Takes a Village
East Hampton
June 29, 2026
Dear Editor:
The sun was shining brightly at the Ladies Village Improvement Society 2026 fair, as it did on the hundreds of people who helped bring it to life. On behalf of all of us at the L.V.I.S., I would like to extend a heartfelt thank-you to everyone who contributed to making this year’s fair such a rousing success. Our mission has always been to offer the fair as a gift to our generous community, which has supported us in so many ways for over 131 years.
We are deeply grateful to our volunteers, members, and staff for their tireless efforts to ensure the fair was so enjoyable for all attendees.
In honor of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we were especially pleased to welcome our local partners: the Garden Club of East Hampton, Guild Hall, the East Hampton Library, and the East Hampton Historical Society. It was a delight to see families go home with a pencil portrait, a hand-gathered bouquet, a “buried treasure” bottle, or even the chance to sign the Declaration of Independence with a quill pen and blueberry ink. Each of these booths offered something unique, engaging, and fun for children and adults alike.
The Ladies Village Improvement Society could not have had another successful fair on June 13 without the help of so many. We extend our gratitude to our volunteer members, the hard-working employees of East Hampton Village, our generous donors, the East Hampton High School Key Club students, and the many students from East Hampton Middle School. We are especially grateful to the Phoenix House community, whose members play such an important role in setting up and keeping the fair running smoothly throughout the day. The fair simply could not happen without all of you.
Each year, we are reminded that it truly takes a village to present this extraordinary event. We see firsthand how meaningful accomplishments are the result of dedicated people generously giving their time and energy. It takes a village and a town, a county, and so much more.
With sincere thanks to all, we look forward to seeing you at the fair in 2027. Have a wonderful summer!
All the best,
JOYCE TUTTLE
President Ladies Village Improvement Society
Come to a Time
North Haven
June 29, 2026
Dear David:
Pride Month ended with East Hampton celebrating its annual Pride Parade then gathering in the village park. On a later weekend, the Hamptons Pride co-founder Tom House had a fund-raiser at LongHouse Reserve, and he announced progress with plans for a memorial park in Wainscott to commemorate a popular gathering site that brought together many gay and diverse folks out here seeking to meet and enjoy their respective interests safely. That venue celebrated a legitimate lifestyle, and was more than just a bar.
The Stonewall Inn in New York City was also a bar, and the rebellion that took place there in 1969 is also worth commemorating because it, too, was an actual cultural melting pot, to use a popular analogy. The general public might have called it just another seedy bar, operating outside of the law, serving only criminals and their kind, but history has taught us a lot about the legal absurdity of that.
Across this country there were similar places that may have also been thought of as seedy bars, but some were also important gathering spots for good people to enjoy important cultural and lifestyle expression in safety.
The 1960s was a time of cultural change, some for the better and some not so. Social mores were becoming fluid, melting from years of frozen, rigid thinking, with more acceptance among, and for, diverse individuals. Wars, racism, birth control, medical discoveries, music, and the arts, all were in a rapid state of flux — as was people’s desire to enjoy their chosen lifestyle and affection lawfully.
Thank God, the Declaration of Independence and our own courage have eventually come to a time when we are closer to our constitutional right to enjoy life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
We have many to honor and to thank for bringing society and the law to where we are now. Let’s not forget them — or our own part in all of that. We must not go back into the darkness of history.
ANTHONY CORON
Special Soul
Montauk
June 29, 2026
To the Editor,
Brian Pope left us on June 17, and Montauk has lost a special soul.
Most of the readers of The Star were familiar with his letters in the Letters to the Editor section of the paper. Brian truly understood the power of the pen, and his weekly letter submission to The Star made this section the best part of the paper. Thank you, Brian, for using your voice so fearlessly.
He was brilliant, compassionate, generous, thoughtful, witty, exceptionally sarcastic, and never one to shy away from a debate. He cut straight to the heart of an issue. I always admired his thoughts, words, humor, and razor-sharp wit. Rest well, my friend, your presence and words will be forever missed.
NANCY KUHLE
Not Long Enough
East Bay, Calif.
