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Marisa Vitali, creator of “Grace,” speaks after the screening of the film. Photo by Victoria Espinoza

By Marisa Vitali

Life happens in the in-between spaces, from here to there. Recovery happens in the in-between spaces, when no one is looking and no one is around. How do we choose to live? How do we choose to be in those quiet moments with self? Have I filled my void, my spirit with happiness?

Or do I look outside myself for a drink, a drug, food, sex, shopping, cigarettes; to make myself not feel; to fill the void, the gaping black hole of low self-esteem and low self-worth?

I’ve learned that in recovery I have a choice. I’m no longer a slave to my next bag of dope and I can choose to see the glass half empty or half full.

Myself, I want it all, but when I logically prioritize, longevity and quality of life are on the top of the list. Every minute I spend obliterated is one less finite minute I have to feel life.

I do my best on a daily basis to choose happiness; to live happy, joyous and free. Recovery allows me to be in a place of rediscovery. To relearn the wisdom I was born with and somehow let slip between the fingers of my mind.

Just to be living is truly a gift and one not to be squandered on those people, places and things that cause us pain. Life is a gift to be celebrated and shared with those we love and who bring us even more joy than we may already be feeling.

Having this opportunity to live in recovery, I so know it didn’t have to be this way.

I always say: My life is nothing what I thought it would be and yet nothing I ever could have imagined it to be.

I don’t know the source of life, but I do know the humility I feel when confronted by nature and the magical way everything is prepared for every situation it could possibly encounter. That delusion in and of itself eliminates anxiety and I’m in deep.

I have come to the realization that living life to the fullest is not about my achievements — it is about my breath.

“I’ve learned that in recovery I have a choice. I’m no longer a slave to my next bag of dope and I can choose to see the glass half empty or half full.”
—Marisa Vitali

This moment, right here and now. Feeling everything there is to feel and experience in this one breath of in and out. This is what is intended. To soak in every drop of this thing called life.

We all intellectually know about breath and present moments so I will spare you the details in favor of encouraging you to do what you truly desire before it’s too late. Or keep collecting excuses that will serve you well in your final moments.

Because all we really have is today. There is no need to mar this experience with drugs and alcohol in order to escape this moment, this breath.

Not to make you nauseous with platitudes, but I do feel an urge to recap the classics. Living at the highest-level means feeling good about your life. There’s give and take without malice or greed, there is healthy socialization with challenging, stimulating people of integrity. There is reverence way before relevance, so if you turned down that road, I suggest you make a U-turn in the first driveway.

That’s what we’re all here for: to live the good, the bad and the ugly. To feel, to grow, to better ourselves and to help one another. We are here to serve, regardless of our elitist aspirations, so share your talents and energy freely. Our influence is exponential and will outlive us for eternity.

If one falls, we all fall, and so it’s a treasure and an opportunity to uplift one another in times of need with love, compassion and authenticity.

We all fall eventually. I fall at the door of a true friend. One of the most vivifying experiences is the exchange of love, and that I’m not afraid to express anymore.

This life, this recovery is a journey; it’s all in the same, with twists and turns, mountains and mole hills.

No matter what I choose not to use. I am evolving into whatever my imagination is capable of, without ego and defects of character that keep me small, dictating how it all should play out.

We are so much more powerful than we could possibly acknowledge. Tap into that source. Your source of creation, whatever that may be for you. The answers you seek are deep within.

There but for the grace of God go I. Live free, as the only thing constant is change.

So change! Do something different. I dare you. If nothing changes, nothing changes. Simple yet true.  The clock is ticking. Seize the day and all that carpe diem s—.

But seriously, take a look around – this is all of your creation. You did this, you made this happen, you made these choices.

Will you run and hide like you’ve always done, or will you stand tall in the eye of the storm and dance in the rain?

We all have choices. I know what I choose. Do you? I dare you to live.

Marisa Vitali is a Northport native actress who created a short film about the journey of recovering from drug addiction.

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Huntington town officials hope federal funding will help crack down on drug use and gang violence. File photo

State legislation

In the 2016 legislative session, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) signed a comprehensive package of bills, aimed at increasing access to treatment, expanding community prevention strategies and limiting the overprescription of opioids in the state. Some of the most important parts of the bills are highlighted below:

• Legislation now ensures insurers must cover “necessary” inpatient services for substance use disorder treatments for as long as an individual needs them. Review from the company can only begin 14 days after treatment to ensure each patient has two weeks of uninterrupted and covered care.

