Scarsdale Historical Society Presents Two Documentaries on February 9
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The Scarsdale Historical Society in cooperation with the Scarsdale Public Library invite the public to join them for an afternoon of films at Quaker Ridge School Auditorium at 125 Weaver Street., Scarsdale on Sunday, February 9th at 3:00pm. Admission is free and light refreshments will be provided.
THE LIFE AND ART OF ANNA RICHARDS BREWSTER is a short (9 minute), poignant film that rediscovers the magnificent work of Anna Richards Brewster (1870-1952), a Scarsdale resident, who in her day was recognized as one of America’s finest Impressionist painters. Her work was widely exhibited in Europe and America, and she painted many familiar stunning landscapes of Scarsdale.
A RIVER RETURNS: A HISTORY OF THE BRONX RIVER is a 40 minute film that provides a historical journey down the Bronx River and a tale of how it was rescued from severe pollution to become a model for restoring natural resources nationwide. The Bronx River may be a small river but it played a large role in shaping the towns and lives of people in Westchester County, including Scarsdale.
These documentaries were professionally produced and directed by Scarsdale native Lesley Topping with Barbara Shay MacDonald, VP, Historian of the Scarsdale Historical Society. Ms. Topping is an independent filmmaker, producer and film editor whose work includes dramatic films, documentaries, and television programs. She has edited award-winning films for the Cousteau Society, CBS, PBS, and A&E, and worked on many feature films. She also produces multimedia content for businesses and not for profits.
After each film, there will be an opportunity to ask questions of Ms. MacDonald and Ms. Topping.
About the Scarsdale Historical Society
The Scarsdale Historical Society exists to discover, preserve, and disseminate historical information as well as inspire others to learn about and contribute to the history of Scarsdale and the Central mid-Westchester region.
No Hate, No Fear March Draws Large Crowd
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This past Sunday, under bright skies, thousands of people showed up in unity to protest anti-Semitic attacks in the region. This “No Hate, No Fear” event began at Foley Square in lower Manhattan, continued with a march over the Brooklyn Bridge, and ended with a rally at Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn. According to event organizers, the NYPD estimated the crowd at approximately 25,000. The event was organized by the UJA Federation of NY in collaboration with the AJC, Antidefamation League of NY/NJ, Jewish Community Relations Council and the NY Board of Rabbis.
While dignitaries were in abundance at the event – including Governor Cuomo, Senators Schumer and Gillibrand, Mayor De Blasio, Congressman Engel, among others – the rally featured other speakers who moved the crowd. In addition to event organizers and Jewish community leaders, speakers included activist Deborah Halberstrom, whose son was murdered on the Brooklyn Bridge in 1994, Pastor Gil Monrose, co-founder of the “GodSquad”, and Cardinal Timothy Dolan and Bishop DiMarzio of Brooklyn.
The majority of the march-goers came from synagogues in the greater NY region, including Scarsdale’s local Temples. Many also came by the bus load from Cleveland, Philadelphia, Boston, Montreal, and Toronto. The event was organized as a “Solidarity March” and included a large group from the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom, a national group of Muslim and Jewish Women, with local chapters who marched together.
It was clear that participants felt unified under a common theme – to voice concerns about growing anti-Semitism. Additionally, the importance of showing Jewish pride was echoed by speakers and marchers alike. Scarsdale residents Joy and David Chalfin put it simply: “Sometimes you have to stand and be counted, and this was one of those times.”
Rocah Announces Bid for Westchester County District Attorney
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Scarsdale’s Mimi Rocah, who has developed a big following from her appearances as a legal analyst on MSNBC, announced that she is running for Westchester District Attorney against Anthony Scarpino who is currently in his first term.
Announcing her bid on Twitters she said, “It's time for people to get off the sidelines and fight for what they believe in. That's why I’ve made a huge decision -- I’m running to be Westchester’s next District Attorney!”
In an interview on “Morning Joe” on December 4, Rocah said, “Only 24% of prosecutors around the country are women and we need to change that. I was a federal prosecutor for 16 years and I put away gun dealers, drug traffickers and child predators. For the last two years I have been speaking out about the rule of law and about this this lawless administration. We have a criminal in the White House and a corrupt Attorney General who just today said that if communities don’t show the proper respect to law enforcement they won’t get the protection that is their right under the law and our democracy. These are the type of criminal messages that are coming from Washington. So I want to be part of what is happening on the state and local level, pushing back against these policies of hate and complete disrespect for the rule of law.”
