AICC and COJO Team Up for a Breaking Bread, Building Bonds Event

Edited by: TJVNews.com

On Sunday, August 13, 2023, the Staten Island Council of Jewish Organizations (COJO) and the Albanian Islamic Cultural Center (AICC) teamed up and gathered at the AICC for a Breaking Bread, Building Bonds event. The event was organized and lead by Edward Jackson, Staten Island Borough Director, Office of the Mayor of New York City, and Rabbi Moshe Davis, Senior Liaison Office of the Mayor of New York City.

Rabbi Davis explained, “that the Breaking Bread, Building Bonds is a citywide initiative from Mayor Eric Adams that cultivates the immense diversity of our city and brings everyday New Yorkers together around meals to learn about common bonds, share cultures and traditions, and break down silos between communities. There is more that bonds us than divides us – these efforts seek to unite New Yorkers regardless of their background, build understanding, and aid in ending bias, hate, and discrimination. Big thanks to COJO and AICC for uniting and collaborating together for the sake of harmony and for helping to implement Mayor Adams initiative.

Today’s event exemplified and personified what we envision a Break Bread, Budling Bonds event to be. A day of frank conversations that strengthens community and we thank both Imam Dr. Tahir Kukai,  Mendy Mirocznik and Rev. Dr. Terry Troia, president, Project Hospitality for making this event a successful reality. I further thank the Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit and Mayor’s Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes for joining in lending support and assisting in making today a memorable and meaningful event.”

Mendy Mirocznik, president of COJO, thanked Imam Dr. Tahir Kukai and Rev. Dr. Terry Troia for being, “the quintessential partners of peace, and well-being.” Mirocznik explained, “we here in Staten Island are fortunate to have one of the strongest and most cohesive interfaith community’s I dare say anywhere across the United States. I credit this to our great diverse interfaith community which has such illustrious individuals and personalities such as Imam Dr. Tahir Kukai and Rev. Dr. Terry Troia in its worthy ranks. What others may grapple with as extraordinary and a hopeful dream and aspiration has become standard here in our great borough.

Imam Tahir and Rev. Terry have revolutionized and defined by action and deed what the text book definition of harmonicas relations are. Here in Staten Island, we were able to withstand upheaval, chaos, riots, mayhem and deterioration because of the bonds of trust, love, respect and admiration which is the normal of our beloved hometown and community. On behalf of COJO, I thank Imam Tahir and Rev. Terry for being the great tribalizes that they are and I am proud, privileged and honored to call them friends and partners in advocating peace, understanding, love and respect. That is why when Edward Jackson and Rabbi Davis approached us with Mayor Adams historic citywide initiative of Breaking Bread, Building Bonds that the concept was in tune with our way of life. We thank the mayor for giving tasking us with the great and awesome responsibility of organizing and conducting a Breaking Bread, Building Bonds event. Because the experience only advanced our positive thinking and brought us a community even closer. It also makes us pause and be optimistic the great results and benefits the city will have from the mayor’s vision on Breaking Bread, Building Bonds events and that is a better city and a better quality of life for all New Yorkers.”

Imam Dr. Tahir Kukai, expressed his, “deep gratitude to Mayor Adams, Edward Jackson and Rabbi Davis” and unequivocally said, “it is thanks to my dear friends, partners and fellow Staten Islanders. It is thanks to Mendy Mirocznik and Rev Troia in particular who helped to galvanize Staten Island that we as a united borough were able to so brilliantly conduct and implement today’s Breaking Bread, Building Bonds event. We had the food, we had the room, but it was the people who came charged up in spirit and fellowship to unite Staten Island who are the true heroes of todays’ successful Breaking Bread, Building Bonds event. To that I say, thank you Mayor Adams for this wonderful opportunity and thank you COJO and Project Hospitality for being such great partners with the AICC in making this event so special, meaningful and exemplary. I Boldy state with partners such as Mendy Mirocznik and Terry Troia we can do just about everything and with blessings from above we will continue to accomplish much for Staten Island. As Mendy says, the best is yet to come.”

Also participating in the Breaking Bread, Building Bonds event was Rabbi Bob Kaplan & Howard Pollack from the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York (JCRC-NY), Mark  Appel, Chairman and Founder of The Bridge MCP, Chief Terence Hurson, executive officer, Patrol Borough NYPD Staten Island, Inspector Timothy Wilson, commanding officer, 122 Pct, Lt. Robert Delany, Hate Crimes Task Force, Officer Robert Adams, Community Affairs, 120 Pct, Officer Lendita Zekaj, 67 Pct. Detective Elton Shametaj Aalea, Albanian American Officers Association; Hon. John Castelli, Deputy Commissioner NYC Office of Trials and Hearings (OATHS), Rachel Amar, OATHS and Gio Barton, NYC Human Rights Commission as well as renown community leaders such as  Abelardo Aleman, Claudette Hill, Radhakrishna Mohan, Ibrahim Kurtulus, Abou Sy, and all other great participants who added meaning and substance to the flavorful conversation and dialogue. “It truly was the community members who come together who transformed the meal into food for the soul and nourishment for the mind and turned it into a harmonious, Breaking Bread, Building Bonds Event. Thank you Mendy Mirocznik, Imam Dr. Thair Kukai and Rev Dr. Terry Troia for stepping up to the plate and making it happen,” so said Edward Jackson.

Chief Hurson commented, “from a police perspective today’s event supported by Mendy Mirocznik, COJO, Imam Dr. Tahir Kukai, AICC and Rev. Dr. Terry Troia, Project Hospitality helps build community trust and confidence. It is this trust and confidence that enhances policing and truly creates a wonderful police and community relationship. Mayor Adams novel approach of Breaking Bread, Building Bonds gave us another avenue of getting diverse people together and touching each other in positive interactions. Today’s energy will only further strengthen and reinforces our great efforts in partnering police and community and from a police perspective it will only enhance public safety for the residents of our great city we call home.”