June 29, 2026
Dear David,
First, I loved Bess’s column last week about the surprise and humility of having a broken toe. Bumping into an old chest in her house and suddenly, ouch! What the heck?! Been there numerous times. A ballerina, I am not. Take care, Bess. All the best.
I recently returned home to East Hampton. A week is not long enough to do everything one sets out to on a vacation visit. Just not enough hours in the day. But we tried. Hit the high notes for sure. Family. A good friend. Some random meet-ups I was glad to experience. Good reminiscing. Sorry I didn’t get to all my fave places: Gin Beach, Naturally Good, Bonfire Coffee, Talkhouse to see Inda and Nancy. Next time. Sag, I love you. Always a bright spot in my day. My dream village. I almost moved there once.
The reason Bess’s “The Long Walk” resonated with me is twofold. My baby sister broke her pinky toe last week in Florida. Misjudged a bed frame during a middle-of-the-night bathroom visit, and ouch! Swelled up good and X-ray at urgent care revealed it was broken. A Frankenstein monster shoe-sandal is now her fashion footwear.
I have a dodgy knee. The “good” knee, as it was formerly called, has turned bad. Bone on bone. “Why?” I want to cry out like Nancy Kerrigan after the ice skating attack.
I am a walker. I was a spinner on a bike five minutes ago — well in the early aughts — for years. Wear and tear? Old age? How dare this happen to me! I’m almost only 69 years young. I don’t even have wrinkles. Not bragging. My gene pool didn’t, either. Nor did anyone in my family of origin have bad knees. Or any joint surgeries. My Italian grandmother had all her original parts when she passed at 100. She died of old age. All her friends and one son having died before her was her only complaint. Is my knee pain Lyme related? Could be.
Practically everyone I know out east over 50 has had a joint replaced. Or two. What gives? Oh, right, they’ve all had Lyme.
Well, a good trip back east and I’m “home” in my new West Coast place. From the country to the city. From expensive designer shops to mom-and-pops, old Brooklyn style. From the big kids to the littles. We miss you already, East Hampton. It was a long relationship. Mostly good. Until we meet again.
Sincerely,
NANCI LAGARENNE
Millions of Oysters
Gardners, Pa.
June 23, 2026
To the Editor,
Can’t help but wonder why, if the trustees, town board, Suffolk County, and Christopher Gobler have done such a remarkable job of making pristine all the bays, harbors, and creeks on Long Island, they don’t do it to the reflecting pool in D.C.? Just ask them. It only takes millions of oysters and tons of kelp.
BRAD LOEWEN
Dangerous Mistake
East Hampton
June 26, 2026
To the Editor,
The current town administration faces recent criticism for its sluggish response to groundwater contamination. A prime example is the contamination of the Suffolk County Water Authority drinking-water well, widely believed to stem from the 2023 fire at the lithium-ion energy storage facility on Cove Hollow Road. The town should have recognized this hazard and acted swiftly, yet our community was left waiting. Their response to that criticism is that other agencies bear that responsibility.
Unfortunately, this is not an isolated threat. Potential hazards to our drinking water exist townwide. Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances, of PFAS, so-called “forever chemicals,” are widespread, and recent well-water testing by the Suffolk Department of Health has yielded alarming results.
We need to look no farther than Springs-Fireplace Road, which hosts East Hampton’s largest industrial corridor. Many of the commercial operations there are the exact types of businesses that have been proven to contaminate groundwater in other regions. Furthermore, the sheer volume of contractors’ storage containers throughout this area presents severe oversight and inspection challenges for the town fire inspector.
Operating under the passive assumption that these industrial activities are doing no harm is a dangerous mistake that endangers residents’ health and well-being. The town must shift from a reactive posture to a proactive one. It would be entirely prudent — and vital for public health — for the town to comprehensively test groundwater around these vulnerable areas before the next inevitable incident occurs.
FRANK RIINA
Grave Concerns
Montauk
June 27, 2026
To the Editor,
Thank you for Christopher Gangemi’s excellent reporting on the Montauk NextEra lithium battery facility, the sister plant to the facility in East Hampton currently being sued for leaking PFAS chemicals that have poisoned wells in East Hampton.
