For months, my mind was taken with the mayoral election, both the primary and then the general election. By 10 p.m. on Election Night, the results were in!
As the world now knows, New York City will have the youngest mayor in 100 years, the first Muslim mayor and the first mayor declaring himself a Democratic Socialist. But for me, his unrelenting statements calling for a global Intifada — meaning the destruction of Israel and the Israeli people — and its antisemitism shocked me.
I know that everyone said it would happen, but being a cockeyed optimist, I couldn’t believe my beloved city would elect such a person. They did, and now we wait to see his staffing leadership.
I am hopeful that the fears of a city like Batman’s Gotham with darkness and fear all around us does not come to be.
A hopeful sign was when Mamdami was asked to comment about the red swastikas that were graffitied on a Brooklyn synagogue and he said he will not tolerate hate.
A good beginning…
The rest of my week was filled with celebrations, and one night, I made my way to the Harmonie Club for the La’Aretz Foundation’s annual benefit to raise money for Israeli families in distress from the war and who are in need of financial support. This group makes it happen!
This year, Ofir Akunis, the Consul General of Israel in New York, led the accolades as they honored Shelly and Mike Pitman for all they do for Israel.
To cap off the week, I was delighted to greet and honor spectacular women who were chosen as the 2025 Power Women of Long Island. We celebrated them at the iconic Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury.
I loved it as Erin Colton, of News 12 fame, rocked the room as she welcomed our honorees to walk the red carpet and receive their “‘Vicki” awards. The audience, friends, family and colleagues cheered them on and endless joy filled the glamorous, powerful night.
On the weekend, a great surprise embraced me after a fabulously delicious dinner with friends Ed Blaskey and his wife Lisa at Fauna in Westhampton Beach. He is the middle market East Coast executive managing director of the 90-year-old Webster Bank.
As we made our way to the door, to my unexpected joy, walking towards me was my tall, dark and handsome grandson Ben Broner. He was there with his Camp Lenox friends, who have a home in the Hamptons. What a delightful surprise!
What a week it was!
I’d like to share this powerful poem written by friend Wendy Bishop that touched me and I’m sure will touch you, too.
When He Winks
By Wendy Bishop
His blue eyes still remind me of the sea,
though now they drift right through me.
He looks almost the same but the words are gone,
and my name has slipped away.
I come four times a week.
Sometimes he winks,
and for a heartbeat,
I think he knows me.
Those are the good days
rare, but still there.
Alzheimer’s doesn’t crash in
it seeps slow and quiet,
until it fills every corner.
There’s no turning back once it starts.
The visits are scary and dark …but
you smile, laugh, and bring light with you.
You even pray for just a laugh.
It hurts to watch.
It’s worse to stay away.
That’s the part people don’t say.
I bring a mic and play his favorite songs.
I dance around him in circles not caring how I look.
I have a one-man audience who will never sing,
but every now and then I see
his foot tapping, tap tap tap
keeping time to the beat.
There are no words for this kind of loss
only thing to do is show up, show up, SHOW UP
even when it breaks you.
Because sometimes, behind those cloudy eyes,
a tiny glimmer of the man he was
still shines through.
Whether it’s Alzheimer’s, cancer,
or some other thief of memory or breath,
none of us know how long we get.
So live. Love who you can, while you can.
Be decent. Do your best.
In the end,
we all want the same
for our souls to rest.
About Wendy
Wendy Bishop lives in Nassau County, New York. A family member has Alzheimer’s disease, inspiring her to write poetry that explores memory, loss and the fleeting moments of connection that endure. When not writing, Wendy is an attorney at The Bishop Firm, P.C. NY Ticket Defenders, fighting for people facing criminal and traffic legal challenges.
