INERFAITH FREEDOM SEDER

UNITY IN ACTION

COMMUNITY Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, D.A Eric Gonzalez Headline Interfaith Seder Y On Sunday April 14.2019 The Bridge conducted its third annual Interfaith Unity Seder.Over three hundred guests of Jews, Muslims and Christian faith attended the unity Seder on Sunday that both celebrated both the upcoming Jewish holiday of Passover and served to highlight that beneath our cultural, religious and ethnic differences, we all share the common bond of humanity. The Bridge Multicultural Advocacy Project, 1894 Flatbush Avenue, hosted the annual event, which featured live music by FELINA BACKER AND EZZY GLUCK, dancing and both Kosher and Halal food. The eight-day Passover holiday celebrates the ancient Hebrews exodus from slavery in Egypt, and the Seder is the meal on the first two nights of the holiday where the tale of that exodus is recounted. The chair of the event Dr Monalisa Ferrari welcomed Rabbi Joseph Potasnik executive vice president of THE NY BOARD OF RABBIS who led the event with a powerful prayer for unity It is always a pleasure to join @thebridgemcp at their annual Seder, where people of different religions, cultures, and backgrounds came together to celebrate unity and our borough’s diversity,” tweeted Gonzalez, who has been celebrating at all of the freedom seders in the past Among those honored were NYPD officers Sergeant Zagham Abbas and Detective Mohamed Amen. Among the other elected officials in attendance included City Council Member Mathieu Eugene (D-Flatbush, East Flatbush, Prospect Lefferts Gardens) and Assemblywoman Mathylde Frontus (D-Coney Island, Bay Ridge). Also in attendance were a number of judicial candidates, and several candidates running in the upcoming special 45th District City Council election. “Bringing together so many hundreds of people of all faiths at our unity Seder shows how we as a community are united in standing against hate and bigotry,” said The Bridge Founder Mark Meyer Appel. The Mission of The Bridge Multicultural Advocacy Project (MCP) is to unite and energize people of every racial, ethnic, cultural, and religious group across New York City and the United States to address social issues facing society today. Only as a united community can we promote and advocate for government to educate society as a combined unified voice.

The Bridge Multicultural Advocacy Project | 1894 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11210 718 338 5200

HUNDREDS ATTEND THE BRIDGE ANNUAL UNITY HOLIDAY CELEBRATION HONORING HON LETTITA JAMES PUBLIC ADVOCATE , BOB KAPLAN JEWISH COMMUNITY RELATIONS COUNCIL,CAPT TITO ROMERO 63 POLICE PCT,COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS CAROL ELIAS.AND MINA ASSERRARE

Jews, Muslims, Blacks, Whites, Hispanics Unite At Bridge MCP

ByKings County Politics

Posted on December 18, 2017

FROM LEFT ARE PUBLIC ADVOCATE LETITIA JAMES, BRIDGE MCP FOUNDER MARK MEYER APPEL, 63RD PRECINCT COMMANDING OFFICER CAPTAIN TITO ROMERO, BROOKLYN DISTRICT ATTORNEY ERIC GONZALEZ, ASSEMBLY MEMBER RODNEYSE BICHOTTE, RABBI MENDY MIROZZNIK AND ABU KHAZZUMANN. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO.

It’s not every day you see Jews, Muslims, Christians and blacks, whites and Hispanics in full holiday party mode – eating, dancing and enjoying each other’s company.

But that’s exactly what happened as more than 300 people packed into the Bridge Multicultural Advocacy Project (Bridge MCP) event space, 1894 Flatbush Avenue in Flatbush, to celebrate the organization’s fourth annual community holiday party, which celebrate’s the city’s diversity.

“This project is something that should be duplicated across the county. The high energy of Imams, Rabbis, Muslims, Jews, Blacks and Hispanics dancing and celebrating diversity is not beyond humanity to achieve,” said Bridge MCP Founder and President Mark Meyer Appel.

NYC Public Advocate Letitia James and Kings County District Attorney Eric Gonzalez light the Menorah. Contributed photo

“Last night’s holiday party proves that love wins over hate. Thanks to all my brothers and sisters for joining us in this great historic moment,” Appel added.

The honorees for the event were New York City Public Advocate Letitia James, 63rd Police Precinct Commanding Officer Captain Tito Romero, Community activist Carole Elias and Secretary General of the Moroccan American Council to Empower Women (MACEMW) Mina Asserrare.

Kings County District Attorney Eric Gonzalezintroduced James as someone who has always celebrated diversity, and was the first elected official to come out in support for him during the recent election when he was elected as the first Latino in the state to become a district attorney.

James thanked Gonzalez, and also Appel for putting on the annual celebration, which highlights how that despite our religious, ethnic and cultural differences, everybody can take a page from The Bridge’s book and learn we share much more in common than our differences.

Other elected officials that were on hand included Assembly Woman Rodneyse Bichotte (D-Flatbush, Ditmas Park) and City Council Members, Jumaane Williams, Chaim Deutsch and Council Member-elect Kalman Yeger.

The space was included a Jewish Menorah to celebrate Chanukkah as well as a Christmas tree and included Muslim decorations.

Prior and following the speeches, those in attendance ate, some drank and everybody intermingled with each other.

