POLKA DJ JOHN LESNIEWSKI

Polka DJ John Lil-Jas Lesniewski & The Polka Magic Radio Network from Amsterdam NY have been nominated for DJ of the year by the United States Polka Association (USPA).  The USPA is a organization dedicated to Polish Polka music and Polish traditions  based in Cleveland, Ohio.  Chartered by the State of Connecticut as a not-for-profit corporation on the 28th day of December 1968, U.S.P.A. was chartered in the state of Ohio on the 27th day of April 1993.  Founder: Dick Pillar, President (1968-70) and currently  Barb Haselow (2002 – Present).

“Communication plus knowledge plus involvement equals unity and develops the spirit and enjoyment of participation in a mass movement dedicated to the future of polkas.”Henri Broze Judy Spitak September, 1974 Updated April 2003

The Polka Magic Radio Network will be celebrating its 28th anniversary June 1, 2013.   The very popular weekly ethnic Polish radio program is hosted by John “Lil-Jas” Lesniewski and Robert “Happy Bob” Pawlak which bring you the very best in polka music. Requests and dedications are taken weekly 518-580-5783 or polkamagicradio@gmail.com. They provide community information for local and national events to promote the Polish-American heritage. The program airs on Saturday’s from WSPN FM 91.1 (Saratoga Springs, NY)  from 9 am – 12 Noon and on the world wide web at www.skidmore.edu/wspn.  On regular basis, listeners from across the nation make requests and dedications to their polonia which brings back many memories.

In 1982, Lesniewski started his radio career at WCSS in Amsterdam NY as a on air personality.  He continued part-time during college and became the Station Manager at SUNY Cobleskill.  He has been promoting polkas since 1985 on WSPN – Skidmore College Radio – also he hosted Polka programs on WCSS, WMVQ, WKOL, WBUG, WVTL in the greater Amsterdam, NY area.  “Polish music had been a tradition in our family for decades”,  According to Lesniewski.  “I would like to keep the tradition alive and promote our treasured heritage”, stated Lesniewski.

OCL Closed Friday, May 17th
NEW JERSEY  –  All branches of the Ocean County Library will be closed Friday, May 17 for its annual Staff Development Day. The library’s databases and Web site www.theoceancountylibrary.org will be available during that time. All branches will resume their normal business hours Saturday, May 18.

Lollipops & Roses Intergenerational Concert
CLIFTON, NEW JERSEY – The Clifton Community Band is performing their 12th Annual Lollipops & Roses Intergenerational Concert on Sunday, May 18th @ 2 pm – Clifton High School Auditorium. Admission: $7.00  Children under 12: Free. Proceeds benefit the Clifton Education Foundation & The Clifton Community Band. Tickets will be sold at the door as well as advance tickets available from Band & Education Foundation Members or call 973-771-3751 also you can e-mail: CliftonBand@optonline.net .

Grandparents As Parents (GAP) Meeting
NEW JERSEY –  The Grandparents as Parents (GAP) Task Force of Passaic County invites grandparents, kinship caregivers caring for children whose parents are unable or unwilling to do so, relative caregivers, community leaders and agencies, service providers and elected officials to a meeting on Wednesday, May 15, 9:15-11:30 a.m. at St. Anthony’s Parish Church, 101-103 Myrtle Avenue, Passaic. For more information or questions, contact Mary Osinski, William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ at osinskim@wpunj.edu or 973 720.3690 or Ethel Edwards, City of Passaic, Senior Affairs at 973 365.5618.

Annual Street Fair
NEW JERSEY – The Downtown Clifton Semi-Annual Street Fair will be held on Saturday, May 18th from 10 am to 5 pm, held along Main Avenue between Washington & Hadley Avenues (off Clifton Ave.), Clifton. Admission: Free. For more information call 201-998-1144.

Annual Armed Forces Day Mass
NEW JERSEY – St. Joseph Historical Society will hold its Annual Armed Forces Day Mass on Sunday, May 19th at St. Joseph Church, 1010 Liberty Street, Camden, 10:30 a.m.; honoring those who served on the Battleship New Jersey and active military personnel. Refreshments following Mass in lower hall. Call Grant Wilinski 609-965-2614.

