VCJC News & Notes 10/17/25

 

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 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 10/17/25 @ 5:54 pm
   Shabbos morning services at 8:40 am.  Please join the services if you can do so safely. 
   Shabbos Ends Saturday 10/18/25 @ 6:57 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.
   

2. Shabbos parsha

   
   

   
   

   
   

   Parashat Bereshit 5786 / פָּרָשַׁת בְּרֵאשִׁית

   18 October 2025 / 26 Tishrei 5786

   Parashat Bereshit is the 1st weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading.

   Torah Portion: Genesis 1:1-6:8

   Bereishit (“In the Beginning”), the first parashah in the annual Torah reading cycle, begins with God’s creation of the world. The first people, Adam and Eve, eat from the Tree of Knowledge and are banished from the Garden of Eden. Their elder son, Cain, kills their younger son, Abel, and Cain is destined to a life of wandering. [1]

   
   

   
   

3. Yizkor donations

   It is customary to make a charitable donation in conjunction with Yizkor.  If you wish to donate to VCJC as part of your Yizkor observance, it can be done in person at the office, by check, or online through our website
   

4. 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.

   
   

5. From the Derfner Judaica Museum
   

   1. OPEN HOUSE NEW YORK: Guided Exhibition Tour

      Sunday, October 19, 1:30 p.m. in person

      Reserve a spot art@riverspring.org or 718-581-1596

      
      

      To learn more about Open House New York, click here.

      
      
      AND

      Creating Fantastical Spaces

      Join the Museum's Senior Curator for a Free Virtual Talk

      Tuesday, October 28, 2 p.m. on Zoom

      Click here to register
       

      5901 Palisade Avenue

      Riverdale, New York 10471

      718-581-1596

      www.derfner.org

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

In Governor J.B. Pritzker’s Illinois, Illegal Alien Is Working as a Sworn Police Office with Badge, Gun, and a Pension

 

It is a felony for an illegal alien to possess a firearm

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) today announced the arrest of Radule Bojovic, an illegal alien from Montenegro, who was working as a sworn police officer with the Hanover Park Police Department in sanctuary state Illinois. Radule Bojovic was encountered during a targeted enforcement action as part of Operation Midway Blitz.

Hanover Park Police Department records confirm, Radule Bojovic was approved by the Pension Fund Board of Trustees in January 2025 and was eligible to receive a starting salary of $78,955.70. Additional records indicate his 2025 earnings cost taxpayers $205,707 including $9,276 for FICA/Medicare taxes.

“Governor J.B. Pritzker doesn’t just allow violent illegal aliens to terrorize Illinois’s communities, he allows illegal aliens to work as sworn police officers. Radule Bojovic violated our nation’s laws and was living ILLEGALLY in the United States for 10 years—what kind of police department gives criminal illegal aliens badges and guns? It's a felony for aliens to even possess a firearm. A so-called law enforcement officer who is actively breaking the law,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Under President Trump and Secretary Noem ICE is restoring law and order. Criminal illegal aliens have NO PLACE in our communities, especially on our police forces.”

Bojovic overstayed a B2 tourist visa that required him to depart the U.S. on March 31, 2015. Over a decade later, he was still illegally in the U.S. 

On September 8, the Department of Homeland Security started Operation Midway Blitz in honor of Katie Abraham who was killed in a drunk driving hit-and-run car wreck caused by criminal illegal alien Julio Cucul-Bol in Illinois. The operation targets criminal illegal aliens who flocked to Chicago and Illinois seeking protection under the sanctuary policies of Governor Pritzker.  

Ohio Man Faces Federal Charges for Shooting Deputy U.S. Marshal in Barricade Incident

Defendant Faces Up to 20 Years in Federal Prison if Convicted 

An Ohio man was taken into custody and charged with assaulting a federal officer who was engaged in the performance of official duties.

According to the criminal complaint, on Oct. 15, Larry Leon Dwight Wiley, 55, of Cleveland, barricaded himself in his apartment for several hours after members of the Cleveland U.S. Marshals Service arrived to execute an arrest warrant for a previous federal law violation. Wiley took aim at the federal officers and began firing as they entered the unit. One deputy U.S. Marshal was struck in the arm with a .380 caliber round and was transported to a nearby hospital to receive treatment for his injuries. Wiley made his initial appearance Oct. 16 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer Dowdell Armstrong. He was ordered to remain in custody while the matter is pending, following a motion made in court by U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio.

“Law enforcement officers risk everything to protect us, and this case is a stark reminder of the dangers they face in the line of duty,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I am grateful that our deputy U.S. Marshal will make a full recovery and I will ensure that this heinous crime is prosecuted and punished to the fullest extent of the law. Any attack on law enforcement is an attack on our society itself.”

“An assault on federal law enforcement is an assault against society. We will aggressively prosecute anyone who harms a federal law enforcement officer who is pursuing the mission of protecting the public,” said U.S. Attorney Toepfer. “I would like to thank the Cleveland Police Department, FBI, and ATF for their rapid response to this situation. I also commend the officers on scene who quickly rendered first aid to their wounded colleague.”

