Affordable Housing Lottery Launches for 1824 Anthony Avenue in Tremont, The Bronx

 

The affordable housing lottery has launched for 1824 Anthony Avenue, a nine-story residential building in Tremont, The Bronx. Designed by ENV Architects and developed by Bimi Selimaj of Propco LLC, the structure yields 128 residences. Available on NYC Housing Connect are 39 units for residents at 130 percent of the area median income (AMI), ranging in eligible income from $90,720 to $227,500.

Amenities include bike storage lockers, garage, virtual doorman, elevator, recycling center, and a rooftop terrace. Residences are equipped with air conditioning, intercoms, energy-efficient appliances, hardwood floors, high-speed internet, and name-brand kitchen appliances, countertops, and finishes. Tenants are responsible for electricity including electric stove.

At 130 percent of the AMI, there are nine studios with a monthly rent of $2,535 for incomes ranging from $90,720 to $168,480; ten one-bedrooms with a monthly rent of $2,635 for incomes ranging from $94,698 to $189,540; and 20 two-bedrooms with a monthly rent of $2,888 for incomes ranging from $104,846 to $227,500.

Prospective renters must meet income and household size requirements to apply for these apartments. Applications must be postmarked or submitted online no later than January 2, 2026

Permits Filed for 713 Oakland Place in Tremont, The Bronx

 

Permits have been filed for a six-story residential building at 713 Oakland Place in Tremont, The Bronx. Located between Clinton Avenue and Crotona Avenue, the lot is closest to the West Farms Square–East Tremont Avenue subway station, served by the 2 and 5 trains. Alket Zefi of Adi Al Construction Inc. is listed as the owner behind the applications.

The proposed 62-foot-tall development will yield 10,158 square feet for residential space. The building will have 15 residences, most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 677 square feet. The concrete-based structure will also have a cellar and a 42-foot-long rear yard.

Emirjeta Taipi of Three Studio Architecture is listed as the architect of record.

Demolition permits were also filed for the two-family dwelling on the site. An estimated completion date has not been announced.

Statement from NYGOP Chair Ed Cox on Elise Stefanik's Announcement

NYGOP Chair Ed Cox released the following statement: 

"Elise Stefanik is a unifier and a party builder with the brains, the guts and the resources to win statewide next year. She has fought for our principles every day of her career and never backs down. She is the warrior we need to lead the fight against Democrats' corrupt Albany machine. 
 
"Thanks to Kathy Hochul and Democrats, New York leads the nation in outmigration as the most taxed, least free, least affordable state in America. There will not be a Republican primary and a year from now, Elise will lead our team to victory over Kathy Hochul, end one-party Democrat rule, and make New York affordable again." 

Elise Stefanik Officially Files and Announces Run for New York Governor

Republican candidate for Governor Elise Stefanik released the following statement:

"Kathy Hochul is the Worst Governor in America. Under Kathy Hochul's failed leadership, New York is the most unaffordable state in the nation with the highest taxes, highest energy, utilities, rent, and grocery prices crushing hardworking families. Hochul has created a crime crisis with failed bail reform and her support of Defund the Police candidates. And when New Yorkers were looking for leadership the most, Kathy Hochul bent the knee to the raging Defund the Police Tax Hiking Antisemite Communist who will destroy New York. I am running for Governor to bring a new generation of leadership to Albany to make New York affordable and safe for families all across our great state. Our campaign will unify Republicans, Democrats, and Independents to Fire Kathy Hochul once and for all to Save New York."

Watch Elise for Governor's launch video HERE.

 

VCJC News & Notes 11/7/2025

 

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

2. Shabbos schedule
   
   
   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 11/7/25 @ 4:27 pm  (Yes, we are back on standard time!)
   Shabbos morning services at 8:40 am.  Please join the services if you can do so safely. 
   Shabbos Ends Saturday 11/8/25 @ 5:30 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.

   Benzi Panush is sponsoring the Kiddush this week in honor of his Bar Mitzvah parsha.
   

3. Shabbos parsha

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   Parashat Vayera 5786 / פָּרָשַׁת וַיֵּרָא

   8 November 2025 / 17 Cheshvan 5786

   Parashat Vayera is the 4th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading.

