TO - Knights of Pythiasknightsofpythiasnewyorkgrandlodge.com/Resources/... · Chancellor Commander Sy Samuels 17 Nordica Circle Stony Point, NY 10980 845/786-2459 Vice Chancellor

TO:

“We Help People”

Ramapo Lodge Knights of Pythias Harvey Rosenshein 8 Glade Court New City, NY 10956-1546

Sign-in information will be sent via e-mail for all meetings.

January Monday, January 11th Habibi Temple Meeting via ZOOM (on line) 7:30 PM Friday, January 15th Regular Meeting via ZOOM (on line) 7:30 PM Monday, January 18th District Meeting via ZOOM (on line) 7:30 PM

February Friday, February 5th Regular Meeting via ZOOM (on line) 7:30 PM Friday, February 19th Regular Meeting via ZOOM (on line) 7:30 PM Monday, February 22nd District Meeting via ZOOM (on line) 7:30 PM Sunday, February 28th Habibi Temple Per Capita Report TBD

**Please Note: All celebratory events normally held through the year including those involving Grand Lodge have been postponed to a later date (TBD).

REMINDER: The final date that all articles are due for the March/April 2021 issue of the “Gavel” is February 20, 2021.

Ramapo Lodge #485 Knights of Pythias 2020-2021 Officers

Chancellor Commander Sy Samuels 17 Nordica Circle

Stony Point, NY 10980 845/786-2459

Vice Chancellor George Gray 845/352-6456

Prelate Arnold Seidman 201/327-8740

Recording Secretary Harold Heller 111 Montebello Cms. Dr. Apt. 215 Suffern, NY 10901 845/548-3349

Financial Secretary Dr. Alan Rosenfeld Corresponding Secretary 35 Sally Street Bloomingdale, NJ 07403 973/492-5700

Treasurer Harvey Rosenshein 8 Glade Court New City, NY 10956 845/425-3059

Master at Arms Seymour Rubinstein 914/924-2888

Inner Guard Harold Heller 845/548-3349

Outer Guard Dave Perry 845/356-8779

Master of the Works Erwin Grill 845/357-1963

1 Year Trustee Seymour Rubinstein 914/924-2888

2 Year Trustee George Gray 845/352-6456 3 Year Trustee Arnold Seidman 201/327-8740 Grand Lodge Rep. Sy Samuels 845/786-2459

Alternate GL Rep. Erwin Grill 845/357-1963

District Rep. George Gray 845/352-6456

Alternate Dist. Rep. Erwin Grill 845/357-1963

Bingo Harold Heller 845/548-3349

Budget Erwin Grill 845/357-1963 Harvey Rosenshein 845/425-3059

Cemetery/Benefits Dr. Alan Rosenfeld 973/492-5700 Harvey Rosenshein 845/425-3059 Harold Heller 845/548-3349 George Gray 845/352-6456 Entertainment Sy Samuels 845/786-2459

“The Gavel” Erwin Grill Editor-in-Chief 845/357-1963 [email protected] Susan Grill Production Manager

Grand Council Visitations Erwin Grill 845/357-1963

Highway Clean-up Sy Samuels 845/786-2459

Oneg Shabbat Harvey Rosenshein 845/425-3059

Kitchen Dave Perry 845/356-8779 Sy Samuels 845/786-2459 Arnold Seidman 201/327-8740

Membership Dr. Alan Rosenfeld 973/492-5700 Scholarship Arnold Seidman 201/327-8740

Social Services Harvey Rosenshein 845/425-3059 Sunshine/Visitations Harold Heller 845/548-3349

Send all committee activity reports to: Press & Public Relations Committee To Be Determined

Harvey Rosenshein 845/425-3059 [email protected]

Dr. Alan Rosenfeld 973/492-5700 [email protected]

Former Members of Levona/Acme Lodge

Cemetery/Benefits Information Lewis Smith 1-800/624-8282 Dr. Alan Rosenfeld 973/4925700 [email protected]

To All Members Please notify all changes of address and/or telephone numbers to the membership committee. Dr. Alan Rosenfeld 973/492-5700

Our Castle Hall is located at the Town of Ramapo Senior Center 319 Haverstraw Road, Suffern, NY

(Route 202 and Mayer Drive)