“The swift and decisive actions by the United States Marshal’s Service, Cleveland Division of Police, ATF, and the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office to prevent additional harm to the people in the community underscores the collaboration and partnership among our local, state, and federal agencies,” said FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen.  “We are united in our resolve to take the most dangerous criminals and repeat offenders off the streets and keep our neighborhoods safe places to live and work. The FBI will conduct a thorough investigation into the assault of a federal officer and ensure justice is served.”

Wiley is charged with assault on a federal officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon and faces up to 20 years in prison. If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to the case, including prior criminal record, role in the offense, and characteristics of the violation.

This case is being investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Cleveland Division of Police. The Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office also provided valuable assistance. The prosecution is being led by Assistant United States Attorneys Margaret A. Sweeney, Scott Zarzycki, and James P. Lewis for the Northern District of Ohio.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Attorney General James Takes Action to Protect Clean Energy for Vulnerable Communities

 

AG James Joins Coalition Suing to Protect Billions of Dollars Intended to Provide Affordable Home Solar Power to Communities Nationwide

EPA Illegally Revoked Nearly $250 Million for New York 

 New York Attorney General Letitia James joined a coalition of plaintiffs in filing two lawsuits to protect billions of dollars in grant funding that would connect nearly one million households nationwide in low-income and vulnerable communities with affordable solar power. In August, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) illegally ended the Solar for All (SFA) program and rescinded billions of dollars already issued to states to fund programs that would bring low-cost home solar power to communities nationwide. Attorney General James and the coalition have filed lawsuits in the Court of Federal Claims and the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington seeking court orders ruling the administration’s termination of SFA unlawful and damages for the termination of individual grants worth billions of dollars.

“Providing more communities with affordable clean energy will help lower energy bills and tackle the climate crisis,” said Attorney General James. “The Solar for All program delivers critical resources to help install solar power on homes across the country. The EPA’s cancellation of Solar for All is illegal and unconstitutional, and I will keep fighting to ensure our communities have access to these funds.”

“The Trump administration's continued assault on clean energy programs, including the attempt to cancel the Solar for All Program, is in direct contrast to the President's claims of wanting U.S. energy independence,” said Governor Kathy Hochul. “The Statewide Solar for All program is part of a true all-of-the-above energy strategy in New York that is designed to generate significant benefits for our health, environment, economy, and for the thousands of New Yorkers who would benefit from lower electric bills.”

As part of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, Congress created and funded an EPA program that would provide states with funding to help low-income and vulnerable communities access clean energy technologies, including rooftop solar power. The EPA program, later named SFA, selected 60 grant recipients, including states, tribal governments, local governments, and nonprofit groups, to receive this funding. In August 2024, EPA announced that it had obligated $7 billion through SFA to deliver residential solar power to more than 900,000 low-income households nationwide. In New York, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) was awarded $249,800,000 in SFA funding. Leaders in states across the country began developing SFA programs, meeting with community members and utility companies, and negotiating agreements with contractors to help install new solar infrastructure.

In July 2025, the administration enacted legislation that rescinded any remaining funds that had not been obligated as part of SFA. However, in August 2025, EPA began illegally targeting SFA and its funding that had already been obligated to states – funding that should not have been impacted by the new legislation. On August 7, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced, “the Trump EPA is…ending Solar for All for good.” Shortly after, EPA shut down the SFA program and removed up to 90 percent of states’ SFA funds with no explanation.

In the District Court, Attorney General James and the coalition argue that EPA’s termination of the SFA program is illegal and unconstitutional. Stripping this program away entirely from states violates the Administrative Procedure Act and overrides Congress’s constitutional power of the purse. Attorney General James and the coalition also argue in the Court of Federal Claims that revoking the already obligated SFA grants is an illegal breach of contract and taking of property.

Attorney General James and the coalition are seeking a court order from the District Court ruling EPA’s elimination of SFA unlawful and ordering the resumption of the program. In addition, they are seeking damages from the Court of Federal Claims for the unlawful termination of individual grants, including the nearly $250 million grant to NYSERDA.

Joining Attorney General James in filing the lawsuit in the District Court are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia. Also joining the lawsuit are the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania, as well as the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.

Joining Attorney General James in filing the lawsuit in the Court of Federal Claims are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia. Also joining the lawsuit are the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania, as well as the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.

Cheers to New York State! Governor Hochul Congratulates the Finger Lakes Wine Region, Named “2025 American Wine Region of the Year” by Wine Enthusiast

Recognition by Global Magazine Highlights Region’s Vineyards, Vintners and Viticulture

Governor Kathy Hochul congratulated the Finger Lakes region on being named the 2025 American Wine Region of the Year by Wine Enthusiast as part of the magazine’s prestigious Wine Star Awards. The honor recognizes the region’s world-class winemaking, sustainable practices and collaborative community that have helped define New York State as a leader in American viticulture.