• Insurers are prohibited from requiring prior approval for emergency supplies of these medications.

• Insurers must use objective state-approved criteria to determine the level of care for individuals suffering from substance abuse.

• Insurers must cover the costs of Narcan to families with individuals suffering from substance abuse.

• Families now offered 72 hours of emergency treatment, instead of 48 hours, for family members so they can be stabilized and connected to longer-term addiction treatment options while also balancing individual rights of the incapacitated individuals.

• Requires hospitals to provide follow-up service options to individuals upon hospital discharge to connect patients with nearby treatment options to provide continuous medical care.

• Reducing opioid prescription limits from 30 days to seven days, with exceptions of chronic pain and other conditions.

• Health care professionals must complete three hours of education every three years on addiction, pain management and palliative care.

State budget

The 2016-17 state government has allotted funding to help curb the growing substance abuse problem. A breakdown of the budget below:

• Nearly $200 million through the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services will be used to combat the heroin and opioid epidemic, an 82 percent increase in state spending since 2011.

• This investment includes $66 million for residential treatment beds, including counseling and support services for roughly 8,000 individuals.

• $38 million to fund medication-assisted treatment programs that serve about 12,000 clients in residential or outpatient settings.

• $25 million in funding for state-operated addiction treatment centers.

• $24 million for outpatient services that provide group and individual counseling.

• $8 million for crisis/detox programs to manage and treat withdrawal from heroin and opioids.

NYS Heroin and Opioid Task Force

Comprised of health care providers, policy advocates, educators, parents and New Yorkers in recovery, the task force will build on the state’s previous efforts and use its expertise and first-hand experience to develop a comprehensive action plan to combat the state’s opioid epidemic. The task force will focus immediately on expanding awareness of heroin and opioid addiction; enhance statewide prevention efforts; increase access to treatment; improve support for those in recovery; and concentrate on law enforcement recommendations to reduce the supply of opioids. Members plan to hold public sessions across the state.

Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, 2016

• Signed into law by President Barack Obama (D) in July.

• $8.3 billion in addiction funding.

• $160 million for the expansion of medication-assisted treatment options, including grants that will be awarded to state, local and tribal governments to provide opioid abuse services.

• $80 million in funding to help prevent and treat addiction on a local level through community-based education, prevention, treatment and recovery programs.

• $103 million to establish a community-based competitive grant program to address and treat the problems of heroin and opioid addiction and abuse.

• Grants will help fund programs that could expand treatment alternatives to incarcerations — with consent of attorneys and participants — for individuals who meet the program’s criteria.

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Landmark status is granted to The Jazz Loft building in Stony Brook. File photo

The following is an edited Town of Brookhaven public comment presentation made Sept. 1.

Good evening, Mr. Supervisor and town board members.

My name is John Broven, author of three books on American music history. I am privileged to live in a historic district of East Setauket, part of the beautiful Three Village area. My late father-in-law, Clark Galehouse, founded Golden Crest Records out of Huntington Station in 1956 and released many jazz albums among others — I think you know where I’m coming from.

I fully endorse the recommendation of Town Historian Barbara Russell and the Historic District Advisory Committee to accord The Jazz Loft building at 275 Christian Ave., Stony Brook, landmark status. I would like to read my historical notes in support of my position.

The Jazz Loft building, in fact, consists of two historic structures: The Stone Jug and the 1921 firehouse. The building accommodated the first museum in Stony Brook, founded in 1935 by real estate broker and insurance agent O.C. (Cap) Lempfert, a keen hunter and taxidermist. At first, the museum was located in the home of Arthur Rayner where Saturday nature talks for children became a weekly event; naturalist Robert Cushman Murphy, of R.C. Murphy Jr. High School, led some of the nature walks.

Originally called the Suffolk County Museum of Natural History, it became known as the Little Museum in the Jug after it was moved to the Stone Jug storage building — a former tavern and social center of the village — with the backing of Mr. and Mrs. Ward Melville. The museum was formally incorporated as the Suffolk Museum in 1939.

You may be amused by a quote from a history of the Museums at Stony Brook, a later name before it became today’s prestigious The Long Island Museum: “The move was no small task since by that time the collection include a 400-pound loggerhead turtle, an eagle with a 6-foot wingspread, a trumpeter swan, and hundreds of small collection items.”

