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Garden City,
NY 11530

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VIEWPOINT
What makes this a religion?
For some, Ethical Humanism can never be a religion. Religion, after all, mustinclude a belief in a higher power. since Ethical Humanism doesn't accept or deny this prossibility by instead focuses upon human responsiblity, it cannot be a religion. However, there athor definitions of religion. One is a way of life. Ethical Humanism certainly promotes this, with its emphasis upon values and principles upon which to base a life. Religion is also what is central to a person's heart. Ethical Humanism believes in the betterment of the human condition. this isn't merely a nice idea but a passional desire; it is the core motivating force. Religion can also be defined by what it does, its ceremonial functions. Welcoming ceremoties for infants, weddings and funerals are all part of our association. Ethical Leaders, in other words, are engaged in the same apstoral duties as are all religious leaders. These are not empty ritual gestures but rather a way of rrecognizing and honoring life's passages. Religion can also be defined by an attitude of gratitude. This is also central to Ethical Humanism. We are grateful for the life we have been given and from this flows the obligation to future generations. We are connected to nature and the human community in profound emotional ways. So for those who reject Ethical Humanism on the first grounds mentioned above we aren't and can never be a religion. They may belong to the Ethical Movement for some other reason, mainly the desire to promote a better life on purely secular grounds. But for all the other reasons cited, we certainly are a religion and those who live consistently with these views are religious. When I came to the Long Island Society in 1967, those who accepted the Ethical Movement as religious and those who saw it as secular were about evenly split. I now find the religious-minded to be the larger group. I favor the religious view myself but understand the other and welcome it.
----- Arthur Dobrin
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Sunday School classes are in full swing and plans are being made to make this year as rich and meaningful as possible.

Our first parents' meeting was held at the end of September and there were numerous suggestions and ideas which will receive full attention.

On October 19th, we held a breakfast and Open House. On this occasion the parents had the opportunity to meet the teachers and peruse curriculum materials.

In addition, this month the children did a whole group activity to honor the preservation of the world's rain forest which involved making their own rain forest out of different materials with notions of the valuable gifts that come from this resource. The Senior class is having a bake sale after the platform on November 9th to raise money for this cause.

Plans are being made for a pot luck luncheon and party on December 14th that will combine some of the holiday traditions of Christianity and Judaism as well as activities relating to the Winter Solstice.

The Religious Education Committee has been re-activated with members Jen Allison, Karen Harding,Joan Klein and Anna Liebenhaut working with me to meet the challenges of making the Sunday School a valuable asset of the Ethical Humanist Society.

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There were ten members present with two excused. Arthur announced that the Society's membership remained essentially unchanged, although there were a few new members but also some deletions.

Richard said that repairs to the windows and exterior painting is coming along nicely. On Sunday November 16th there will be a general membership meeting after the platform, at which time a budget for the year will be submitted for membership approval.

There have been comments made that our sign out front is sometimes difficult to read, especially at night. Several suggestions were made but no decision as to how to proceed. This will be considered further at a later board meeting.

The Newsletter program is now in our computer, simplifying the Newsletter preparation. Richard asked the board to start thinking about what we should do with the remaining property adjacent to the west side of our building. No decision is necessarily imminent but we should at least think about the possibilities. Members stated several strong conflicting opinions, but no opinion seemed to predominate.

It was also mentioned that we will have a 50 year celebration in the year 2000. How should we proceed?

The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m.

The 105th Congress, the one presently sitting, will need to reauthorize the Endangered Species Act this year. The bill to do so in the House (HR 2351 – the Recovery Act or ESRA) has the endorsement of the National Audubon Society. It works to strengthen the Endangered Species Act and includes provisions to help private homeowners implement protective measures. It also includes many of the recommendations made in 1995 by the National Academy of Sciences.

It strengthens protections for species on federal lands., requires federal agencies to implement recovery plans, provides incentives for private landowners to take conservation steps, and strengthens the biological requirements for Habitat Conservation Plans. Write to your representative to support HR 2351.

Both the Sierra Club and the Audubon Society are urging residents to vote against the Constitutional Convention proposal that will be on the ballot in November. One of their major concerns is Article 14 which has been under attack recently. Article 14 is called the “Forever Wild” clause and would prevent logging and development on state-owned lands in the Adirondacks and the Catskills. The Sierra Club feels that a constitutional convention would be particularly influenced by “big money” and special interests since there are no spending limits on candidates running to be delegates at the convention. To the argument that the convention can address the issues of New York's tangled budget process and campaign financing, the Sierra Club feels that because the election process favors incumbent state legislators they will be as unlikely to propose significant change as they already are in their elected offices. If there is popular support for an amendment in the NY state constitution, there are mechanisms where that change can be implemented without waiting for a convention. For these reasons both environmental groups are asking their members to vote against the convention.

Scary fact of the month “The average household contains 63 different chemical products for a total of approximately 10 gallons of hazardous toxic. The source of this mess? Common household cleaners.” Source: Earth Impact. The Seventh Generation Catalog Newsletter.

Regarding the column by Cal Thomas, “ The Baptists Are Right To Boycott Disney ” (Viewpoints, June 24): Thomas' assessment of the evolution of gay culture as being increasingly depraved reflects a bias that has infected a portion of the religious community that believes it is in compliance with Christian principles. It is, in fact, denying them.