   Torah Portion: Genesis 18:1-22:24

   Vayera (“He Appeared”) opens as guests inform Abraham that Sarah will give birth. Despite Abraham’s attempts to convince God otherwise, God destroys the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Sarah gives birth to Isaac, and Abraham sends away Hagar and Ishmael. At God’s command, Abraham prepares to sacrifice Isaac, but an angel of God tells Abraham to offer a ram instead. [1]

   
   

   
   

4. Kristalnacht Observation and Lecture, 11/9/25
   We will be having a Kristalnacht event on Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025 starting at 10AM at the VCJC.
   Larry Hartstein will present a lecture starting at 10:30AM.
   Refreshments will be available. Admission is free.

   
   

5. Upcoming Virtual Tour of Judaica at The Metropolitan Museum of Art!
   [This is from a post to the Riverdale Shuls group.]

   Let’s connect with our heritage and each other through beautiful and meaningful symbols of Jewish culture in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

   
   

   This virtual tour will include works featured on our in-person tour, along with rare treasures from the Judaica collection that are not currently on display.

   
   

   Feel uplifted and strengthened as we celebrate our enduring resilience, devotion to Judaism, and the vibrant customs that have enriched Jewish life throughout time.

   
   
   Register at:

   https://forms.gle/YHN3kWo78h9fpVUp7

   Lauren R. Perlman, M.S. Ed

   Founder/Director, Mummies and Masterpieces  
   w (224) 707-0067

   c (847) 220-0325

   lauren.perlman@mummiesandmasterpieces.com

   www.mummiesandmasterpieces.com

   Alternate email mummiesmasterpiece@me.com

   
   

6. Please help with information about buildings

   As part of rebuilding the membership and congregation, the Board of Trustees would like your help. There are a lot of either new or renovated buildings being put up in our catchment area. We would like to seek the cooperation of the owners / developers of those properties in publicizing these opportunities to live near an orthodox synagogue.  If you are aware of any of these buildings, please provide what information you can about them.  This could include the address, any contact information that might be posted, and any information about the building itself (size, type, etc.). Additionally, if you are aware of vacancies in existing buildings or of houses for sale, please let us know about that as well.

   
   

   
   

7. An Appeal from the Met Council for SNAP help

   
   

   See the VCJC blog post from the Met Council’s announcement.

   
   

Our mailing address is:
Van Cortlandt Jewish Center
3880 Sedgwick Ave
Bronx, NY 10463

Attorney General James Releases Statement on Start of St. Clare's Pensioners Trial

 

New York Attorney General Letitia James released the following statement on the first day of her office’s trial against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany and the Diocese-controlled leadership of the former St. Clare’s Hospital for failing to adequately fund, manage, and protect hospital employees’ hard-earned pensions:

“No one should ever endure the financial and emotional burden of losing their retirement. St. Clare’s Hospital’s leadership deprived hundreds of nurses, social workers, lab technicians, and other employees of their pensions after they spent years working tirelessly to care for the sick. These workers deserve the pensions they worked hard for, and we are fighting to recover those funds and hold St. Clare’s leadership accountable.”

Attorney General James sued the Diocese, its bishops and other senior executives who led St. Clare’s Hospital, along with St. Clare's Corporation in May 2022 for failing to preserve and protect the hospital’s pension plan. The lawsuit alleged that the Diocese and the individual defendants violated their fiduciary duties under New York law by failing to take adequate measures to secure the employees’ pensions, failing to make any annual contributions to the pension for all but two years from 2000 to 2019, and hiding the collapse of the pension plan from former hospital workers who were vested in the plan. In May 2025, a judge denied motions by the Diocese and the other defendants to dismiss the case before trial. Attorney General James is seeking to hold the defendants accountable and recover the pensions that the former hospital workers lost.

USCIS Received 35,000 Applications For Homeland Defenders, Most for Any Job in Agency History

USCIS has made hundreds of job offers and is recruiting even more Homeland Defenders 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that since starting its hiring campaign for Homeland Defenders on Sept. 30, the agency has received an overwhelming 35,000+ applications—the most for any position in agency history. The agency says its aggressive social media campaign is attracting Americans to join USCIS and restore integrity to the nation’s immigration system after four years of Biden’s border chaos.

USCIS is cutting bureaucratic red tape to hire fiercely dedicated, America-first patriots to serve on the front lines and hold the line against terrorists, criminal aliens, and bad actors intent on infiltrating our nation. This includes interviewing aliens, reviewing applications, and identifying criminal or ineligible aliens.