I am aware that Mr. Lempfert’s granddaughters, Mary and Jane L’Hommedieu, who both now live on the West Coast, are delighted at the town’s potential recognition of their grandfather’s museum building — and thus his pioneering work. Jane tells me he also made and exhibited duck decoys, collected Native American artifacts from his property for the museum and even constructed a wigwam. A major achievement of the museum to this day was to collect and show the fabulous paintings of William Sidney Mount.

It is wonderful that the building has come alive this year after careful restoration as The Jazz Loft incorporating a museum — how appropriate! — live jazz and education facilities. What Tom Manuel, a talented jazz musician, educator and historian, his board and The Ward Melville Heritage Organization have done to date is very impressive, not only for the Three Village area but also for Long Island tourism — and jazz itself. I know Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) and Councilwoman Valerie Cartright (D-Port Jefferson Station) attended the opening. By granting The Jazz Loft building landmark status, in effect the town will be protecting and preserving our past, present and future heritage. I trust the town board will support its Historic District Advisory Committee because I consider all the historical and cultural boxes have been ticked.

The result: A unanimous vote in favor.

John Broven is a member of the editorial staff of this newspaper. He gives thanks to Joshua Ruff, director of collections and interpretation of The Long Island Museum, for providing historical detail by way of “The Carriage Museum” (1987) publication.

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The college ranking system fails to take into account the intangibles of a university. Photo from Ryan DeVito

By Ryan DeVito

A certain manufactured meritocracy exists in the United States. Success has become indelibly connected to elite college education in the minds of parents and students. Consequently, a student’s potential is dictated by his or her triumphs in the college arena. The logic goes like this: the higher an institution is ranked by U.S. News & World Report, the better a student is and the better their life will be.

College ranking systems are psychological demons. Thousands of data points tell a story that, year after year, paints a skewed picture of higher education. These ranking systems use algorithms to transform a host of statistics about one school into a single score. Students often use this score to make college decisions.

The existing ranking systems are silly, though. They attempt to compare completely disparate institutions on one inflexible scale. As a result, The Ohio State University can be compared to Pepperdine University. The former is an enormous public university in the middle of a large city; the latter is a small private Christian college perched above the Pacific Ocean, surrounded by mountains. Essentially opposites, U.S. News & World Report tells us that these schools are the same.

Ohio State and Pepperdine scored the same in the rankings algorithm. But these institutions are impossible to compare. Ohio State dominates downtown Columbus with nearly 60,000 students and another 20,000 staff members — all spread across dozens of various colleges, schools and departments. How could you possibly reduce the complexity that is The Ohio State University down to one solitary number?

College ranking systems fail to take into account the intangibles that make a college great. Academic reputation — among leadership at peer institutions — and faculty resources are the two variables given the greatest weight in the U.S. News ranking algorithm. The weight on these variables creates an obvious skew toward the well-endowed private universities that consistently grace the top of the rankings list. Rankings drive reputation and funding, and so a glass ceiling forms that keeps lower-ranked schools from every establishing their brands. But these variables tell us nothing about the ability of the institution and its faculty to inform and inspire students.

It’s the intangibles that enable success in students — regardless of whether they attend a top-ranked institution or not.

Students who are engaged and encouraged in their learning are better off. So the ability of professors to get their students excited about learning is much more important than how much research funding they have. The extent to which professors care about their students as people and are willing to act as mentors has a major bearing on the student’s potential for engagement. These are the intangibles that college rankings system could never take into account.

Of course, top-ranked institutions can offer these intangibles. My point, though, is that you can be engaged and encouraged anywhere. There are obvious flaws in the college ranking systems that we all too often rely on when making college decisions. A great college experience is not limited to the top of any ranking’s list. Success after college is not dictated by the ranking of the college you attend.

Rather than depending on any murky ranking system, search for the college that has the greatest potential to inform, inspire and challenge you personally. Your success after college depends most on your ability to find that engaging environment. Four years of engaged learning are more valuable than any ranking on its own. And it’s the engaged student, not necessarily the elite student, who has the potential to achieve the greatest success after graduation.

Ryan DeVito is a Miller Place native who started a college advising company, ScholarScope, to help Long Island students. Learn more at www.ScholarScope.org.

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The audience at Cinema Arts Centre enjoys a scene during the horror movie marathon. Photo by Kevin Redding

By Kevin Redding

Living corpses, seductive vampires, hungry werewolves, mutant children, body-swapping aliens, a book that unleashes demons and evil spirits, and a whole lot of blood. 