All You Can Eat Beefsteak At Passaic Polish Home
NEW JERSEY – The Polish Peoples Home Inc., trading as the Polish American Cultural Center, is sponsoring an all you can eat BEEFSTEAK on Wednesday, May 22, 6:30 PM. Location: 1-3 Monroe Street, Passaic. Tickets can be purchased by calling Barbara Ann Novak-Lissi at 973-916-1957 or President Arthur Sroka at 973-473-6619. See advertising on page 3.

Garage Sale Fundraiser
NEW JERSEY -  The Push for a Cure Pandas, a team from the American Cancer Society Relay for Life Clifton will be sponsoring a garage sale on Saturday 5/18 at 1672 Broad Street, Bloomfield, between 10 AM and 4 PM. Household items, clothes, toys and books will be available for sale. All proceeds will benefit the Relay for Life of Clifton to continue research to find a cure for cancer. Please be a part of the cure and visit our sale on 5/18. If you do not find anything you need, donations are accepted and appreciated. Relay for Life Clifton is an overnight event being held this year on Saturday. June 8, 2 PM to Sunday. June 9, 6AM at Clifton Stadium. If you would like to learn more about the event, please visit the website at www.relayforlife.org/cliftonnj.If you would like to learn more about the American Cancer Society please visit the website www.cancer.org.

St. Peter’s Haven Tricky Tray
NEW JERSEY – St. Peter’s Haven of Clifton will be sponsoring their annual Tricky Tray on Thursday, May 23rd. This year the fundraiser will be held at The Bethwood in Totowa, and serves as its biggest event for the year. The prize committee is presently soliciting donations for the event and would like to reach out to the local community for their participation. The gift donations are needed prior to May 23rd, and can be either dropped off at the office or arranged to be picked up by a staff member. Please contact the office at 973-546-3406. Tickets are also available for purchase for those wishing to attend.

Pilgrimage
NEW JERSEY – The Polish Rosary Society of St. John Kanty Church, Speer Ave., Clifton, is sponsoring a Pilgrimage to the Shrine of The Blessed Virgin Mary in West Haverstraw, NY on Monday, May 27th. Bus leaves at 8 a.m. If interested in being part of the pilgrimage, please contact Sophie Bednarz 973-471-8108 or Bronia Karcz 973-773-1194.

Scholarships Offered By HVPS
NEW YORK – Through its many activities, Hudson Valley Polonaise Society members work to raise funds to support various programs and projects. We will be sponsoring two $1,000 cash scholarships to graduating high school seniors of Polish descent. Scholarships will be awarded on the basis of the participant’s essay and individual contributions to school and community. The annual scholarship raffle tickets will be available soon. Graduating seniors from Orange County are encouraged to contact their Guidance Office for an application, or you can write to HVPS at PO Box 162, Goshen, NY 10924.   For additional information, contact katrinae@frontiernet.net  Deadline for submission is May 30, 2013. The presentation of the scholarship awards will take place on July 11th at the HVPS monthly meeting.

Priest To Observe 60th Anniversary Of Ordination
RHODE ISLAND -  The Reverend Anthony D. Iwuc, pastor emeritus (33 years – March 1972-June 2005) of Saint Joseph’s Church, Central Falls will celebrate the 60th anniversary of his ordination to the Priesthood on Sunday, May 26, 2013 with a Mass of Thanksgiving at 3 p.m. at St Joseph’s Church, Central Falls, his home parish. A jubilee banquet will be held the Venus de Milo in Swansea, MA at 5:30 p.m. Tickets for the banquet are $30. Reservations may be made by calling (508) 761-7104 OR (401) 821-0115.

Master Gardeners – Great Native Plants In Containers
NEW JERSEY – At this month’s meeting of the Bergen County Master Gardeners, there will be a presentation by Kim Eierman, founder of EcoBeneficial on Great Native Plants in Containers. Learn how to add beauty and ecological function to your landscape by including native plants on your patio, deck, balcony, or small yard, with great native plants in containers. The presentation will be held on: Tuesday, May 21 at 7:30 pm, at The County Administration Building, One Bergen Plaza, County Place, Hackensack, in the Learning Center on the 1st floor, Home of the County Extension Office. There is plenty of parking & easy access to the building. Meetings are open to all interested gardeners, free of charge, and refreshments, followed by announcements, start at 7 pm. For more details, directions or information on other Master Gardeners activities, please contact: Tracey Fraser (201) 768 1856 or visit our website http://mgofbc.org In addition, please support our special food collection: The Master Gardeners “Cans for Community” project “Giving Locally – Helping Locally“. Please donate any non-perishable food items. All proceeds benefit The Center For Food Action.

