TIMES, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2015 • 10 Shalom To France’s Rabbi Ridgewood Proprietor Helps With Official Greeting At Synagogue Chief Rabbi Haim Corsia spoke about the safety of French Jews following the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attacks in January and other recent anti-Semitic events across Europe. Thursday’s event was reserved “for leaders and representatives of the Jewish community,” as noted on the official invitation. Hochberg, owner of Queens Wines and Liquors, has served as president of the Park East Synagogue board of directors for the past seven years and previously greeted Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI during his 2008 visit to New York. Along with Mayor Bill de Blasio and Park East’s Rabbi Arthur Schneier, Hochberg presented Corsia with a crystal apple as a token of the congregation’s appreciation and support. In a phone interview with the Times Newsweekly, Hochberg remarked that Corsia held a very positive and hopeful outlook for the Jewish people of France, noting that the rabbi is working closely with the government to ensure that people, synagogues and schools are properly protected from evildoers. Hochberg noted that Corsica—who also serves as chaplain of the French Army— worked closely with the government of French President François Hollande to assign 10,500 soldiers and law enforcement agents to protect Jewish sites across the nation. “The rabbi is a very energetic young man and his objective of course is not to have people leave but have them stay and make sure there’s the proper protection,” Hochberg said. “They consider themselves Frenchmen. For many generations, they’ve been there.” As quoted in the Jerusalem Post, Corsia told those gathered at Park East last Thursday he witnessed in France “a sense of indifference” toward anti-Semitism and bias crimes prior to last month’s attacks in France at a satirical news magazine’s office and a Kosher supermarket. But in the aftermath, Corsia declared, French people from all walks of life rose to denounce the attacks and other acts of violence. “The entire society finally rose to say ‘no’ to the terrorist, ‘no’ to muzzling freedom of speech and freedom of the press,” according to Corsia’s remarks published in the Jerusalem Post. “I am of the view that if Charlie Hebdo as such had not happened, I’m not sure that so many people would march in the street.” Hochberg echoed those sentiments, noting that the rally in Paris following the Queens Mourns Sen. Onorato, 86 by Angy Altamirano Lifelong Queens resident and former State Sen. George Onorato, who served west Queens’ 12th District for over two decades, died last Saturday, Feb. 21, at the age of 86. Onorato (at right) began serving the district—which encompasses Astoria, Long Island City, Sunnyside and parts of Woodside, Ridgewood and Maspeth—in 1983 until he announced his retirement in 2010. He was succeeded by State Sen. Michael Gianaris, who currently holds the position. “George Onorato will always be part of the fabric of western Queens,” Gianaris said. “He dedicated his long and happy life to serving others and making the communities he represented better places to live. George Onorato served our country, our state and our neighborhoods in a way that made a positive difference in people’s lives. I will miss him. My thoughts are with his family at this difficult time. May his memory be eternal.” Onorato graduated from Long Island City High School and served in the United States Army from 1950 to 1952. Former State Sen. Serphin Maltese, who served with Onorato in the state senate for many years, remembered him as a “true man of the people.” “He gave a special view on things,” Maltese said. “I’m sorry to lose him.” Onorato was married to Athena Georgakakos and had three children, Joanne, George and Janice. Visitation was held on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Joseph Farenga & Sons Funeral Home at 38-08 Ditmars Blvd. in Astoria. A funeral Mass is scheduled for this morning, Thursday, at 10:30 a.m. at Astoria’s St. Francis of Assisi Church, 22-17 45th St., followed by burial at St. Michael’s Cemetery in East Elmhurst. attacks—which included 4 million people and heads of state from across the globe— showed solidarity for the victims and sent a message that hatred will not be tolerated. Even so, anti-Semitic incidents occurred in France weeks after the attacks, including the desecration of about 250 tombs at a Jewish cemetery in the eastern part of the country. Citing French authorities, the Jerusalem Post reported that anti-Semitic threats and incidents doubled in France over the last year. by Robert Pozarycki Ridgewood businessman Herman Hochberg joined the mayor and others in welcoming France’s chief rabbi to Manhattan’s Park East Synagogue last Thursday, Feb. 19. Pictured from left to right: Herman Hochberg, president of Park East Synagogue’s board of directors; France’s Chief Rabbi Haim Corsia; Rabbi Arthur Schneier of Park East; and Mayor Bill de Blasio. RIDGEWOOD OFFICE PRODUCTS CENTER “YOUR ONE-STOP SHOP FOR ALL YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS” DISCOUNTED OFFICE FURNITURE •Space Planning •Interior Design & Layout •Safes/Shredders •Printing / Copies/ Fax Service •Blumberg Legal Forms/Leases •Wedding Invitations/ Foreign Languages ©Times Newsweekly 2015 – R'WOOD OFF. 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