Projected on the big screen in beautiful 35mm prints, all these things brought great joy and camaraderie to a roomful of strangers last Saturday night, Aug. 27, at Cinema Arts Centre in Huntington.

A total of 115 eager horror fans packed the theater — fully equipped with pillows, blankets, snacks, and plenty of caffeine — ready to take on the 12th annual Pay To Get Out Horror Movie Marathon that started at 10 p.m. and didn’t finish until a little after 8:30 a.m. the next morning. Five movie titles are released to the public, with the sixth kept a secret until you’re in.

People from all walks of life were huddled together with an instant, unifying bond: a love for all things scary.

At 10 p.m., there was a buzz in the air as everybody settled into their seats. Just before the marathon started, Michael and Nina Ciani of Retro Picture Show, co-presenters of the marathon, announced three raffle ticket winners and presented each of them with a vinyl soundtrack for Lucio Fulci’s “The House By The Cemetery,” one of the better and more intense entries of the night.

The movies ranged from schlocky and ridiculous fun with “The Hidden” to a little bit dull ‘The Company of Wolves” to downright scary David Cronenberg’s “The Brood”, and I loved every second of it. When there wasn’t laughing and hollering at cheesy acting and unintentionally funny moments, there was cheering when the protagonists escaped their monsters’ clutches and gasping at grisly kills. We, as an audience, were treated to a reel of classic trailers that ran before the movies, pertaining to the theme of each one. Before “The Hidden,” we got John Carpenter’s “They Live;” before “The Brood,” we got “Videodrome;” and before “The Company of Wolves,” we got Joe Dante’s “The Howling.”

The big question of “what the final mystery film would be?” hung over the theater all night.

As we took our seats one last time at around 7:10 a.m., we were all quiet with anticipation.

As soon as the black screen filled with fog and a few seconds of musical score blared, the theater erupted, instantly recognizing the Sam Raimi classic “Evil Dead II,” perhaps the greatest movie choice to be experienced by this kind of crowd in a theater. Bruce Campbell’s demon-induced pratfalls were never more exhilarating.

Throughout the marathon, the film prints were scratchy and crackly in the best ways possible, only enhancing the atmosphere. But no print was more fitting than the one of “Evil Dead II,” which warped and fizzled out a few different times early on as characters were undergoing the wrath of the Book of the Dead. An audience member put it best when he shouted out, “This film is possessed!”

It’s a testament to the love and passion for the horror genre that almost everybody in attendance,  including myself, stuck it out to the end of the marathon with a healthy dose of energy and excitement intact.

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What is left of the foundation of the Brookhaven Sand and Gravel Company in Mount Sinai. Photo by Edna Giffen

By Edna Giffen

When doing a project to benefit present and future generations, a municipality uncovered an item from the past.

As part of a stormwater mitigation project, the Town of Brookhaven has cleared a large area on the northeast corner of Mount Sinai Harbor adjacent to Shore Road. During this clearing, a cement structure was uncovered: the last remnants of the Brookhaven Sand and Gravel Company.

During the early 1900s, cities were expanding and cement was needed in ever-increasing amounts, with Long Island sand being considered the highest quality.

Companies looked all over Long Island for easily accessible quantities of sand, and in February of 1909, The Port Jefferson Echo, the local newspaper at the time, started reporting on activities concerning mining in Mount Sinai.

On Feb. 6, 1909, New York parties purchased a small piece of bayfront for a dock in the northeast corner of the harbor. This group had already purchased a total of 64 acres of sandy hills across Shore Road, and the American Sand and Gravel Company brought in a pile driver to build a 200-foot dock. A mud digger was brought in to dig a channel to the harbor entrance on the northwest side of the harbor to permit barges to come and go as needed. A railroad trestle was started near the mining area.

In 1910, the American Sand and Gravel Company, which had started this process, sold everything to the newly formed Brookhaven Sand and Gravel Company.

The company moved quickly. The railroad trestle was torn down and rebuilt in a more substantial manner to stand 16 feet above Shore Road, and a building for refining the sand was built on the property. The original plan was for the refining plant to help with housing development, but it became apparent that it’s real purpose was a full-scale mining operation.

Equipment was brought in, including a steam shovel, a donkey engine train and cars to carry the sand over the trestle. Crews of men were brought to work on the construction and the sand mining. By 1912, everything was ready to start the mining operation.

While the work was being done, there were concerns as to the benefits of the operation to the village, as evidenced by an item of Mount Sinai news in the Echo dated April 17, 1909.

