Gentile hosts ‘Unity in the Community’
Event Brings Together Christians, Jews and Muslims for Peace
On Monday, Feb. 6, Councilmember Vincent Gentile (D-Bay Ridge-Dyker Heights-Bensonhurst) hosted “Unity in the Community,” an all-inclusive event that brought together diverse members from across the borough to help create and enjoy a “unity salad,” — an actual salad and a meal that was made by people of various faiths and ethnic backgrounds.
The event, which took place at the Widdi Catering Hall at 5602 Sixth Ave., was spearheaded by Gentile and fellow Councilmember Carlos Menchaca (D-Sunset Park-Red Hook), who was unable to attend due to prior commitments in Albany. David Estrada, Menchaca’s chief-of-staff, represented the councilmember.
The Bay Ridge Center, Bay Ridge Cares, UPROSE and Reaching Out were among the community organizations that attended. Gentile opened the event by reading a quote from the Dalai Lama that epitomized the event: “Internal peace is an essential first step to achieving peace in the world. How do you cultivate it? It’s very simple. In the first place by realizing clearly that all mankind is one, that human beings in every country are members of one and the same family.”