Also highlighting the diversity were several excellent live bands that included Jews, Muslims, blacks and Hispanics.

Attendees danced to such Jewish classics as Hava Nagila as well as reggae and soca music, which included a steel pan, several percussionists, string players and keyboards.

UNITY IN ACTION - HOLIDAY PARTY 2016 AT THE BRIDGE MUTICULTURAL PROJECT

Thursday, December 22, 2016

THE BRIDGE MULTICULTRAL AND ADVOACY PROJECT "UNITY IN ACTION HOLIDAY CELEBRATION"2016

 Kings County Attorney Eric Gonzalez continued to make the rounds throughout Brooklyn last night in receivinga special unity award at the Bridge Multicultural Project’s annual Holiday party, 1894 Flatbush Av

In receiving the award, Gonzalez exhibited both a humility and toughness, showcasing that despite his lack of political acumen, why the

late District Attorney Kenneth Thompson named him as the interim DA just days before Thompson stepped down due to 

his cancer illness and died days later. Gonzalez also has the strong support of Lu-Shawn Thompson, his widow.Acting Kings County

 Attorney Eric Gonzalez continued to make the rounds throughout Brooklyn last night in receiving

 a special unity award at the Bridge Multicultural Project’s annual Holiday party, 1984 Flatbush Avenue.

In receiving the award, Gonzalez exhibited both a humility and toughness, showcasing that despite his lack of political acumen,

 why the late District Attorney Kenneth Thompson named him as the interim DA just days before Thompson stepped down due to his cancer illness and died days later. Gonzalez also has the strong support of Lu-Shawn Thompson, his widow.

THE BRIDGE MULTICULTRAL AND ADVOACY PROJECT "UNITY IN ACTION HOLIDAY CELEBRATION"2016

 Kings County Attorney Eric Gonzalez continued to make the rounds throughout Brooklyn last night in receivinga special unity award at the Bridge Multicultural Project’s annual Holiday party, 1894 Flatbush Av

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAymiWDPCmU

In receiving the award, Gonzalez exhibited both a humility and toughness, showcasing that despite his lack of political acumen, why the

late District Attorney Kenneth Thompson named him as the interim DA just days before Thompson stepped down due to 

his cancer illness and died days later. Gonzalez also has the strong support of Lu-Shawn Thompson, his widow.Acting Kings County

 Attorney Eric Gonzalez continued to make the rounds throughout Brooklyn last night in receiving

 a special unity award at the Bridge Multicultural Project’s annual Holiday party, 1984 Flatbush Avenue.

In receiving the award, Gonzalez exhibited both a humility and toughness, showcasing that despite his lack of political acumen,

 why the late District Attorney Kenneth Thompson named him as the interim DA just days before Thompson stepped down due to his cancer illness and died days later. Gonzalez also has the strong support of Lu-Shawn Thompson, his widow.

. I am fully committed to the important initiatives that we have put in place and will work every day to keep the people of Brooklyn safe,” said Gonzalez in receiving the award.

Gonzalez recounted how he grew up in East New York and Williamsburg, and attended John Dewey High School in Coney Island.  He also explained how he spent his professional life fighting for justice having started as an assistant district attorney in the Kings County District Attorney’s Office in 1995 straight out of law school.

The party and the Bridge MP is the brainchild of Mark Meyer Appel, a lifelong Brooklynite whose message of bridging cultures was also on display at the party. The evening’s crowd was a good mix of religious and non-religious Jews and Muslims as well as Blacks and Asians, whom all mingled, ate Kosher and Halal food, danced and listened to the cracker jack four-piece band featuring international singing sensation Neshama.

Appel is also a friend of for a number of elected officials , and provides the Bridge space free of charge for a number of good causes such as blood drives, and political town halls and educational forums. As such there were a number of elected officials in attendance at the party including City Council Members Mathieu Eugene and Jumaane Williams, and Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte.

But Appel, a strong supporter of Israel, is particularly involved in fighting child abuse with a strong emphasis on child molestation in the Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods from which he originally came. As such, he was a major supporter of Thompson and strongly believes Gonzalez will carry on Thompson’s legacy of fighting for social justice in all forms.

“I think Eric is a special person that can unify Brooklyn. He has on the job experience being in the district attorney’s office for many years as a prosecutor. He’s also accessible, kind and comes from, and understands the community,” sais Appel.

 I am fully committed to the important initiatives that we have put in place and will work every day to keep the people of Brooklyn safe,” said Gonzalez in receiving the award.

Gonzalez recounted how he grew up in East New York and Williamsburg, and attended John Dewey High School in Coney Island.  He also explained how he spent his professional life fighting for justice having started as an assistant district attorney in the Kings County District Attorney’s Office in 1995 straight out of law school.

The party and the Bridge MP is the brainchild of Mark Meyer Appel, a lifelong Brooklynite whose message of bridging cultures was also on display at the party. The evening’s crowd was a good mix of religious and non-religious Jews and Muslims as well as Blacks and Asians, whom all mingled, ate Kosher and Halal food, danced and listened to the cracker jack four-piece band featuring international singing sensation Neshama.

City Council Member Jumaane Williams plays Santa in handing out toys.