A piece in the paper read: “The question whether the sand pile operation at Mount Sinai will bring into the village more money than would the desirable resident community, which they may drive away, is still being canvassed by the inhabitants. There is, however, no doubt of the dismay which has been created in the minds of some of those residing near the proposed sand dump, whose property is already seriously depreciated. On the other hand, it is claimed that if the talk of dredging of the harbor should prove to be of such a character as to be of benefit to the public, as well as to the sand company, the villagers will have cause to be grateful.”

Despite this, sand mining finally began in August 1912.

During the night of Sept. 3, 1912, the plant and part of the trestle were destroyed by fire. The cause was never discovered, the company did not rebuild and everything was left as is.

In 1913, local and summer residents petitioned the Town of Brookhaven to have the lease of the Brookhaven Sand and Gravel Company cancelled as the company was no longer in operation.

The steam shovel, donkey engine and cars were taken to the Miller Place Railroad Station and sent to Canada in July 1916.

Finally, in November 1917, the trestle over Shore Road was removed.

Up until a few years ago, the wooden pylons from the dock were visible and the cement was recently exposed. The foundation of the refining plant is all that is left of this once controversial episode in Mount Sinai history.

Edna Giffen is a 12th-generation Miller Place resident now living in Mount Sinai. She is a local historian, archivist and current president of Miller Place-Mount Sinai Historical Society.

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From left, Bea Ruberto; Inge Goldstein, Sound Beach Civic Association membership chair; Suffolk County Supervisor Steve Bellone; and Suffolk County Leg. Sarah Anker at the bus stop in Sound Beach when second run of the 5A was added in 2014. File photo by Erika Karp

By Bea Ruberto

Sound Beach, nestled between Miller Place and Rocky Point, had a population of 7,612 as of 2010. When I first became involved with the Sound Beach Civic Association, I often heard that our hamlet was forgotten by all levels of government. I can honestly say that in recent years, this has begun to change. Among other projects, the Town of Brookhaven was instrumental in revitalizing Echo Avenue and paving this road to lower Rocky Point Road and is currently working on restoring the East Beach.

Several years ago, Suffolk County recognized the need for better bus service through Sound Beach and added two new runs of the 5A. Now, they’re getting ready to take this back and more — eliminate the 5A. This will mean there will be no service north of 25A and east of Echo Avenue. The only “service” will be the S62, which skirts our community and only runs twice a day — in the a.m. eastbound and p.m. westbound — to allow people to get to Suffolk County offices during rush hour.

Suffolk County is planning to eliminate eight routes throughout the system to help close a looming $78 million deficit, and, yes, the 5A is not a busy route, but it is the only public transportation in Sound Beach. People use this to get to work and to doctors’ appointments and to connect with other routes in Port Jefferson and Middle Island. In addition, an increasingly aging population may need to do things as basic as get to the grocery store. At this point, I don’t use the bus system, but, having just turned 70, I foresee a time in the not-too-distant future when I may need to give up my car.

According to the county, in some cases there may be alternate routes for passengers. In Sound Beach, this only applies to those living within walking distance of 25A, and most Sound Beachers live too far to walk to 25A. In other cases, existing routes may be altered to cover key destinations on the routes subject to elimination.

We then ask that the route of the 5A be modified instead of eliminated.

Barring this, perhaps the S62 can be modified so that it runs through Sound Beach proper and more often than once in the morning and once in the evening.

Public hearings on this will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. on the following dates/locations:

• Thursday, Sept. 8, Riverhead Legislative Auditorium, Evans K. Griffing Building, 300 Center Drive, Riverhead.

• Friday, Sept. 9, Hauppauge Legislative Auditorium, W. H. Rogers Building, 725 Veterans Memorial Highway, Smithtown.

Written comments may be submitted up to five days following the hearings to Suffolk County Transit, 335 Yaphank Ave., Yaphank 11980-9774.

Members of the Sound Beach Civic Association will attend the Sept. 8 meeting. If this route is removed, it won’t be easy to get the service back. We urge everyone in Sound Beach to join us whether you ride the bus or not. We will also be crafting a written comment that will be made available for use by the community. For more information, to get a copy of the written comment or if you need a ride to the Sept. 8 meeting, email [email protected] or call 631-744-6952.

Bea Ruberto is a Sound Beach resident and current president of the Sound Beach Civic Association.