About the local scene she said, “In Westchester County we have an opioid crisis, sex trafficking and gun violence. Parents are afraid to send their children to school because of gun violence. These are the things I can work on and help push back against the Trump Administration.”
Jim Scarborough noted that another television personality, Jeanine Pirro from Fox News, also held the job of Westchester County District Attorney. About her, Rocah said, “She will not be my role model.”
Read more about Mimi Rocah here:
Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins Pays a Visit to Scarsdale
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Andrea Stewart-Cousins, the first woman and the first African American woman to serve as majority leader of the NYS Senate paid a visit to the Scarsdale Forum on December 11, proud to announce that this was the most productive session in the history of the NYS Legislature.
She reported that though the legislature is still dominated by men, the majority conference this year is very diverse and includes a Salvadorn senator, two Colombian senators, a Costa Rican, a Taiwanese, a southeast Asian and the Senate’s first Muslim senator.
Stewart-Cousins proudly said, “We demonstrated that we could govern, keep the promises we made to voters, pass an on-time budget, and be progressive. With a Democratic majority in both houses, the legislature passed 935 bills, many that she called “substantive and historic” that generally take a year to get through.
Among the bills that passed were the Reproductive Health Act which legalized abortion at any time "when necessary to protect a woman's life or health or in the absence of fetal viability. The act allows licensed health care practitioners other than physicians to perform abortions if doing so falls within their lawful scope of practice.
Also passed was the Child Victims Act that extends the statute of limitations for a survivor of child sexual abuse in criminal and civil cases in New York. This means there is now more time for a survivor of child sexual abuse to press criminal charges. And, in civil cases, the CVA extends the period of time during which a survivor of child sexual abuse can file a claim for money damages.
Another groundbreaking bill enacted into law was the Green Light Law which restored the right to obtain a license, regardless of immigration status, that existed prior to 2001. According to Stewart-Cousins this legislation will allow undocumented immigrants to drive legally and foster economic growth and make roads safer. She said, “This is the right step forward for New York State as we continue to advocate for comprehensive immigration reform on the federal level.”
Upcoming issues before the NYS State Senate will be the $6 billion deficit in the upcoming state budget, which is largely due to an increase in the state’s Medicaid costs.
Stewart-Cousins discussed an upcoming state census which will largely be done online – and will determine future representation in the state. She also noted that the date for the state primaries has been moved to June from September to align with the federal primaries. This means that the session for the state legislature will be condensed.
Learn more about Stewart-Cousins here:
Scarsdale Resident Hosts 14th Annual WJCS Have a Heart for the Holidays Luncheon
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For the 14th year in a row, Linda Plattus, a Scarsdale resident and Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS) board member, hosted a luncheon in her home for the WJCS Have a Heart for the Holidays Gift Drive which benefits Westchester children in under-resourced communities. Fellow board members Suzanne Yearley, Nina Ross, Sarah Kayle and Michele Brettschneider co-hosted the event, which raised a record-breaking $8,000.
"While Westchester is often regarded as an affluent county, it is home to thousands of families living below the poverty line. WJCS provides services to many of those households through a range of parenting, mental health and education- focused programs. We want to make sure that children in the families we serve have a truly joyful holiday,” says WJCS CEO Seth Diamond. “We are so grateful for Linda Plattus’ support year after year, along with other WJCS board members, as well as her neighbors and friends who contributed toys and gift cards for children in need.”
Monica Brennan, a supervisor at the WJCS Yonkers clinic, spoke at the luncheon, as did a client whose nine-year-old son participates in WJCS support groups for developmentally and intellectually disabled youth. WJCS provides 88+ programs to 20,000 Westchester residents each year and addresses a vast range of life challenges, including mental health, trauma, literacy, autism, Alzheimer’s, and more.
Local businesses, including Cherry Lawn Farm Market, Cooked and Co, House of Flowers, Martine’s Fine Bake Shoppe, Patisserie Salzburg, and Standing Room Only supported the event.
To contribute to the Have a Heart for the Holidays Gift Drive, please click here: 
WJCS Board members from left: Sarah Kayle, Nina Ross, Linda Plattus, and Michele Brettschneider.
ABOUT WJCS
WJCS is one of the largest non-profit, non-sectarian human services agencies in Westchester, serving 20,000 people annually at 70 clinic, school, community, and home-based locations throughout the county. WJCS is a trauma-informed agency. Its integrated network of services includes: mental health treatment and counseling, child and youth development programs, residential and non-residential programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and geriatric services. The highest level of professional development and training is offered through the WJCS Educational Institute. For more information on WJCS, click here.