BIRTHDAY WISHES

NEW JERSEY – Happy 32nd Birthday on May 15th to Matthew Mularz of Union. Best wishes from his Mom and Dad, Bob & Carol Mularz, and brother Edward. Best wishes from Aunt Jean and Uncle Ted Marczak, and all his friends in the Polka field. Sto Lat!

MASSACHUSETTS – Birthday wishes to Carolyn Adduci of Lowell, celebrating her birthday on May 18th. Happy Birthday from Mom & Dad Szufnarowski, your family, relatives, and friends. Sto Lat!

Jimmy Sturr Fan Club

BIRTHDAY WISHES to: Jenny Walenczyk, NJ; George Misnick, NY; Pam McClusky, NY – 5/16. Edward Bosio, CT; Kate Cullen, FL – 5/17. John Marchell, NY; Phil Bellingham, CT – 5/18. John  Brodzinski, FL – 5/19. Virginia Stowe, CT – 5/20. Philip Lisa, NJ – 5/22.

ANNIVERSARY WISHES to: Jacqueline Ruf, NY – 5/17. Edward & Arlene Bosio, CT – 5/18

Aquinas writes that the conscience can be mistaken, from use of a false premiss. The play Our Class, as an exercise in conscience, depends on how securely it is “based on a true story,” as the publicity states. All too certainly, there is a true story of the two mass graves at Jedwabne, Poland. But what is it?

During an interim between Russian military retreat and German arrival, some writers claim, one thousand six hundred Poles of Jedwabne, acting on their own, without firearms, set upon and murdered their one thousand six hundred Jewish neighbors, without suffering a single loss.

“Half the town murdered the other half,” as published in popular commentaries of the event, including one by George F. Will, who surely can’t demonstrate what he claims to believe.

Playwright Slobodzianek doesn’t show how the one thousand six hundred Jews were ordered out of their houses and onto the town square. Whether the roundup was driven by Poles or by Germans is left undescribed.

Objections are held by some who resist the charge of Polish culpability: that the German SS Einsatzgruppen executed the event, while forcing some Poles, and inciting others, to assist.

Official numbers for the massacre, from the most recent investigation, stand at about 40 Polish perpetrators and 300-400 Jewish victims. So the swirl of numbers cautions us to distinguish between history and promotional commentary.

Within the barn, a massacre is organized by a military veteran, old townsman Sielawa, commanding an axe, hammer, and butcher’s knife, backed by sticks and clubs. The veteran cuts the Rabbi’s throat and directs a systematic slaughter. Kerosene is poured into the barn, through the roof, by a giddy Pole, and the corners are set afire by four Polish classmates.

The described system for slaughter is this: six killers per victim—two killers holding the victim’s arms, a third holds the legs; the axe man and the hammer man knock him out; the butcher cuts open the throat and belly. Two men throw the body into a prepared shallow pit. Rest breaks, with substitutions, are given for members of the slaughtering team. This process is implied as repeated indefinitely, with the murderers unhindered by the other victims waiting in the barn.

This interpretation is dramatically overwhelming, but a critic gripping his chair can find it difficult to accept the practical account of the activity within the barn. Such mastery by robust Poles seems impossible without direct action by the armed German force. Some testimony holds that a German military truck rolled up, and green uniforms jumped off with containers of gasoline. And how was the shallow pit in the barn prepared?

I make my reservations explicit because a popular narrative is being improvised in the sphere of reviews and publicity, with an iconic but false figure of “1600″ victims endlessly repeated. The innuendo blames Poles for the Holocaust, a canard resisted by both Poles and Jews.

The Los Angeles Consulate General for Poland made a significant misstep in approving and distributing the Ensemble’s publicity for Our Class, which referred to the massacre as “an act of wartime genocide.” Upon question from California Polonia, the Consulate corrected its phrase to “an act of wartime murder.” But the Ensemble retains the term “genocide” in its ad copy.

So the equivocation persists. Under the United Nations Convention for Genocide—i.e. the accepted definition—questions must remain at issue: who did it, and with what intent.