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Ready to celebrate, Joseph Wolkin (center in white shirt) and his group, Israel 2.0, went to the Western Wall for Shabbat services on Friday evening, dancing and singing before the Sabbath even began. Photo from Joseph Wolkin

Ready to celebrate, Joseph Wolkin (center in white shirt) and his group, Israel 2.0, went to the Western Wall for Shabbat services on Friday evening, dancing and singing before the Sabbath even began. Photo from Joseph Wolkin

By Joseph Wolkin

Embarking on our second week in what we call Eretz Yisrael, Israel 2.0 had a relaxing day in the Golan Heights before setting off for Jerusalem.

We started the day with a beautiful, calm hike in the Golan. Next, we journeyed to the Golan Heights Winery, where we went wine tasting and experienced the joy of the sweet grape flavors. While in the winery, we were able to get a tour of how the wine is made, processed and eventually sent out for shipping.

The highlight of that day was driving ATVs in the northern part of Israel. Our group split up between three and four people per ATV, roaring through the dirt roads. Some people were spontaneous enough to even jump inside a shallow river just off the path during one of our three stops, while others enjoyed some fresh watermelon from the ATV staff. But the craziest part of that journey might have been going full throttle into mud, destroying our clothes and needing a shower immediately after we got off the ATVs.

Once we arrived in what is considered to be Judaism’s holiest area, our group’s first task was to take a tour of the Western Wall – the Kotel in Hebrew. Walking to the Kotel, my heart paced rapidly, visiting one of the holiest sites in Judaism for the first time in a year.

Eventually, it was time to start learning at Aish HaTorah. With a series of four lectures throughout the day, our group learned about different levels of pleasure, understanding how much knowledge you truly have and the most intriguing part of the day’s classes, a presentation from ZAKA, a non-profit international rescue unit.

Yossi Fraenkel, an operation’s officer at ZAKA, gave an emotional hour-plus presentation about the unit’s rescue efforts. As he showed us crime scenes of terror attacks not only in Israel but also throughout the world, his voice cracked, showing how horrific things have been throughout his career.

The next day was full of lectures, discussing the difference between knowledge and faith, “The Seven Wonders of Jewish History,” hidden codes within the Torah and the belief of G-d’s role in the history of the universe.

During the evening, we set out for Ben Yehuda Street, one of the premier nightlife areas in all of Israel. It was the first time our group went to Ben Yehuda during the trip, and we made the most of it, going to different restaurants and exploring the bar scene.

The following day was quite the busy one. We had one-on-one learning in the yeshiva, followed by a discussion led by Stand with Us, an Israeli advocacy organization that works to help educate people in order to create peace in Israel. The discussion went on for quite awhile, with some heated debates about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as we learned about the heavy propaganda use by the Palestinian government, history of the land and other key facts.

A snake-shaped bomb shelter sits in the midst of a park in Sderot, one of the closest cities to the Gaza border. Photo from Joseph Wolkin
A snake-shaped bomb shelter sits in the midst of a park in Sderot, one of the closest cities to the Gaza border. Photo from Joseph Wolkin

Later that afternoon, we went to Sderot, one of the scarier areas of Israel. Seemingly always under the radar of being attacked by rockets from Gaza, there is a bomb shelter in a park in the shape of a snake where children can hide, along with each bus stop in the area being a bomb shelter. We went to a police station, in that park, and saw the types of missiles that are sent into the area, but fortunately seldom cause any major damage.

Finally, we got to ride camels at Kfar Hanokdim, a bedouin tent in the midst of the Judean desert. The camels might smell horrific, but hopping on top of them as the sun was setting was indeed on point. We spent the evening in the area, where we were able to see the Milky Way, full of shooting stars and the dim white light of the sky.

The next morning, we went straight to Yam HaMelach — the Dead Sea. Ouch. Don’t go in there if you have any cuts, especially open ones. It hurts just as much as people say it will. However, the beauty of the area is remarkable. And if you use TMobile like I do, you’ll probably receive a text saying, “Welcome to Jordan.”

That evening, Israel 2.0 was one of numerous groups from around the world to attend the Olami Mega Event, featuring Naftali Bennett, Israel’s minister of education. Dancing and singing with random people from around the world, I was astonished by how welcoming everyone was, from the soldiers to the rabbis and all of my peers.

Leading up to Shabbat, our Friday was spent at Yad Vashem — the Holocaust museum — and shopping at Machane Yehuda, an open market area within Jerusalem.

