Paramus Rotary Club Meeting of Thursday, January, 14, 2021
Our guest speaker via Zoom for the January 14, 2021, meeting was Dr. Amra Sabic-El-Rayess. A professor at Teachers College, Colombia University, her teaching and research fields include education and social transformations, social mobility, corruption, elite formation, radicalization, inclusion of women, and research methodologies
Dr. Sabic-El Rayess' presentation focused on her recent book, THE CAT I NEVER NAMED: A True Story of Love, War and Survival. The book examines how ultraconservative groups leverage education, both informal and formal, to instigate changes in social norms, values, and behaviors. It was selected as a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard for the Fall of 2020.
Dr. Sabic-El Rayess is a survivor of the Bosnian genocide. THE CAT I NEVER NAMED is written from her personal experience as a 16-year old Muslim girl in the throes of the three-year-long siege of her hometown of Bihac’ in the northwest corner of Bosnia by the Serbian Army that began in June of 1992. The book is intended for a student audience of 7th – 9th graders; Dr. Sabic-El Rayess explained that many youngsters are not aware of this genocide that took place well within their parents’ lifetimes. Rather, young people oft times believe that genocide only happened during the Holocaust and, therefore, believe it to be ancient history such that the topic is not relevant. While intended for young students, older readers will be captivated by Dr. Sabic-El Rayess’ gripping and true story of survival and inspired by the hope that an orphaned calico cat gave her and her family during unimaginable terror.
After surviving ethnic cleansing and more than 1,100 days under the Serbs’ military siege, Dr. Sabic-El Rayess emigrated to the United States in 1996. By December 1999, she earned a BA in Economics from Brown University. Later, she obtained two Masters degrees and a Doctorate from Columbia University. Currently she is a professor at Columbia University’s Teachers College working on understanding how and why societies fall apart and what role education can play in rebuilding decimated countries. She has published on education-related issues and has lectured around the world to adult and adolescent audiences.
Dr. Sabic-El Rayess' upcoming book will explore Salafism, an ultra-conservative form of Islam that has spread globally and in Bosnia.
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Weekly Announcements!
Our guest speaker via Zoom for January 21, 2021, will be Sara Crisona, LCSW. Ms Crisona presentation is entitled, The Impact of Covid-19 on Our Children: Signs, Symptoms and Resources for Families
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Ms. Crisona has spoken to countless children, adolescents, and their families on the implications of Covid-19 vis-a-vis their mental health. Such discussions provide patients with the most up-to-date guidance on the behaviors and warning signs that could indicate mental health problems arising from this pandemic, as well as provide families with resources to address these issues during this unprecedented time of uncertainty.
Sara Crisona, LCSW has over 10 years of clinical experience, providing counseling to children, adolescents and adults in various outpatient settings, schools and intensive outpatient programs. Ms. Crisona has been in private practice in Montclair, NJ for seven years. She works with adolescents and adults struggling with anxiety and depression. Further, Ms. Crisona has provided crisis management to residents of Staten Island following the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, and has facilitated groups for trauma survivors for High Focus Centers in Paramus, NJ.
~ Madam Past President Diane Vasile-Falcone announced that the Club’s Annual Cash Raffle is officially underway! The Raffle is scheduled for Friday, June 11th. We hope to have a live event; however, if conditions do not warrant an in-person Raffle, the event will be held virtually as was done in 2020.
Letters have already been mailed to last year’s ticket holders. Those ticket holders must respond by no later than Feb 25th to purchase their tickets. Tickets are priced at $100 each. A total of 400 tickets are available for purchase.
Members may purchase a ‘$5 chance to win’ a $100 ticket at each week’s meeting until 400 full priced tickets are sold. A minimum of four sheets of 20 chances will be available for each meeting. More sheets can be added, as needed. Members may reserve their weekly number(s) in advance by contacting Madam Past President Diane Vasile-Falcone. The winning numbers will be drawn at the end of the regular meeting; the winners will each receive a $100 ticket to participate in the June Raffle.
If all 400 tickets are sold, the maximum potential grand prize listed will be $15,000; winners of the 2nd and 3rd place tickets will receive $3,000 and $2,000, respectively.
The$20,000 net proceeds from the Raffle will help Paramus Rotary continue to support scholarships, the Gift of Life Program, and other local and international activities.~
~ Elizabeth Spaeth announced that she would be donating two copies of the book, THE CAT I NEVER NAMED, on behalf of the Club to the Paramus Library. Thereafter, Dr. Amra Sabic-El Rayess, the book’s author and guest speaker for the meeting, graciously offered to give a book talk at the Library.~
~ Our next Board Meeting will be held on January 19, 2021, beginning at 6:30 PM via Zoom. ~
~ Our next general meeting will be held on January 28, 2021, at Season's. ~
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Join us on Thursdays 12:15pm at Seasons Restaurant
644 Pascack Road, Washington Township
(201) 664 - 6141
