FRIDAY NIGHT SERVICES AT FLATBUSH JEWISH CENTER

Friday Night Services

Friday, July 3rd, 6:00 p.m.

Flatbush Jewish Center is beginning its phased reopening for communal prayer. Starting on July 3rd, Friday night services will be held in the outside patio.

The following guidelines must be followed for this and other similar gatherings. Please note that the rules may be revised as needed.

1. Service will be entirely held outside. The building will be locked.
2. Participants need to sign up beforehand and confirm the number of people in their group. FJC will determine when the maximum allowable number of participants/"pods" has been reached.
3. Chairs will be set up with safe social distancing, with assigned "pods" for each quarantine group. Safe distancing rules will be in effect at all times.
4. All participants will required to wear masks for the duration.
5. Children are welcome to attend, but they must be supervised by parents and must follow the same social distancing rules. Children over three years old must wear masks.
6. No food will be provided at the service. If needed, give your children snacks beforehand.
7. Participants are encouraged to bring their own siddur, but some will be made available for those who need them.
8. If there is a high likelihood of rain, services will be canceled. FJC will notify participants on Friday afternoon.

Sign up here if you would like to attend Kabbalat Shabbat services this week. The deadline for signing up is Friday, July 3rd, at 10:00 a.m.

Location
Flatbush Jewish Center
327 E. 5th Street
corner of Church Avenue
Kensington, Brooklyn

LIBRARY WILL REOPEN SOME LOCATIONS IN JULY

Brooklyn Public Library will reopen the Central Library and these six branches on Monday, July 13th, for grab-and-go service: Bay Ridge, Bushwick, Flatbush, Kings Highway, New Lots, and Red Hook.

The New York Public and Queens Public Library will reopen some of their branches too.

In this first phase of limited service, patrons will only be able to pick up and return checkouts that they placed online or by phone. The process will be contactless. Wear a mask, socially distance yourself from staff and other patrons, and respect the limit on the number of patrons allowed inside. Masks will be required for both patrons and staff.
 
Leave the library as soon as the pick-up or return process is finished. Browsing, in-person reference, and computer use aren't available in this phase.

Online services will continue for programming, e-books, research databases, and classes; they won't take place in physical locations.

Fines won't be charged on items that were checked out before the libraries closed or during this first phase.

All materials that are returned will be quarantined for seventy-two hours before anyone else can handle them.

Hours of operation will be from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesday, Fridays, and Saturdays and from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

GREENMARKET IN KENSINGTON WILL RETURN IN JULY

Kensington Farmstand

Saturdays, July 18th-November 21st, 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Kensington Youthmarket--whose name has been changed to Kensington Farmstand--will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. every Saturday from July 18th through November 21st.

Cash, SNAP/EBT, Debit/Credit, WIC, & Senior FMNP coupons will all be accepted there.

The market was located alongside the Windsor Terrace Library from 2011 through 2018. But in 2019, when the library closed for renovations, the market moved to a new location. It's now by Albemarle Playground, located on McDonald Avenue, between Albemarle Road and Caton Avenue, behind P.S. 230.

In addition to providing our neighborhood with farm-fresh produce, Kensington Farmstand is a source of employment for young people, providing them with seasonal employment and valuable job experience while educating them about health, nutrition, the environment, and regional agriculture.

Farmstand Suppliers
Farmstands source all of their food from GrowNYC's wholesale program, which is designed to bring the freshest, highest-quality, regionally-grown farm products to the New York City community.