Ramapo Lodge #485 Knights of Pythias 2020-2021 Committees

Here’s hoping that our Pythian family had a bright and healthy Chanukah, and a merry Christmas. I’m sure that most families stayed at home so family festivities were at a minimum. With the Covid-19 vaccine now available to many seniors, I hope many of our Pythian families will avail themselves of it. Those of us in the Northeast were treated to an eight to twelve inch snow holiday on December 17th . Traditionally, this event would be greeted by outdoor fun for all of us, but the Corona virus put a damper on visitations and family fun. Glad to see such a fine representation of our Florida Brothers at our two November meetings. Unfortunately, these numbers dropped for our two December meetings. With the winter season just beginning, our only form of communication on a regular basis is via Zoom. I understand that these are not as good as having in-person meetings but we have no choice for the near future. At our most recent meeting on December 18th, we were able to construct the Ramapo calendar for the months of January and February. If you check your e-mail regularly, you will always find directions as how to sign on to zoom, thanks to our GVC Harvey Rosenshein. Be sure to check the Calendar of Events in this and all future issues. Our next issue of the Gavel will be dated March, 2021. This will allow me to deliver to our editor for publication happy events (including pictures) from our Pythian family. I am sure that you will want to

share happenings with the rest of us. All you need to do is e-mail me at [email protected] and I promise that they will be included in any issue or issues that you request. Wishing all of you a Happy, Joyous and Healthy New Year.

In Fraternity,

Sy Samuels CC Sy Samuels

Condolences

The officers and members of Ramapo Lodge extend

their sincerest condolences to Stephanie,

wife of Brother Robert Wechman and his family

on his passing. May His Souls

Rest in Eternal Peace .

Is it really 2021? Let us look at a couple of the headline items from the previous year. Two of these were the Presidential Election and the number one item I think was the Covid-19 virus. There was the question of whether or not to socialize, to wear a mask or go out to eat? Should organizations have meetings or should we travel to work? Was it safe to visit our families or go to the doctor? Will these problems continue in 2021? The election is over and it is time for all to come together. We are all entitled to disagree but we should be civil with each other. There are now vaccines to combat the virus and we all need to be patient and our turn will happen to receive the vaccine. Yes it is 2021 and the best is yet to come. WE ALL BELONG TO THE SAME BROTHERHOOD, THE PYTHIAN ORDER AND AMERICA. I would like the next issue of the Gavel be only for March 2021. It will be if I receive enough items to put into it. From Susan and I a happy Valentine’s Day.

KOP Domain of New York Humanitarian Fund proudly enabled the 72nd Pythian District to donate funds to help food pantries in our district, and the State of New York, from the Humanitarian Fund Covid-19 appeal.

Funds were distributed in Westchester, Putnam, Rockland and Orange Counties via the 72nd Pythian District.

The story attached is our $10,000 donation to People to People of Rockland presented on December 31, 2020, and highlighted in an article in the Journal News on January 5, 2021. We were also highlighted by the Town of Clarkstown weekly newsletter and Lo Hud.

A major donation was also made recently to Met Council which has food pantries throughout the five boroughs of New York City. Funds were also allocated to KOP lodges in Albany, Rochester and Utica, for the same purpose.

In the photo above (L to R) PDSC Sir Roger Siegel, DSC Erwin Grill, Hon. George Hoehmann, Supervisor Town of Clarkstown, Diane Serratore, Director People to People of Rockland, GVC Harvey Rosenshein, PDSC Sir Michael Sukenick, GC Randy Silverman, PSR Susan Grill and Neil Winter, Director of Regional and Community Affairs, People to People.

Doing what we have been doing for 156 years, HELPING OTHERS.

$10,000 DONATION ~ PEOPLE TO PEOPLE

From the !Desk of Supreme Chancellor

Joel D. Fierstien, KGS Out of the Darkness, Light. We are looking forward to 2021 and brighter days. The direction is upwards outlasting the pandemic its despair, hardships, and losses while peering out from behind masks. The trying time has brought into focus how precious life, health, and even employment are. Be positive, cautious for safety as around the corner are vaccines. We will be able to do things safely.

Celebrat ing 156 Years of Pythianism

Knights of Pythias Diabetes Research Association Launches The 2021 Lucky Number Calendar Tickets

KOP Diabetes Research Association lucky number tickets for 2021 are now available. Each ticket has a unique three digit number printed on it. If your ticket number is drawn (straight as drawn) based on the daily evening drawing of the New York State lottery numbers on Monday through Friday, you win $25.00. If your number is drawn on either Saturday or Sunday, you win $50.00. The cost of each ticket is $20.00. You do not have to watch the numbers, it is done for you.

