The Inaugural Great Neck Coalition for Unity event took place at the Main Library in Great Neck on May 29th,  and was a great success by all accounts. 

The Coalition for Unity is a group of local entities which has been convening for nearly two years. The Coalition includes the Mayor of the Village of Great Neck Plaza, Ted Rosen; Mayor of Thomaston and President of the Village Officers Association, Steven Weinberg; Great Neck Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Kenneth R.  Bossert; Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education Dr. Daniel Holtzman; GNPS Trustee and SHAI Vice President Rebecca Sassouni; GNPS Trustee and Great Neck Chinese Association President Steve Chen; Hon. Mojgan Cohanim Lancman, on behalf of SHAI; Great Neck Library Secretary Rory Lancman; Library Executive Director Denise Corcoran; Rabbi Brian Stoller of Temple Beth-El of Great Neck; Reverend Qiana Hobdy of the NAACP; Maria Cuadra of COPAY, representatives of the Great Neck Park District, Chamber of Commerce, and others. 

The event in the community room was well attended, including by elected officials, such as Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena, Town Councilwoman Christine Liu, and Nassau County Legislator Mazi Pilip. 

SHAI was pleased to assist the Coalition for Unity in procuring kosher food offerings to supplement the other offerings all generously provided by local restaurants to support the event and community-building.  

The Coalition event also featured a moderated panel discussion which was emceed by Dr. Holtzman, with questions posed by Mr. Chen and Rabbi Daniel Schweber of Temple Israel of Great Neck. The panel was even recorded for viewing on Public Access television. 

The six panelists spoke of different viewpoints and lifestyles in Great Neck and what they each valued in their distinctive and overlapping experiences. SHAI and Long Island Hebrew Academy’s own Nazanin Amirian was one of the esteemed panelists. Common areas of mutual respect and interest among the panel included family, schools, faith, and belonging.