These farms grow Farmstand's produce:

• Bittner-Singer Orchards – Appleton, NY
• Castle Valley Mill – Doylestown, PA
• Dagele Brothers Produce – Florida, NY
• Davenport Farms – Stone Ridge, NY
• De Meyer Farm – Hilton, NY
• Emmi and Sons – Baldwinville, NY
• Farmer Ground Flour – Trumansburg, NY
• Handsome Brook Farm – Various locations throughout New York
• Heilig Orchards – Mullica, NJ
• Hot Bread Kitchen – New York, NY
• Larchmont Farms – Elmer, NY
• LynOaken Orchards – Medina, NY
• Madura Farms – Pine Islands, NY
• Maine Grains – Skowhegan, ME
• Mead Orchards – Tivoli, NY
• Muzzarelli Farms – Vineland, NJ
• Myers Produce – Craftsbury, VT
• Pastore Orchards – Elm, NJ
• Platte Creek Maple Farm – Saugerties, NY
• Primordia Mushroom Farm – Lenhartsville, PA
• Prospect Hill Orchards – Milton, NY
• Radicle Farm Company – Newark, NJ
• Red Gate Grocer – Moravia, NY
• Reeves Farm – Baldwinsville, NY
• Robert M. Olive – Hammonton, NJ
• Row by Row – Hurley, NY
• Satur Farms – Cutchogue, NY
• S &SO – Florida, NY
• Satur Farms – Calverton, NY
• Small Axe Peppers – Bronx, NY
• The Kitchen Garden – Sunderland, MA
• Tremblay Apiaries – Van Etten, NY
• Trapani Farms – MIlton, NY
• Upstate NY Growers and Packers – Clinton, NY
• Wilklow Orchards – Highland, NY
• Whalen Farms – Shamong, NJ

Farmstands are organized in collaboration with community-based partners. Kensington Farmstand's partners are New York City Councilmember Brad Lander. and the Windsor Terrace Library.

COMMUNITY BOARD 12 ONLINE PUBLIC MEETING

Community Board 12 Monthly Public Meeting 

Tuesday, June 23rd, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Community Board 12's monthly public meeting will take place virtually via Webex. Download Webex at https://www.webex.com/downloads.html prior to the meeting, or view the meeting through your web browser.

Community boards do not meet in July or August, so this is the last board meeting until September.

The meeting starts at 7:00 p.m. Log in at least fifteen minutes early to make sure everything is in working order. The staff cannot take calls about log-in problems after 7:00 p.m.

For any questions regarding the platform or the procedure, contact the board today, preferably before 2:00 p.m., at (718) 851-0800.

Board members will be visible to participants, but everyone's audio will be muted to allow the meeting to proceed with minimal disturbance.

Go to https://nyccb.webex.com/nyccb/onstage/g.php?MTID=e9f23629257b5dc31a669ced56b2d8140 to be connected directly to the meeting. You are required to register beforehand with your name and your e-mail address.

You can also join at webex.com by entering the following information:
Event Number: 129 503 4761
Event Password: cb12

If you cannot be at a computer or you do not have a webcam, access the meeting on your smartphone. The phone number is (408) 418-9388. The access code is 129 503 4761.

If you are joining by phone and would like to speak, notify the board beforehand at (718) 851-0800 and provide them with the phone number you will be using to call in so they can identify you.

All residents that would like to speak at the public session must sign up in advance at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSco1v1Puh042lQ69uHJ_lKGC1-DaWqXOiLe_aFLvLQobdCfbw/viewform.

If you have any questions or concerns, call the office at (718) 851-0800.

ALTERNATE SIDE PARKING STILL SUSPENDED

 

Alternate side of the street parking regulations will continue to be suspended from Monday, June 22nd, through Sunday, June 28th, because of the continued COVID-19 pandemic. All other parking regulations will remain in effect.

Parking meter regulations are only suspended on these major legal holidays: New Years Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

DIOCESE OF BROOKLYN ANNOUNCES AN EXPANDED BUT STILL LIMITED OPENING OF ITS CHURCHES DURING PHASE 2

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Diocese of Brooklyn press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 19, 2020

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Adriana Rodriguez 718-517-3143 arodriguez@desalesmedia.org
John Quaglione 
718-517-3112
jquaglione@desalesmedia.org

Diocese of Brooklyn Churches Can Re-open

for Weekday Masses on June 29

Celebrations of Sunday Mass Can Begin

on the Weekend of July 4 & 5

The Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of Brooklyn, is pleased to announce that churches in the Diocese of Brooklyn can re-open for Weekday Mass on Monday, June 29, 2020. The celebration of Sunday Mass can begin with the Saturday Vigil Mass on July 4, 2020, and on Sunday, July 5, 2020.

