Just Sayin': Jewish holy day no time for a fair

Jewish holy day isn’t the time to hold a fair

I never thought I would see blatant antisemitism in New Hyde Park. And who is the culprit this time? The Village of New Hyde Park itself.

The annual street fair is to be held on Saturday, Sept. 16, which also happens to be the Jewish High Holy Day of Rosh Hashanah. The village is insulting every Jewish person by doing this.

I reached out to the village, and the response I received back was just as insulting.

Patricia Santomauro, village board secretary, replied to my inquiry by writing, “We were advised that the holiest of the holiday is during sundown hours.”

I am not sure who she consulted with, but services for Rosh Hashanah begin the night before and continue all day Saturday through sunset Sunday. Did she reach out to any local temple for an opinion?

Santomauro then wrote that “there are no alternate dates available as the vendors would be attending other street fairs the weekends after the 16th.” So that makes it OK do something that’s antisemitic?

Holding the street fair on one of the holiest days of the Jewish year is an insult.

— Donald Panetta, New Hyde Park

Taxpayers should not pay for officials’ signs

I agree that Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman over-advertises himself [“What is Blakeman saying with big signs?”, Just Sayin’, July 8].

Why do politicians think it’s OK to use taxpayers’ dollars for their own promotion while all they are doing is the job they were elected to do?

I, for one, do not want my tax dollars going toward these signs. They get a paycheck for their work.

While on the subject, as a former Merrick resident, why does the 9/11 memorial at Point Lookout have on its 2017 dedication plaque in the largest, boldest letters the name of then-Hempstead Town Supervisor Anthony Santino? Really? We paid for those large, bold letters with our tax dollars. That’s money not well spent.

— Brian Clarke, Huntington

Save money at a lab, not a doctor’s office

People should know that if they need lab work done, they can go to a lab. All they need is their doctor’s prescription.

I used to go to my physician just to have blood work. Twice, an hour before I went, the doctor’s office called and said the doctor wanted to see me when I came in. I asked why and was given no reason. There was nothing to be done by the doctor — I was just there the week before.

So I went there. After waiting half an hour, my doctor says, “Did we have an appointment?”

I soon learned after the second time this happened that the office did this so they can charge my insurance company for an office visit instead of just charging for blood work. This is one reason why insurance premiums are high. Whatever the insurance company doesn’t cover, I am responsible for it.

Just get a prescription from your doctor and take it to a lab. It’s cheaper than an office visit.

— Irene Greene, West Babylon