Come sunset, we journeyed back to the Kotel, singing and dancing for over an hour with two other groups from Olami to welcome in the Sabbath. After jumping around for Lecha Dodi, one of the main songs to begin Shabbat, I stopped to take a minute to embrace the beauty of everyone coming together. We didn’t care who had germs, where we were from or anything like that. All that mattered was we were Jewish and were becoming bigger believers by the second.

Oh, and that Saturday was my 21st birthday. The amount of kindness from my group on that day was absolutely astonishing. One of our staff members, Julia, organized an unbelievable night for me once Shabbat concluded.

We went to a beautiful restaurant in Jerusalem, where I was greeted with ice cream and had whipped cream thrown at me by my friends after we finished eating. The rest of the night is kind of a blur, but we went to a great bar, with plenty of my friends treating me to drinks because they were quite awesome.

The rest of the trip was spent doing some more one-on-one learning, along with a few group sessions. During this time, I studied Pirkei Avot, known as the Ethics of the Fathers. Delving into this new level of learning, something my rabbi has pushed me to do for quite some time, I began to realize something about myself: It takes true patience to learn about the major concepts of Judaism, and for me, this is just the start of something beautiful.

Sadly, our time with Israel 2.0 came to an end on July 13. As the plane launched off the ground at Ben Gurion Airport, one could not help but wonder when we will be back in the Holy Land.

Joseph Wolkin is a journalism major at Stony Brook University, a regular NASCAR reporter for multiple publications and an intern for Times Beacon Record Newspapers.

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Joseph Wolkin, second from right, during a visit to the Golan Winery in Golan Heights with his group, Israel 2.0, just before departing for Jerusalem. Photo from Joseph Wolkin

By Joseph Wolkin

The goose bumps were out and about among the 38 students traveling to the Holy Land at the end of June on Israel 2.0, a post-Birthright trip designed to give an additional learning experience throughout Israel.

Traveling to the only Jewish state in the world, our group was greeted by Rabbi Chaim Burg, a Mexican-born rabbi who now lives in Passaic, New Jersey, and leads the group. Throughout the 10-plus-hour flight, Rabbi Burg made sure to greet each individual. When he approached me, my first question was simple: How did you get this trip started?

The rabbi’s answer was quite intriguing. He teased about how he was not born in America but refused to delve into it until Shabbat — the holiest day of the week in Judaism, which includes not using electronic devices for those who strictly observe it. However, he spoke about how he used to lead Birthright trips and was inspired to start his own program.

Israel 2.0 is a 16-day trip run by Rabbi Burg. The program is quite different from Birthright, where the majority of that trip — one that is free — is spent on touring Israel. This one, however, had a mixture of touring, followed by approximately one week studying about Judaism at Aish HaTorah — a well-respected Yeshiva — in Jerusalem overlooking the Western Wall.

When we arrived in Israel, our first stop was Jaffa Port. The area is known as the location of Jonah’s battle with a whale, which swallowed the prophet for several days to save him from drowning after being thrown off a ship by sailors during a storm. Then, it was off to Tel Aviv.

Known as Startup City, Tel Aviv is home to some of the world’s most successful start-up companies. The area has blossomed over the years, featuring a plethora of high-tech companies throughout the city overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

In addition to Tel Aviv’s modern, secular culture, it is also known for its rather wild nightlife. Our group set out for a journey during our first evening in the area, a few hours after traveling to the beach to relax after a hectic day. We ended up at a bar in the midst of the city, being greeted by Israelis left and right, who welcomed us with open arms.

The next morning, it was time to volunteer at Save a Child’s Heart, an organization that provides heart surgery and follow-up care for children living in countries where having cardiac procedures is essentially unattainable. According to the foundation, a child is saved every 29 hours within Israeli facilities or on an Israeli medical mission in a partner country.

We spent a few hours at Save a Child’s Heart, learning about the process of how kids are selected to be flown to Israel and receive treatment. At the time we were visiting, the majority of the children were from Africa, but they also treat kids from the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Iraq, Morocco, Asia, Eastern Europe and the Americas.

I had the honor of spending time with a 13-year-old boy from Tanzania, who loves music. He took my iPhone and went straight to YouTube, searching for his favorite music. As his grin got larger, I realized just how fortunate we are to have such amazing doctors and how amazing these kids feel to know that their lives are being saved.

Later that day, we journeyed to the Center for the Deaf and Mute. The tour was quite intense, with no cell phones allowed and soundproof headphones covering everyone’s ears. Oh, and we weren’t allowed to talk because the tour guide was indeed deaf and wanted us to communicate only with our hands.

