Officials turn out to salute the heros of Mount Sinai
Mount Sinai South Nassau dedicated its new Maidenbaum Health Care Heroes Plaza on Monday, using the occasion to salute the hospital’s doctors, nurses and other health care workers for their extraordinary efforts during the coronavirus pandemic. The plaza was financed by a significant donation from Iris and Shalom Maidenbaum and Amy Madmon of the Maidenbaum Property Tax Reduction Group.
The plaza, at the front of the hospital, is adorned with brick pavers, trees and benches, and is the focus of the hospital’s Buy-a-Brick fundraising campaign, in which the bricks will be inscribed with messages from staff and friends of the hospital.
Dr. Aaron Glatt, chairman of the department of medicine and chief of infectious diseases, highlighted the heroism of health care workers who have run toward danger to save lives.
“A hero is a person that overcomes his natural inclinations and does good,” said Glatt, who is also associate rabbi at the Young Israel of Woodmere. “During Covid, every single employee ran towards the fire. We are honored and are so moved by all of the hospital heroes at Mount Sinai South Nassau and throughout the health care industry, who never for a moment stopped taking care of very sick patients. I think it’s important that people realize who the true heroes are.”
The ceremony was attended by a who’s who of local elected officials, including Rep. Anthony D’Esposito; state Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick; Assemblymen Ari Brown and Brian Curran; Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman; Legislators Howard Kopel and Patrick Mullaney; Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin; Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino; Island Park Mayor Michael McGinty; Freeport Mayor Robert Kennedy; Cedarhurst Mayor Benjamin Weinstock; Long Beach City Councilman John Bendo; and David Friedman, the former US ambassador to Israel.
Tony Cancellieri, co-chair of the hospital’s advisory board, recalled a caravan organized at the height of the pandemic, in which over 400 cars paraded outside the hospital to thank health care workers.
“These health care workers put their lives on the line every single day to save our lives,” Cancellieri said.
The dedication of the Heroes Plaza is about the future as well as the past, Shalom Maidenbaum said. “We also honor the services of individuals who continue to dedicate themselves to the well-being of our community, despite challenges they continue to face. They persevere with unwavering determination, always ready to lend a helping hand to provide comfort and care.”
