for All: The Public Library’

Free for All: The Public Library by Dawn Logsdon and Lucie Faulknor will be screened at the Middle Country Public Library, 101 Eastwood Blvd., Centereach on Friday, April 11 at 6 p.m. The documentary tells the story of the U.S. public library system—a simple idea that shaped a nation and the quiet revolutionaries who made it happen.

The event will be followed by a “library fair” where MCPL representatives across the library’s departments show all the ways libraries serve their communities.

‘We Want the Funk’

We Want the Funk by Stanley Nelson will be screened at Middle Country Public Library, 575 Middle Country Road, Selden on Sunday, May 4 at 2 p.m. The documentary is a syncopated voyage through the history of funk music, from early roots to 1970s urban funk and beyond and will be followed by a short live funk music band performance and discussion on how the genre is still influential today.

‘Matter of Mind: My Alzheimer’s’

Matter of Mind: My Alzheimer’s by Anna Moot-Levin and Laura Green will be screened at the Long Island Museum, 1200 Route 25A, Stony Brook on Tuesday, June 3 at 7 p.m. The documentary explores how three families confront the challenges of Alzheimer’s, focusing on how the disease transforms identities and relationships and will be incorporated into a full program of dementia events with speakers and resources.

To register for these free documentaries, please visit www.gpjac.org or click here.

Photos courtesy of Independent Lens

Diet and exercise are the first line of defense for those living with diabetes. Stock photo

Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine and the Department of Health Services invite residents who are at risk of developing type-2 diabetes to participate in the Suffolk County Diabetes Prevention Program. The program is based off of the National Diabetes Prevention Program that supports moderate behavioral changes and incorporates healthy eating and physical activity.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 98 million American adults — more than 1 in 3 — are at risk for diabetes.

“We want our residents to be healthy and live fulfilling lives,” said Romaine. “We encourage all adult residents to take a one-minute risk survey to learn if they are at risk for prediabetes. Through educational programming and preventative measures, we are here to help you reduce your risk.”

“Diabetes puts the body at risk for many serious health conditions,” said Dr. Gregson Pigott, Suffolk County Health Commissioner. “The good news is that moderate changes in lifestyle can help restore blood sugar to normal levels and result in significant health benefits.”

The Suffolk County Diabetes Prevention Program has received “full plus” recognition from the CDC, meeting the agency’s highest standards. To date, 440 Suffolk County residents have successfully completed the program.

Residents are encouraged to take the one-minute risk test at www.doihaveprediabetes.org and are invited to attend informational sessions at:

— Smithtown Public Library, 148 Smithtown Blvd, Nesconset on Feb. 24 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. 

— Brookhaven Free Library, 273 Beaver Dam Road, Brookhaven on Wednesday, March 12 from noon to 1 p.m. 

— Center Moriches Public Library, 235 Main Street, Center Moriches on March 19 from noon to 1 p.m. 

— Patchogue/Medford Library, 54-60 East Main Street, Patchogue on March 28 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. 

Train enthusiasts had a “choo choo” of a fun time when they visited the Railroad Museum of Long Island’s toy train display at Middle Country Public Library in Centereach on Feb. 15 and Feb. 16. With 1,400 in attendance, patrons enjoyed watching a variety of trains running in addition to interacting with museum staff and volunteers who shared their expertise. One of the highlights was the toy train clinic that was offered.

For more information about programs and classes held at Middle Country Public Library, please visit https://www.mcplibrary.org or call at 631-585-9393.

'The Women' by author Kristin Hannah was the top borrowed book among Suffolk County library patrons in 2024.

The Public Libraries of Suffolk County and the Suffolk Cooperative Library System recently revealed the top 10 most borrowed items of 2024, reflecting the diverse range of materials offered across all 56 public libraries. 

“The top 10 books are a combination of print and digital reading. Readers in Suffolk are engaged with the stories in different formats, which can be challenging for our public libraries. However, with the support of our local communities, the public libraries in Suffolk are meeting the challenge,” said Kevin Verbesey, Director of the Suffolk Cooperative Library System.

In 2024, Suffolk County Libraries experienced more growth in digital checkouts, surpassing the figures from the previous year by a margin of over 231,000 checkouts. This growth culminated in a year-end total of 3.8 million digital checkouts and 3.6 million print checkouts, resulting in a combined total of over 7.4 million.

If there was one novel that dominated 2024, it was The Women by Kristin Hannah (author of The Nightingale and The Four Winds). The book debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times fiction bestseller list last February, and is still hanging out at No. 4 more than 50 weeks later. The story follows twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath who in 1965 follows her brother to serve during the Vietnam War in the Army Nurse Corps. However the real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam.

The top 10 checkouts at Suffolk County Libraries in 2024 were:

 1. The Women by Kristin Hannah (25,018 checkouts)

 2. First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston (15,302 checkouts)

 3. None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell (12, 045 checkouts)

 4. The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride (11,666 checkouts)

 5. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (910,883 checkouts)

 6. Tom Lake by Ann Patchett (10,283 checkouts)

 7. Funny Story by Emily Henry (9,807 checkouts)

 8. Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros (9,481 checkouts)

 9. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (9,206 checkouts)

10. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (8,758 checkouts)

Did your favorite book make the list?

This article originally appeared in TBR News Media’s Prime Times supplement on Jan. 30, 2025.