VCJC News & Notes 4/25/25

 

Van Cortlandt Jewish Center

News and Notes

Here's this week's edition of the VCJC News and Notes email. We hope you enjoy it and find it useful!

Reminders

1. Shabbos
   
   
   Shabbos information is, as always, available on our website, both in the information sidebar and the events calendar.
   Here are the times you need:  
   Shabbos Candles Friday 4/25/25@ 7:28 pm
   Shabbos morning services at 8:40 am.  Please join the services if you can do so safely. 
   Shabbos Ends Saturday 4/26/25@ 8:32 pm

   If you require an aliyah or would like to lead services, read from the torah or haftorah please speak to one of the gabbaim.

   There will be a siyum and seudah immediately following davening, sponsored by Matt Hartstein.
    

2. Yom HaShoah observance

   4/27/25 at noon at VCJC.

   We will host a Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance) Lecture onSunday, April 27 at 12:00 PM.The featured speaker will be Sonja Geismar,who will recount her family’s harrowing journey aboard the MS St. Louis, the refugee ship that was tragically turned away by several nations—including the United States—in1939 as Jewish passengers fled Nazi Germany, and more little known stories ofher family’s escape.

   
   

   This deeply personal and moving lecture is part of VCJC’s ongoing commitment to Holocaust remembrance and education. The story of the MS St. Louis remains one of the most powerful reminders of the consequences of indifference and closed borders in the face of persecution.

   
   

   “In a time when Antisemitism is once again on the rise,particularly following the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, it is moreimportant than ever that we come together to remember the past and stand united against hate,” said Jack Spiegel, a member of the Van Cortlandt Jewish Center.

   
   

   The event is free and open to the public. All community members—of every background and age—are encouraged to attend and honor the memory of the Holocaust’s victims and survivors. Yom HaShoah Day is observed on April 24th.

Our mailing address is:

Van Cortlandt Jewish Center

3880 Sedgwick Ave

Bronx, NY 10463

MAYOR ADAMS APPOINTS KIM L. YU AS DIRECTOR OF MAYOR’S OFFICE OF CONTRACT SERVICES AND CITY CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICER

 

Yexenia Markland to Serve as First Deputy Director

John K. Katsorhis to Serve as Deputy Chief Procurement Officer

New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced the appointment of Kim L. Yu as the next director of the Mayor’s Office of Contract Services (MOCS) and city chief procurement officer. Incoming Director Yu will work to continue delivering accountable, efficient, and transparent government to New Yorkers and will oversee the team that provides policy and operational advice, as well as technical assistance, to city agencies as they manage daily procurement activities. Mayor Adams also announced Yexenia Markland will be promoted to first deputy director, and John K. Katsorhis will join the Adams administration from the Office of the New York City Comptroller as deputy chief procurement officer.

“The Mayor’s Office of Contract Services does critical work rooting out waste and fraud and ensuring government works best for New Yorkers,” said Mayor Adams. “This team, led by Director Kim Yu, has the experience, skill, and commitment to ensure taxpayer dollars continue to be spent efficiently. Good government begins with accountability, efficiency, and transparency, and that’s exactly what our administration and the public servants we are appointing today are committed to. I also want to thank outgoing Director Lisa Flores for her years of service delivering a better-working government for New Yorkers.”

“Our goal is to get payments out to our vendors as quickly as possible, and Kim Yu has the experience and vision to hit the ground running today while developing a sustainable contracting system for the city's future,” said City Hall Chief Counsel Allison Stoddart. “Kim and the team at MOCS are incredibly dedicated to building a procurement platform that serves all users in a thoughtful, transparent, and efficient manner.”

“I'm deeply honored to be appointed to lead the Mayor's Office of Contract Services on behalf of the City of New York, and I want to thank Mayor Adams for his trust and the opportunity to step into this role,” said MOCS Incoming Director Yu. “Together with the talented MOCS team, we will continue building a city agency that drives meaningful impact and delivers for all New Yorkers. My focus will be on empowering the essential work of government and public service through collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to excellence. I'm also profoundly grateful to my predecessor, Lisa Flores, for her leadership and dedication, which have laid a strong foundation for the work ahead.”

“I'm truly grateful to Mayor Adams and the administration for this opportunity to serve as first deputy director at MOCS,” said MOCS Incoming First Deputy Director Markland. “I'm excited and eager to partner with incoming Director Kim Yu and support our dedicated MOCS team as we continue building momentum to deliver much-needed changes to contracting systems and processes. Together, we'll work toward creating a more equitable procurement system that truly serves all New York City residents. I look forward to the important task of forging ahead with transforming how our city approaches contracting to benefit communities across the five boroughs.”

“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the City of New York for the past 27 years, during which I’ve had the opportunity to partner and collaborate with many dedicated and talented individuals,” said MOCS Incoming Deputy Chief Procurement Officer Katsorhis. “I am excited to be joining the MOCS team as deputy chief procurement officer, and under Director Yu’s leadership, we will continue striving for the highest level of service and fostering strong partnerships with our many service providers — delivering the excellence New Yorkers deserve.”