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FEATURES Times Newsweekly Community Profiles • Local History • Nightlife • Food Reviews • Neighborhood Events And Memories 15 • TIMES, THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2015 Keeping Faith For Church’s Unity Congregations Come Together For Glendale Service The Ridgewood Democratic Club held its Annual Membership Brunch on Saturday, Jan. 24. Many elected officials were on hand to speak to the members. Pictured from left to right are: Council Member Costa Constantinides, Council Member Elizabeth Crowley, Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer, City Comptroller Scott Stringer, Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan, Congress Member Nydia Velazquez, Vijay Chaudhuri representing Congress Member Joseph Crowley, David Aglialoro, Diane Ballek and Council Member Antonio Reynoso. If You See Breaking News On Your Block... Contact The Times Newsweekly Call 1-718-821-7500 • Email info@timesnewsweekly.com by Kelly Marie Mancuso Religious leaders and clergy from throughout the borough gathered to celebrate a special Service for Christian Unity on Sunday, Jan. 25, at the Glendale/Maspeth United Methodist Church in Glendale. Refusing To Forget Auschwitz Horrors Council Honors Holocaust Survivors The Nazi regime slaughtered more than 1.3 million people— the vast majority of whom were Jewish—over a two-year period in the concentration camp located in present-day Poland. With Soviet forces advancing, German troops evacuated the camp and sent its 50,000 remaining prisoners on a death march. Soviet troops officially liberated Auschwitz on Jan. 27, 1945, which is now recognized as International Holocaust Remembrance Day; the 20,000 Auschwitz prisoners who survived the death march were liberated that April by British forces at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Germany. Some 73,000 Holocaust survivors—including those who were imprisoned at Auschwitz— presently reside in New York City, according to the City Council. However, many of the survivors live at or below the poverty level. The City Council passed a resolution last Wednesday calling on future generations not only to remember the horrors of the Holocaust, but to also ensure that its survivors live the rest of their lives in dignity and peace. Remembering the Holocaust is particularly important now, lawmakers noted, as incidents of anti-Semitism are flaring up in Europe and other parts of the globe. “Hate and bigotry have no place in our society, and yet have reared their ugly heads in the pages of history far too often,” said City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. “In commemorating the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, we honor th memories of millions of Jews and other persecuted minorities who were so senselessly slain, and we honor the strength and fortitude of the survivors who endured in the face of such terrible pain and loss.” “We must never forget the unspeakable atrocities that Among the church leaders who participated Sunday’s Christian unity service in Glendale are (front row, left to right) Msgr. Robert Thelen, rector of Douglaston Seminary; Rev. Dr. Phil Hardt, pastor of Glendale/Maspeth United Methodist Church; Seminarian Mark Bristol of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church in Ridgewood; and Howard Holmes, associate pastor of Christ Tabernacle Church in Glendale; and (back row, left to right) Rev. Henry G. Fury, rector at United Presbyterian Church in Ridgewood; Rev. Joseph M. Zwosta, associate pastor at St. Helen's Church in Howard Beach; Auxilliary Bishop Paul Sanchez of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens; Rev. Leo Longan of Trinity Lutheran Church in Middle Village; Fr. Ernest Fazardeau; and Pastor Thomas Goodhart of Trinity Reformed Church in Ridgewood. Ridgewood Dem. Club Meets by Robert Pozarycki Vowing to always remember the Holocaust and its victims, the City Council held a somber ceremony at City Hall last Wednesday, Jan. 21, marking 70 years since the Auschwitz- Birkenau death camp was liberated by Allied Forces in the final months of World War II. -SEE AUSCHWITZ ON PG. 49- The special service commemorated the end of the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity celebrated by Christians throughout the world. The eight-day period is celebrated each year from Jan. 18-25. It begins with the feast of the confession of St. Peter and concludes with the feast of the conversion of St. Paul. Parishes around the world typically partake in an exchange of clergy in a gesture of unity and the celebration of diversity. Franciscan Fr. Paul Wattson founded the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, or Church Unity Octave, in 1908. Fr. Wattson believed that a week dedicated to joint prayer, reflection and celebration would help unify the Christian faith. In addition to this, Fr. Wattson was also an advocate for the poor and helped establish St. Christopher’s Inn, a refuge for homeless men. Rev. Dr. Phil Hardt, pastor of Glendale Maspeth United Methodist Church, hosted this year’s service. Clergy members -SEE UNITY ON PG. 28-


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