COVID-19 safety protocols will be in place, including the requirement that all who enter a church must bring and must wear their own mask during the entire Mass and maintain proper social distancing.

“Catholics in Brooklyn and Queens have been longing for the celebration of Mass and to receive the Holy Eucharist. But our sacrifice and patience have borne fruit, and we did our part to flatten the curve of the terrible coronavirus pandemic. Soon we can come together to be nourished by the spiritual food we have been desperate for,” said Bishop DiMarzio.

In preparation for the joyous day when Mass will resume, the Diocese of Brooklyn is launching a video today in English and Spanish to give Catholics in Brooklyn and Queens an understanding of the changes they will experience as a result of COVID-19 safety protocols designed to keep everyone healthy and safe.

Beyond the requirement that parishioners must bring and must wear their own mask for Mass, churches can only be filled to 25% capacity to fulfill social distance requirements of six feet between congregants. Families who live in the same household though will be able to sit together.

The reception of Communion will be different. It is strongly recommended the faithful receive Holy Communion in the hand and they must leave their mask on when they approach the priest at a six-foot distance. When the communicant receives the Sacred Host, they should move to the side and consume the Eucharist immediately. Communion will only be offered in one form; the Precious Blood will not be distributed to the faithful at this time.

Since each church and parish is unique, the faithful should check with their individual parishes, parish websites and social media pages for specifics about the resumption of Mass and the safety protocols in place.

The dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass remains in effect until further notice.  As such, the Diocese urges anyone who feels sick in any way to stay home.

Mass will continue to be broadcast live on the Diocesan cable channel, NET-TV, and streamed online.  NET-TV is available in the New York City market on Spectrum, channel 97; Optimum, channel 30; and Fios by Verizon, channel 48.

“We have endured a period of great challenge, especially here in our Diocese in Brooklyn and Queens, but the Lord was with us all the way. Now in just over a week, we can come together and give thanks to Him, pray for the people we lost, and those still affected by the coronavirus. And rejoice in the celebration of the Liturgy. Thanks be to God,” concluded Bishop DiMarzio.

###

Location
Immaculate Heart of Mary Church
2805 Fort Hamilton Parkway
between E. 4th and E. 5th streets
Windsor Terrace - Kensington, Brooklyn
phone: (718) 871-1310
website: https://ihm-brooklyn.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IHMBKNY/

TOGETHER IN SOLIDARITY ON JUNETEENTH: A PEACEFUL STUDENT PROTEST

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Juneteenth Protest

Friday, June 19th, 3:00 p.m.

From the P.S. 130 PTA:

Stand together in solidarity for a Juneteenth protest to show support for Black lives, racial equity, and to advocate for the fair and equitable school funding initiatives outlined in this letter.

Whether you’re in Brooklyn or someplace else, this is an opportunity for us to show our communities that we stand for these ideals and we will not settle for inequality, racism, or another round of cuts to education funding when we need more resources than ever!

We will show our elected officials and community at-large that we are many, not just a few. We will amplify voices that support black lives and education as public health matters. Public health emergencies!

• Date: Friday, June 19, 2020

• Time: 3pm

• Where: Meet at the Upper School (713 Caton Ave) or, if you’re not in Brooklyn, protest where you are and share/tag photos with @ps130pta on instagram!

• Who: PS 130 family, staff, friends, and community. If you have friends at another school, please share this flyer with them and encourage them to do the same at their schools. Let’s bring positive energy to this day with our collective action!

Bring: Signs to show your support for Black lives and education funding; masks; gloves

Practice: Social distancing; proud voices; solidarity

About Juneteenth
Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free.

Note that this was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation - which had become official January 1, 1863.