A president of Poland apologized for the massacre, but did so prior to the forensic investigation. And then the forensic investigation was shut down, prematurely and abruptly.

At his Colin Miller Memorial Lecture in 2003, I questioned the honoree, Prof. Jan T. Gross, author of the popular exposition of this massacre, about the premature termination of the forensic investigation, which he acknowledged with disapproval, stating, “And had it not been prematurely terminated, then we would really know.”

Hence, we do not really know. Aquinas would indicate a weak minor premiss: the how and who of the event. As instructional material, the play would need special handling to be presented without objection in the California school system, for which State Education Code requires accuracy and proscribes adverse reflection. Other states have similar Code. And hence, to settle the question, the forensic investigation must be resumed.

- Gordon Leon Black

It’s no secret print media like the Digest are getting hurt by the new wave of electronic communication.  But including an insulting Polish joke to spice up its May issue was not the best way to endear itself to its readers, at least the Polish Americans.

To the Digest’s credit, however, the magazine realized it was a mistake to do it after letters came in from irate readers and after the Anti-Bigotry Committee of the Polish American Congress personally contacted the publication’s New York City office.

The Committee was asked to “accept our apology and we will be more careful in the future.”  The Digest said it would also provide an explanation of the matter in the “React” section of the July issue.

As an acknowledged champion of civil rights, its dedicated readers can recall how the Digest directed its spotlight on such long-forgotten subjects like restrictive covenants, medical school quotas for Jewish students and various forms of anti-Semitism or other prejudices.

Against such an honorable background of tolerance and understanding, Polish Americans were surprised by the cheap shot the Digest took at them.

“Sure the joke was funny by itself.  But turning it into an ethnic joke was completely unnecessary.  It made it just plain nasty,” said Frank Milewski who heads the Anti-Bigotry Committee.

Ironically, the same issue contained an article about an individual who became a hero by saving the lives of two 12-year old boys by jumping into San Francisco Bay and bringing them back to shore.  He accomplished all this swimming with one arm and holding them with the other.  His name is Nick Tumilowicz, a distinctively Polish name.

It was a true story about a true event.  “If The Digest was so interested in our ethnic identity, it should have noted Mr.Tumilowicz was Polish.  No such mention was made.  It seems everyone there was intent on making their joke a Polish one and bashing us with it,” said Milewski.

– Anti-Bigotry Committee P.A.C. – New York

NEW JERSEY

In photo on right: Congressman  Pascrell, center, with (L) Det. Jack Holder, National Police Defense Foundation President and (R) Joseph Occhipinti, National Police Defense Foundation Founder & Executive Director.

“It’s a tremendous honor to be recognized by the brave men and women I spent my career fighting on behalf of,” said Rep. Pascrell, co-chairman of the House Law Enforcement Caucus. “I thank NPDF for this prestigious honor and commend them for the critical support they provide our nation’s police officers.  Our law enforcement officers put their lives on the line day in and day out keeping our communities safe, and my priority has always been to make sure they have the resources they need.  I will continue to fight to ensure the COPS Hiring Program is authorized and well funded so that our communities can meet their unique public safety needs.”

Other award recipients include Ecuador Vice President Lenín Moreno Garcés, honored with the Humanitarian of the Year Award; actor Nick Turturro from the CBS Drama “Blue Bloods”, receiving the Man of the Year Award, and; Mrs. Christine Levinson, spouse of FBI agent Robert Levinson (Ret) who was kidnapped in 2007 while working in Iran’s Kish Island, honored with the Profiles In Courage Award

“Congressman Pascrell has fought tirelessly on behalf of law enforcement officers across our nation, so I couldn’t think of a more fitting person to receive this honor,” stated Joe Occihipinti, NPDF Executive Director.   “As local police departments face increasing budget constraints, I look forward to continuing to work with Congressman Pascrell in keeping the safety of our communities a priority.”

NPDF provide important medical and legal support services to the national law enforcement community, as well as administer several NPDF law enforcement programs involving public safety and child safety programs. The NPDF Executive & Advisory Board is composed of all volunteers and represents distinguished elected officials, as well as the directors of several law enforcement, civil rights and community organizations. The NPDF provides free medical support services to law enforcement personnel regarding job related illnesses and disabilities.

The proceeds of the awards ceremony will benefit Operation Kids, a multi faceted child safety program that also provides life saving medical treatment for critically ill children.