The article covers many of the grave concerns about the Planning Department’s approval of the site, including the risk of flooding, the lack of a serious emergency response plan, and the danger of contamination to the environmentally sensitive wetlands: Fort Pond and Fort Pond Bay, amid which it was allowed to be constructed.
Because unpaved lots were raised and paved over for the site, the construction of the Montauk facility has also led to additional storm flooding along the road on which it is located, an issue that P.S.E.G.-Long Island was supposed to address but has so far only gotten worse.
As you report, no environmental review was deemed necessary to allow construction of the Montauk energy storage facility on a site located in a flood zone just 250 feet from Fort Pond Bay. I sincerely hope our public officials will make up for that oversight now, conduct a more thorough review, and insist on an update to the nonexistent emergency containment strategy should the Montauk facility experience a similar incident to the one we saw in East Hampton.
TONIA RIES
A Huge Problem
Southold
June 29, 2026
Dear Editor,
Is JPX (East Hampton Town Airport) still a safety, pollution, and noise concern? True or False? Well, it most certainly should be.
On Sunday, 777ZA was flying inbound into JPX as a seaplane was directed to fly outbound over Southampton Township. The South Shore Route was open for flights. Maybe the beachgoers would get a little upset but hey, are they the users? Also ask, why are Southampton and other townships taking on the huge burden of this airport?
Mixing fixed-wing with a rotor aircraft with only 500 feet of clearance should be everyone’s concern. Ask yourselves, why is this happening? Who will be held accountable if there is an aerial crash? Who is directing these repeated routes over the same battered communities?
Keep in mind, most of these aircraft are flying under visual flight rules and some with only one pilot in charge of the aircraft. How’s the single pilot supposed to observe the full aerial surroundings of the aircraft with only two eyes?
One should question why isn’t the South Shore Route utilized more often? After all, seaplanes are built to fly over the sea, not miles upon miles of land. To be honest, it’s always been that no one wants the noise or pollution, just the money that comes along with it.
My answer is, hell yes, JPX is a huge problem!
For all noise complaints, download the free AirNoise app located on the East Hampton Town website, and start filing noise complaints. There is a lot of work that needs to be done.
If repeated routes, altitudes, and proper noise abatement procedures cannot be fixed, close it! The East End hard-working residents who support our communities deserve better.
TERESA MCCASKIE
Southold Town Aircraft Noise Committee
Overloaded
Wainscott
June 29, 2026
Dear David,
Proposed affordable housing adding costs, such as school and real estate taxes, will be spread throughout the community. Currently, Wainscott has a small school, and how many more students can the current building accommodate?
The proposed housing off Route 114 is in the Wainscott district and could overwhelm the current building and would require additional teachers with their benefit packages and require an expansion or a new building.
Now, a mention of more: Wainscott Northwest Road, the traffic there is overloaded with often two light changes to get onto the highway.
While on line at the Post Office last Saturday, one elderly couple remarked that they would be forced to move from where they grew up. A valid question is where would they go? Thousands of miles from their family support system?
The man remarked, “We don’t matter to them! They don’t give a damn!”
What an awful feeling to have.
ARTHUR FRENCH
Other Matters
East Hampton
June 27, 2026
To the Editor,
Now that you, Kathee Burke-Gonzalez, have won the Democratic nomination for supervisor and will be a winner for the position, you can concentrate on other matters. Here is an important matter you have neglected: Repave Two Holes of Water Road from the roundabout for about half a mile, if not more. The potholes are numerous, deep, and dangerous!
JANE ADELMAN
Pick Up All
East Hampton
June 25, 2026
To the Editor,
Now that our local election is mercifully over, I have a suggestion: Let’s have a new law that states that only the candidates themselves may plant a placard with their name on it. Then, the winner of the election must pick up all the placards within two days. Thus will begin their stint as servant leaders.
TOM MACKEY
Is No Place
East Hampton
June 27, 2026
Dear Mr. Rattray,
Local small businesses are the lifeblood of resort towns like East Hampton. The owners of these businesses are our friends and neighbors, many of whom serve as first responders keeping us all safe.
