APRIL 2018 NEWSLETTER PT. 1 EARTH DAY

April 22, 20182018 APRIL NEWSLETTERadmin

APRIL 2018 NEWSLETTER PART 1
HAPPY MOTHER EARTH DAY

It’s Earth Day, it’s Earth Day
Let’s get out and play day.
There’s so much to see and do,
Thank G-d it’s all in our view.
If we want to be part of it, feel it and experience it, wherever
But it won’t be here forever, if we don’t take the time and we’re not clever.
So, take the time and show you care and every day be aware.
Because it won’t be here unless we do our part
And now is the time, today to start.
Will S

Hello, Here we are: This is earth day 2018. We will all be even more blessed if you do something nice for your mother! We all have a mother, she is called Mother Earth. I was getting ready to prepare for the April newsletter and deleted the first picture of these beautiful flowers and I looked down at these other pictures that were part of the tribute to spring in the last months newsletter. Spring means rejuvenation and after I deleted that first picture I looked down and seeing all these other beautiful and wonderful pictures of our earth, I realized there’s a close interrelationship with how we treat mother Earth and how we will reap what we will sow. So, there really wasn’t any reason when celebrating Earth Day not to keep these pictures possibly in a smaller version to remind us.

The twists in the turns have been mind-boggling this past month. I visited my wonderful sister and brother-in-law Bonnie and Lee who were the consummate host and hostess. For 10 days it was a wonderful visit with one of the main events, our taking part in the “March For Our Lives” it was a most inspirational event led by the “New World order” 18 years and younger, ha but please take them seriously. This is a real misnomer because the promoters of this event, (high school students and younger) conveyed poise, wisdom, and leadership far beyond their actual years on this earth. As the song “Rhymes and Reasons” by John Denver profess.

To do the “March For Our Lives” justice and to follow-up with other outreach efforts such as student walkout of classes and essential strategies such as meeting with officials, the April Newsletter will be split into 2 parts, the 1st part dealing with Earth Day and a new video version of Dr. Koren’s Silencing Science and what citizens like you and me in conjunction with environmental organizations can do to avoid this “bridge collapse and ensuing train wreck.”

Because today, first and foremost, can be construed as a Celebration of Life, Earth Day 2018. I have been keeping you apprised of my very dear friend Dr. Herman Koren’s life’s quest to keep environmental health and public health in the forefront of the world’s greatest trained experts in these fields. The past three months we have provided excerpts from his hour-long lecture about what’s been happening as this country has dismantled over 50 years of carefully crafted legislated environmental guidelines. I’m attaching what we worked on to reduce this highly technical overview garnered from a lifetime of Dr. Koren’s efforts to learn and teach the best practices to protect our fragile quality of life and environment.

So, here we are on Earth Day and the timing couldn’t have been better so that every day, men and women can get a handle on how precariously we are sitting or tottering. It’s hard to figure out how to extract this extra effort from our own limited time with work, family, as well as finding quality time to get away from the hubbub and into pleasant surroundings.

Knowing this myself with extra time being scarce; promoting my book, American Dreamer; maintaining my substitute teaching status; continuing the fight for keeping guns out of the hands of the deranged or mentally challenged individuals and certainly out of our schools. I think this all boils down to finding the right people to handle the best interest of the little person, families and communities; locally and around the country.

Maybe, by investing a little time upfront now by working with friends, community, environmental groups, officials, etc., we will be saving us a lot of time in the long run and probably saving us, in the future. As the old commercial for changing oil in your car, which people always seem to neglect, the commercial stated, “You can pay me now, or You can pay me later!” It is up to us, either we work on preserving our environment now and our way of life or it will cost us a lot more when we must come to grips with the contamination of our natural resources.

The Citizens’ Alert!! Global Warming – Environmental Pollutants Kill People – Prevention Lecture Professor Koren

This Potent Lecture by the eminent, Dr. Herman Koren’s it is half of his original presentation from the original earlier this year. It is to clear the way for easier public understanding of these very serious and complex issues. We need interested parties – supporters such as environmentalists and concerned citizens to join the cause.

We are sending an urgent message for Earth Day 2018. We must preserve our precious planet and her renewable resources or the quality of life as we know it will perish along with human existence. When we no longer have our fragile immune systems in place to combat toxic inhibitors in the air, water and environment; This is what we can expect. Happy Earth Day Everyone.

Earth Day-Imminent Danger-Environmental Pollutants-Global Warming-Free Prevention Lecture-Prof. Koren

*9 Million People Died from Environmental Pollutants in 2015

*Polar Caps Are Melting, Severe Droughts Are Occurring, Terrible Storms Are Happening, Ocean Levels Are Rising, Global Warming Is Real and Primarily Caused by People

*Environmental Regulations Are Being Eliminated Resulting in Increased Sickness and Death, Destruction of Our Planet For Our Children and Future Generations for Present Day Greed

*Environmental pollutants cause cancer and destroy your health from the fetus to the adult.

*Environmental pollutants accumulate in the body added to the effects of diseases over the lifetime and cause early death.

*Environmental pollutants are found in the water, air, land, on food.

*Environmental pollutants are controlled by regulations to protect health, Earth, and the economy, and reduce accumulated body burden of people.

*Destruction of two environmental regulations for every new one is scientifically invalid, causing disease and death, and destroying the economy.

*Global Warming Is Real and Causes Weather Disasters, Rising Waters, Destruction of Water and Sewage Systems, Homes and businesses.

* Science is under attack causing imminent danger from pollutants and emerging diseases, sickness and death.

* Children are exposed far more than adults to environmental pollutants in the home, school, recreational aad occupational area

Are You Going To Allow This to Happen-No! No! No!. This is what we should do.

View the Free Video Presentation in the Link below, by Dr. Herman Koren, Prof. Emeritus Environmental Health Indiana State University, recipient of the highly prestigious Walter S Mangold award and many others, who is sharing his 62 years of highly professional experience in the practitioner field, as an internationally known researcher and author of 20 books and considered one of the outstanding environmental science minds of the last 60 years.

Paperback ISBN number 978-1-138-19640-7, electronic book ISBN number 978-1-315-11927-4 can be obtained from Amazon which gives it a five star rating or from the publisher Routledge Taylor and Francis.

* It is necessary to reduce greenhouse gases, and all environmental pollutants.

* Contact your representatives in Congress and state legislatures, and insist that they protect our environment, our health and welfare for now and into the future for our children and children’s children.

DO SOMETHING NICE FOR MOTHER EARTH TODAY AND EVERYDAY

Happy Earth Day!

Check Out These Sustainable Projects from All 50 States

Happy Earth Day! Check Out These Sustainable Projects from All 50 States

Earth Day Network – Official Site
https://www.earthday.org
Join Earth Day Network on Earth Day 2018 – April 22 – to help end plastic pollution. Plastic is threatening our planet’s survival, from poisoning and injuring marine life to disrupting human hormones, from littering our beaches and landscapes to clogging our streams and landfills.

1. “The environment is where we all meet; where all have a mutual interest; it is the one thing all of us share.” —Lady Bird Johnson

2. “Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.” —John Muir

3. “A true conservationist is a man who knows that the world is not given by his fathers, but borrowed from his children.” —John James Audubon
Pet Hair Is Reusable! 9 Surprising Things You Can Recycle

4. “Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of each.” —Henry David Thoreau

5. “We need the tonic of wildness—to wade sometimes in marshes where the bittern and the meadow-hen lurk, and hear the booming of the snipe; to smell the whispering sedge where only some wilder and more solitary fowl builds her nest, and the mink crawls with its belly close to the ground. At the same time that we are earnest to explore and learn all things, we require that all things be mysterious and unexplorable, that land and sea be infinitely wild, unsurveyed and unfathomed by us because unfathomable. We can never have enough of nature.” —Henry David Thoreau

John Muir
6. “In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.” —John Muir

7. “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” —Albert Einstein

Gandhi
8. “The good man is the friend of all living things.” —Gandhi

9. “An understanding of the natural world and what’s in it is a source of not only a great curiosity but great fulfillment.” —David Attenborough

10. “It seems to me that the natural world is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living.” —David Attenborough
Arctic Wolves: Endangered or Not? Take Our At-Risk Animal Quiz

11. “Here is your country. Cherish these natural wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage, for your children and your children’s children. Do not let selfish men or greedy interests skin your country of its beauty, its riches or its romance.” —Theodore Roosevelt

12. “A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people.” —Franklin D. Roosevelt

13. “Nature never hurries: atom by atom, little by little, she achieves her work. The lesson one learns from yachting or planting is the manners of Nature; patience with the delays of wind and sun, delays of the seasons, bad weather, excess or lack of water.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson

14. “Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together … all things connect.” —Chief Seattle

Mother Teresa
15. “I only feel angry when I see waste. When I see people throwing away things we could use.” —Mother Teresa

16. “Environmentally friendly cars will soon cease to be an option…they will become a necessity.” – Fujio Cho, President of Toyota Motors

Jane Goodall
17. “You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” —Jane Goodall
Published on: Apr 4, 2014
Updated on: Apr 21, 2017

Last year I had the privilege of having this appear in my blog posting and as aTribute for Earth Day
Conviction of the Heart
Kenny Loggins

Conviction of the Heart

Where are the dreams that we once had?
This is the time to bring them back.
What were the promises caught
On the tips of our tongues?
Do we forget or forgive?
There’s a whole other life waiting to be lived when
One day we’re brave enough
To talk with conviction of the heart.
And down your streets I’ve walked alone,
As if my feet were not my own
Such is the path I chose,
Doors I have opened and closed
I’m so tired of living this life,
Fooling myself, believing we’re right when
I’ve never given love
With any conviction of the heart.
One with the Earth, with the sky
I believe we’ll survive
If we only try
How long must we wait to change
This world bound in chains that we live in
To know what it is to forgive,
And to be forgiven?
It’s been too many years of talking now.
Isn’t it time to stop somehow?
Air that’s too angry to breathe
Water our children can’t drink
You’ve heard it hundreds of times
You say you’re aware, believe and you care, but
Do you care enough
To talk with conviction of the heart?
Songwriters: KENNETH CLARK LOGGINS, GUY S. THOMAS
© Gnossos Music / Milk Money Music, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
For non-commercial use only.
Data from: LyricFind

“Conviction of the Heart” is a Kenny Loggins song from his 1991 album, Leap of Faith. A live version was also recorded on the album and video for his 1992 live, Outside: From the Redwoods. Since its release, the song has become one of his signature tunes. The song was hailed as “unofficial anthem of the environmental movement” by Al Gore, when Loggins performed it on Earth Day in 1995 at The National Mall in Washington, D.C.
• Album: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow: The Greatest Hits of Kenny Loggins
• Artist: Kenny Loggins
• Release year: 1997
• Duration: 6:52

Thanks again for your interest and wishing you all a special Happy Earth Day with kindest regards especially in coming in contact with nature and our wonderful environment.

MARCH 2018 NEWSLETTER

March 22, 2018UncategorizedWilliam Sefekar

MARCH 2018 NEWSLETTER

SPRING HAS SPRUNG, Hallelujah

Spring is upon us and life begins a new, what a wonderful world in view

This is our time to shine, new beginnings, new adventures, new memories are a part of this rejuvenation that is our birthright and legacy: So go forth, be part of something worthy, something you will be proud of! Will S.

TIME TO SHINE, LIVE, AND

I need to temper his warm greetings with the fact that their 70 million Americans under a winter storm warning. I will be joining you on Friday in Washington DC as we prepare for our “March for the Living” Hopefully the March will melt the snow and un-hardened hearts of our legislative leaders, government officials and those entrusted with our national well-being emanating from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. it will take a lot of joining the ranks of young students and educators everywhere!!

___________________________________________________________________________

The following March Newsletter gives me some good fodder to start thinking about this most important newsletter. I was ready to leave that it released on March 15. The “Ides of March” can be very telling so I’ll held off on that, fearful with all that is happening could even bring about a number of things to come that I wouldn’t want to think about opening up Pandora’s Box, even though I ruefully believe it is being opened with the help of “Mad Hatter”

Well, I’m going to be heading up to Washington DC to be part of this March on Washington called March for Our Lives. It is being promoted, and the impetus for this was students, teenagers that want to be safe. Where more children, students die in schools than soldiers in Afghanistan.

MARCH
FOR OUR
LIVES.

On March 24, the kids and families of March For Our Lives will take to the streets of Washington DC to demand that their lives and safety become a priority and that we end gun violence and mass shootings in our schools today.

March with us in Washington DC or march in your own community. On March 24, the collective voices of the March For Our Lives movement will be heard.

Join one of the 838
Events Worldwide

Let’s March

Add your name
to make your mark

Sign the Petition

Gun violence in schools has long been a pervasive issue. However, recent events have once again propelled the controversy to the front of our collective minds. The school shooting in Parkland, Florida seems to have been the final straw. The Parkland shooting survivors and students across the nation are now saying enough is enough. And one part of their rapidly expanding movement is March For Our Lives, a march on Washington to demand legislative action on gun control.

Organized by students, staff, and members of the Parkland community, the March For Our Lives is scheduled for Saturday, March 24th in Washington, D.C. The event will begin at 10 a.m. EST. Sister marches will simultaneously take place in other cities, too.

According to the March For Our Lives website, organizers behind the event maintain that gun control reform is not a political issue, but a matter of safety:

So far, March For Our Lives has caught the attention of celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and George and Amal Clooney, who have each donated $500,000 to the cause. You don’t have to be rich to make a difference, though.

If you aren’t able to make it to Washington, D.C., check this Facebook page for sister marches taking place near you. If you’re community hasn’t joined the fight yet, make your own event page and start reaching out!