The Emancipation Proclamation had little impact on the Texans due to the minimal number of Union troops to enforce the new Executive Order. However, with the surrender of General Lee in April of 1865, and the arrival of General Granger’s regiment, the forces were finally strong enough to influence and overcome the resistance.

More about Juneteenth

BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTESTS IN KENSINGTON AND WINDSOR TERRACE HAVE NEW SCHEDULES

The Black Lives Matter protests in Kensington and Windsor Terrace have updated their schedules.

At these peaceful, family-friendly, anti-racism protests, protesters are following COVID-19 guidelines for face covering and social distancing. Because singing, chanting, and shouting are considered unsafe during the pandemic, protesters are expressing themselves with signs, pots and spoons, drums, and other instruments.

• Bartel-Pritchard Square, Windsor Terrace 
• 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. every night through Juneteenth (Friday, June 19th), at Bartel-Pritchard Square on Prospect Park West at 15th Street. Windsor Terrace/South Slope Daily Black Lives Matter Gathering's Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/events/280190913036373.
  

• Colonel Donald Cook Square, Windsor Terrace 
• 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesdays in Colonel Donald Cook Square, the triangle park at the intersection of McDonald Avenue, Caton Avenue, and Fort Hamilton Parkway.
  

• Church Avenue and Ocean Parkway, Kensington 
• 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. every night through Juneteenth (Friday, June 19th), on the sidewalks and malls at Church Avenue and Ocean Parkway. The protest's Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/events/254948579257774.

TOXINS IN PROSPECT PARK LAKE ARE BACK

Update: The HABs have spread further. Their extent is now described as "Widespread or Lakewide." On May 27th, June 2nd, and June 8th, it had been described as "Large Localized."

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Toxins flourish every summer and for part of the fall in Prospect Park Lake. As the summer progresses, the toxins in the lake eventually become widespread. At the moment, they're "large localized."

New York City's Parks Department observed and reported the condition on May 27th to New York State's Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The DEC's map shows the location of the toxins throughout all of New York State.

The toxins are "Harmful Algal Blooms" (HABs). The ones found in Prospect Park Lake are blue-green algae blooms or BGA (cyanobacteria). They can make water resemble pea soup. The water can be blue-green, green, yellow, white, brown, purple, or red. It can resemble paint.

Or, mats of blue or green pond scum might be floating on the water surface accumulate along the shoreline.

When the blooms are large enough to be categorized as widespread, they can affect either the entire lake, a large portion of the lake, or most to all of the shoreline.

"Prospect Park's Lake, waterfalls and other water features are fed by the city water supply. Phosphates in the water, which make it safe for us to drink, lead to excessive algae growth.

Prospect Park Alliance has begun construction of natural filtration system, known as an ecoWEIR, to reduce toxic blue-green algae blooms and improve the water quality of the park's waterways. " 

            "Prospect Park Alliance Tackles Toxic Algae Bloom"

Every summer, Prospect Park Lake and other bodies of water in New York State are monitored for blooms weekly. Bear in mind, however, that some bodies of water with HABs might not have been reported to the DEC, so people and animals should avoid contact with all floating mats, scum, and discolored water.

Adults, children, dogs, and other animals should not go into the lake or near the shoreline. Anyone who has been in contact with a HAB should rinse thoroughly with soap and water--or just with clean water, if that's all that's available at the moment.

Anyone who might have been exposed to a bloom and is experiencing any symptoms should get medical help immediately and should also contact the New York City Department of Health (DOH).

Possible effects of the toxins on living creatures are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, skin or throat irritation, allergic reactions, and breathing difficulties. The toxins can also affect the liver and nervous systems if a lot of water is swallowed. Read more about this on the DEC website.

The DEC offers this advice and more:

• Swimmers should be concerned about HABs (Harmful Algal Blooms) in any lake in which they are considering swimming.
• Never drink untreated surface water, whether or not algae blooms are present.
• The New York Freshwater Fishing Guide advises anglers to avoid eating fish caught from areas that have the thick paint-like or pea soup-like coloration characteristic of cyanobacteria blooms.
• HABs cells can stick to animal fur and become concentrated when the animal cleans itself.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says

• If your animal gets in water with a bloom, immediately wash it off with clean water. Do not let the animal lick cyanobacteria off of its fur.

