For What it’s Worth: Warren Hecht

A good indication of the expected age of attendees to an event is what type of music they play (if they have music). The bike ride I went to on August 16 fit that description. They were playing music from the ‘50s as opposed to music for 50-year-olds. This was probably the oldest crowd I have seen for a bike ride.

There are more places where information can be disseminated than in the past. It was not too long ago when getting your message out was limited to print media and rallies. On the other hand, the number of individuals and organizations trying to put out content has grown exponentially. It is hard to compete with influencers and others who have an online following. Thus, it is a great accomplishment when a statement becomes noticed, is covered by the media, and results in an elected official being asked about it. I give kudos to Elizabeth Forspan, president of the Brandeis Association of Queens, for being able to pull off that feat. As an aside for Jewish geography, my wife babysat for Elizabeth’s husband and sister-in-law.

Recap: The girls are caught in a torrential downpour. They find an empty barn and fall asleep there for the night. They wake up to see a lady staring at them.

 The lady spoke in Spanish, and two gold bangle bracelets jangled on her wrist.

Kew Gardens Hills has a vast, vibrant Jewish community with many shuls. There is one situation in which its expansiveness and its options can be a detriment. There are at least eight possible reasons why, all of a sudden, you stop seeing somebody:

I would not have expected that George Alan O’Dowd, aka Boy George, would have the karma to be the entertainer who would take a strong stand in support of Israel. He is a superstar for his courage and support. He wrote a song, “We Will Dance Again.”

I am writing this column a few days before Tishah B’Av, which has some impact on the column. I remember going to various Yom HaShoah programs and hearing survivors say that we need to make sure people do not forget. They said that what happened in Germany could happen here. At the time, I thought they were being a little overdramatic. I also thought their fear may have been caused by PTSD. Considering the rapid rise of antisemitism in this country and the abrupt loss of support for Israel, those fears do not sound so crazy anymore.