Last week, before Tuesday’s Democratic Primary election, some local businesses simply exercising their First Amendment rights and community spirit were listed as supporters in an ad taken out by the Larsen campaign. Shockingly, many of these business owners are now being harassed and threatened for their public support of Mayor Larsen. This bullying behavior is disgusting and an affront to all candidates, no matter the party, who put themselves through the grueling electoral process with the hope of bettering this community.
I am sure Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez is not happy with this insufferable conduct, as these businesses are her constituents no matter their party affiliations (or who they support) while they are providing much-needed local jobs and revenue for East Hampton Town.
There is no place in our beautiful community for such obnoxious behavior, and I respectfully ask that the supervisor and all the members of the town board, including the political leaders of both parties, publicly condemn this behavior. Do it publicly to a send a strong message that such intimidation tactics that threaten free speech and political involvement are not welcome in East Hampton.
Lastly, a huge thank-you to all candidates who put their time, money, and energy into the political process for the betterment of our beloved East Hampton. May God bless you all.
Sincerely,
CAROLE CAMPOLO
Stormed the Gates
Montauk
June 27, 2026
To the Editor,
The barbarians stormed the gates with a massive assault in the last several months but fortunately they were beaten back decisively. Their offensive, led by Jerry Larsen, who garnered financial support from a select constituency, was turned back by a substantial majority.
Despite plastering the local rags with gaudy full-page ads, blanketing social media with false propaganda, and convincing some erstwhile brothers in arms to take flight to the other side, in the end, it was no contest. I can recite the laundry list of reasons why, but suffice it to say, the voters recognized the difference between bluster and sincerity.
Some of the Larsen team of Democratic Committee candidates did manage to barely slip through the gates and my hope is that they will bring constructive opposition feedback in their new roles rather than act as obstructionists.
I believe the town board led by Kathee Burke-Gonzalez will continue to listen to and give consideration to opposing opinions. She knows that we are all in this together and divisiveness born of reprisals is harmful to all of us in the end. There are tough challenges ahead and some mistakes have been made in the past, but Kathee’s intent is to work hard with transparency for the benefit of our entire community, not just for the demands of one constituency.
Thank you all who voted for Kathee and to those who honestly voted for Jerry thinking he would be the better alternative. I say let’s meet in that place where our accords unite us and our differences are the seeds of improvements for the community we love and share.
LOU CORTESE
Further Review
Montauk
June 29, 2026
To the Editor:
Would like to take a moment to congratulate all candidates from our recent Democratic Primary. It was good to hear opposing opinions and discussions on our town’s many issues all addressed as adults in a civil manner. Why anyone should choose to take these positions continues to surprise me but am grateful some do just that.
I would like to suggest that Jerry Larsen and his team begin a write-in campaign in the next election. After speaking with numerous people, I believe they did better than the final voter tally suggests. They brought up many interesting topics and ways to address issues we have not heard before. Would like to be able to have those topics discussed again and have a chance to review further.
I don’t believe the current administration has done right by Montauk and believe we can do better. The lack of enforcement of almost everything. We must do better.
For the love of Montauk,
BJ WILSON
Part-Time Residents
Springs
June 26, 2026
Dear David,
For the residents who supported Jerry Larsen for East Hampton Town supervisor, the Democratic Primary was disappointing. Not only because of the outcome, but because it reflected a deeper problem about who is shaping East Hampton’s future.
Those of us who live here year round live with the consequences of the town board’s decisions every day. We rely on the drinking water, the lack of affordability, the substandard roads, the increasing high density and overdevelopment, and the questionable emergency preparedness infrastructure 12 months a year. However, our voices are overshadowed by many people who spend part of the year here, or in some cases no time at all.
Under New York law, voters can vote where they have “legitimate, significant and continuing attachments.” How this standard is being applied deserves scrutiny.
I will leave it to the voters of East Hampton to decide whether a system where seasonal and part-time residents play such an outsize role has produced the type of leaders who are accountable to the people who call East Hampton home every day.
This election also revealed major concerns about a lack of leadership in the town. Over the past several years, many residents have raised important issues: safe drinking water, preservation, poor management in Town Hall, lack of affordability, and increasingly high taxes. Too often, residents’ concerns have been ignored by Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez and her political backers.