“From the lakeside vineyards to family-run wineries, the Finger Lakes region continues to produce world-class wines and welcome visitors from around the world,” Governor Hochul said. “Working together with the New York Wine and Grape Foundation, the state continues to support its winemakers and vineyards, encouraging the industry to grow and flourish. To have the Finger Lakes named Wine Enthusiast’s American Wine Region of the Year is not only a testament to the talent and passion of New York’s winemakers — it’s a win for our state’s economy and our reputation as a global wine destination.”

The Finger Lakes, home to 11 glacial lakes and more than 140 wineries, is the largest and most established wine-producing region in New York State. Anchored by Canandaigua, Keuka, Seneca and Cayuga Lakes, the area is internationally recognized for its cool-climate native and hybrid varieties, as well as classic vinifera varieties, particularly Riesling and Cabernet Franc. The Finger Lakes also produces world-class rosés and sparkling wines. The region’s unique geography and microclimates have fostered a growing community of family-owned and operated wineries, many of which are pioneers in sustainable winegrowing. To date, 55 vineyards in the Finger Lakes have been certified under the New York Sustainable Winegrowing Program.

New York State received a Wine Star Award for Wine Region of the Year by Wine Enthusiast in 2014. The honor underscores the region’s continued evolution as a global wine destination — driving tourism, supporting local economies, and strengthening the state’s agricultural and cultural identity.

For more information on the Wine Star Awards, visit Wine Enthusiast’s website. 

Wave Hill Weekly Events (Oct 16 – Oct 23) | Spread Your Wings at Wave Hill!

A shift in seasons makes each outing unique as our landscape continues to change not only our routines but the one of our feathered friends. Spread your wings across Wave Hill and join in on birding fun! Spot local birds who call our gardens home and get a glance at the ones passing through. Let their graceful spirit inspire you as they show us what it means to let go of our inhibitions and move freely.   

 

Nature & Wellness 

 

Yoga in the Garden 

Sun, Oct 19, 10:15AM – 11:15AM   

Registration encouraged. 

Root your feet in the grass and look out upon the vistas as you enjoy a gentle yoga class. All levels welcome. 

 

Garden Highlights Walk 

Sun, Oct 19, 1:00PM – 1:30PM 

Free with admission to the grounds   

Registration not required.   

Take a leisurely guided walk with a Wave Hill Garden Guide to observe seasonal garden highlights! Each walk and topic varies by the guide leading it.  

 

Art 

 

Public Gallery Tour  

Sat, Oct 18, 2:00PM – 3:00PM 

Free with admission to the grounds  

Registration not required. 

Visitors can expect an in-depth look at artworks on view in Glyndor Gallery and in the Sunroom Project Space, showcasing the work of both emerging and established artists in the unique context of a public garden between nature, culture and site. Each tour lasts approximately 45 minutes.  

 

Collaborating with Trees: In Conversation with Espen Hjort and Evgenia Emets 

Sun, Oct 19, 12:00PM – 1:30PM   

Free with registration. 

Registration required. 

Join artists, Espen Hjort and Evgenia Emets, for a conversation on their relationships with the landscape, surrounding trees, and their creative processes. The artists will discuss questions related to embodied knowledge, consent, hierarchy, and modes of breaking traditional theatrical frameworks.    

 

Still Sacred Ground: Lenapehoking 1625-2025  

Sat, Oct 11  –  Thu, Oct 30 | All Day  

Free with admission to the grounds  

Registration not required. 

Gain understanding of the landscape and community life of the place previously known as Lenapehoking and known today as New York City. Curated by Oleana Whispering Dove, discover the significant contributions made to Lenapehoking and beyond by the original inhabitants of New York and the Lady Chieftains: Saunksquas, highlighted through regional Indigenous maps created by Evan Pritchard. This audio guide is one of a four-part exhibition on view at cultural organizations across New York City.   

 

Family 

 

Family Art Project: Raptors in Autumn Sky 

Sat, Oct 18, 10:00AM – 1:00PM 

Sun, Oct 19, 10:00AM – 1:00PM   

Free with admission to the grounds  

Registration not required. 

Keep your eyes on the sky as you look for migrating hawks soaring and circling above the Hudson River. Be inspired by our feathery friends as you fashion a raptor glider for the autumn breezes.   

 

Kids on the Move! Spread Your Wings 

Sun, Oct 19, 1:00PM – 2:00PM   

Free with admission to the grounds  

Registration not required. 

Join Kids on the Move! for a guided walk and movement practice and soar through the Wave Hill grounds looking for our flighty friends. After the tour, spend some time feathering your nest with a bird-themed yoga flow. Recommended for ages three to eight. 

 

HOURS STARTING MARCH 15: 10AM–5:30PM, Tuesday–Sunday  

Shuttle Service Free from Subway and Metro-North, Saturday–Sunday 

Information at 718.549.3200. On the web at wavehill.org.