This is a photo of a synagogue located at 1201 East 10th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11230. The name of the synagogue is Beit Malkiel Torah Center, which translates to House of Malkiel, Torah Center. In this particular case this synagogue was named of the chief Rabbis father. The Rabbi Yitzchak Shimunov named the synagogue after his father, who in his days was a very holy and g-d fearing Jew. The name of the decedent as per Judaism is Malkiel ben Chizkiyau or simply Malkiel Shimunov.
Malkiel Shimunov was born in 1909, the month and day are unknown due to loss of records. Malkiel was born in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. He was born into a family of lawyers, in fact he was one of the first lawyers in Samarkand. Malkiel married and had two children. Early in his life he practiced as a private criminal counsel until he was detained and placed in Soviet concentration camp in the 1930s located in Siberia. Out of the 200 Jews which were detained with him he was the only survivor. He was released 4 years later. Malkiel returned to Samarkand and became a prosecutor, by this time his wife had died and his children moved to Israel. Although he had close ties with government agencies he never joined the communist party and kept a low profile regarding his political views. Malkiel married for the second time and had three sons. Malkiel attended the synagogue every Shabbat and made sure to have Shabbat meals at his house every Friday and Saturday. He loved guests and always had people over for Shabbat. He was one of many who kept majority of commandments in USSR including abstaining from eating bread Pesach and much more.
Malkiel died in 1983 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. His sons immigrated to the U.S. in the early and mid 90s and his middle son became a Rabbi.

Commemorations are extremely important for a Jewish soul. A person dies but his deeds and his name lives on through commemorations like this one. In particular this is a commemoration to a very brave and strong woman. As seen on the name plate her name is written out in Hebrew from left to right. In the Jewish world your last name does not matter, it’s the name of your parents that makes a difference. Specifically when a person dies he is referred to by his first name, son or daughter of and the father’s name. In this case the decedents name is Katya which is her secular name, Ktzia, which is her Jewish name, bat, which means daughter, Mazal Tov which is her fathers name.
Katya Ktzia was born at the turn of the twentieth century, her actual date of birth is unknown, but her deeds are very much known. She was born in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. She worked as a bread baker until World War II. During World War II she registered as a nurse and treated wounded soldiers. During the War years she took in a lot of homeless and hungry people to live with her in her home. She was the financial advisor for a synagogue in Samarkand. She kept to the Jewish laws through her whole life by eating kosher food, keeping Shabbat, and baking matza on Pesach which in Communist USSR was a crime punishable up to 10 years in prison. Katya Ktzia gave birth to 3 beautiful sons, 2 of which are twins. She immigrated to the U.S. in the early 90s and settled in Queens, New York. She kept the Jewish laws throughout her whole life, she died in 2013 after being paralyzed for 4 years. Her approximate age is 96.

The rap group Run-D.M.C. was formed in the Hollis section of Queens, New York in the early 1980s, I am from Astoria, Queens never moved in my life and far from Hollis but still in the borough of Queens, my love to my borough and music led me to travel to 205^th Street and Hollis Ave., Queens to see the mural wall painted of this hip-hop pioneer as well as the street sign which was renamed in his name as a commemoration of his importance in music. DJ Jam Master Jay, whose real name was Jason Mizell, along with Run (Joseph Simmons), and D.M.C. (Darryl McDaniels), formed part of the pioneering hip-hop group Run-DMC- the group is accredited to this days by all types of musicians and public with being the first rap artists to cross into mainstream popularity and were also the first hip hop group to have sold gold (1984’s Run-DMC), platinum (1985’s King of Rock), and multi-platinum (1986’s Raising Hell) albums.  Other achievements under their belt include being the first hip-hop group with a Rolling Stone Magazine cover and the first hip hop group to have their video played on MTV.

