With me on the seventh night of Chanukkah on December 26th, was Congressman Bob Turner of Brooklyn.  In these difficult times, when the forces of darkness can seem so strong, it was so meaningful for me to be able to respond with an extra measure of light by participating in physically expressing the Menorah’s universal message of light over darkness, freedom over oppression, and liberty over tyranny.

May the Menorah’s universal light be an inspiration to all.

There is absolutely no substitute for seeing people in person and getting together.   Emails, texts, phone calls, and even skype are no match for experiencing the laughter, sharing of memories and the sincere reflective thoughts that one experiences in person. It was so terrific to see and catch up with everyone; it has definitely been too long.

Also so touching was a ceremony that occurred at the end of dinner which was led by Mark Akin where prayers and wonderful stories were shared among all of us about those friends who had passed away since we all last met together.  Six white roses were placed on a table representing the six brothers are no longer with us.

This ceremony was such a deeply thoughtful and touching addition to our evening and was reflective of the deep bond and respect and caring that all of us have and had for each other. I am so proud to have friends like those that I made at Brown University and Sigma Chi….indeed this is a priceless gift.

As a member of the Board of Directors of the Municipal Art Society (MAS), I am so proud and pleased to be a participant in the MAS Summit 2011 which takes place on October 13th and 14th, 2011. The MAS Summit for New York City has become a vital forum for great city-building ideas—home-grown, national and international—that contribute to New York’s sustainability, resilience and prosperity.

The Summit convenes New York’s civic, business and government leaders to fully debate the city’s prospects for improved livability and – most importantly – includes the public in the discussion.
Launched in October 2010, the first Summit for New York City brought together more than 75 speakers together with over 600 city leaders, urban thinkers and civic-minded New Yorkers. Using as a springboard the results of our first citywide “MAS Survey on Livability,” the 2-day conference sought to achieve a better understanding of what New York City and its unique districts – from the Garment District in Midtown to resurgent communities in the Bronx – will need for a more prosperous and livable future.

Our inaugural effort drew such prominent individuals as First Deputy Mayor Patricia Harris, Cultural Affairs Commissioner Kate Levin and Rockefeller Foundation President Judith Rodin. It also had the support of the New York Times, the Rockefeller Foundation, American Express, Con Edison, Tishman Speyer and other distinguished foundations and corporations.

Ideally located on 3 North Main Street in East Hampton, the firm will continue to run under the expert direction of Stuart Epstein and Lynn Epstein. Founded in 1971, Devlin McNiff came under the ownership of Stuart and Lynn more than twenty years ago and they have grown the firm to be a leader in the Hamptons market. Effective immediately, Stuart will serve as Managing Director, East Hamptons and Lynn will be the Director of Sales, East Hampton. We happily welcome them to the Halstead Executive Team. The firm will be now be known as Devlin McNiff Halstead Property.

The exhibit documents the events from the picture-perfect Tuesday morning on September 11, 2001 which  was instantly shattered with echoes reverberating far beyond the canyons of Lower Manhattan. Amidst the first responders – firefighters, police officers, medical personnel, and good Samaritans – a small, determined corps of Associated Press photographers moved through stunned crowds and debris, capturing visceral images that made an unfathomable moment bracingly real for the entire world.

This exhibition of photographs from the AP’s archives spans a wide range of events and emotions over the past decade. The pictures take us from the initial moments of shock and terror, to subsequent weeks of unbearable pain, courageous sacrifice, and the compassionate unity that contagiously gripped New Yorkers. The exhibit ends with the solemn recent memorials and inspiring rise of the new building at One World Trade Center, above the original World Trade Center site.

On an average day, more than half the world’s population views news from AP in thousand’s of newspapers, magazines and multimedia outlets. A number of images selected for this exhibition have had even greater reach, being reproduced in books, winning prizes or otherwise gaining iconic status in our collective visual narrative of September 11th.

Although I knew the contents of the exhibit, I was caught off guard by the photographs which are arresting and evoked such deep sadness in me.  Indeed, the exhibit is a very moving documentation of the tragic events of 911.

Tribute in Light, presented annually by the Municipal Art Society and co-founded with Creative Time in 2002, shined from dusk on 9/11 to dawn on 9/12.   It was seen by millions of people in the New York area, as well as hundreds of millions more across the globe through the media.

Tribute in Light has become the most recognizable symbol of the extraordinary losses we suffered ten years ago, as well as the resilience of our great city.

As part of the 10th anniversary commemoration of  these tragic attacks, MAS once again sponsored the Tribute in Lights which was set up on top of a parking garage just a few blocks south of the World Trade Center.

These pictures show the testing of the two light groups, each comprising 44 lights (88 in total) with each light emitting more than 7,500 amps and projecting over 3 miles high!

Beyond the sheer beauty of the lights, one is filled with the raw emotion of the tragedy of 911, and to stand next to this tribute is overwhelming. Clearly, we shall never forget what happened on 911.

In red and moving to the right: Clara Silverstein, Larry Silverstein, Kent Swig, Ellie Winkleman, Dan Tishman, Paula Grant Berry, Jamie Carpenter, Toshiko Mori, Mickey Kupperman

This past May 10th, I was invited to attend the Brooklyn Kids Awards Gala 2011 which benefited the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, which was founded in December 1899 as the world’s first
museum designed expressly for children. Among those who were so deservedly honored was Larry Silverstein, Chairman of Silverstein Properties and the developer of the World Trade Center.

The gala was held on the 45th floor of Silverstein Properties’ 7 World Trade Center with magnificent and sweeping views of all of New York City and specifically overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge and Brooklyn.

The gala was a wonderful success and I was honored to be invited by and to sit next to Larry Silverstein

Robert Douglas, Chairman of the Alliance for Downtown New York; Sheldon Silver, Speaker of the New York State Assembly; David Rockefeller; Elizabeth Berger, President of the Alliance for Downtown New York

On May 12th, the Alliance for Downtown New York, the business improvement district established in support of Lower Manhattan and on whose Board of Directors I serve, held its annual meeting. As part of the program, Sheldon Silver, the Speaker of the New York State Assembly, was awarded (so deservingly) The David Rockefeller Lower Manhattan Leadership Award. It was so thrilling to be a part of this special ceremony as David Rockefeller, (who is approaching his 96th birthday), personally bestowed the award to Sheldon Silver. To witness this incredibly momentous and historical occasion as we approach the 10th anniversary of the 911 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center was indeed such a privilege and an honor.