I hear from residents every day that we need change. While the primary is behind us, the issues that spurred so many of us to action remain. The concerns about a lack of leadership and accountability, and who shapes East Hampton’s future, deserve our attention long after the campaign signs come down.
JACQUELINE ESPOSITO
Write to Vote
Amagansett
June 28, 2026
To the Editor,
I am writing to express my support for Jerry Larsen for Town of East Hampton supervisor in the general election on Nov. 3. New York State Election Law allows write-ins on ballots, and every voter, regardless of party affiliation, has the right to vote for the candidate of their choice.
I intend to vote by writing it in myself: “Jerry Larsen.”
MEG FARRELL
Take Back Government
Montauk
June 28, 2026
Mr. Rattray,
I am writing this letter in an effort to see democracy exercised in the November East Hampton Town supervisor election.
Disingenuous partisan politics have hijacked the political system in East Hampton. Dangerous and incompetent ideologues have taken over our local government. Forty percent of the citizens have zero say in town government affairs. Gross negligence, malfeasance, and worse have resulted in dysfunctional agencies and a leadership that has no accountability.
I want it known that I will be part of a grassroots movement to petition the public to have Jerry Larsen as a write-in candidate in the November election.
This town board has hurt us real working families by neglecting their responsibilities at the Planning Department and zoning board, destroying the Building Department, violating public safety by arrogantly ignoring federal laws, and showing open hostility to citizens who dare challenge their ineptitude.
It’s time for the real citizens with legacy, businesses, and family futures at stake to take back their government and fix a completely overmatched administration by electing an actual administrator and not a finger-wagging, virtue-signaling puppet of the progressive left.
Thank you,
CHRIS GATTI
Trumplike Tactics
Amagansett
June 28, 2026
Dear David,
It’s not shocking that Kathee Burke-Gonzalez won the Democratic Primary on June 23. Kathy couldn’t run on her failed record, so she used Trumplike scare tactics, painting Jerry Larsen as a MAGA.
She may have won the Democratic Primary, but that doesn’t represent the thousands of residents who couldn’t vote. I hope residents can have their voices heard in the November general election. Write in Jerry Larsen for supervisor!
GENE SHAW
Democratic Values
East Hampton
June 29, 2026
Dear David,
For more than 25 years, I have proudly served as a Democratic Committee member in East Hampton working tirelessly to support Democratic candidates and causes. For 27 years, while running my restaurant, Babette’s, in East Hampton, I hosted Democratic fund-raisers — both locally and nationally — taking public stands I believed in, even when doing so often risked alienating my clientele and hurting my business. I did it because my commitment to showing up for my community and upholding Democratic values has always been very important to me.
That is why it was deeply troubling and sad, to say the least, that I was dismissed from the committee and removed from the Democratic slate (after serving 25 years), because I chose to support Mayor Jerry Larsen for town supervisor, who was not endorsed by the Democratic Committee.
I thought in a democratic society primaries exist so voters can openly exchange ideas, learn from one another, listen and dream together, and make their own decisions. I would hope that we can all agree that democracy is strongest not when everyone falls in line, but when people are free to participate honestly, thoughtfully, and without fear of retaliation.
I supported Mayor Jerry Larsen because I believe our town is entering a new direction and requires leadership that reflects the energy, ideas, and what matters at this moment. My experience over the years in working with Mayor Larsen has been nothing less than a consistency in being open to innovative thinking, new and inclusive ideas, transparent and coherent fiscal responsibility, and the willingness to invite much-needed new voices to the table, including newer and older residents who care deeply about the future of our community. I believe this is not something to fear, but rather it is something to celebrate and should be welcomed in any forward-thinking community. Healthy communities flourish when new people are welcomed to serve with diverse opinions, while still respecting the foundation built by those who tirelessly served before them. Supporting a candidate who represents creative, energetic, and visionary thinking, addressing what’s wanted and needed at the time, should not be viewed as an act of disloyalty. It should be welcomed as the very fabric of the democratic process our party cherishes and fights for.