Regrettably, Mizell is the latest of hip-hop’s top stars to die in violence, after Tupac Shakur, who was gunned down in September 1996 in Las Vegas, and The Notorious BIG (Christoper Wallace), who was shot and killed in Los Angeles in March 1997. Crimes which have always been speculated to be a result of an East Coast/West Coast rap war in the 90’s. I then was only in Jr. High School 6^th grade to be precise. But I remember it because the JRHS I went to was surrounded by the projects (Astoria Projects, Queensbridge Projects and Ravenswood Projects) introducing me to hip-hop. The most curious thing to me was the fact that Run DMC songs were never about violence or drugs unlike those of Tupac Shakur and BIG. The group promoted education and unity. DJ Jam Master Jay, a member of the groundbreaking hip-hop group Run-DMC, was shot in the head and killed on October 30th, 2002 in a recording studio in the New York borough of Queens. Jam Master Jay, was one of two men gunned down inside the studio at 7:30 p.m. A New York City Police Department report said that Jason Mizell, 37, died of a gunshot wound to the head. It said that he died on the scene and that another man, Urieco Rincon, 25, was shot in the leg and taken to Mary Immaculate Hospital in Queens. He was survived by is survived by his wife, three sons, mother, brother and sister. To this very year, 2014 no arrests had been made and authorities continue to investigate the shooting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another excellent monument of a person considered by many to be the greatest musician of all time. This picture was taken in Prospect Park, in Brooklyn New York. It’s a monument of the great Ludwig Van Beethoven. He was perhaps the most important figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music. Still today, he remains one of the most famous and influential of all composers. His best-known compositions include 9 symphonies, 5 concertos for piano, 32 piano sonatas, and 16 string quartets. (Beethoven’s Life)

I am astonished that music that was composed over 200 years ago, could still have an impact today. Beethoven’s music is still pleasant to listen to, and is used by many musicians to inspire their current music. Although his hearing deteriorated near the end of his life, to the point of almost being completely deaf, his most famous compositions come after this defect. This shows us how truly talented he really was.

Works Cited:

 “Biography: Beethoven’s Life – Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Website.” Biography: Beethoven’s Life – Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Website. Web. 15 Dec. 2014. <http://www.lvbeethoven.com/Bio/BiographyLudwig.html>.

A place in Brooklyn, New York with many monuments is Prospect Park. In my last visit to this location, I came across this amazing monument of Abraham Lincoln. It is one of many across the United States. Abraham Lincoln, is considered to be one of the most successful presidents of all time. On September 22, 1862, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation which took full effect on January 1, 1863. This was an order that freed the slaves in the Confederate States. Although not all the slaves were immediately set free, it paved the way for the 13th Amendment which would free all slaves in the United States a few years later. (whitehouse.gov)

It is always great to research individuals who have had an impact in history. Personally, I feel that our 16^th president is one of the most successful presidents in the history of the United States of America. Not only did he have an impactful political career, but was known to be a bright attorney. He is a great person to research when pursuing a legal career.

 

Works Cited:

“Abraham Lincoln.” The White House. The White House. Web. 15 Dec. 2014. <http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/abrahamlincoln>.

This is a plaque I seen outside a fire house on union street in park slope, brooklyn while walking to get lunch during my  break today.  It is a September 11th memorial. I did some research online after I seen the plaque and it memorializes the 343 fire fighters who died that day. I spoke to a man standing outside when he seen me look at the plaque and he told me this fire house lost 12 out of their 27 men. That is almost half of their team and I cant imagine how hard this was for the people who lost close friends, family and co-workers. Although I was only in 3d grade I will never forget the day at school I had on September 11th, everyone has their own story and I am grateful for all the firemen who helped save life’s and risked their own. I think this memorial is great and i know it truly touches everyone. 

1) Cadman Plaza Park Downtown Brooklyn

2) This was is dedicated to Brooklyn Veterans (males) of the Korean War from the Army, US Marine Corps, Navy and other branches of the US military services. who made a sacrifice

3) I respect what this wall stands for

1) This photo was taken in Farragut Houses Downtown Brooklyn

2) who? Rosie Romen why? she lost her battle to bone cancer last week. she was loved and as you can see she was loved by many

3) very sad

1) located in Cadman Plaza in Downtown Brooklyn

2) who? dedicated to the more than 300,000 “heroic men and women of the borough of Brooklyn” who served in World War II.  displayed are approximately 11,500 names of Brooklyn service members who died during the war.

3) This memorial wall is very large and by just looking at it has a meaning in itself. if you look at the right of the statue there is a lady holding a child which symbolizes victory and family and the left which is a male depicts a male warrior.

1) This monument is located in front of the NYS Supreme Court building Downtown Brooklyn on Court Street

2) Who? Attorney General, U.S. Senator, and Presidential candidate Robert Francis Kennedy (1925-1968).  why? Kennedy mounted a successful campaign for the United States Senate in 1964. After speaking out against the escalating war in Vietnam, Robert Kennedy ran for president in 1968. He was assassinated June 6, 1968 while campaigning in Los Angeles. The sculpture was relocated and placed in a picturesque floral surrounding as a result of renovations to Columbus Park, completed in 1994.

3) I like the fact that they honored him