Surely, the precept of love, the cornerstone of all religions, requires, at the very least, tolerance for social diversity.

There is a culture depravity seeping into our social fabric, threatening to destroy us. It is the growing intolerance for people not like ourselves. Recently we have witnessed the burning of black churches and the desecration of Jewish cemeteries.

Like the young man in Tiananmen Square Thomas refers to, who stood fast against an overwhelming force, many corporations ( Disney is not only one) and municipalities, New York City included, recognize the rights of gay people. They defied the religious zealots who don't seem to understand that open persecution of a hapless people, born with a sexual orientation they did not ask for, is wrong.

FOOD COLLECTION
Our annual Thanksgiving food collection will take place on Sunday, November 23rd, the week before Thanksgiving.We ask each person to contribute 10 pounds of non perishable food.
----- Sheila Marcus

THANK YOU, GEORGE!
In three years, quietly and without fanfare, George Roomer has been making coffee for us after the platform. Please let him know you appreciated his dedication to our welfare. Non-perishables, such as coffee, tea, parmalat, sugar , sugar substitute could be your contribution to the coffee hour. If you've ever had a cuppa', feel obliged to bring something non-perishable into the kitchen.

UNSUNG HERO
In the past several years Ivo Antoniazzi has been the printer of this Newsletter, faithful, reliable, painstaking, accurate, always on time. Of late, it has been especially difficult with his additional responsibilities at Columbia. He never complained or demurred. Each of our many readers owes him a sincere THANK YOU for his dedicated work for the Society.

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Duffy and Bill Spencer , on their 16th wedding anniversary, renewed their marital vows at our Society . Spence also celebrated his 50th birthday.

The parents of Lynn Romeo celebrated their 50th anniversary. Lynn and Santo celebrated their 15th.

Mary and Roy Reisch observed their 56th wedding anniversary. Frieda and Arthur Weisberg, parents of Phyllis Rosenfield, observed the 75th anniversary of their marriage. They are now 96 and 97 years old and reside at Sun Harbor Nursing Home in Roslyn.

Marriages, new and on going, include that of Barbara Grey and David Fersh. Arthur Dobrin officiated at their wedding in mid July. The happy couple took a honeymoon trip through the Southwest before rejoining all of us. On October 12th Jeff Lerner and his long time friend Christina were joined in marriage by Arthur Dobrin, at the home of the Baums. Arlene is the mother of the groom. Best wishes to these couples as they begin these new relationships.

After weddings it seems logical to tell you about babies. Arthur's friend in Kenya became a grandfather and the baby has been named Arthur Dobrin. Shelly and Josh Masur became the parents of Julia Astrid Masur on June 1st, 1997. Josh, a graduate of our Sunday School, is now a second year law student at Columbia.. Shelly has a Masters degree in Public Health but has arranged her work schedule to be at home with the baby. Grandmother Sandy of Manhattan and grandfather Milt of Westbury are ecstatic about the baby. Jacob Alexander Kagan was born in North Carolina in August. His parents are Joanne and Richard, daughter-in-law and son of Phyllis Rosenfield. Grandma tells us that older sister Zoe accepts the baby so far. In recent weeks there have been some coming and goings. Jerry Ginsberg was in our midst in September after many months when caring for his son. Steve and Sylivia Kaufman, long time members who have relocated to Decatur, Georgia, included the Society among the friends they visited at the beginning of October. Adrian Pineda has moved to New Jersey.

Sylvia Bornkoff - Polizzi has been volunteering at Planned Parenthood. She was recently accepted as a docent at the forthcoming Decorator's Showcase entitled “Mansions and Millionaires.” Watch for the dates.

When Ann Sheraga had a birthday on September 6th her daughter feted her at a luncheon for 16 people at a restaurant in Manhattan . A month later when Anne shared this milestone she was still glowing. Dan Kallman is now 82. Arlene Baum' s granddaughter Emma is now 8. Noah Teshu , son of our Leader - in - Training Susan , turned 10 on September 23.

Mort Goldsen is recovering well at home. Sharon Hoahing had emergency appendectomy but is also recovering very well. Ullman Rosenfield is pretty much homebound these days. He can receive visitors and would welcome cards and calls. If you plan to visit, please call ahead.

Bernadette Joe of our Y.E.S. ( Youth in Ethical Societies ) attended Johns Hopkins University this summer in their pre-college program. She earned credits for two college level courses. Just before summer Bernadette participated in the NYSSMA solo auditions. She earned a perfect score performing at a level 6 on the cello. For those who may not remember, NYSSMA refers to the New York State School Music Association. This never idle young lady also passed her driving test on the first try. She is now the official chauffeur of the Joe family!

As part of his training for a career in musical theater Matt Napoli is currently attending the Joffrey School of Ballet.

Laurie Brooks Gollobin's prize winning play, Selkie, is being anthologized in Theater for Young Audiences: 25 Great Plays for Children, edited by Coleman An Jennings ( to be published by St. Martin's Press in March of 1998 ), making the play available for production in schools throughout the country.

Dr. Joan Beder, vice president of our Society, currently has two papers appearing in social work journals. Two more articles have already been accepted for publication in the near future.

Dr. Mitchell Goldman was the subject of an article in the Long Island section of the New York Times on September 14, 1997. It concerns his mystery novel which was discussed in the Spring by our Society book group.