Organizations need cash to get things done, so join the cause by donating to the March for Our Lives GoFundMe campaign. They’re less than $300,000 away from their goal, and every little bit helps!

Show your support with March For Our Lives March. T-shirts and sweatshirts are available now, with hats, bumper stickers, and yard signs coming soon. Proceeds go right back into the event.

One big way to make an impact on gun control reform is by registering to vote and supporting political candidates who align with your beliefs. News Source

The March for Our Lives will be held in Washington, D.C. on March 24, 2018

The March for Our Lives will be held in Washington, D.C. on March 24, 2018. This of course has been organized by the students of the latest school massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

For decades I have watched people speak of the 1960’s with longing. Perhaps because they miss it, what they accomplished, or because they wished that they had been alive during this formative decade, when a generation burned draft cards in protest and said no more war to the government.

If you are one of these people then here’s your chance. If you never thought about protesting and just are tired of our political system taking money from lobbyist and putting their interest above peoples, then here’s your chance. If you did not make the Women’s March of 2017 in D.C. I hope that you will consider making this one. These “young adults and children” without inhibitions are starting out to change the country. They have been a beautiful shining light of hope in the darkest of days. I am so proud of them!!

I will be attending this March with my mother and my daughter. Three generations of women, showing up to lend support, to be heard, to help change a broken system. Out of a sensitivity for my mother and a little fear, I will simply say that 159 years between all three of us will be there.

This tragedy has brought another huge influx of Russian Military bots. There was another purge last week by Twitter while Facebook, Google and YouTube have issued statements that they will be deleting the conspiracies that they are pushing. For those of you that aren’t aware of them, maybe that’s a blessing. For those that have, I hope that you reported the posts.

As you can see they are playing both “sides” of this. The goal being of course is divide an already divided nation. Today I watched the NRA President, Wayne LaPierre use some of the same talking points that the bots are spewing while attacking the Media, the FBI and Universities. I was personally mortified. Then again I had just seen the NRA’s “commercial” on NRATV which should have raised alarms all over the world.

I don’t think this is going to get any easier and there are dark, dark days ahead of us still. I think that it is important to take the time to be proactive in our political system, to shed the bonds of helplessness and get out there and MARCH! To remember that we are NOT the minority but the majority. That we will not be hijacked by gun lobbyist, manufacturers, and the NRA. To be with our children, our grandchildren, our parents. Show the world that we are a nation of problem solving. Do something positive for yourself, this country and be involved. The United States needs us, the children need us.

WWW.marchforourlives.com

Saturday March 24th

Washington DC

Click here for

important information about how you can support our teens in this Social Justice effort

“Do not stand idly by while, your neighbor’s blood is shed”

Leviticus 19:16

We will get there where we’re going to be led by the young people because they are the future and we have to leave them a world they’re able to compete, to defend and improve our living conditions and tenuous environment. I want to inject one of my favorite songs that I like to play on the guitar. It’s on my 2nd CD, called “Rhymes and Reasons”

This is where I get my inner strength from some of these wonderfully composed songs and words of some of the great artists/writers/composers of our time.
I have been so blessed with following and learning the songs of Bob Dylan, “Blowing In The Wind”; Simon and Garfunkel, “Sounds Of Silence”, “America”; Kenny Loggins, “Leap Of Faith”; Neil diamond, “Coming to America”, “Holly Holy”. There is even room for Jimmy Buffett, “Changes In Latitude” haha, to name a few.

This is one of John Denver’s earlier songs, “Rhymes and Reasons”– The children and the flowers are my sisters and my brothers their laughter and their loveliness would clear a cloudy day and the song that I am singing is a prayer to non-believers, come and stand beside us we can find a better way.

The theme of March for Our Lives resonates from the following verse:
“It is written from the desert to the mountains they shall lead us, by the hand and by the heart, they will comfort you and me, in their innocence and trusting; They will teach us to be free.”

Lyrics for Rhymes and Reasons

This is a beautiful rendition of John Denver’s Poems Prayers and Promises with background simulated pictures and messages.

Lyrics for Rhymes and Reasons

So you speak to me of sadness And the coming of the winter

Fear that is within you now It seems to never end

And the dreams that have escaped you And the hope that you’ve forgotten

You tell me that you need me now You want to be my friend

And you wonder where we’re going And it’s you cannot accept

It is here we must begin To seek the wisdom of the children

And the graceful way of flowers in the wind For the children and the flowers

Are my sisters and my brothers Their laughter and their loveliness

Could clear a cloudy day Like the music of the mountains

And the colours of the rainbow They’re a promise of the future

And a blessing for today Though the cities start to crumble

And the towers fall around us The sun is slowly fading

And it’s colder than the sea It is written from the desert

To the mountains they shall lead us By the hand and by the heart

They will comfort you and me In their innocence and trusting

They will teach us to be free For the children and the flowers

Are my sisters and my brothers Their laughter and their loveliness

Could clear a cloudy day And the song that I am singing

Is a prayer to non believers Come and stand beside us

We can find a better way

This link is from my Second CD Entitled: LET YOUR HEART SING OF LOVING & LIVING LIFE EVERY DAY

It probably doesn’t do it justice but it is truly from the heart.

This is what we need to fall back on because I pray and I hope that this country comes together for good and justice, and mercy. Keeping our basic tenants intact, not like somebody taking a sledgehammer and chisel and eroding the foundation of what has made us strong and is built on. Which is denigrated when somebody like the President calls one of the most reputable, highly regarded moderator’s on a national network; like Meet the Press, “a son of a bitch” on television at a rally. I think we’ve lost all decency when you’re dealing with these kinds of situations. We deserve better leadership.

And as I said, I’m going to March for Our Lives on the Washington Monument Mall with my sister and others that will join forces for decency to build a better America; Not Make America Great with simplistic platitudes. Not with the kind of rhetoric based on lies and derogatory demagogues and if anybody has something that they think that would be a good poster along these lines, please send it to me on my twitter account to be counted in the response. There are going to be plenty of posters with the right messages, presented by the “student body” and forming a larger crowd than was at the inauguration; that’s for sure.

So if you have suggestions. I’d like to hear from you. People and Posters will carry the day. Will send you pictures.

======================================================================

I listened to hear about Prof. Stephen Hawkins passing at 76 years of age in spite of all his suffering and limited mobility in being able to accomplish so much beyond the wildest imaginations literally and figuratively. That 25 of his posts and share them with you and is nice to have it acknowledged by the great Seth of the thinkers on CBS television from the big tank theory TV show they appreciated this is brilliant minds.

Stephen Hawking Dies at 76; His Mind Roamed the Cosmos – The …

2 hours ago – Stephen W. Hawking, the Cambridge University physicist and best-selling author who roamed the cosmos from a wheelchair, pondering the nature of gravity and the origin of the universe and becoming an emblem of human determination and curiosity, died early Wednesday at his home in Cambridge, ..

Stephen Hawking/Quotes

Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.

The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.

I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road.

We are just an advanced breed of monkeys on a minor planet of a very average star. But we can understand the Universe. That makes us something very special.

My goal is simple. It is a complete understanding of the universe, why it is as it is and why it exists at all.

Life would be tragic if it weren’t funny.

I have no idea. People who boast about their IQ are losers.

People won’t have time for you if you are always angry or complaining.

We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldn’t want to meet,

Not only does God play dice, but… he sometimes throws them where they cannot be seen This shows you how like minds think alike.

Albert Einstein was once quoted as saying. G-d doesn’t play craps with the Universe. Very interesting introspection or as I found out a synonym is navel-gazing. Sounded like it would fit in somewhat akin to star-gazing, ha

Stephen Hawking, appearing with cast of the Big Bang Theory

1st Pic:Full Cast and Production Crew of The Big Bang Theory 2nd Pic: Sheldon with Stephen Hawking from one of his Episodes

Like so many lives touched by Stephen Hawking’s brilliance, the cast of “The Big Bang Theory” is spent a Wednesday morning in morning. Stars made him violate, Kaylee cuckoo, Jim Parsons and John Lackey and co-create a bill ready also to social media to express their admiration for the lake, great physicist, who died Wednesday morning after decades – long battle with ALS. 76.

“In loving memory of Stephen Hawking,” the CBS sitcom wrote on its official Twitter account, alongside a photo of the stars the talking. “It was an honor to have him on the The Big Bang Theory. Thank you for inspiring us and the world. He appeared on the series is himself seven times, beginning with his season five cameo in “the Hawking excitation” and most recently with the current season premiere last September.

“As we near Pi Day of our time,” Lilac tweeted, along with the same snapshot. “#Stephen Hawking is free from the physical constraints of this earthly condition we all exist in and he is soaring above us now marveling at it all.”

“Life would be tragic weren’t funny.” – Stephen Hawking

___________________________________________________________________________

Wait, on another thought-provoking note, I would like to share with you some of the outreaching Works of Dr. Koren. This was particularly noted from his Lecture given on January 21, 2018. With all the effort in getting the video edited and the final product which I shared with you last few months. A 20 minute version for the layman and the public will be available next month but the 58 minute version is being sent to over 1500 universities and colleges. Enunciating the steps you need to take to maintain a balance and quality of life: purer air, cleaner water and winning the battle against the degradation of our immune systems.

I am so fortunate that I have a special mentor which I could work with. He has exhibited within his powerful, intellectual grasp the opportunity to have an impact on the earth and its environs equally important as reaching out to the heavens.

Blog posts and Newsletters over the past months have featured Dr. Herman Koren one of the foremost experts on environmental health pollution and immune system degradation. A 58 minute lecture has been available since it was recorded on Sunday, January 21, 2018. Follow-up efforts have resulted in distribution channels that have carried its way to some of the most venerable and prestigious Environmental Health and Public Health Associations and Organizations. I am proud to provide you with some of the follow-up discussions and efforts that have led to this higher-level information availability.

Herman Koren

Mar 13 (8 days ago)

to me, lgatcovecay, carolina.antun.

Dear Bill, Linda, and CarolinA

This has just been published by the Environmental Health Section of the American Public Health Association and Will Reach about 1500 Top Professionals in the United States and Canada Immediately.

Keep up the Good Work. We Need to Reach the Public That We Can Move Ahead and Protect Our Environment and Our Health.

Hank

=======================================================================

Four-star Army General Barry McCaffrey

Has called Trump’s behavior in wake of the controversy insane and is questioning the state of the nation under his leadership.

In an interview with the Washington Post, McCaffrey stated, “We’re cruising toward a war with North Korea, and for eight days we’ve watched insane behavior by the president, Congresswoman Wilson and the chattering class in Washington.”

He said Trump has no empathy and that his conversation with the widow was likely a disaster.

McCaffrey isn’t the first to go after Trump following his alleged comments to Johnson. Gold Star mom Karen Meredith spoke her mind as well and told Trump to stop making everything about himself.

McCaffrey wondered what’s going on in the larger picture concerning Trump’s continues and numerous controversies which manage to consume news cycles for full weeks. He jumped from his NFL comments (which he continues to Tweet about) to this maddening disrespect of a widow of a killed serviceman; what’s next?

He just keeps lying, both in his words and from the Twitter that many have argued serve as a platform for presidential proclamations.

First, he claimed his predecessors never called the families of fallen service members, which is demonstrably false. Then, he attacked Representative Wilson for standing up for a widow he had disrespected. And now, when that widow speaks out, he’s shutting her down too, all from his cowardly place behind a computer screen.

Grow up, Trump.

A retired four-star Army general said that he believes that President Trump is a “serious threat to US national security.”

Retired Gen. Barry McCaffrey tweeted Friday that he reached the conclusion about Trump because the president “is refusing to protect vital US interests from active Russian attacks.”

“It is apparent that he is for some unknown reason under the sway of [Russian President Vladimir] Putin,” he added.

McCaffrey has also worked as an adjunct professor at the U.S. Military Academy and led the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy for five years during the Clinton administration.

Trump has come under fire for his response to Russian interference in the U.S. election. The president has repeatedly hit the probe into Russia’s election meddling as a “witch hunt.”

His administration unveiled new sanctions against Russian cyber groups involved in election meddling on Thursday, including individuals and groups charged with election interference by special counsel Robert Mueller.

However, Trump had been criticized for not implementing sanctions against Russia earlier, after Congress passed a bipartisan bill last year giving him the power to do so.

U.S. Cyber Command chief and National Security Agency Director Adm. Michael Rogers testified before the Senate last month that he hadn’t received instructions from Trump to take additional steps to deter Russian cyberattacks aimed at U.S. elections.

=======================================================================

This is a statement that was in the news by former FBI official John Brennan

Ex-CIA chief John Brennan to Trump: ‘America will triumph over you’

Sean Rossman, USA TODAY Published 1:11 p.m. ET March 17, 2018 | Updated 3:36 p.m. ET March 17, 2018

Former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe reportedly kept memos regarding President Donald Trump. USA TODAY

The former director of the Central Intelligence Agency, in a venomous tweet Saturday, accused President Trump of political corruption and warned, “America will triumph over you.”

John Brennan’s biting two-sentence statement came in response to a Friday evening tweet in which the president celebrated the ouster of FBI deputy director Andrew McCab e.

Former CIA director John Brennan testifies on Capitol Hill in 2016. Brennan, in a Saturday tweet,

accused President Trump of political corruption. (Photo: J. Scott Applewhite, AP)

“When the full extent of your venality, moral turpitude, and political corruption becomes known, you will take your rightful place as a disgraced demagogue in the dustbin of history,” he wrote. “You may scapegoat Andy McCabe, but will not destroy America… America will triumph over you.”

