On Sunday, May 31, Senator Jeff Klein, joined by Bronx civic leaders and hundreds of community members, hosted Jewish American Heritage Month celebrations across the borough to commemorate more than 350 years of Jewish contributions to American history, society, and culture. At celebrations held at both Riverdale’s YM-YWHA and Pelham Parkway’s Bronx House, the senator honored important community leaders who are making a difference. Honorees for the Riverdale YM-YWHA’s celebration included Charles Moerdler, Committee on Character and Fitness of Applicants to the Bar of the State of New York vice chairman; Farrah Rubin, Kingsbridge-Riverdale-Van Cortlandt Development Corporation development director, and recently retired Bronx County Supreme Court justice Mark Friedlander. The Bronx House honorees included Edith Blitzer, Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association president; Andrea Seigel, PPNA vice president and Barbara Davis Gelnick, Jewish Community Council of Pelham Parkway board chairwoman.
