[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 70 (Monday, May 1, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E886]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                    IN RECOGNITION OF HELAINE STRAUSS

                                 ______


                         HON. GARY L. ACKERMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                           Monday, May 1, 1995
  Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great pride to share 
with my colleagues in the House of Representatives the inspiring story 
of a woman who has been an active member of the Jewish community in 
Suffolk County for many years, Helaine Strauss.
  Helaine Strauss became a Jewish community center professional on Long 
Island in 1967. This began a lifetime career in which she vastly 
changed the landscape of Long Island's Jewish community.
  In 1980, a determined board of directors, Suffolk County Y staff and 
Helaine took a bold step forward. They moved the Y into a brand new 
setting that provided the first Jewish day care center in the United 
Jewish Appeal [UJA] federation network, as well as a nursery school, a 
senior citizen and singles' center. In addition to these conveniences, 
the Y developed and installed a state-of-the-art fitness center.
  When the initial construction of this enormous project was completed, 
Ms. Strauss breathed a sigh of relief and embarked on a new project: 
building bridges. Today, the Suffolk Y Jewish Community Center joins 
with a multitude of Jewish agencies, synagogues and community 
organizations sponsoring innovative programs and services.
  Ms. Strauss' leadership has been widely recognized. She is past 
president of the New York chapter of the Metropolitan Association of 
Jewish Center Workers and participated in Jewish Welfare Board's 
Executive Development Program and the Jewish Community Center 
Association's Executive Fellows Program. Ms. Strauss serves on the 
nation board of the Jewish Community Center Association and on the 
advisory board of the Adelphi School of Social Work. She received the 
Woman of the Year Award from Friends of Lubavitch of eastern Long 
Island.
  In 1985, Ms. Strauss received the Samuel W. and Rose Horowitz award 
from the Commission on Synagogue Relations of UJA-Federation of New 
York, and she has also been honored by the Women's American 
Organization of Rehabilitation Training (ORT).
  I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join with me 
in saluting Ms. Helaine Strauss, for 20 years of outstanding service, 
commitment and devotion to not only the Suffork Y, but the entire 
Jewish community of Suffolk County, Long Island.


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