McCabe’s firing: FBI’s Andrew McCabe fired days before retirement; Trump applauds Sessions’ move

More on McCabe: In war of words with Trump, fired FBI’s McCabe says he will no longer be silent

More: Retired four-star Army general: Trump, ‘under the sway of Putin,’ threatens national security

Brennan served under former president Barack Obama from 2013 to 2017. Since he left his post, he’s been critical of the president on his response to the hurricane recovery in Puerto Rico and on his recent decision to impose tariffs on aluminum and steel, among other decisions.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who often is at odds with Trump, fired McCabe amid a review of the FBI’s investigation of Hillary Clinton’s private email server while she was secretary of state.

Trump called McCabe’s firing a “great day for the hardworking men and women of the FBI.” McCabe, the president claimed, “knew all about the lies and corruption going on at the highest levels of the FBI!”

Brennan tweets sparingly and usually only to make a statement about current affairs. After Trump announced tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, Brennan issued another abrasive tweet.

“You show an amazing albeit unsurprising ignorance of how technology, automation, and the attendant evolution of economics and societies have transformed the world,” he said in response to a Trump tweet on March 7. “Your simple minded policies — imposition of tariffs — have the potential to seriously damage our future prosperity.”

===========================================================================

Thanks again for your interest and wishing you all a special Spring season with warmest regards especially those dealing with March going out like a lion.

February 2018 Newsletter

February 14, 2018UncategorizedWilliam Sefekar

February 2018 Newsletter

ODE TO CUPID

Happy Valentine’s Day

All you lovers of life,
As well as you lovers of the Earth
You caregivers of caring-
Give of your bounty and your bounty will always be filled to the brim.
Make sure to give Cupid a big wide angle shot to land His mark.
You never can tell, what the results will be
It will only feel like a little pinch and gives you the warm fuzzies forever.
Will S.

___________________________________________________________________________

Dear Mr. Pres. I use that word loosely, you’re not my president and more than half of the United States citizens that voted, didn’t get your vote. Over the years there have been times that my preferred candidate wasn’t elected yet I accepted it with equanimity and endured the outcome. What you have done: You’ve made shambles of the moral fiber in this country. You condone extramarital affairs at a level that is so far below our consciousness what used to be right is not right, and what use to be wrong is not wrong. Now we delved few levels lower on the Internet today, are we condoning Domestic Violence (DV) and Sexual Abuse (SA)? Are these allegations prerequisites for WH positions of power these days? I can’t stand by and millions of men and women and young adults are not going to accept this. We can rise up and vote you out of office and all your cronies that sold us out.

All the millions and millions of hard working Americans are now subservient to the billionaires; the 1% that we were told this is what you were going to do. This is like mind-boggling; Hitler said what he was going to do. It shatters speed records of the my consciousness and what you are doing is: Dismantling the Republic, our democracy. We’re going to tell you and your cronies in November what we think of this degradation of our environment, government and our moral fiber and hopefully will set the bar a lot higher than what you have done- which is sell us out, the little guy the man in the streets. However, we can thank the women, women in the streets who have come out to show what we mean when we say enough is enough.

Join me, in whatever organizations. I will be joining also to get this word out to show that we mean business. This is a government: by the people, for the people and God willing, will never perish from the earth. We’ve invested too much of our time and our parents time, and our grandparents time and all the immigrants that came before us that you wouldn’t have allowed in or are sending back. Now your guidelines are strict guidelines of making what is moral, that makes you determine who is righteous and who is not. This is no way, you are wrong, you are wrong, you are wrong and we will show you how wrong you are because not only is the pen mightier than the sword, but we will show you that the ballot box is what got this country this far and the ballot box will determine and not dictate, as we don’t want to use that word because that’s what you’ve thrown at us, a dictatorship that is how you’ve gotten your way. You are dismantling our justice system and slandered trying to protect yourself by false accusations, shrouded in law enforcement agencies, and the Secretary of the Department of Justice (DOJ), who can’t even remember what he did 3 months ago. You destroyed eight years of building blocks to make this country fair and one that reached out to all peoples. Is this your only way: no compromise, no negotiations? This is how you deal in your world! We learned this lesson the hard way.

This country is definitely in peril, you want to “make America great.” We just want to keep America the way it was; loving, caring; a United people that that’s how we got our name the United States of America. The people sticking together to help one another in spite of adversity; resulting in the building of great a country. It was forged out of a beautiful land that God gave us, America the beautiful; unbelievable words, believable how people put their personal interests and greed above what made this country great. Patriotism is not just something that you say or put a flag out, that helps; you work at it, you work at it and you work at it, it’s going to take a lot of work just get us back to the middle of the road where we were a few years ago.

Want to share with you something that really means a lot to me and I’m hoping to populate this in not only “What America Means to Me,” Whatamericameanstome.com but certainly it is appropriate in the other domain name website “Immigrants Are USA,” www.immigrantrusa.com. The hullabaloo recently about the president off-the-cuff remarks about people from Haiti, San Salvador, and Africa. The expression s**t hole became the word of the week, month, year.

I cannot imagine how someone, especially in this high office would make these remarks and talk about our roots like this. These are ALL our roots, unless your ancestors came from living in these pre-Colonial times. The first settlers were “American Indians” as we know. Ancestry on my mother’s side came from Eastern Europe and Russia and I recently was watching a movie Fiddler on the Roof; where their lives were as precarious as the perch of a fiddler on a roof. It showed what happened; how the Jews felt the wrath of the Russian dictator, the Czar. Cossacks and their cut-throats bands would periodically initiate pogroms and massacres of innocent people, mostly Jews. Toward the end of the movie this Jewish town called Anatevka, for the Jews had to sell their property, and livestock in three days and were forced to flee. And many of them would come to the New World and as they sloshed through the night in the cold carrying all their earthly possessions in carts that they had to pull their carts in this quagmire of mud and for a life that would be much better. And I think this would certainly qualify as a s..t hole. I have the tape and will provide you with pictures of how these immigrants lived on their way to the New World to America in the early 1900’s . As I said ,they left to find a better world here. We were so blessed, thank you America,

I’m putting some of these pictures from Fiddler on the Roof that just happened to be aired on Turner Classic Movie (TCM) a few weeks ago. It belies what my ancestors on my mother side had to deal with when they left Russia and arrived in the USA. My grandfather, William Charles Lakoff, is who I am named after. In the European Jewish communities, you named children after deceased relatives to keep their memory alive. My grandfather William, in order to save a few cents; he was a laborer and a few cents meant a lot back in the 1920’s. So, he decided instead of taking the bus to get home from his job, he carried his toolbox for about a mile and ½ in the cold and snow in Brooklyn, New York. He suffered a heart attack and died. He left four daughters and a son and a loving wife to raise the kids. He had scrimped and saved up enough money send for his wife Bessie, (my grandmother) and three of his children; Lena, Yetta, and Hymie to come from Russia. Two of them were born here in the United States, Renee and the youngest of the five children was my mother, Thelma was born in 1920; who was six at the time. And as the story rings true, immigrant families stay together and nurture one another and build a better life from what you saw as millions of families like on my sides of the family. They left their s..t holes came to New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, etc. and many of them stayed in Europe, like Craków, Poland and faced a far worse ordeal, a far worse fate 25-30 years later.

VIDEO SNIP-IT FROM FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, ABOUT RUSSIAN IMMIGRANTS COMING TO AMERICA EARLY 1900’S

Pictures taken from the Movie, “Fiddler on the Roof” about Jewish Immigrants from Russia.

My father’s side of the family didn’t fare that much better. They were caught in the crossfire of the Balkan Wars just prior to and during World War I that began in 1914. The Ottoman Empire, under Turkish rule, controlled the islands of Greece. Salonika is the second-largest city in Greece, next Athens. My grandfather Jack, my Dad’s father, was picked up and incarcerated for violating curfew during this war-torn era. His crime was trying to get milk for his two-year-old daughter, Lucia (Lucy) my Dad’s oldest sister. And after paying whatever fines necessary to be released, they realized they needed to get the heck out of there from their s..t hold and with all the money that they could scrape together and borrow, they took passage on the SS Angelina that left Naples, Italy on September 9, 1916 and after a shortstop over in Havana, Cuba set sail on the SS Mexico for America on October 25 arriving at Ellis Island. (See accompanying manifests).

Manifests from Jack and Jenny’s sojourn to the New World, from Salonica, Greece, 1916

Something happened Saturday, February 10 as I was working on the newsletter, blog post. I regularly take a gander at the movie selections on TCM as was noted above by my interest in seeing again and taping part of “Fiddler on the Roof.” I noticed that this night, the movie was “America, America” about Greek refugees at the turn-of-the-20^th century and what they all had to do, fighting their way through to the New World, then saving the money to bring their family here the United States. This was how things went down for all nationalities and immigrants whose main objective was bringing “the family” over to America. These are some of the pictures from the 1963 movie, America, America produced by the noted Hollywood legend, Elia Kazan. The following pictures and YouTube video depicts what it was like as depicted in the 1963 movie, America, America.

VIDEO SNIP-IT FROM ELIA KAZAN’S, AMERICA, AMERICA, ABOUT GREEK IMMIGRANTS COMING TO AMERICA EARLY 1900’S

Turkish soldiers riding through Greek towns to control peasants

Immigrants in 3rd class steerage await initial visit by Immigration Officials to determine if any on-board are carrying any diseases like Tuberculosis or Cholera

Launch with Immigration Officials to check for unhealthy people aboard ships coming into the US

STATUE OF LIBERTY FROM SHIP

Finally on American Soil

I have two blog posts: What America Means To Me, www.whatamericameanstome.com and Immigrants R USA. www.immigrantsrusa.com. I’ll be sharing with you and the other is It worked for Me. www.itworked4me.com.

Once this web-site, blog is activated, I will welcome any and all stories that I will share with readers wherever I can. And I will treat them like they were from my own family. We need to show, we need to show, how much we appreciate all that this country does for all its citizens and would be citizens. These are serious times and I hope they can be met with serious resolve.

BOB WOODWARD’S PRESENTATION, ST. PETERSBURG, FL JANUARY 24, 2018

I’d like to share with you an incident that was a last-minute thing, but it meant a lot. On January 24 I read there was a program at the Mahaffey theater here in St. Petersburg, Florida and the illustrious Mr. Bob Woodward; Author of “All the Presidents Men,” fame with Carl Bernstein they put together the book. Interesting to note that the Bob Woodward was played by Robert Redford in the movie and Bernstein was played by Dustin Hoffman it was a very memorable evening and I just happened to spend a few extra dollars to be a relatively good position, little did I know that it was five rows back from where the microphone was on both sides of the audience and I got up and made my presentation. My question which just happened to be the last question, I proceeded to thank Mr. Woodward as I said, this country and I alluded to the fact there are not only 500 people there that thought enough of him and what he’s done to be in be present in the audience, I said, “This country owes you a great deal of gratitude,” and it was very warmly received. The other thing was I had a copy of my book American Dreamer: A Look into the Life of My Father, Joe Baby. In it I showed a picture of my Dad and Mom with Sergeant Shriver, who was the vice-presidential candidate during these turbulent times and I traveled with Sergeant Shriver with the Democratic National Committee on his Campaign.

It also just so happened that working in the Radio Department at the DNC which Mr. Woodward explained to the audience was the Democratic National Committee where the break-in occurred at the infamous Watergate. I mentioned that it was a little disconcerting going to work that Monday after the break-in. Which just so happened was the office that Pres. Nixon’s henchmen went through; part of the Radio Department.

But my concern to Mr. Woodward: “I am very disturbed, worried and sickened by what is been transpiring these past months in Washington and being a product of the Watergate era that I am really in one of my worst frame of mind ever.” I said to Mr. Woodward, “I believe that what is unfolding is 10 times worse than what took place during the Watergate time?”

Mr. Woodward, being tactful as possible agreed that there are serious implications. As a matter record, he is working on such a book which is not surprising and putting together all this information and details that he so apt to do as was stated in the program. After his response, the program concluded, and I made way to the lobby. I wrote a very fateful inscription and again thanking him, saying that all the American people owe him a great debt which like the United States debt, gets bigger and bigger. I haven’t received any acknowledgment, but I trust it’s in good hands and I know Mr. Woodward under the cloak of American intuitiveness is busy sorting things out on how to get our Republic righted, pardon my expression.

Bob Woodward Presentation, Program from Wednesday, January 24^th, 2018, St. Petersburg, FL

The Good Lord has invested a lot in this country and the people over the years, millions and millions of individuals who have set foot on its shores and built this great nation of humanity upon love and understanding and mercy.

As much as I am scared as never before about the welfare of our great nation, I believe we must work harder work. The irony of ironies is that the problem isn’t so much from without as it is within. This country has been based on not letting George do it, but you do it. I’m re-dedicating myself to try to help not just in my writings but trying to make a difference. I substitute teach and last week I was filling in for the social studies teacher in a middle school; seventh grade. Appropriately enough it was about the Constitution and the “Separation of Powers; boy was that ever prophetic.

ADDING TO FATHER-SON BONDING, DALLAS, TEXAS STYLE

I remember hearing last month that a private school in Dallas, Texas was preparing for a parent-teacher gathering and the ministers were worried that there were not going to be a sufficient enough numbers of father’s with-sons, so they put an ad in local papers and radio to encourage volunteers to come in and be part of this program. The response was overwhelming; instead of expecting maybe 50-60 over 400-500 showed up.

One of the heart-rendering stories that would emerge was a “surrogate father,” working with a young student and mentoring time with him, thought it would be good to show him how to tie a knot. This went back to my impressionable years and how fortunate I was as my Dad thought enough to teach me early on how to tie a knot as I watched him get ready for work. I learned how to make a single and double Windsor which put me in good stead in the business world, my whole entire life. And as I mentioned in the “American Dreamer: A Look into the Life of My Father, Joe Baby,” I repaid a small part of the debt later on in Dad’s twilight years when we would get ready to go out to dinner, services or were at some special event.