More than ever, it is critical that political parties, especially during these times of division, encourage broad and exciting engagement in the community and not demand unquestioning loyalty. I do not believe a committee endorsement should ever outweigh the voice of the voters at large or the integrity of the primary process. How does supporting a different candidate in a Democratic Primary make someone disloyal to the party? For me, it instead reflects a much deeper loyalty — to democracy itself.
After decades of service, I still believe democracy works best when we are all welcome to join the conversation, exercising our right to choose and participate without fear of retaliation, and encouraging an environment where people feel seen, heard, honored, and valued for who they are.
Congratulations to the Democratic Committee members who retained their seats in this election and a big welcome to the much-needed new voices of our beloved community.
BARBARA LAYTON
Very Bad Bet
Amagansett
June 25, 2026
To the Editor,
I am right so much of the time (yes, I am bragging) that when I call something wrong, I feel a duty to say so.
I bought the hype that Jerry Larsen was almost inevitable. Kathee Burke-Gonzalez winning by a very wide margin clearly disproved that.
Per Jack Motz’s article reporting the outcome, there are approximately 10,000 registered Democrats in the town. Only a third voted in the primary. About 2,000 voted for Kathee Burke-Gonzalez and 1,200 for Jerry Larsen.
When Jeff Bragman ran against the prior supervisor, Peter Van Scoyoc, the turnout was lower and the margin much narrower; the incumbent received about 1,000 votes, defeating Jeff by only 200.
Jeff screened for supervisor on this go-round, then went silent, finally endorsing Mr. Larsen. I would need more facts, but suspect there is an interesting case study here. A true Democrat despairs of organic change from within, and bets on a controversial outsider. If Jeff himself had run, maybe the result would have been different — or at least the margin.
In recent letters, I have named other Democrats forced out or stepped on by the machine who turned to Mr. Larsen as their avenger. Not only will they now have to live with the reputational hit of having made this very bad bet, they should know that they set back the cause of real change from within the Democratic Party.
Our town is highly visible and nationally famous for a lot of reasons, but it was a dash of cold water to be reminded that its destiny is decided by a very small number of people. I left the Democratic Party and became a “blank” a quarter-century ago, but almost everyone I know out here is a Democrat. Some are second-home owners who choose to vote here instead of where they spend the rest of the year; others retired and live here full time. But they are largely older, very middle class by Hamptons standards, and, truth be told, a bit insecure and even fearful.
That would explain why we will struggle on with a failing Democratic machine. No one within the local Democratic Party is willing to take risks. Mr. Larsen was a distraction and an opportunity cost; we need someone with Democratic experience and values to run a really charismatic campaign, backed by the right energy and resources. That never quite happens here; even Jeff Bragman’s campaign against Peter Van Scoyoc was a personal and somewhat amateur project.
I have said for years that the machine prevails on a really sad and tired campaign slogan: Vote for us because you have no choice. That worked again.
On each gyre, the machine is weaker. This time, one board member and a quarter to a third of the town Democratic Committee have escaped its control. Whatever it does now — tries
to live with the decay or to surgically excise the dissenters as it did years ago — will only leave it weaker.
Can we please fix this from within the party? These things happen all the time elsewhere. People who bet on Jerry Larsen might have tried betting on themselves instead.
For democracy in East Hampton,
JONATHAN WALLACE
Issue Is Credibility
East Quogue
June 25, 2026
To the Editor,
There are numerous anonymous bloggers but some of them are fraudulent. They are hired actors.
One political blog I see often is a nice-looking, bearded guy who speaks well and seems reliable, but a few days ago I saw this exact same guy featured in an ad for sneakers! This tells us all we need to know about anonymous bloggers whose content and statements arise from unidentified sources even when they seem credible or are based on fact or legitimate news.
The question is why should sources who possess credible (and checkable) news not identify themselves? We are thus burdened with news stories by bloggers that cannot be verified.
Whether they are left or right is not the issue; the issue is credibility. The public that views them has no way of knowing the veracity of what they hear. If it fits their politics they believe it. Period.
