Monday, October 19, 2020

How to Respond to a Bucking Horse

 

Tuesday, September 22, 2020

OHEL Family Mental Health Services



Based in New York City, Irving Langer is a real estate investor, author, and philanthropist. He is the owner and CEO of E & M Associates, a real estate management company with over 20,000 properties across the United States under its supervision. A community-centered individual, Irving Langer is also a principal donor to several non-profit institutions, such as OHEL Family Services.

OHEL Children's Home and Family Services was established with the sole aim of strengthening individuals and families through numerous programs that identify and meet several societal needs. In its over 40 years of existence, OHEL Family Services has provided several comprehensive initiatives across the entire New York metropolis and other surrounding communities. These services include foster care programs, adolescent residential programs, domestic violence, sexual abuse counseling, and mental health services.

OHEL's family mental health programs are for individuals with acute mental health disorders and those with everyday emotional issues. Its regional family centers across New Jersey, Rockaway, and Brooklyn are responsible for coordinating these services. These centers have experienced mental health professionals who are fluent in Hebrew, English, and Yiddish and understand the complex cultures of these communities. This cultural diversity enables them to relate with the individuals from these climes and provide them with the support and healing they require.

The numerous mental health and emotional issues handled by OHEL Family Services include depression, schizophrenia, panic disorders, bipolar disorders, eating disorders, addictions, and post-traumatic stress disorders. 

Thursday, July 16, 2020

The National Library of Israel’s Solomon Judaica Collection


Since 1972, Irving Langer has been at the helm of E & M Associates, a property management firm boasting one of the largest portfolios of New York City multifamily properties. Irving Langer also possesses a profound interest in Jewish art and culture. He authored The Kosher Grapevine, a book that celebrates Jewish wine traditions, and he has a strong enthusiasm for Judaica collections.

The Haim and Hannah Solomon Judaica Collection was established in 2013 after a large endowment was bestowed upon the National Library of Israel by former Royal British Air Force volunteer Naomi Solomon. The Solomon Collection, which contains thousands of Jewish books, manuscripts, music pieces, and religious scriptures, is now considered the largest in the world.

The collection is curated by Dr. Yoel Finkelman, who carefully selects additions to the library by considering the age, historical impact, and rarity of the acquisition. During Dr. Finkelman's tenure, the library has purchased more than 250 pages of the 1,000-year-old Afghan Genizah, a collection of Jewish manuscript fragments that were found in caves in Afghanistan. Dr. Finkelman is currently leading efforts to digitize the entire collection.

Friday, March 15, 2019

Three Notable Digitized Judaica Collections


The long-serving CEO of Brooklyn real estate firm E&M Associates, Irving Langer has a strong interest in Jewish heritage and culture. Irving Langer is an enthusiast of Jewish historical archives and Judaica collections. 

To preserve the historical archives of Jewish history for future generations, many universities and Jewish cultural centers have digitized all or a portion of their Judaica collections. Some significant digitized archives include:

- The Jewish Diaspora Collection (JDoc). This online database is a collaboration between Jewish historical organizations and institutions in the American Southwest, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Funded with a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, JDoc has also digitized portions of the Isser and Rae Price Library of Judaica.

- Judaica Digital Collection. Housed at the Harvard University Library, this collection contains millions of historical documents and materials, including photographs, books, and sound recordings. Much of the collection focuses on Jewish life and culture in Israel. 

- National Library of Israel Digital Library. This diverse collection of Judaic historical documents includes books, newspapers, and ancient maps. Accessible on the National Library of Israel website, this also has an impressive collection of Hebrew manuscripts and marriage documents.

Saturday, March 2, 2019

Columbia University Judaica Collection


Since 1972, Irving Langer has served as founder and CEO of E&M Associates, a real estate company with thousands of properties across the United States. Outside of his professional life, Irving Langer stands out as a prominent member of the local community who has made significant gifts to Jewish organizations such as OHEL Children’s Home and Family Services. He also maintains a deep interest in Judaica and Judaica collections.

As the city with the largest Jewish population in the United States, it comes as no surprise that New York City hosts some of the country’s largest and most important Judaica collections in the world. One of the premier Judaica collections anywhere exists at Columbia University in Upper Manhattan. Dating back to the 18th century, the collection began when Samuel Johnson donated his Judaica collection to the college.

Since that time, Columbia’s Judaica collection has expanded through the acquisition of rare books and documents from numerous sources, most notably when Temple Emanuel donated the historically significant Almanzi Library, comprising more than 2,500 rare volumes, to the university library. Other important gifts to the library included donations from Richard Gottheil, Baruch Spinoza, and other major scholars and collectors.

Today, Columbia’s Judaica collection stands as one of the largest in North America and holds more manuscripts than the combined collections of Harvard, Yale, and the Library of Congress. Spanning the 10th to the 19th centuries, the collection includes important works related to topics such as Jewish law, kabbalah, philosophy, and poetry.

Thursday, November 29, 2018

BWRAF Safety Checks Before Diving


Irving Langer has spent nearly five decades as chief executive officer of E & M Associates, a real estate owner and management firm in Brooklyn, New York. Beyond his professional activities, Irving Langer enjoys spending time on the water. He is particularly interested in fishing and scuba diving.

The buddy system is one of the most important aspects of scuba diving safety. The buddy system goes into effect long before divers enter the water. Buddy safety checks, for example, involve making sure a dive partner is adequately prepared for a safe dive. Dive partners should follow BWRAF guidelines while checking a friend to ensure total diver safety.

To begin, divers should check for BCD/buoyancy by testing the inflator button, all deflate valves, and general connectivity and functionality among all BCD components. Next, individuals should ensure that their partners have weights and that all weights have been securely attached. Similarly, all releases must be thoroughly vetted, including the tank strap and chest straps.

Following a thorough inspection of a diver’s air system, including physical verification of a properly functioning cylinder valve, the BWRAF check concludes with a final assessment of both diver’s gear and overall level of preparedness before entering the water. First-time divers may find it helpful to use the mnemonic device “Begin with Review and Friend” in order to remember BWRAF.