School administrators and the event organizer, the Rev. Donald Parish Jr. of True Lee Missionary Baptist Church, were working to have mentors for students who might not have a father at the gathering.

“When a young person sees someone other than their teacher take interest in them, it inspires them. That’s what we want to see happen,” Parish said. “These kids need all the support they can get to be successful.”

Jason Rodriguez

@DISDPD_AChiefJR Tweets

Assistant Chief of Police, Dallas ISD Police Department. FBI National Academy #260. LEMIT LCC #75. Leadership Dallas Class #42. IACP Juvenile Justice Committee.Dallas, TX

dallasisd.org/pd Tweets

Words cannot describe the impact mentoring youth can have on both you and your mentee. Powerful to see a community of fellow men and fathers come together to wrap their arms around or young men. Thank you for having me out.

8:20 AM – 14 Dec 2017 from Dade Middle School

Jason Rodriquez, Assistant Chief of Police, ISD Dallas Police Department, Mentoring and working with Students, Dade Middle School Breakfast, Dallas Texas, December 14, 2017

DR. HERMAN KOREN’S PRESENTATION ON SILENCING SCIENCE, JANUARY 21, 2018, CLEARWATER FLORIDA

It was my great pleasure to work with Dr. Herman Koren’s on his talk, Sunday, January 21th, 2018; was a great success. Over 70 people were in attendance and Dr. Koren talked for over an hour and proceeded to make his Presentation on our “Changing Environment, Global Warming, Immune System Degradation with over 14 pages of prepared text. The video of this presentation will be available to the offices of USF and their pertinent departments. I will keep you apprised of these developments.

PROGRAM FROM DR. HERMAN KOREN’S TALK ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND ANTI-POLLUTION MEASURES, JANUARY 21ST, 2018, CLEARWATER, FLORIDA

FLYER FOR DR. KOREN’S RECENTLY PUBLISHED BOOK: BEST PRACTICES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.

Please try this Link for Dr. Koren’s Presentation:

“Environmental Pollutants Danger-Global Warming-Silencing Science-Prof. Koren Lecture Prevent Early Death”

Clique arrow to start Video/Lecture

Thanks again for your interest and wishing you all warmest regards especially those dealing temps below 40 degrees.

New Year, New Year GreaThings, Let’s Make It Great!!

December 31, 2017POST-PRINTING, Pt. 2William Sefekar

The New Year is here and where R U? That means No U-turns, put your best foot forward and let’s face this year together.

Good day everyone, and a good year everyone. We are cruising into 2018 and it is going to be a most prophetic year.

2017 offered a lot of challenges and gave us opportunities from my perspective; opportunities to grow and make our own individual marks. 2018 as I see it, is going to be an even greater debarkation in that we’ll be embarking on a chance to do things that may require us to break away from the confines of our comfort zones and reach out, maybe not so much to touch someone as the old commercial was for Ma Bell. But to strike new paths. Plus, with what’s going on as part of rewriting our mores and morays of today, it is not recommended to reach out and touch someone, unless you have written permission, lol.

And maybe I’m using my guidelines, my anticipation in formulating this when I know that this is how I’m going to be viewing the New Year’s turn the page, new pages in our book and new books, ha. I have some new writing projects that I want to share with you as “American Dreamer” gets a larger reading audience, yeah. One such reader and now considered dear friend, sent a very generous contribution for the “American Dreamer Fund.” Would like to share at a later time.

Hoping to get more interviews on television, podcasts and radio networks. But, I’m also looking to start new writing projects that I have been nurturing over the years and I have the domain names to prove it:

itworked4me.com This website will contain dozens and dozens of things that I have found beneficial in keeping me healthy, not yet wealthy and almost wise, ha. I’m formulating how to best present this to my readers and audience and look forward to reveal the things that have made a difference in my life and others around me.

Another example of my future projects is “What America Means to Me” which is influenced by a handwritten page (page 404) in the book American Dreamer: A Look Into the Life of My Father, Joe Baby and embellish on what my Dad started.

Do you ever get a feeling that you are guided by certain forces beyond your control? The selection of the title of Dad’s book, “American Dreamer:” is that this is more than just a coincidence in the link with today’s “Dreamers,” DACA; and at this time, possibly a deeper meaning. I also want to address the current debate about the immigration snafu that’s been created in Washington so I have secured immigrantsrusa.com, for that purpose.

So, with that in mind, I want to wish all of you a healthy, successful and yes, even prosperous New Year. I hope you find new things to keep you interested along with your journey, meet new people to share new wonderful adventures with, and to open up exciting and new perspectives in your lives. In 2018, I am redoubling my effort to work this equation which as I said, means hard work so if you want to be healthy and stay healthy you gotta do it; Just Do It!! Apply yourself and remember; no pain, no gain. Whatever it is you do, keep your body parts moving, HaHa. That’s a little sneak preview of what to expect moving forward into 2018.

One of the more popular outreach efforts I have been working on besides the blog posting and book publishing is the twitter material and Face Book quotes. They have been received with a most savoring affect. Some of these I obtain from the “Soundscape” music channel which plays new age music and posts famous, noteworthy sayings during the tracks they play. As a small tidbit along these lines, I have also been doing the “crypto quotes” religiously from the newspaper all my life. This is included in my tweets and posts from various sources which I will share and draw upon a little deeper another time. These posts and tweets receive quite a bit of feedback and comments from our faithful “followers” on our social media platforms.

There are undoubtedly many wise and well-versed people that have come across the face of this earth. In yesterday’s quote by Eleanor Farjeon, “Love has no uttermost, as the stars have no number and the sea no rest.” Very profound and as accustomed as I am when coming across a wonderful message I google the author to find some of their other interesting, noted adages. A practice well worth doing. It just so happens that Ms. Farjeon, an English writer, and Philosopher, among her other accomplishments, is the Author that penned “Morning Has Broken.” It was a very popular and famous song recorded by Cat Stevens before he changed his name. I know many of you are familiar with this special song and its verses which I would like to leave with you.

“Morning Has Broken”

Morning has broken, like the first morning

Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird

Praise for the singing, praise for the morning

Praise for them springing fresh from the word

Sweet the rain’s new fall, sunlit from heaven

Like the first dewfall, on the first grass

Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden

Sprung in completeness where his feet pass

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning

Born of the one light, Eden saw play

Praise with elation, praise every morning

God’s re-creation of the new day

Morning has broken, like the first morning

Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird

Praise for the singing, praise for the morning

Praise for them springing fresh from the word

Happy and Wondrous New Year

Cryptoquote from Friday, December 29, 2017

HOLD THE PRESSES!!

My very dear friends Dr. David and Hyon Kalin invited me to attend a special performance with their son Aviel Kalin and the great violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman. “Uncle Bill” was thrilled, so on Saturday, December 30th we traveled to Sarasota Florida from Tampa. The Perlman’s (Itzhak and Toby) have conducted this Program with talented young musicians for over 15 years. I am sharing the pictures from this wonderful event. Also noteworthy is that I managed to provide the Maestro with specially inscribed copies of both my books. I hope he enjoys them. 🙂

Itzhak Perlman and Aviel Kalin after performance

Program with Maestro Perlman’s signature

Youth Orchestra Conducted by Maestro Itzhak Perlman

Bill Sefekar with Worldly Acclaimed Violin Virtuoso Itzhak Perlman

My very dear mentor and friend, who I extremely admire, Dr. Henry Koren will be presenting a critical talk not just about Global Warming but about our overall environment. This is something you don’t want to miss. We need to do important things to protect ourselves and our immune systems. The program is scheduled for Sunday, January 21st in Clearwater, Florida from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and will address some of these urgent issues. I am attaching some of the pertinent material and will be providing an update on this over the next two weeks prior to the event.

NEWS RELEASE

Free Presentation Open to the General Public

January 21, 2018, at 10:00 AM

Temple B’nai Israel

1685 South Belcher Rd., Clearwater, FL

Contact: Bill Sefekar: 727-492-5444 for additional information

Imminent Danger – Potential Environmental and Health Catastrophe Professor Emeritus Herman Koren, of Indiana State University, author of 20 books and one of the foremost authorities on Environmental Health and Preventive Pollution Measures, will be giving his first presentation in ten years on the imminent dangers of failing to protect and prevent our environment from deteriorating.

“Silencing Science-Global Warming: Similar to Sudden Bridge Collapse – A Real Story about How Environmental Pollutants Affect Your Health and Shorten Your Life.” Dr. Koren utters this dire warning because he’s looking at the current use of a medieval battle ax to dismember environmental regulations, to dismember the Environmental Protection Agency, to diminish the Department of Energy, to block global warming knowledge and applications, to reduce budgets severely for environmental health, public health, health science programs and research, and to limit government scientists and their participation in appropriate scientific interactions with other scientists.

Koren says, “All of this nonsensical extreme damage will cause far more disease and injury and lead to premature death of American citizens especially those most vulnerable, children, elderly, those with chronic diseases, poor and homeless. It will also have a profound effect on our economy in a very negative manner.”

Professor Koren’s experience and knowledge is so vast and so current that he truly is considered one of the world’s renowned Applied Environmental Scientists. He has witnessed severe air pollution, water pollution, hurricanes, floods, sewage problems, food contamination, land pollution, solid and hazardous waste problems, innumerable outbreaks of foodborne disease, waterborne disease, and mosquito-borne disease, outbreaks of healthcare infections, rat infestations, and insufferable housing conditions.

For the past 60+ years, Professor Koren has participated in and observed the vast improvement in the public’s health by the appropriate use of regulations and best practices by thousands of environmental health and public health professionals who prevented, mitigated and controlled disease, injury, and environmental factors. His extensive field practice includes his experience as the District Supervisor of Environmental Health Programs for 250,000+ people, the Environmental Health Administrator at a 2,000-bed hospital; and as the Field Coordinator of 1,100 interns for 25 years in 28 states and 70 different health jurisdictions including Pinellas County.

This event is sponsored by B’nai B’rith Lodge 263, Tampa Bay and in conjunction with Temple B’nai Israel of Clearwater, and SAGES (Senior Actors Guild Educational Service)

Thanks again for your interest and wishing you all a special New Year with warmest regards especially those dealing with temps below 40 degrees.

Thanks and Thankful, Yes We Are!!

November 23, 2017Pt. 1, UncategorizedWilliam Sefekar

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE

Remember, It is not Happy people who are Thankful, It’s Thankful people who are Happy.

OPEN FOR BUSINESS

A lot has happened my dear friends, colleagues, family, and supporters since the last newsletter release. I’ve gone from writer’s cramp and printing presses to post-publication with press releases and now, pseudo-marketing efforts.

The Tampa Jewish Book Fair was a very good, immersion experience; I spoke with people interested in exploring new books and authors.

This past Sunday, November 19th was B’nai B’rith’s, Mini-Book Fair which gave me the opportunity to polish my presentation and give insight into the book and why it is worthy of people’s interest and consideration.

With this newsletter, we embark on new and uncharted waters. So far I’ve been involved with two book fairs here in the Tampa Bay area and they have been both very provocative and informative. I’m looking to expand this to other locations and plan to visit Washington and then New York City and some other major metropolitan areas on the East Coast in the near future.

Presentation from B’nai B’rith Mini-Book Fair Presentation, November 19, 2017

We have devised three versions of the book available for purchase. There is the $36 full-blown color addition with over 130 color photos of pictures, letters, charts, maps, documents, etc. The second choice is the $24 version, a modified color edition which includes 40 color pages. Then there is the Black and White version, which is selling for $18 and is available on Amazon.com.

All copies purchased with the exception of the $18 Black & White version will be autographed by the author himself.

$ 36.00 Color version (130 color pages)

$ 24.00 Partial Color version (40 color pages)

$ 18.00 Black and White version (Available on Amazon.com)

The beginning of next month, I’ll be heading up to New York for the Jewish Writer’s Seminar on Sunday, December 3 for a chance to meet with fellow authors, publishers, and editors. It will provide the whole gamut of getting the best bang for the buck so to speak for reaching out to new audiences.

Moving Forward

I will be undertaking writing projects including possible additional books and new blog postings. A following is a sampling of the topics.

What America means to me: www.Whatamericameanstome.org

What Immigrants means to America: www.Immigrantsrusa.com

Messages and guideposts to dwell upon: www.Joebabylifelessons.com

Good feelings from good actions: www.Feelthegoodness.com

The one that I am most excited about is: www.Itsworked4me.com

Thank you for your support and I wish you all a great holiday season and as always we welcome any of your thoughts and comments.

FROM RECENT BOOK FAIR PRESENTATIONS

This is just one of dozens upon dozens of letters reflecting the outpourings of love that these two-people shared for 67 years.

It’s so much more than just letters, it’s insight into what it takes to make a life more meaningful. It also teaches us how to be a person that can deal with the urgencies of life with all its exceptional moments. Whether Joe Baby was helping build a museum; hire staff; prepare budgets for Congress; or plan the day to day operations, he certainly did it with a deep seeded passion.

Joe Baby’s passion and commitment to “doing what it takes to get the job done” is clearly reflected in his actions. For example, for two years Joe Baby commuted from New York to D.C. to support the creation of the Hirshorn Museum. He would leave on a Monday and catch a shuttle from D.C. to New York and fly back from New York on Thursday night where he was able then to assess the progress of the Hirshorn Museum. Talk about commitment.

Joe Baby continued to save pictures, documents, and even budgets. He was of course involved with pertinent discussions with Mr. Joseph Hirshhorn and the Curator, Abram Lerner. He even drew a reaction from non-other than Pablo Picasso during some sensitive negotiations.

