FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM AUGUST 19, 2021 • THE QUEENS COURIER 55
Victoria’s
SECRETS
Victoria
SCHNEPSYUNIS
vschneps@schnepsmedia.com
For more than a decade, I
have known and admired
Eric Adams, fi rst meeting
him when he was a state senator
and then continuing to get
to know him better when he
was elected Brooklyn Borough
President.
My son Josh and I owned
the Brooklyn Home
Reporter in Bay
Ridge and eventually
more newspapers
that serve every corner
of that borough.
From his fi rst day
as borough president,
Eric said, “I
will be mayor.” I
never doubted his
drive and ambition
over the eight years he
has served in that position
and I’m a big believer
in the theory, “wish it
and it will be!”
Eric did that and now
he is nearly there, having
won the extraordinarily competitive
primary fi ght in June. Now,
only the November general election
stands in his way to win the
prize and take offi ce as New York
City’s next mayor.
Last weekend, Eric came to
the Hamptons for a meet-andgreet
marathon to support his
campaign.
I had the pleasure and fun of
greeting him at Th e Hampton
Synagogue’s lecture series, held
every Sunday. Last week, the
synagogue had State Attorney
General Letitia James as a guest,
and next week they will host
our new Governor Kathy
Hochul.
On Sunday, Aug. 16, at
10:30 a.m., more than 200
people gathered outside
under a tent as Eric made
his way to center stage for
an hourlong “conversation”
with Rabbi Marc
Schneier.
In his red blazer
with black and
white polka dot elbow
patches and a black suede
yarmulke (a small prayer
hat), Eric was like a rock
star entering the arena —
people rushed to shake
his hand and simply
touch him. Walking to
that stage took half an
hour!
Rabbi Schneier
The city meets the Hamptons
boasted about how the synagogue
is proud to be fi rst in
what they do and, with a twinkle
in his eye, he turned to Eric
and said, “we will be fi rst to
give you a yarmulke imprinted
‘Mayor of NYC,’ replacing the
one you have that says ‘Brooklyn
Borough President.’”
Speaking with passion and
powerful words of his plans for
the city, Eric shared
his vision of bringing
back safe
streets, creating
a
With Joan McNaughton, Jean Shafifi roffff , Catherine
Muscente, Demetra Mattone and Judi Marti.
John and Margo Catsimatidis and Adams with
hosts Dennis and Karen Mehiel.
more eff ective school system
and dealing with city
agencies to unblock
the obstacles for getting
the economy back
in gear.
Eric was asked about
his stance on Israel. He
quickly and unqualifi
edly explained that,
“it was a seminal gut
feeling that I came
out toward the end
of my campaign supporting
Israel, a place
that is critical to our
city and the world.”
When asked about
the growth of anti-Semitism,
he responded by
saying he has a plan to
put an end to it. He made
it clear that he will not tolerate
hatred of any kind!
Following a strict schedule,
we then zoomed off to two
private parties. Each group
he visited was struck by his
Rabbi Marc Schneier leads a discussion Eric Adams.
vision to take back our city and
keep people from running away!
Th e heat of the day seemed
to dissolve as our future mayor
wowed the groups with his wise
words and charismatic personality.
A DAY OF JOYOUS REUNION
Aft er 15 months of missing out
on in-person contact, our staff
came together for a pool and
tennis reunion party.
With all four of our offi ces
having been closed since the
start of the pandemic, it was
such a joy to see everyone again
and to meet our new hires. Th e
virtual hugs turned into warm
bear hugs.
Joanna Austin, publisher of
our Long Island Press, took on
the responsibility of organizing a
tennis tournament in memory of
our beloved COO Bob Brennan,
who we lost as COVID began.
Competing with the tennis
tournament, Ralph D’Onofrio
set up a cornhole challenge.
I don’t know what
was hotter — the competition
or the 90-degree
heat!
A special thanks to
Justin’s Chop Shop in
Westhampton, whose
catering was seven stars!
We laughed, we ate
and we relished each
other’s company. What
a day!
Dr. Harvey Manes
with Adams.
Jerry Levin presents
his company’s drink,
Waterloo Sparkling
Water, to Adams.
The Bob Brennan
Tournament winners.
Adams and hostess
Carol Levin touching
polka-dot elbows. How great it was to spend time with my staffff .
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