“The Homeland Defender Campaign has already been a tremendous success and has resonated with the American people. I’m pleased to announce that in addition to seeing a historic number of applications, we are starting to bring on applicants at a rapid pace,” said USCIS Director Joseph Edlow. “USCIS is not wasting time; we are committed to implementing President Trump’s priorities. These candidates are not just applying for a job—they are applying to guard our values and defend our homeland. I look forward to onboarding many more Homeland Defenders in the coming weeks.” 

USCIS has made hundreds of job offers and looks forward to onboarding the first Homeland Defenders soon. Among those receiving offers are former law enforcement personnel and veterans who have experience serving and protecting their communities and our homeland.

USCIS Homeland Defenders may be eligible for signing bonuses up to $50,000, student loan repayment, flexible duty locations, and remote work options for select openings, with expedited hiring for entry-level positions that do not require a college degree. These opportunities aim to attract talented individuals quickly while providing competitive benefits.

USCIS has cut red tape and can make on-the-spot job offers at upcoming job fairs. Go to uscis.gov/join for information on positions and upcoming job fairs. Find USCIS job openings at uscis.usajobs.gov.

For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit uscis.gov or follow us on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Governor Hochul Celebrates 10 Years of Strengthening Economic and Cultural Partnership Between New York and Puerto Rico

New York State Office of Trade and Tourism Marks Decade of Advancing Shared Growth, Innovation and Resilience

Collaborative Efforts have Generated $68 Million in Commerce and Opened New Markets

Governor Kathy Hochul celebrated the 10th anniversary of New York State’s Office of Trade and Tourism in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. Established in 2015, the Office was created to recognize and promote the enduring connection between New York and Puerto Rico, and to strengthen their mutual economic, cultural and governmental ties. Over the past decade, The Office of Trade and Tourism has generated more than $68 million in trade, and continues to create connections, partnerships and opportunity across industries — from craft food and beverages to life sciences and technology, to agribusiness and tourism.

“New York and Puerto Rico share a bond that runs deep — one built on shared culture, economic strength and resilience,” Governor Hochul said. “For ten years, the New York State Office of Trade and Tourism has helped turn that connection into collaboration, fostering opportunity, creating jobs and building bridges that benefit both regions. As we celebrate this milestone, we reaffirm our commitment to a partnership that will continue to grow, innovate and deliver for families and businesses on both sides of the water.”

As New York State’s “boots on the ground” in Puerto Rico, the Office of Trade and Tourism has played a critical role in supporting trade and tourism, expanding markets for New York products, and helping to bring Puerto Rico goods and visitors to New York. The Office has also helped coordinate humanitarian efforts and recovery support in the wake of major storms and earthquakes, underscoring a partnership rooted not only in commerce, but in solidarity.

Over the last ten years, the Office of Trade and Tourism’s work has included facilitating agricultural exchange between New York growers and Puerto Rico distributors and supporting tourism promotion that showcases both New York’s destinations and Puerto Rico’s unique culture.

In 2023, New York and Puerto Rico signed a historic Wine Export Agreement that has brought New York State wines to Puerto Rico’s restaurants, hotels, and distributors for the first time — an initiative that opens new markets for New York’s growing wine industry while promoting Puerto Rico as a key partner in regional trade.

Additionally, the Office of Trade and Tourism supported Governor Hochul’s Life Science Exchange, a partnership designed to connect Puerto Rico’s emerging life science startups with New York’s globally recognized innovation ecosystem. Through this initiative, two life science startup bootcamps were held in 2025 — one in Puerto Rico (February 25-27) and one in New York City (September 29-30). Together, the events convened more than 180 participants, including 21 Puerto Rico-based startups, for networking sessions, pitch workshops, and investor meetings. One participating company, Cultimar Technologies, has already been accepted into IndieBio NY’s Spring 2025 cohort — demonstrating how this exchange continues to strengthen the life sciences corridor between New York and Puerto Rico.

The New York State Office of Trade and Tourism in Puerto Rico fosters economic growth and promotes cultural exchange by facilitating international trade, tourism and investment opportunities between New York State and Puerto Rico. Through strategic partnerships and initiatives, the Office showcases each region’s unique strengths and serves as New York’s on-the-ground liaison in Puerto Rico, including during natural disasters and recovery efforts.