This is how Joe Baby worked for 38 amazing years with his all his jobs in the Federal government and at the same time being equally successful creating a life of his own, a family, and keeping a marriage intact.

As I have said before, he wrote, collected and documented everything and it’s now available for all to see firsthand. What it took to work with this lifetime partner reaching so many milestones and all the special times together were truly astonishing.

After retiring from the Washington Museum accomplishment, he took part as Finance Officer/Administrator in the establishment of Ruth Eckerd Hall (REH) in Clearwater, FL and here again, you can see the letters and all the background information. In addition, you can learn what it was like working with Arnold Bremen, the Executive Director who had a penchant for bringing all this together. Arnold was the foundation of this Great Hall; the wonderful shows, and Dad certainly documented this as well.

Upon the completion of Joe Baby’s work at Ruth Eckerd Hall he was back in full retirement mode. Now is the time for creating new milestones. For example, A 50-year anniversary with Thelma returning to Europe 50 years later and retracing his WWII experience. Much-to-do about introspection on reaching the magic age; dealing with what you can do. Joe Baby acknowledged “What America meant to him” like the 50th Anniversary Article about the GI Bill that has allowed millions of returning soldiers the opportunity to start and/or complete their education. Or the 50th Anniversary of the liberation of all the horrors of the Concentration Camps where millions perished including at least 15 of his family.

Joe Baby always went the extra mile to acquire the necessary skills to “get the job done”. This is what the book is about. How you can reach the next level, and how people can glean from the work they choose to do.

I’m one of the fortunate ones who has been the purveyor of the “guide” of the saving this for posterity. Whether it’s advice on writing better, joining the toastmasters, building a better vocabulary, analytically challenging yourself, you can find it in American Dreamer: ~Bill Sefekar

What Dad shares with us is the introspection and accumulation of these meaningful things that Joseph Sefekar had acquired. He backed it up by writing about it and sharing it with us. He talks to us about these meaningful things’ like long-lasting friendships.

“To realize early on how important it is to keep an inner circle of friends you could rely on and trust. I was so fortunate that these friends would be enduring and follow me through most of my life.”

One such friend, Martin Sobel, wrote a letter of recommendation. The letter of recommendation stated that ‘Mr. Sobel could unquestionably stand by his endorsement of my character for over 16 years.’ “Considering I was only 24 at the time, then this meant I must’ve had something going for me, even when I was only eight years old. It was good to carry this around, and hopefully, the personnel reviewing my credentials didn’t check the math.”

In the picture above you can see Mr. Sobel’s letter is dated June 26, 1941.
(see pg. 24 in the book)

All through his career whenever he left a position he was always celebrated. Like when he departed the Veterans Administration in 1952.(pg89) Or the Letter of Recommendation from the Continental Air Command in 1959 and again when leaving The Civil Service and Small Business Administration in 1969. Also, after seven years of serving as the Administrator for the Hirshhorn Museum. One letter he received after his retirement was from one of his staff members. She wrote in glowing terms….

Dear Mr. Sefekar,

“You are as much a part of, to everyone, of the Hirshhorn as the beautiful works of art, and I know everyone will miss you. It’s you who’ve kept us smiling with your calm, kind, leadership.”

American Dreamer lends itself to so many wonderful messages, literally hundreds, so many things that can be garnered from this to shape students, young people and seniors alike who perhaps face life’s challenges can find help in American Dreamer.

Whether it’s the student studying approaches to become a complete individual or the average person yearning to look at the brighter side, American Dreamer offers this and describes what it takes with a little bit of extra effort to achieve your goals. Every chapter inspires us to say “yes, I can do that, or I can to make a difference, maybe I should go for it. Joseph Sefekar did not do this for the affirmation, the acknowledgment, he did it because he was a caring person. Whether it was his family, loved ones, friends, people that he worked with or just strangers he was there and he was available. He was always enamored with education and learning so he said, “Let’s build a library.” Yes! In his 80’s, he helped do this too. The East Lake Community Library in Florida is another testament to Joe Baby’s “Just Do It” attitude.

Why did Joe Baby save and preserve all these documents and memories?

Simply because he knew the importance of life lessons he took the time and the effort to save and preserve so many documents and memories and to make them available for all our future generations. TO LEARN FROM THE PAST.

Another example of this finding in one of Dad’s folders of the “Century Countdown” which was a series of the last hundred years. This series appeared in the St. Petersburg Times every day starting on September 23, 1999, and up to the fateful December 31, 1999, the millennium in the year 2000. Dad had meticulously cut out each year and each day, starting with 1900 and then collected them in this folder for me to find. I cleaned it up and scanned them into the computer and this was a part of the blog post for Joe’s lifelong legacy “some of the major years in our family’s life and then quarter century groupings.”

Although it wasn’t cost-effective to put this in the book, it will be available to people who have the book through sporadic updates on material that we deem to be relevant. This will be one of these extra added attractions that we will provide to our readers that will appear in the upcoming months and year.

I hope I can reach as many people as possible so you all have an opportunity to pick up a copy of this to carry around with you: Words to live by Joe Sefekar; “Joe baby life lessons.”

Again, have a great Thanksgiving and holiday season, wishing you all the best, and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to put a copy of the book under the Christmas tree, under your Hanukkah bush or even under your pillow. ~ Bill Sefekar

BOOK FAIR HERE WE COME AND PLEASE HEAR THE ALARM

October 21, 2017UncategorizedWilliam Sefekar

Hope to meet you there

I cannot thank enough all the people that have worked so diligently over the past few years to help make this book possible. As with the first book, Light: Courage and Hope, written with Cantor William Hauben it appears in the forward one of the title “Somebody up is there directing traffic” well there have been so many things that have happened regarding American Dreamer:.. that bears out the same premise.

I’ve included herewith, some of the material from the newspaper that appeared in the Jewish Press, October 6 -19 edition for Tampa and Pinellas County. Being one of the two local authors, I really feel privileged and am looking to give this opportunity my best shot. I will be most anxious to put this in the best possible light regardless of how things turn out, LOL.

I am certainly very lucky and fortunate to have this opportunity being one of the featured speakers at the Tampa Bay Jewish Book Fair that starts this upcoming week. I’m scheduled for Sunday, October 29th at 4:30 PM at the Brian Glaser Family JCC. The Center is located at 522 N. Howard Avenue. This used to be the old armory and is just south of Kennedy
Blvd. I hope to see everyone there.

The book with all the last-minute edits will be available but first and foremost this will be an opportunity to meet with you and share Dad’s special story on how, “He Wrote It”.. “How They Did It”…and “How He Saved It.”

Who’s The Boss

Just three weeks ago while in my garage I came across an envelope, the 4 ½ x 5 ½ inch variety. There it was on the shelf near the entrance to the door to my house looking a little weathered. It said “Father’s Day 2000” with a handwritten Joe; I opened it up and I’d like to share it with you.

There was a drawing of a woman with red hair which would definitely pass for my mother and it says,

On the back of the card was the standard Greetings Workshop,

With the explanation; “not knowing where this card came from, as it was just sitting there in my garage I then realized it was sent by my mother of course because she wanted everyone to know who’s the boss.”

I was overcome by this and went ahead and scanned it, put it in the manuscript and it appears right in the front next to the Dedication.

Everybody Needs a Spiritual Advisor

Everybody needs spiritual advisor whether it’s someone that you can listen to, speak with or even read about. They can be your Clergy, Pastor, Reverend, Rabbi, Cleric, etc. They are people that you admire, respect and look for guidance. In my religion, the rabbis and cantors provide this necessary link to ponder and follow the precepts that we feel are so important in living our lives to the fullest with regard to our kindred spirit. It also makes our journey here on earth more palatable and reconciling why the heck we are here.

I’d like to share with you a very emotional and inspiring talk by one of My spiritual advisers, Rabbi Daniel Treiser, of congregation Temple B’nai Israel in Clearwater, Florida. I’ve used some of his messages, sermons in the past and most recently in connection with the events that took place in Charlottesville, Virginia in September. However, what transpired during our high holiday services the Jewish new year, Rosh Hashanah was a gut-wrenching pouring out of what happens when we are tested; really tested. This is what happens when life-threatening situations occur that leads to the most innermost soul-searching.

The story goes like this…

“Hearing the Alarm”

Daniel Treiser – Rosh Hashanah Morning Sermon September 21, 2017 – 1 Tishri 5778 (Date in the Hebrew Calendar) Rabbi

For that answer, we turn to a later teaching in our Jewish tradition. In the Middle Ages, Maimonides was one of the greatest scholars, teachers, and minds, and remains our finest teachers. When he wrote his great legal commentary the Mishneh, Torah, he taught his meaning and purpose for the shofar’s blasts. He taught that the shofar calls to us, saying “Awake, you sleepers from your sleep. Arouse you slumberers from your slumber and ponder your deeds; remember your Creator and return to God in repentance. Do not be like those who miss the truth in pursuit of shadows and waste their years seeking vanity. Look well to your souls and consider your deeds; turn away from your wrong ways and improper thoughts.”

For Maimonides the shofar is an alarm clock, waking us from our daily routine, to pay attention and perform acts of teshuvah, repentance, at the start of this New Year. The question we must ask ourselves then, is do we hear that alarm clock, or do we hit the snooze button?

Reflecting on repentance, my colleague Rabbi Richard Levy once wrote,

“The day has come to take an accounting of my life.

Have I dreamed of late of the person I want to be,

Of the changes I would make in my daily habits.

In the way I am with others,

In the friendship, I show companions,

In the assistance, I offer my neighbors?

I have remained enchained too often to less than what I am.

But the day has come to take an accounting of my life.”

We hear alarms and warnings all the time and, all too often, we ignore them. We hear a car alarm going off, and unless it sounds like ours, we dismiss it. If a home alarm goes off on our street, MAYBE we check to see if something is wrong, but otherwise, we pay no attention. This past July, three different friends unknowingly sent me the same article. It was in the Washington Post, and it was titled “Tampa Bay’s Coming Storm.” In the article, the author speaks to climatologists, experts, building developers, local government leaders, and residents of communities throughout Tampa Bay, including many in which I know you live. And the conclusion they all came to is that Tampa Bay is woefully unprepared for a major storm. I received that article in July. I dismissed it. So when the forecasts first came, we prepared a little bit. Bought some water, bought some tuna. Nutella, oddly enough. As the track shifted, we dug out the gas cans, bought batteries, pulled out the synagogue’s hurricane plan. As the cone moved west, I found myself thinking of Rabbi Levy’s poem again. What papers need to be protected? What comes with me? What items do we as a family want to preserve just in case? Is it time for us to leave or should we wait it out? “The day has come to take an accounting of my life,” indeed.

We sit here today less than two weeks since Irma struck, less than a week since some folks here had power restored, a day after we watch another powerful storm decimate an island paradise. And we breathe a sigh of relief because we “dodged a bullet.” And yes, we did. We’re the lucky ones. I can tell you that right now the members of Temple Beth El in Fort Myers are celebrating their New Year at Cypress Lake United Methodist Church because their building is unusable. Temple Emanuel in Lakeland is also worshipping in a church because of damage. I cannot tell you where Rabbi Michael Feshbach is leading services today. He is the rabbi of the Hebrew Congregation of St. Thomas, heavily damaged in Irma, and we have yet to hear about Maria’s impact. We pray for their safety as we give thanks for ours.

So what do we do? Do we heed the call, look around us and see that our world is changing? Do we acknowledge that sea levels rise and storms become more powerful because of our impact on the earth or do we hit the snooze button? Will we learn the lessons of the last two weeks to make ourselves safer and be better prepared, but at the same can we do our part to help prevent further damage to our fragile world? “The day has come to take an accounting of my life.”

Alarm clocks have evolved over the years, from the town crier of old and the rooster on the farm into technology. If I ask you to think of an alarm clock, you probably envision the wind up analog clock with two bells on top. That’s the most common icon. But we evolved to digital ones, too. They’re ubiquitous and everywhere. The funny thing is, I don’t have an alarm clock on my nightstand. Like many of you I imagine, I just use my cell phone. Open up the alarm feature on my phone and you’ll find at least 15 different preset times I may use as an alarm. Some are set to repeat, some don’t.
But never did I imagine that my phone would be the alarm clock I heard on May 22nd. How could I think that a simple phone call would alter the path of my life forever because something didn’t look right?

I might not have expected it for myself, but I know what those calls are like. I know many of you have received the calls like I did. I’ve been through them with some of you. The call from the doctor’s office, the hospital, the emergency room – the alarm we dread. It comes filled with questions, so many fraught with fear. What does this mean? Will I be cured? How long do I have? There’s questions upon questions upon questions. Treatments, healing, recovery, positive attitude, alternative therapies, all of them are important questions to consider and trust me, they’ve been on my mind non-stop.
But this alarm raises other questions, too, questions that have been on my mind just as much as the ones about my treatment, questions that are equally important for each and every one of us. What have I done with my life? How do I use my days? How do I treat others around me? Do I give thanks for the myriad blessings I encounter every day or do I forget to acknowledge them? Did I offer the caring hand, the supportive shoulder, the gentle chuckle to ease the hurt? Did I say I love you enough? We often live our lives as if we have all the time in the world to get around to changing, even though we know our time is short.

Why do we wait for that alarm to ask these questions? Why do we need the cancer diagnosis, the tragedy, the loss of a friend or loved one to make us wake up?
“The day has come to take an accounting of my life.”
“I need to come in touch with my own power,” the poem continues, “ …To be a comfort, a source of honor, So strong that I can risk the love of someone else So sure that I can risk to change the world…
So long as I have breath, I know I have the strength
To transform what I am to what I can be.
The day has come to take an accounting of my life.”