• Call a veterinarian if your animal shows any of these symptoms of cyanobacteria poisoning: loss of energy, loss of appetite, vomiting, stumbling and falling, foaming at the mouth, diarrhea, convulsions, excessive drooling, tremors and seizures, or any unexplained sickness that occurs within a day or so after being in contact with water. 

FREE HOT MEALS AND FRESH FRUIT AT HALAL XPRESS CHINESE KITCHEN

Free Food Table

Sunday, June 14th, 6:00 p.m.

Halal Xpress Chinese Kitchen will serve 200 free hot meals and fresh fruit outside of the restaurant tomorrow, Sunday, June 14th, starting at 6:00 p.m. The grab-and-go meals will be served on a first-come, first-served basis until they are all gone.

This is a public service offered to the community in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The sponsors are Orbit Cricket Club, NYU Community Service Plan, and Halal Xpress.

Location
Halal Xpress
221 Church Avenue
between E. 2nd and E. 3rd streets
Kensington, Brooklyn, New York

Phone: (718) 975-3151
Menu and online ordering for pick-up or delivery: http://orderhalalxpresschinesekitchen.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/halal.chinese.39
 

NO F TRAIN FROM CHURCH AVE. TO CONEY ISLAND FOR SEVERAL WEEKENDS

Weekends through Monday, July 27th, from Fridays at 9:45 p.m. through Mondays at 1:00 a.m., due to the signal modernization project,

• F trains will not run between Church Avenue and Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue.

• F trains will run between 179th Street and Church Avenue.

• Nearby D, N, and Q trains and local buses will provide alternate service between Church Avenue and Stillwell Avenue.

• For direct service between Manhattan/Downtown Brooklyn and Coney Island, take the D, N, or Q train instead.

• For West 8th Street-New York Aquarium, take the Q train instead.

Manhattan transfer stations:		Brooklyn transfer stations:
34 St-Herald Sq | and		Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr |
W 4 St | and		4 Av-9 St and
B'way-Lafayette St | and		Coney Island-Stillwell Av |

Station	Alternate service/nearby bus
Church Av |	B35 - Church Av at McDonald Av Connect with the at 9 Av or at Church Av
Ditmas Av	B35 - McDonald Av at Church Av Connect with the at 9 Av or the at Church Av B8 - McDonald Av at 18 Av Connect with the at Newkirk Plaza or the at 18 Av
18 Av	B8 - 18 Av at McDonald Av Connect with the at Newkirk Plaza or the at 18 Av
Avenue I	B11 - Avenue I at McDonald Av Connect with the at Avenue J or the at 50 St
Bay Pkwy	B6 - Bay Pkwy at McDonald Av Connect with the at Avenue J or the at Bay Pkwy
Avenue N	• Nearby Bay Pkwy station B9 - 60 St/Avenue N at McDonald Av Connect with the at Avenue M
Avenue P	B82 - Kings Hwy at McDonald Av Connect with the at Kings Hwy or the at Kings Hwy B9 - 60 St/Avenue N and McDonald Av Connect with the at Avenue M
Kings Hwy	• Nearby Kings Hwy station B82 - Kings Hwy at McDonald Av Connect with the at Kings Hwy or the at Kings Hwy
Avenue U	• Nearby Avenue station B3 - Avenue U at McDonald Av Connect with at Avenue U or the at Avenue U
Avenue X	• Nearby 86 St station B1 - Avenue X at McDonald Av/Shell Rd Connect with the at Ocean Pkwy Connect with the at 86 St B4 - Shell Rd at Bouck Ct/Avenue X Connect with the at 86 St
Neptune Av	• Nearby W 8 St station B68 - Neptune Av at W 6 St Connect with the at Coney Island or the at Ocean Pkwy
W 8 St
Coney Island-Stillwell Av