FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM DECEMBER 14, 2017 • THE QUEENS COURIER 31
oped
A LOOK BACK
This 1945 photo shows the intersection of Myrtle and Cooper avenues in Glendale, looking west toward the Glendale Memorial
Triangle. The triangle looks much diff erent now, as a new public plaza was recently constructed there. Send us your historic
photos of Queens by email to editorial@qns.com (Subject: A Look Back) or mail printed pictures to A Look Back, The Queens
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letters & comments
MIXED REACTIONS ON
TRUMP’S JERUSALEM PLAN
President Trump’s plan to eventually move the U.S.
Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem should be very
slow to evolve, if at all, due to the enormous political
impact that this action will have on peace talks
between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
Already, many leaders of Arab countries in the
region have expressed their concerns over this possible
move by the Trump administration. Th ere is the
fear that widespread, violent protests will break out all
across the Middle East, which will only fan the fl ames
of rage already in place.
John Amato, Fresh Meadows
I would like to applaud President Trump’s decision
for the U.S. to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of
Israel. Th is I see as a bold decision and hope this will
not create more turmoil in the region.
As some Biblical scholars have pointed out, about
3,000 years ago, King David created Jerusalem as the
center of Israel. Th e Jews lost their homeland but have
returned home to worship what God had given them
so long ago.
Th is decision, I hope and pray, will eventually bring
peace as President Trump has hoped for. Th e world
must eventually endorse the Jewish state’s claim of
sovereignty over any part of Jerusalem, and peaceful
negotiations can hopefully resolve this issue.
Frederick R. Bedell Jr., Glen Oaks Village
Th e Workmen’s Circle condemns President Trump’s
decision to declare Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
Th is action, both ill-conceived and very dangerous,
will set the peace process, already in jeopardy, back for
years if not serve as a bitter ending to an already tenuous
situation.
We affi rm our long-held position that peace in Israel
must be part of a negotiated two-state solution, along
with mutual protections for both Israel and Palestine.
Jerusalem’s status must be determined by a peace negotiation
and agreement between Israelis and Palestinians,
not an imprudent declaration by the United States.
Ann Toback, Executive Director,
Workmen’s Circle
Editor’s note: For those unfamiliar with Th e
Workmen’s Circle, it is a nonprofi t organization advocating
for issues aff ecting the Jewish community while
also promoting social justice.
DON’T SPEND CITY DOLLARS
ON MAYOR’S LAWYERS
I attended Mayor de Blasio’s Nov. 30 Briarwood
Town Hall meeting and was impressed by his grasp
of details and delivery of good news. He announced
an $800,000 allocation for an outdoor classroom in
Willow Lake Park, adding to the nearly $2 million
secured by Councilman Rory Lancman. But I wasn’t
able to ask him a question, so I’ll do it now.
Why should we pay $13 million in legal fees for the
mayor and his staff when federal and state prosecutors
fi led no charges against them aft er major investigations?
New York City’s Law Department is supposed
to handle the mayor’s legal aff airs relating to his
job. Taxpayers’
dollars shouldn’t go to lawyers getting $900 an hour.
NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer has fi nal approval
over this expenditure. If he OKs it,
taxpayers must fi le a class action suit to prevent this
waste of our money.
Richard Reif, Kew Gardens Hills
Email your letters to editorial@qns.com (Subject:
Letter to the Editor) or leave a comment to any of our
stories at QNS.com. All letters are subject to editing.
Names will be withheld upon request, but anonymous
letters will not be considered for publication. Th e views
expressed in all letters and comments are not necessarily
those of this publication or its staff .
Protect yourself from
identity theft this holiday
season
BY STATE SENATOR JOSEPH ADDABBO
Identity theft , the fastest growing crime, is a serious
issue that can aff ect victims for years, even aft er the
case is resolved and the perpetrator is brought to justice.
Now more than ever, with the recent high-profi le security
breaches at Equifax and Uber, private information is
increasingly vulnerable.
Equifax, one of the country’s three major credit bureaus,
revealed that it was the victim of a cyber-attack between
mid-May and July 2017, where hackers were able to get a
hold of the personal information of more than 145 million
people. Additionally, they stole the credit card numbers for
about 209,000 individuals.
In response to the Equifax breach, Attorney General Eric
T. Schneiderman introduced the Stop Hacks and Improve
Electronic Data Security Act (SHIELD Act), which would
expand New York’s data security laws.
In late 2016, the ride-sharing company Uber suff ered
a breach where hackers stole the names, personal email
addresses, and phone numbers of 57 million customers
worldwide. Th e breach included the driver’s license numbers
of 600,000 U.S. Uber drivers. Instead of alerting customers
that their information had been breached, the former
CEO of Uber allegedly paid the hackers $100,000 to
return the data and kept quiet about the hack. Information
about the hack was only made public a few weeks ago.
When identity thieves start accumulating massive
amounts of debt applying for mortgages, opening new
credit cards and student loans, as well as breaking into
bank debit accounts, and fi ling insurance claims, and that
debt inevitably goes unpaid, the victim will suff er the longterm
consequences. Aside from immediate fi nancial loss,
victims may face credit issues, loss of benefi ts and even
legal problems.
During 2017, three bills passed the State Senate (Bills
S468, S2406A, and S3654) regarding identity theft and how
the crime is treated in the penal system. I voted “Yes” on all
three bills to highlight that those responsible should pay for
their crimes. I am hopeful these bills will be re-introduced
in 2018 and pass both the Senate and Assembly.
Although it is diffi cult to prevent your information from
being stolen from a large corporation — like Equifax or
Uber — there are ways to safeguard yourself and your
information from becoming a victim.
With the holiday season in full swing, I urge people to be
extra careful when swiping their credit and debit cards at stores,
or inputting their information to make purchases online.
Th ere are several ways to protect your personal information
during this holiday season, including being aware of
phishing emails and phone calls that require you to enter
bank account information; checking for skimming devices
when using ATMs — which are used to copy your card
information; not using public Wi-Fi networks when shopping
online; and checking your account statements oft en
to monitor for fraud.
If you feel that you have been a victim of identity theft ,
the fi rst thing you should do is contact your bank or credit
card company and lock the problem account, so no additional
purchases can be made. It is then advisable to contact
one of the credit reporting agencies to place a fraud
alert on your accounts. Th is prevents any identity thieves
from opening additional accounts in your name. Identity
theft is a crime and should be reported to the police immediately.
For more information on what to do if you believe that
you are a victim of identity theft , visit the Federal Trade
Commission’s website, www.identitytheft .gov.
Addabbo represents the 15th Senatorial District, which
covers much of southwestern Queens and the western
Rockaways.
Happy Hanukkah!
As this paper comes out, Jews
across Queens are immersed in
the celebration of Hanukkah.
A celebration of light during
one of the darkest times of the
year, the holiday — which is
rooted in Jewish resistance to
eff orts by the Syrians to suppress
Judaism — marks a miracle
whereby enough oil to light a
menorah for a single night lasted
for eight days, until it could be
replenished.
A miracle like that is more than
just a story. It is an inspiration
not just to Jews but to all of us
seeking peace and prosperity not
only in our neighborhood and
borough but around the world.
Yes, Hanukkah was a time of
miracles, and that is something
we can all use right about now.