The shofar does more than simply call upon us to wake up and take stock of our lives. It calls upon us to act as well. To act as individuals for the betterment of our world. “The Talmud teaches, ‘If you see wrongdoing by a member of your household and you do not protest you are held accountable. And so it is in relation to the members of your city. And so it is in relation to the world.’ As Jews, we are held accountable in ever-widening circles of responsibility to rebuke transgressors within our homes, in our country, in our world. One chutzpadik, medieval commentator teaches we must voice hard truths even to those with great power, for ‘the whole people are punished for the sins of the king if they do not protest the king’s actions to him.’ I’m often asked if every rabbi just goes to some website to download their sermons so that everyone is saying the same thing. The answer, obviously I hope, is no. But today I do want to share words with you written by others. Today I am one of several hundred Reform rabbis around our country, sharing this call in one form or another. “Today I speak words in fulfillment of our sacred obligation. We will not be silent. We will, without hesitation, decry the moral abdication in our nation that sees us becoming more divided and fueled by hatred. This is not a political statement. We, like the prophets of old and generations of rabbis before us, draw from the deepest wisdom of our tradition to deliver a stern warning against complacency and an impassioned call for action. We call on you to rise up and say in thousands of ways, every day, as proud Jews and proud Americans: ‘You cannot dehumanize, degrade and stigmatize whole categories of people in this nation. Every Jew, every Muslim, every gay, transgender, disabled, black, brown, white, woman, man, and child is beloved of God and precious in the Holy One’s sight. We the people, all the people, are created b’tzelem elohim, in the image of the Divine. All the people are worthy of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.’ On this Day of sounding the Shofar, may her four distinct notes compel us to respond with a resounding call for justice. The single Tekiah, The Sound of Certainty: As rabbis, we are speaking to our congregations in every accent of America to declare in unison: acts of hatred, intimidation, and divisiveness will not be tolerated in these United States. We stand upon the shoulders of the sages, poets, and rabbis in every generation who fought for freedom. We speak in memory of every Jew and in memory of all people who tragically and senselessly lost their lives at the hands of evil oppressors. We call on all our political leaders; progressives and conservatives alike, to rigorously uphold the values articulated in the founding documents of our country, the “immortal declaration” that all [men] people are created equal. We call on every elected leader to responsibly represent our country’s history and advance its noble visions of tolerance. On this first day of the New Year, we are ‘Proclaiming liberty throughout all the land’ [Lev 25:10].

The second note, the three blasts Shvarim, The Sound of Brokenness: Something crumbled inside us when we watched the televised images of Charlottesville’s beautiful streets filled with hate-spewing marchers. It reopened the wound we felt here when thugs marked our sidewalks with Nazi graffiti when criminals desecrated the mosque in New Tampa. How much more vandalism, how many clashes, which other cities? We must not accept or become inured to some warped version of ‘normal,’ of racist and anti-Semitic acts or rallies popping in and out of breaking news cycles. Let us never grow numb to the brokenness, but let our pain fuel our vows to respond – with peaceful protests, and with public calls for healing, by building alliances and by speaking in unison with other minorities and faith communities. Neither silence, nor complacency, nor waiting anxiously and fearfully for the next wounding event are options. Not for us. The words of Elie Wiesel, of blessed memory, sound a warning to us today, ‘We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere.’ May we never be neutral, never silent in the face of threats or of discrimination toward any. Let us interfere as healers of the broken[hearted], and binders of their wounds. (Psalm 147:3)

The third shofar blast: Truah – 9 short notes- The Sound of Urgency: The events of these simmering weeks are a wake-up call to our Jewish community. Racism is wrong whether it seeps into explicit anti-Semitism or not. The Talmud teaches that God created us all from the first Adam so that no human being could ever say, ‘my lineage is greater than yours.’ But just in case we thought the white supremacists were after someone else, or that the Confederate flag has nothing to do with modern-day Nazi sympathizers, or that we were somehow safe in the fact that most – but certainly not all – Jews in America are white, those fiery torches illuminated another truth, one we learn and forget only to learn again this day: if one minority group’s rights are threatened, we are all threatened. As Martin Luther King taught us, ‘We are all tied together in a single garment of destiny,’ whether we are the least powerful or the most powerful person in our world.

The final shofar blast: The Tekiah G’dolah The Endless Pursuit of Justice: Torah admonishes: ‘Justice, justice you shall pursue, so that you may live and inherit the land which I, God, give to you.’ Our sacred text reminds us that for a community truly to inherit its place in the world, thoughtful leaders at every level must be dedicated to equality and to unity. Every community relies on passionate and engaged citizens; it relies on you to be insistent advocates for tolerance and enduring kindness between the diverse peoples of our nation. To pursue justice is to create a society that protects and enlivens every citizen. Let us be relentless, tireless builders of that society in our county and in our country – in this New Year.” 5778

My friends, in so many ways, it has been an interesting year since we last gathered to celebrate Rosh Hashanah. There have been reasons to celebrate, reasons to cry, and reasons to express great concern. If there is one thing I have found in this year, it is that I need to listen to the shofar’s call more than ever. I cannot simply sit back, hit the snooze button, and let life go on without me making a difference. A difference in how I view myself, how I view others, how I view the world.

In this New Year, let us all hear the shofar’s call. Let us hear the alarms others have heard and wake up to be our best selves. Let us plan and prepare to make our world better.

Let us hear the call to action to defend the rights and needs of others. Let the hundred notes we are about to hear from our shofar remind us of the command to offer thanks 100 times each day for the many, many, blessings in our lives.

Let’s not wait for another alarm, because “TODAY has come to take an accounting of all our lives.”

Rosh Hashanah Morning Sermon 5778 –

Thank you, Rabbi Daniel Treiser

POST 51: WHAT IMMIGRANTS MEAN TO AMERICA

August 20, 2017PRE-PRINTING, Pt. 2admin

WHAT IMMIGRANTS MEAN TO AMERICA

I am bewildered and dumbfounded that our worst fears are coming to be realized. Over the years we always tried to wonder how could it have been possible that the most civilized, the most educated nation on earth at the time – Germany could have succumbed to the horrors of the Nazis and currently the neo-Nazis under a banner of one man.

These things are unfathomable now.
Well, we are coming to realize that it’s happening, this is happening. The truth cannot be denied what was considered “right” is being twisted to the whims of charlatans under the banner of freedom and the right to speak. My Dad’s book has given me an opportunity that I never thought it would be. It puts me in a position to speak out. I’m writing a story, a memoir, people are telling me; oh you know, it’s just your Dad’s story and be satisfied with this and leave it at that. Well it seems to have taken on a life of its own and I’ll share with you a couple of passages that I’ve re-visited a few times on previous blog posts and his writings and what he shared with us, it jumps out at you and comes alive. Here are a few of the excerpts. The initial one refers to the “New Museum” that opened on the Capitol Mall in 1974. Two years later, this Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden prepared a major Exhibit for the Bicentennial. The theme was Immigrant’s Contribution to the United States 1876 – 1976. It also dealt with Artists – Immigrants of America. Initial references from the book included the building and opening of the Air and Space Museum adjacent to the Hirshhorn and its new curator Michael Collins who happened to be the Lunar Module Commander for Apollo 11. This was also mentioned in the previous chapter, Chapter 8, from “American Dreamer,” pages 185-189.

Excerpts from American Dreamer pg 186

I relished this opportunity and to impart some of my knowledge and experience knowing what it was like to be a fledgling; new kid on the block. It was an exceptional event, Thelma and I were glad to be part of it.
But this did not keep us from getting our first major, eye-opening exhibit ready to make our own contribution to the American Bicentennial. The plan was put into place an exhibit to acknowledge the contribution of the “Immigrants’” over the last 100 years that have come to our shores with the rich emphasis on Immigrant’s Art Influence.
With all the hoopla today centering around immigrants and immigration we shouldn’t lose sight of how much we owe to the millions, upon millions, upon millions who would even be considered refugees that came to this country as a last resort; and not just “ARTISTS – IMMIGRANTS OF AMERICA.” One of the things that I was most proud of was the Golden Door publication dealing with ARTIST- IMMIGRANTS OF AMERICA, 1876 – 1976. Part of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden exhibit and publication; May 20 through October 20, 1976. One of the numerous articles as early as the turn-of-the-century appeared in the New York Times and deals with the heading “Immigration Record Will Be Broken This Year; 1906.”
What makes this so prophetic is that part of this newsletter about the Golden Door is the reflection on what figures to be its personification of “Liberty.” At the base of the statue at the entrance to New York Harbor symbolizes the immigrants’ expectations. On Liberty’s base was inscribed the words by Emma Lazarus’ closing verses: Patriotic sentiments:

Give me you’re tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore; send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me. I lift my lamp beside the Golden door!

(Figure 9.23 Golden Door Artists- Immigrants 1876-1976); Figure PP5.1 (Figure 9.24 Bicentennial Exhibit, MEMO; Figure PP5.2

Figure 9.25 Bicentennial Exhibit Article, “Melting Pot” Figure PP5.3

Their acceptance was a cyclical thing, the immigrant’s lot would go through periods of increases and decreases. In the article, the last paragraph states “the outbreak of World War I led to intensified efforts to assure the immigrants’ patriotism and loyalty.” By the 1920s, however, a virulent restrictionism began to dominate the American attitude towards immigration. Passage “Through the Golden Door” became possible for fewer and fewer immigrants.” How ironic that things haven’t changed much during the passage of all these years.

The second passage that I’ve included, is from a letter that my Dad sent to Mike Wallace of media broadcasting and of the “60 Minutes” fame 40 years ago. But first, let me digress to the serious events and issues of today.

I am pleased to share with you a message written by my good friend, Rabbi Daniel Treiser of the Temple B’nai Israel, Clearwater Florida. It addresses recent events that culminated with the terror attacks against protesters and the death of Heather Heyer and the injury of 19 others as well as the tragic loss of Lt. H Jay and Trooper Burke M.M. Bates when their helicopter crashed in Virgina a week ago.

Rabbi Daniel Treiser Message on the today’s current events and issues, Figure PP5.4

This message should be read vigilantly and taken to heart. Rabbi Treiser tried to carefully purport all the views dealing with the circumstances that took place.
Quoting a friend and colleague Rabbi Dan Levin who wrote, “Neo-Nazis and white supremacist know nothing of those whom they hate. They seek to find power and preserve privilege in society, not by virtue of their own personal merit and achievement, but because they worship the superficial and have found scapegoats to blame for their frustrations and resentments.” And follows with words of the great Ellie Wiesel, Prof. and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” And Rabbi Treiser continued, “we cannot remain silent. The overwhelming voice of good, tolerance and love in our nation MUST be stronger than the shouts of hate. Vigils and rallies against intolerance continue to occur throughout our communities. Be a part of them.”

As I said, there are strange things happening. Is it just coincidental that the crypto quote on August 16, was a saying from Rosa Park, the very brave woman who refused to leave her seat at the front of a Birmingham Alabama bus and started the Civil Rights Movement in earnest? Here is one of her formidable responses. It Is certainly applicable today and for the future: “I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.”

What is going to be occurring in the next months and years is incumbent upon all of us not to stand by and let others go forth and express views that we are sympathetic with. It sounds and looks like it is going to be necessary to pick up the torch, that’s the irony of ironies because those people who marched in Charlottesville, Virginia under banner of white supremacists promoting bigotry, racism, hatred carried with torches. It was those inexpensive tiki-torches which they purchased to spew their message of hate and intimidation which if it gets out of hand could burn down the democracy that this country was built on. I am writing this at about 1:30 am, Thursday morning, August 17 with the help of my voice recorder which has been instrumental in preparing and capturing what evolved into the American Dreamer: A Look into the Life of My Father, Joe baby; He Wrote It… They Did It… He Saved It… If I didn’t have all these little nuances, advances for preparing this material it would a disadvantage. Yet, this is what my Dad had to deal with when he first sat down and hand wrote everything and then saved it. It would be a long time coming before it all came together for us to perceive.

So, what you can see is, we need to be vigil and as the saying that has been handed down to us, “Freedom is Not Free” and “Silence is Not Golden”. It’s a means of perpetuating our inheritance and our heritage.
Thank you for this opportunity to be able to speak out. I admire all those people who went to the rallies and organized to show their support for the freedoms that we hold dear and evidently there is a wide range of support that is going to be needed. We fought for it, we defended it, we need to keep defending it.
My Dad wrote about it and we all need to speak out in gatherings and our places of worship, city halls, in parks and show the spirit of this great country and what it was based on. Maybe we’ve had it too easy and the time is necessary to show our cherished values and our moral courage. God help America as well as we need to pitch in to help the cause.

This country is based on the hard work, and blood of immigrants, that tilled the fields, fueled the factories, secured the battlefields and don’t let anybody say otherwise. This is what is real, not fake news, it’s not something that we normally shout about that when people like my Dad took the time to keep this close to his heart and wanted us to know what it meant. He didn’t shine by going about wanting to make people see it, carry torches, yet he thought about every day, whether working hard, as a soldier, father, helping in the building of Museums, Performing Arts Centers and Libraries; he showed by example.

This is the reason I have acquired the Domain Name: ImmigrantsRUSA.com and once the book is published I plan to have time, I would like to hear your stories, about your family; your parents, grandparents, and of course you.

I listen to some of the twisted justifications that these white supremacy neo-Nazis spew that they think they were just dropped in this country, that they are the purveyors of what’s right. They must be blind to the fact that every one of us are immigrants, unless we came from an old Indian nation. We worked hard, we built this country. What have they done that they could justify to purge everyone that doesn’t fall into their view of the Aryan image and mentality? It’s almost always the same, whether it’s religious fanaticism or extremism. You really have a tough time trying to reason with this ideology.