Our guide was all smiles throughout the dynamic, not once seeming upset about her disability. She showed us how she communicates with family and friends, providing an insight as to what it is like to be deaf, one that a non-hearing-impaired person can’t experience in everyday life. The experience was truly moving, especially in a question-and-answer session with the woman, who spoke through a sign language translator, elaborating on how she was born deaf and makes the most out of her life with no complaints.

Kayaking on the Jordan River the next day, my group was tossed into the river. The competitor in all of us truly came out, splashing each other and acting like 5-year-olds during our journey.

At night, we took at boat ride in Tiberius, otherwise known as the Sea of Galilee. The remarkable beauty of the mountains surrounding us, along with the crystal clear water, was outstanding, giving us a nice sense of calm while playing drums on the boat after quite the busy week.

Wrapping up the week, we spent Shabbat in the holy city of Tzfat. But before Shabbat began, we toured the area, learning about the roots of Kabbalah — the mystical part of Judaism.

Our group met an artist, Avraham Loewenthal, who spoke about how he went from living in Michigan to being a Kabbalist. His insight onto life was remarkable, seeing how thrilled he was to live in Tzfat and studying Kabbalah. As he put it, “the Kabbalah changed my life.”

Finally, the Sabbath arrived. The men were suited up and the women were dressed in traditional clothes as we walked down the road from our hotel to a Chabad in Tzfat. Singing Kabbalat Shabbat — the prayers to welcome in the Sabbath — in the melodies made famous by Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach in the 20th century, our group was just one of several within the synagogue.

As we kicked back and enjoyed a traditional meal on Friday night, Rabbi Burg spoke about a key term known in Hebrew as “Shamor V’Zachor,” translated into English as “keep and remember.” He elaborated on the importance of remembering the Sabbath day, but to make a true effort to keeping Shabbat as the sages of Judaism teach us.

Throughout Shabbat, we mingled and sang songs. It was the first time on the trip we united as one. That day, we learned about the rabbi’s heritage, never expecting to hear he grew up in a non-Jewish home, though his mother was Jewish. Post-Shabbat, we journeyed back to Tiberius, going on the boat once again. As we danced and sang, as one person put it, “It was like our own little club.” Finally, we set off for Jerusalem …

(See Part Two of Joe’s journey to the Holy Land in next week’s issue.) Joseph Wolkin is a journalism major at Stony Brook University, a regular NASCAR reporter for multiple publications and an intern for Times Beacon Record Newspapers.

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Mayoral candidate Barbara Donovan with trustees Michael Schaefer and Joan Hubbard. Photo from Unity and Respect Party

Dear Poquott Village residents,

As most of you know, I was mayor of the Village of Poquott for 12 years and I’m running again. I believe in fiscal and environmental responsibility and transparency at all government levels. I want to spend the next two years getting the job done. I will work within the parameters of the law to do the right thing. I have always respect residents, whether homeowners or renters, and have valued their input.

I’ve lived in Poquott for 44 years. My late husband’s family arrived in the 1890’s and purchased property in the original Bayview Park area. They were involved in the incorporation of the Vilage of Poquott in the 1930s.

I’m a 28-year member of the Setauket Fire Department, having served as a firefighter, EMT, and now as fire police/peace officer. I am also a member of the Poquott Civic Association and many other community organizations. As you can see, I love this community and have “walked the walk” to make Poquott the best it can be.

I’m now retired, but have 30 years of experience in marketing, development and public relations. Budgets were and are my specialty.

As mayor, I consistently attended New York State mayors conferences, planning board and zoning board of appeals workshops and other county and town informational sessions to keep myself current on the latest updates and changes in all local, state and federal laws and mandates.

My door was always open and my personal phone accessible. Residents were welcome to use village hall at any time when village business was not being conducted. All meetings were held in the open and residents were encouraged to attend and comment without fear of repercussions.

When re-elected, these principles will be reinstated immediately. I am, and have always been, committed to courteous and respectful interactions with everyone. I expect the same behavior from all members of my board. The Unity and Respect Party promises to bring back the quality of life that all residents — homeowners and renters alike — have come to expect.

I hope the Unity and Respect Party candidates, trustees Michael Schaefer and Joan Hubbard, and I as mayor, can count on your vote on Tuesday, June 21 at village hall from noon to 9 p.m.

Thank you for your support.

Barbara Donovan, candidate for mayor of the Village of Poquott

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