They are protected by the First Amendment. This is fine and commendable. But it doesn’t make them less sneaky. It actually detracts from their credibility. The solution? Watch and listen to the bloggers who don’t hide their identities: Tim Snyder, Anne Applebaum, Mark Galeotti, for starters.
This issue is very disturbing to me, despite my support for the First Amendment.
I don’t like secrecy unless people’s lives depend on it. I want real news. I want news whose truth can be independently confirmed. And I respect those who are willing to put their name to what they write or say.
The solution? Ignore anonymous bloggers. Stand up for and demand accountability and the truth.
LORNA SALZMAN
Our Best Chance
East Hampton
June 29, 2026
Dear David,
At a June 20 Combatants for Peace event, which I co-hosted with Asma Rashid, founder of the Islamic Center of the Hamptons, Aziz Abu Sarah, a Palestinian activist, and his Israeli counterpart, Maoz Inon, discussed how they forged a deep brotherhood in the face of tragic family losses they both suffered in the conflict. As they put it in their recent book, “The Future Is Peace”: “There is a mirror between Israel and Palestine, each of us reflecting our own rage back at ourselves. We must break this mirror and look one another in the eye to humanize the other side, but even more important, to recognize our own humanity.”
This narrative contrasted with the one presented during a Jewish Center of the Hamptons Shabbat on the Beach service last Friday. As is the center’s weekly custom, a pitch is made by the rabbi to become members of the congregation. This time, one of the center’s more prominent board members was invited to make the pitch. He began by saying how disturbed he was about Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s election and his influence in the primary election results which saw the mayor’s favored candidates winning.
Although carefully worded and spoken, the message was clear — the way to support one’s Jewishness was rooted in an attack on the mayor and his followers. It’s not an isolated incident. The mayor was called an antisemite without evidence or further explanation by a prominent Jewish leader at the center’s annual 2025 Ken Bialkin panel. Pro-Israel rallies in East Hampton, under the J.C.O.H.’s rabbinical and board leadership, have continuously and conspicuously never mentioned Palestinian suffering or their name as a people — as if they didn’t exist.
The J.C.O.H. board member, by his narrowness, negativity, and fear of engaging, shows how refreshing and healthy alternative narratives like Combatants for Peace are. Their vision and lived realities are our best chance to break out of endless cycles of war, violence, and pain. It’s also the best way to recruit new, younger members to a Jewishness that can be positive and one that can enable them to be proud of Israel once again. To Mayor Mamdani’s credit, he met with both Aziz and Maoz before they headed out to the Hamptons event.
As Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum of Congregation Beit Simchat Torah in Chelsea puts it, “I’m hopeful that the candidates who our mayor endorsed now go about doing the work of building coalitions. We need everybody to reach out beyond their comfort zones and figure out how we can bring New York together, and I’m counting on elected officials to do that.” Let’s hope the J.C.O.H. can be counted on to offer that positive vision, too.
Sincerely,
JIM VRETTOS
Do My Best
East Hampton
June 25, 2026
Dear Mr. Rattray,
James McHenry, a Maryland delegate to the Constitutional Convention, recorded a verbal exchange that took place on Sept. 17, 1787, between Benjamin Franklin and Elizabeth Willing Powel, a prominent social and political figure of Philadelphia. Powel asked Franklin, “Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” He responded, “A republic, if you can keep it.”
Although Franklin realized that keeping a republic was no easy task, he could not have imagined the blood, sweat, and tears that would be shed to keep our republic. Both civil and global wars tested our resolve.
Franklin would have been proud that we kept our republic despite the overwhelming challenges. Now our resolve is again being tested, this time not in combat fought on battlefields but in decisions made in voting booths.
Having won the Democratic Primary, Chris Gallant now faces Nick LaLota in their battle to represent us in the House. To win this election, Mr. Gallant faces an overwhelming challenge. According to the localcandidates.org web site, Mr. LaLota has nearly $3 million on hand to spend in his attempt to win re-election. Mr. Gallant has only $72,000.
Without dollars, Mr. Gallant will need volunteers to spread his message. Think about what you can do now so that you could have said then, “Mr. Franklin, I will do my best to keep our republic.”
SALVATORE TOCCI