Joe Sefekar, almost 40 years ago felt it was necessary to speak out in his terms so he wrote it out. He tried to separate free speech and our First Amendment with calling for riotous actions and atrocities from the heinous outpourings of Nazi sympathizers in Skokie, Illinois.

This was in comparison to the listener of the Mike Wallace radio talk show when comedian George Carlin used a few colorful words that the listener felt offensive because his young son happened to be in the car listening in comparison to Nazi sympathizers discharging death and other atrocities.

(Figure 10.18 Letter to Mike Wallace of 60 minutes); Figure PP5.5

I even had time (Joe speaking) to contact Mike Wallace formidable TV host of “60 Minutes,” about a news report hearing with George Carlin, the comedian from one of the listeners who heard these dirty words while he was driving with his son and was offended. The new story followed an item on the Skokie demonstration – how can Mr. Douglas talk about an insult on the senses and not say anything about life-and-death assault by the Nazis in Skokie, Illinois? Is only assault on the senses could be condoned under the First Amendment, but an assault on death should not be allowed to surface as free speech when what it spews forth its death.

I went on to furnish some facts if they could use the follow-up scenario: That being a native-born American, with some normal religious interest – meaning like attending Friday night services, just as Catholics attend Sunday church services. By the grace of God, my parents migrated from Salonica, Greece to America. My mother left three sisters behind, they, their husbands and children were slain by the Germans, 15 in all. Four cousins survived the concentration camps – one is in Canada, one is in New York and two are in Israel. My exposure to the Holocaust was during my tour of duty in Europe with Hdqtrs. First U.S. Army. Our units liberated Buchenwald and I observed what remained before it was cleaned up. What will stay with me forever was the abattoir with hooks along the walls below the ceiling. Two survivors explained that the prisoners were impaled by their chin on the hooks. Maybe it is a sense of stoicness and the ability to bend instead of breaking that has enabled the Jew to survive throughout the generations. My cousin Haim became a bank guard in Tel Aviv; Eli owns a carpet store in Canada; Pepo is a grocer-owner in Brooklyn.

So, as indicated earlier, I’m planning to launch this website www.ImmigrantsRUSA.com and will open up the door, open up the gates to hear stories that people would like to share and I’d like to hear from these white supremacists to have the guts to see what their contributions have been; positive contributions have been to help build this country, make it better, instead of spewing hatred and belligerency.

POST #50 PRE-PRINTING PT. 1

A MEMORABLE STORY OF A MAN ON A MISSION

HE WROTE IT, THEY DID IT, HE SAVED IT; TRANSFORMING AMERICA!!

“JOE SEFEKAR’S INSPIRING STORY OF AN IMMIGRANT’S CONTRIBUTION TO THE HEALTH, WELFARE, AND ARTS OF UNITED STATES.”

HOLD THE PRESSES EVERYONE, JUST RECEIVED NEWS THAT “OUR COMMANDER IN GRIEF” HAS ISSUED HIS PONTIFICATION ON IMMIGRATION GUIDELINES.

Good thing it wasn’t issued 100 years ago. I’d be writing this posting from Salonika, Greece and it would be all Greek to you. Anyway, I don’t want to dwell on this right now and detract from the message appearing below. And I want to carefully craft my response before it goes viral. You know what they say when hitting the send button it cannot be retracted. So, expect to hear something in the next day or so.

OK, ANOTHER STOP THE PRESSES, This time for a major accomplishment. My sister Bonnie Sefekar Landau and her husband Lee Elliot Landau celebrated today on Thursday, August 3, 2017; 43 years of happily marital bliss. Wonderful years together, I can attest; Soul mates from the get-go. No, this is not a Geico commercial. He even loaned her one of his kidneys three (3) years ago. And they’re living happily after laughter.

Figures PP.1 Bonnie and Lee’s Wedding, My Sister, Bonnie and Lee Landau Celebrating 43 years of marital bliss today, Thursday, August 3, 2017

HOW BEAUTIFUL THE YEARS HAVE BEEN

Welcome my good and dear readers, friends, and country folks. Well, we’re here in August. July, offered a lot of good happenings. Met some new people and contacts, opened some new doors that will help with getting the book ready for distribution.

A few of the major developments is that the Book Council in New York saw fittingly enough of the book it was presented, they will want me to speak at a number of book fairs and literary gatherings. First on the agenda is the 2017-2018 Festival of Jewish Books & Conversations. This Tampa Bay event is being held in October where yours truly the Opening night Author. Also in dropping off copies of the books to the Hirshhorn Museum and Ruth Eckert Hall here in Clearwater, there’s been a very good response and I’ll share this with you.

Figure PP.2 Ruth Eckerd Hall acknowledging Tampa copy of book presented to them.

Figure PP.1 Invitation to be part of Jewish Book Fair in October.

So, we are in the final throes of getting the book to you and once the details are available we will arrange for the actual delivery date. I will be looking to travel in the next few months to broaden the horizons and meet many of you that have been following us. So, I will be happy to provide a schedule of where these events will be held and possibly at a Barnes & Noble’s bookstore near you. Thanks again for all your interest and support and we’ll talk soon.

We will be zeroing on a date forth coming for obtaining copies of the book. We are also planning to allow readers to access the website or blog postings and have available pertinent documents and materials and pictures not able to be included in the book. It would make the cost prohibitive; as providing a nice twist to it so it kinds of doubles the pleasure as well is a good bang for the buck, ha.

I’ve been providing examples throughout of all my Father dutifully collected letters, documents, memorabilia. This one is for the hundred days (100) prior to the 2000 Millennium. Daily articles appeared in the St. Petersburg Times. Starting with September 23rd, 1999 and leading up to December 31, 2000, the Times had a Capsule summary with pictures for each year. I found them all in a folder and managed to crop and scan the pictures of some of “their” (Mom and Dad’s) highlighted years and then reverted to quarter-century presentations in preceding blog postings. Interestingly enough the last twenty-five years appear in the August Newsletter for your reading enjoyment. As you can imagine these 11 by 18 pages would not bode-well for inclusion in the printed book. This was confirmed by the copy editor of the printing company printing the first 18 Bound Galley copies of the book; showing her the complete rendition of the over 25 pages encapsulating a hundred years. It was very entertaining as she leafed through it, picking out all the major highlights of her birth, marriage, children being born etc. A major advantage worth mentioning about this format is allowing once clicked on you can increase the magnification to see it more clearly and with better resolution, a real-win-win. So, it’s a bonus for the book to include links to Appendices, large files and blog postings that are pertinent but could not be added due to the number of pages, color content and allows an outlet for new additional material that comes to light…

Figure PP.4 Century Countdown 1972-1975, Figure PP.5 Century Countdown 1976-1978

Figure PP.6 Century Countdown 1979-1981, Figure PP.7 Century Countdown 1982-1985

Figure PP.8 Century Countdown 1986-1988, Figure PP.9 Century Countdown 1989-1992

Figure PP.10 Century Countdown 1993-1995, Figure PP.11 Century Countdown 1996-1999

Thank you all for your support, it means a great deal and if you get some enjoyment and introspection this can be transcribed as a fitting testimonial for my father.

As an added feature for our readers and audience, we are also posting on twitter, @JoesLegacy and on Instagram, items that appear in the book and related matters. We are still eliciting your comments and suggestions. I hope to develop a running dialogue with you all, as many of you have provided us with comments that appear in the social media and we value that. I try to get to them as much as I can with the help of my associates and do appreciate my valued followers.

Pre-Sale for the Book is Now Available!

Pre-Order your Autographed Hard-Copy by Clicking the Button Below!

We are always interested in hearing comments and suggestions about how the blog could be better. Sound off below with your ideas.

POST 49 Part 3

July 4, 2017FINAL POST, Pt. 3William Sefekar

Today is Tuesday, July 4, 2017. A good day for posting a blog; a good day for giving thanks. A good day for remembering. I always thought that the quintessence of July 4 was to be part of the parade, walking down Main Street of town with lots of fanfare, bands playing, motor cars, a motorcade. I guess it doesn’t happen as much and most people are reminiscing from past scenes of special events such as the Bicentennial, attending fireworks, cookouts that’s all part of the part of Americana. All part of remembering our Independence Day but there’s unquestionably a lot more to it and as we embark on our 241st years, it is certainly important to reflect on what we have and where we might want to be. I commend those citizens that have taken it upon themselves to voice their opinion on matters that concern us all, on issues that are going to affect us and have taken the time to participate in a rally or attend an upper-level government or even local commission meetings. This really shows people’s commitment. It is very important to hear from the electorate and the citizenry, whatever political party, affiliation or political position you are promoting.

I look back and know that my Dad got involved, he supported his political party but larger than that, he purported the ideals for which this country stands for: fairness, concern for others and looking out for the little guy. He did attend his share of meetings but what his strongest contribution reflected on the adage that; “The pen is mightier than the sword” (though he did take up the sword when circumstances dictated otherwise). He wrote letters and followed it up; this is how he made a difference. I like to think back on the many, many letters he sent. This particular one was to the then First Lady, Hillary Clinton in 1993; pressing her to continue work on a National Health Plan. We know how difficult it was then, we know how difficult it was 10 years ago and even more difficult now. However, he followed up that letter 15 years later in 2008, when she was then the US Sen. from New York and beseeched her to continue efforts to come up with a fair universal health plan for all the citizens of this nation and even included the previous submission.

Initial letter 1993, to then 1st Lady Hillary Clinton on approaches to Universal Health Care.

Follow-up letter 15 years (2008) later to then US Senator from New York

Chapter 12 vignette 1

1987

Patriotism is assured when there are patriots who we can count on. We do not need men who seek refuge as a plan to subjugate the people whom they call liberals in Sofia’s own parlance. It means that if you’re an average individual, who is Patriotic and your liberal (whatever that means), and you don’t want to be called unpatriotic, so you must say you’re not a liberal, which in turn makes you a patriot without being labeled a liberal.

This is the time that tries men’s souls. Are You a Sunshine patriot and/or a winter soldier? I’m a convert many times over – New York, Washington, D.C., and Palm Harbor, FL. I loved them all, and I feel like a citizen of the world. I’m a real New Yorker-born with an inborn Liberalism – with the basic work ethic, the regular family values. (After 75 years, I know I have them- and I never knew it even with my education fetish).

Gentlemen of the Legislature – you’re not playing politics, you’re talking budget.

What you’re doing is hamstringing the Florida education system and destroying the faith of our children in our governing representatives.

I looked at my teachers with awe. They taught me the daily niceties of being tolerant of those around me. At age 10, when I came home from school, I realized, realized that my demeanor to my siblings had changed. – I said to myself why can’t I speak quietly to my family the way my teachers conducted themselves. I received my early training at P.S. 115 in Brooklyn, New York. (P.S. standing for Public School).

I’m a volunteer at East Lake High School in Palm Harbor, FL. and there’s going to be a library in this area in part due to my efforts. I am there and doing that because of the warm feeling I have for the American Education System. I wasn’t an outstanding student but I had stick-to-itiveness. I attended summer school to add to my college credits. I received two degrees attending L.I. University and N.Y. University with a lot of help from my homemaker wife, who built up our family unit. I used the GI Bill and owe no debts to the government. But I owe a debt of gratitude to Uncle Sam. Mr. Chiles – use Education as your keystone. No one can blame you for fighting for Education – win or lose – you are right. Your opponents used Education to cut the budget to the bone. You can use the Education budget to rescue the children – no one can fault you for being the true Education Governor.

Another overview from the Pen of Joseph Sefekar espousing his belief in our system and our way of life.

So, we need to keep on keeping on, and I’ll take a page from this example and in our own way do something positive, something constructive to make this country better and stronger even if we’re not on the front lines, literally or figuratively – Enjoy the fireworks!!

It’s nice to report that we made some progress in the wonderful wacky world of publishing. I had 18 Bound Galley copies of the book prepared. A Bound Galley is the pre-publication version of an upcoming published book that is a printed, perfect bound book.

Recently received 18 Bound Galley Copies of American Dreamer

They are being presented to the number of outlets that could help in coming up with their support for publishing the book. Equally important is getting feedback and reviews. On my recent trip to Washington and New York, I presented the book to the Assistant to the Director of the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington DC and a copy, actually two copies as required to have the book reviewed by the Jewish Book Council. This included the press release and other pertinent material. Am anxiously awaiting to receive their evaluation and impressions of “American Dreamer: A Look into the Life of My Father Joe baby.” I also received positive responses from local media sources and possible other publishing houses; Will keep you appraised.

An interesting sidelight was when at the Offices of the Jewish Book Council they were promoting a “Project for the People” to share their story from 1917 to 2017 and the how this project is being received. It coincides perfectly with Joe Sefekar’s’ story as he was born in 1917 and transcended almost 100 years to the 2017 Mark. So, it’s a ready-made story of “our people” (all “our” people) looking back at contributions from Immigrants everywhere, who helped keep this country strong, serving us in war and in peace. I guess you might say that Dad would be the “Poster Boy” for just such an outpouring of what transpired during these hundred years.

Promotional Announcement of “Share your Story” for the past 100 years.

Thank you all for your support, it means a great deal and if you get some enjoyment and introspection, this can be transcribed as a fitting testimonial for my father.

Please share all this information with your friends and colleagues.

As an added feature for our readers and audience, we are also posting on twitter as @JoesLegacy and Instagram on items that appear in the book and related matters. We are still eliciting your comments and suggestions. I hope to develop a running dialogue with you all, as many of you have provided us with comments that appear in the social media and we value that. I try to get to them as much as I can with the help of my associates and do appreciate my valued followers.