If you would like to purchase a ticket(s), please send your check made out to KOP Diabetes Research Association and please mail to: GVC Harvey Rosenshein, 8 Glade Court, New City, NY 10956-1546. Please mark in the memo section of the check: Diabetes Calendar. Your ticket(s) will then be mailed to the address you indicate.

Help KOP help find a cure for Diabetes!

A THOUSAND NEOPHYTES BY Morty Teisch

I’m a purebred Ramapo Lodge Pythian brother. I was inducted into the Lodge and here I have stayed all these many years. I had no intention of joining any Fraternal Order, even though I had three 50 year members of the Knights of Pythias in my family including my father. It was all happenstance. I was working for a Mortgage Company in New Jersey in 1962 when they opened a Branch Office in Rockland County. They said it was opening up and asked me to transfer there. My first question was, “Where is Rockland County?” When I got there, Route 59 consisted of Silver City, a few real estate agencies and a brand new biggie called, Korvette City had recently opened in Nanuet. My job was to call on these agencies to supply them with mortgages related to their sales. After a while you develop a relationship with some agents and one of them was Sam Karr. The year was 1964 and I had already purchased a home in New City. On one of my calls to him we chatted a while and he began to tell me about Ramapo Lodge and would I care to become a Pythian. I wasn’t a ritual kind of person to the point of avoiding Fraternities at college, but Sam, who happened to be Chancellor Commander of Ramapo Lodge at that time, told me that this would be a rare type of induction, and so I consented. 1964 was the 100th Anniversary of the Knights of Pythias, begun by Justice Rathbone and declared by Congressional Decree during the Lincoln Administration. To commemorate this Anniversary, Grand Lodge asked for one thousand inductees on that January day and all Lodges participated for the purpose of meeting that quota. I was picked up that morning by one of the stalwarts of the Lodge, Milty Salkin, who transported me and another neophyte by the name of Robbie Kahn, off to the 69th Regiment Armory. Ten neophytes were chosen to represent the rest of us and we became spectators to the 3 in 1 rank. Participants in the ritual were Samuel Liebowitz, known in New York as the hanging judge, and Harry Hirshfield, co-host of the comedy radio show, “Can You Top This.” I’m sure you can guess who was who in the ritual. Believe it or not, there was no collation after the meeting, so we went for lunch and were driven back. Robbie Kahn rose to Chief Deputy, I to Past Chancellor, and at Ramapo Lodge, here we stayed.

Brothers and Friends,

Great memories!

Going through some files and found this picture taken by Janice Teisch.

It was taken in Florida, date unknown, after the Ramapo brothers had breakfast.

I have other memorabilia, and will being sending those memories out in the future.

Best fraternal regards, Harvey S. Rosenshein,

“Treat Your Smile Right”

(845)623-1910

$75 Gift Certificate Initial Visit Only

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“Modern Dentistry with a Gentle Touch”

1. THINGY (thing-ee) n Female.. Any part under a car's hood. Male.......The fastener on a woman's bra. 2. VULNERABLE (vul-ne-ra-bel) adj. Female...Fully opening up one's self emotionally to another. Male.......Playing football without a protective cup. 3.. COMMUNICATION (ko-myoo-ni- kay-shon) n. Female...The open sharing of thoughts and feelings with one's partner. Male......Leaving a note before taking off on a fishing trip with the boys. 4. COMMITMENT (ko- mit-ment) n. Female... A desire to get married and raise a family. Male...... Trying not to hit on other women while out with this one.

5. ENTERTAINMENT (en-ter- tayn-ment) n. Female...A good movie, concert, play or book. Male......Anything that can be done while drinking beer. 6. FLATULENCE (flach-u-lens) n. Female...An embarrassing by-product of indigestion. Male.....A source of entertainment, self- expression, male bonding. 7. MAKING LOVE (may-king luv) n. Female...The greatest expression of intimacy a couple can achieve. Male......Call it whatever you want, just as long as we do it. 8. REMOTE CONTROL (ri-moht kon-trohl) n. Female...A device for changing from one TV channel to another. Male......A device for scanning through all 375 channels every 5 minutes.

LodgeBrother

LodgeBrother

~RamapoLodge’[email protected]

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