Pre-Sale for the Book is Now Available ALL PRE-SALE ORDERS WILL BE AUTOGRAPHED BY THE AUTHOR

Post-48-Final-Post Pt.2

June 6, 2017FINAL POST, Pt. 2William Sefekar

A Message from Bill Sefekar

For those in our trusty audience that may have been disheartened by the “Final Post” title, ah ha, I’m sneaking this one in as we are inching closer to the publication date time. I’ll be heading up to Washington, New York and New Jersey in a couple weeks see if I can open some doors, open some eyes. Looking to get some interested parties, printers, publishers certainly like to give anyone an opportunity that is interested in the story of the “American Dreamer”: A look into the Life of My Father, Joe baby; A Man on a Mission. They are welcome to contact me and would love to hear any thoughts alone these lines.

I’m in the process of making final edits and if things actually go according to plan will have a book to deliver to you this summer. Always appreciate all your interest, concerns, good wishes and I fervently believe that the messages that my Dad conferred upon me and you are worth keeping and sharing. As usual I welcome your comments and will take everything under advisement before final decisions are made with follow-up communiques. As always; My Mother thanks you, I thank you and of course Joe baby thanks you. So, stick around; catch you next month.

It just so happens that today, marks exactly 73 years from the landing operations of D-Day on Tuesday, 6 June 1944. Termed D-Day for the Allied Invasion on the French beaches of Normandy in Operation Overlord. My Dad was with the 1st Army Rear Echelon, Headquarters. He wrote and chronicled whenever he could. A good part of which appears in Chapter 4: Marriage and the War. It was not just the letters, photos, observations and documentation that stand out; Many artifacts and memorabilia have surfaced from the so many brave soldiers that served. What stands out is that after all these years these were nicely preserved, reexamined and reproduced making it easy to have this portrayal appear as an accurate, memorable and endearing reflection.

Took a little break in the action this past month and worked on and took in some activities that were very beneficial. First, was participating in a food drive at Temple B’nai Israel with my illustrious friend Dr. Hank Koren. Over $500 worth of food was collected and sent over. Dr. Koren took time from his definitely busy schedule and the publishing of his mammoth compendium; Environmental Practices that is being made available through over 60 outlets worldwide. This shows you can always take time to make a difference.

Visit a recent April 2017 Oxford article titled Earth Day: How Do We Prevent The Destruction of Our Planet In Today’s Political Environment that talks about Dr. Koren’s new release.

Dr. Koren is also a featured author on Routledge Taylor & Francis Group website.

Dr. Hank Koren preparing to pick-up the food for delivery to the Food-Drive

Dr. Koren and his wife, Donna at Services in recognition for their spearheading the Temple Food-Drive. Rabbi Daniel Triesher at the “Friday-Night Live” Service

Aspiring Author, Bill Sefekar at the Service, flashing his Bob Ross shirt

The other diversion was the chance (by design) encounter with nationally acclaimed and New York Times bestselling author, Jeff VanderMeer and his wife Ann. Coming off of the immensely successful publishing of his “Trilogy” that sheds a new light on the new “Dystopia.” He is now embarking on another best-seller publication and possible movie adaptation called “Borne.” I had the distinct privilege of meeting with him and his wife while purchasing a few of his best-selling offerings. So, I hope this greases the track for some of my future endeavors.

Talk and Book Signing with Jeff VanderMeer, Oxford Exchange, Tampa, FL May 28, 2017. See His Official site http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/

Mr. Jeff VanderMeer is also very committed to a number of Environmental Projects here in Florida and worldwide. It’s good to have such friends and mentors that are involved with such worthwhile efforts. There is so much TO DO and so much TO LEARN; PLEASE HELP.

Please share this information with your friends and colleagues.

Thank you all for your support, it means a great deal and if you get some enjoyment and introspection this can be transcribed as a fitting testimonial for my father.

As an added feature for our readers and audience, we are also posting on twitter as @JoesLegacy and Instagram on items that appear in the book and related matters.  We are still eliciting your comments and suggestions.  I hope to develop a running dialogue with you all, as many of you have provided us with comments that appear in the social media and we value that.  I try to get to them as much as I can with the help of my associates and do appreciate my valued followers.

              Pre-Sale for the Book is Now Available

      ALL PRE-SALE ORDERS WILL BE AUTOGRAPHED BY THE AUTHOR

Post 47 FINAL POST

May 9, 2017FINAL POSTWilliam Sefekar

From our May 2017 Newsletter

A Message from Bill Sefekar

This story has everything; interesting struggles that will warm your heart, bring tears to your eyes. Stories about life, about our place in the universe, about existence.  This is about one man and how he described the tribe that he was a part of and went on to build on love, doing good things; showed how he did it and the roads he took.

These are the true stories that will bring a smile and laugh and make you think maybe I might try something like that, maybe this is how it's done, maybe I can do better, this is a man to remember: This is Joseph Sefekar.  Check it out, a life worth looking at, following, a life showing what’s important, a life that accomplished much:  A life that was built on love for family, and love for country, love for the human spirit.

To all my wonderful friends and listeners. It has been a marvelous year and a half. I will be taking a hiatus to concentrate on making "American Dreamer" a reality. There will probably a monthly blurb on progress, publication and availability.  In the meantime, you can always return a favor and send me your thoughts on how you found delving with me through the life of Joe "Baby" Sefekar

April, 20, 2017
Holocaust Remembrance at McDill AFB CENTCOM
Honoring Cantor William Hauben

A Trip to the Library
East Lake Community Library   Palm Harbor Florida
17th Anniversary   November, 2016
Commemorative honoring Mom and Dad
I had the opportunity to attend the 15th Anniversary of the East Lake Community Library in November, 2014 and it was a very special time. A lot of improvements have been made since it's initial Opening on October 30, 1999 as shown below.

Excerpts from: Chapter 13, 1998-2008 “Settling Back, It Was A Great Ride”

It was during this time in 1993 that I did something that I thoroughly enjoy; working within the confines of the education system. As a volunteer at the East Lake High School just up the road apiece from our house, I was very much at home helping at the school. It also got me involved with a project that was also very much to my liking. It would be working on a new library for our area. Being that I spent a good deal of my youth at the New York Public Library and always surrounding myself in a learning environment, the opportunity presented itself to lend a hand on getting the proper facility in place that would serve this growing community. There were a few bumps in the road; one, we were ousted from our rent free one-room storefront as a paying tenant moved in. And although we did manage to find another storefront in the nearby shopping center it was totally inadequate for our needs. It became evident that county and state monies would be needed to obtain the right combination of location and an adequate facility to house the new library. In working with the group I offered and utilized some of my past experience in whatever assistance to get to hasten the construction and opening of the library. The articles and pictures below depict progress being made on this new addition as the East Lake Community Library. The Grand Opening of the library incurred on October 30, 1999. In the picture below of the article, “East Lake gets ‘little Jewel’ of the library,” shows the entrance to the library being completed and included a brick façade displaying individuals that help make this library possible. Naturally Thelma and I were very pleased and honored to have our names added with the other sponsors.

Figures #13.2 and #13.3 Articles about the Opening of the East Lake Community Library October 30, 1999

Most people like to contribute and I definitely concur with the adage, “what goes around comes around” and throughout my life I’ve been most fortunate that I’ll come in contact with people who I think I treated them as equal or not over stepped my boundaries but I went out my way to help others and treat others as you would like to be treated yourself. A case in point happen to be in 1998. Thelma and I, her sister Renee and her family as she and her kids, husband regularly attended services. My son was also there with us and we would to go to Friday night Shabbat service. Afterwards at this particular service there was the potential new members that attended and were invited to find out more about the Congregation, prayer services, community activities and other incidentals such as religious schools and daycare, etc. There was a gentleman at the table partaking of refreshments who seemed to be a little unfamiliar with the surroundings. So I went over to introduce myself and see if I could be of any help. I remember his name being Bob Mintz and his wife was Carolyn. He seemed like a very positive person with the temperament that would make for a good congregant. I explained how our family was very much a part of Temple B’nai Israel and shared that and told him about why this congregation was special and we chatted for a while and he seemed sincerely interested and I was glad that I had the opportunity make them feel comfortable here at the Temple.

I said you never know what a small feel-good gesture could result in. While this little act making someone feel comfortable came back tenfold so to speak. As it turned out Mr. Mintz and his wife Carolyn and their family joined the Temple. But he didn’t just join the Temple but got involved in the Temple and indeed involved and involved so much so that he served two terms as president which meant that he was involved with the activities prior to that and subsequently continued in many functions after finishing his terms of office as newsletter editor and the Internet and activities that have made a difference not only in the Temple but to the entire community which is a major objective for our Temple. So this is just another example of trying to do the right thing and it usually comes back many times over.

I did manage to keep abreast of the Social Security debates and felt that Seniors would be disenfranchised if there would be wholesale stock trading by people betting, gambling or whatever they are calling it and made my voice heard. Please don’t tinker with senior’s right to a safe and secure retirement.

Herman Koren HSD, MPH, DLAAS, REHS

I would like again to take some time to tell you about Dr. Hank Koren and how my Dad knew Dr. Hank Koren and how valuable his efforts are.  So please look at this material and find out more about these life-threatening concerns that face us.  And, if so inclined try to get a copy of his amazing book or at least consider other relevant reference sources that are available.
Dr. Koren's paperback and hardback can be found on AMAZON.COM

This man who also qualifies as being a Great American, who also dedicated his life to making things better.  As I said, I am honored to know Hank Koren.  Dr. Koren belongs to our Temple, Temple B'nai Israel in Clearwater, Florida.  I’ve known him for over 20 years he and his lovely wife, Donna and they make a tremendous team and I know about tremendous teams. Thelma and Joe Sefekar were a tremendous team for over 67 years.

Dr. Koren has done quite a number of significant things outside the realm of his specialty: Environmental and Public Health but this is where we are focusing today. "These are the times that try men's souls," Dr. Koren painstakingly compiled with his Colleagues and experts in this very critical field, an anthology that teaches us how to deal with not only water and air pollution but the entire realm of Environmental and Public Health issues.
Visit a recent April 2017 Oxford article titled Earth Day:  How Do We Prevent The Destruction of Our Planet In Today's Political Environment that talks about Dr. Koren's new release.

Dr. Koren is also a featured author on Routledge Taylor & Francis Group website.

Please share this information with your friends and colleagues.

Thank you all for your support, it means a great deal and if you get some enjoyment and introspection this can be transcribed as a fitting testimonial for my father.

As an added feature for our readers and audience, we are also posting on twitter as @JoesLegacy and Instagram on items that appear in the book and related matters.  We are still eliciting your comments and suggestions.  I hope to develop a running dialogue with you all, as many of you have provided us with comments that appear in the social media and we value that.  I try to get to them as much as I can with the help of my associates and do appreciate my valued followers.

              Pre-Sale for the Book is Now Available

      ALL PRE-SALE ORDERS WILL BE AUTOGRAPHED BY THE AUTHOR

Joe Baby's Lifelong Legacy

MARCH 2018 NEWSLETTER

Join one of the 838
Events Worldwide

Add your name
to make your mark

February 2018 Newsletter

New Year, New Year GreaThings, Let’s Make It Great!!

Thanks and Thankful, Yes We Are!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE

OPEN FOR BUSINESS

Moving Forward

FROM RECENT BOOK FAIR PRESENTATIONS

BOOK FAIR HERE WE COME AND PLEASE HEAR THE ALARM

Hope to meet you there

Who’s The Boss

Everybody Needs a Spiritual Advisor

POST 51: WHAT IMMIGRANTS MEAN TO AMERICA

WHAT IMMIGRANTS MEAN TO AMERICA

The second passage that I’ve included, is from a letter that my Dad sent to Mike Wallace of media broadcasting and of the “60 Minutes” fame 40 years ago. But first, let me digress to the serious events and issues of today.

This is the reason I have acquired the Domain Name: ImmigrantsRUSA.com and once the book is published I plan to have time, I would like to hear your stories, about your family; your parents, grandparents, and of course you.

Joe Sefekar, almost 40 years ago felt it was necessary to speak out in his terms so he wrote it out. He tried to separate free speech and our First Amendment with calling for riotous actions and atrocities from the heinous outpourings of Nazi sympathizers in Skokie, Illinois.

This was in comparison to the listener of the Mike Wallace radio talk show when comedian George Carlin used a few colorful words that the listener felt offensive because his young son happened to be in the car listening in comparison to Nazi sympathizers discharging death and other atrocities.

POST 49 Part 3

Post-48-Final-Post Pt.2

Post 47 FINAL POST

Join us and stay up-to-date on Joe’s Life Long Legacy!

Join one of the 838 Events Worldwide

Add your name to make your mark

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE

OPEN FOR BUSINESS

Moving Forward

FROM RECENT BOOK FAIR PRESENTATIONS

Hope to meet you there

Who’s The Boss

Everybody Needs a Spiritual Advisor

WHAT IMMIGRANTS MEAN TO AMERICA

The second passage that I’ve included, is from a letter that my Dad sent to Mike Wallace of media broadcasting and of the “60 Minutes” fame 40 years ago. But first, let me digress to the serious events and issues of today.

This is the reason I have acquired the Domain Name: ImmigrantsRUSA.com and once the book is published I plan to have time, I would like to hear your stories, about your family; your parents, grandparents, and of course you.

Joe Sefekar, almost 40 years ago felt it was necessary to speak out in his terms so he wrote it out. He tried to separate free speech and our First Amendment with calling for riotous actions and atrocities from the heinous outpourings of Nazi sympathizers in Skokie, Illinois.

This was in comparison to the listener of the Mike Wallace radio talk show when comedian George Carlin used a few colorful words that the listener felt offensive because his young son happened to be in the car listening in comparison to Nazi sympathizers discharging death and other atrocities.

Join one of the 838
Events Worldwide

Add your name
to make your mark