Tomorrow at 2PM: WE ARE HERE is a celebration of Resilience, Resistance & Hope

Tomorrow, Skyer Law is very proud to be a sponsor of a special event that is both educational and uplifting and speaks to our current moment in which we are all struggling to combat racism and stand in solidarity with the black community.

This special concert event WE ARE HERE commemorates the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II and the 77th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. This is a collaboration between Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, the National Yiddish Theatre-Folksbiene, and Sing for Hope.

No registration is required. Simply visit this link at 2PM Eastern Time tomorrow, Sunday June 13th: https://www.wearehere.live/

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo will deliver special remarks, and the program will feature an interview by The Forward Editor-in-Chief Jodi Rudoren with Nancy Spielberg, Roberta Grossman, and Sam Kassow about their film Who Will Write Our History.

Renowned actors, musicians, and civic leaders who will be featured in the event include: EGOT-winner Whoopi Goldberg; four-time Grammy Award and National Medal of Arts-winner, star soprano Renée Fleming; Grammy Hall of Famer and Tony-winner Billy Joel; world-renowned pianist Lang Lang; the iconic Dr. Ruth Westheimer; Emmy- and Tony-nominated actress Lauren Ambrose; multi-platinum, Tony-winning Broadway star Lea Salonga; multi-Grammy-winning opera star Joyce DiDonato; award-winning actress Mayim Bialik; acclaimed soprano and curator Julia Bullock; conductor and pianist Christian Reif; Broadway actor and Lucille Lortel-winner Steven Skybell; multi-Grammy-winning mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard; internationally renowned baritone Lester Lynch; Broadway star Jelani Remy; award-winning comedienne Jackie Hoffman; Broadway veteran and international opera singer Elmore James; beloved klezmer singer Daniel Kahn; 2020 Grammy-winner John Brancy; pianist and NPR From The Top host Peter Dugan; Congregation Rodeph Sholom Cantor Rebecca Garfein; Yiddish singer Sasha Lurje; celebrated Yiddish theater performer Dani Marcus; Yiddish Fiddler star Rachel Zatcoff; Congregation Rodeph Sholom organist J. David Williams; New York City Opera and Yiddish theater performer Glenn Seven Allen; accordionist and composer Patrick Farrell; internationally recognized soprano Jennifer Zetlan; renowned operatic and new music interpreter Blythe Gaissert; pianist and conductor Gerald Steichen; pianist and musical director Thomas Bagwell; National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene Artistic Director Zalmen Mlotek; and acclaimed sopranos and Sing for Hope Co-Founders Monica Yunus and Camille Zamora. A special feature of the program will be the world premiere of a new work by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer John Corigliano based on a text by Kitty O’Meara, to be performed by Ms. Fleming.

Ill Fares the Land

Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey,
Where wealth accumulates, and men decay:
Princes and lords may flourish, or may fade;
A breath can make them, as a breath has made;
But a bold peasantry, their country's pride,
When once destroyed, can never be supplied.

These haunting lines are part of a powerful poem, written in 1770 by the Irish writer Oliver Goldsmith. They are as true today as they were then. 

The horrific murders of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery and the aftermath of what we are now living through lies heavy in my heart and it is the phrase “Ill fares the land,” that I keep returning to. So much has been wrong for a very long time.  

I am an attorney, so my mind turns swiftly to justice. But I am more specifically an education attorney whose career has been devoted to fighting for equal and appropriate education for all children. Hate is taught but so is humanism. I am also a parent and grandparent; I serve on the board of a school; and I am a trustee at a historical museum. So, yes, I first think justice, but I choose to battle ignorance by wielding humanity’s most powerful weapon: Education.

There is a relevant, age-old Talmudic debate: ‘Which is more important: study or action?” Rabbi Akiva tells us that study is more important, because it leads to action. Action without study is action without purpose or direction. When we reach for social justice, it is what we have learned that helps us to draw the outline of our collective obligations and to chart a useful path forward.

Ill fares the land, indeed—so how, practically, do I and each one of us go about educating our children so that they will grow to curb the disease of racism and other forms of bigotry and hatred that plague our land?

My parents are both Holocaust survivors, the victims of unbridled racism and bigotry. As a result, for over two decades I have been actively involved at the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, where since 2016 I have been a trustee. Our museum is a teaching institution that has a unique moral obligation to stand with the victims of bias and racism. I am proud to be associated with the statement the museum released in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd. I firmly believe that we must all take a stand. 

On Sunday, June 14th, at 2 pm the Museum will co-host a free, virtual concert-style program entitled: WE ARE HERE: A Celebration of Resilience, Resistance and Hope. I hope that all of your will watch this star-studded event with your children. I am proud that my law firm is a sponsor. A recording of the event will be made available on the museum’s website if you are unable to make it live. Please share this email with your community so that all may attend.

Be well, be safe…

-Regina Skyer

Turning 5 in 2021 - a free webinar, Thursday, May 14, 6:30pm

Register on the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music’s website for this free webinar co-presented by Skyer Law partner Abbie Smith and special education consultant Sarah Birnbaum. Neuropsychologist Dr. Laura Tagliareni will join the webinar as a panelist during the Q&A.

Please note: This talk is designed for families of children born in 2016, whose children are transitioning to the CSE in September, 2021.

Webinar description from BCM website:

If your preschool-aged child is currently receiving special education services or therapy, advocating for an appropriate kindergarten program is critical. For parents of children born in 2016, get a head start on the Turning Five process with Sarah Birnbaum, of New York Special Needs Support, and attorney Abbie Smith of Skyer Law. Together, they will provide you with invaluable guidance on:

-Determining Your Public and Private School Options
-Finding an Appropriate Kindergarten Program
-Obtaining Evaluations
-Understanding Your Child’s Legal Rights
-Advocating for Your Child at Your Turning 5 IEP Meeting
-Understanding how the COVID-19 Health Emergency May Impact Your Turning 5 Year

Estate Planning for Families of Children with Special Needs - register for a free webinar series, April 21 & 22

Part 1: BASICS OF ESTATE PLANNING, HEALTH CARE DECISION-MAKING, WILLS AND TRUSTS
Tuesday, April 21, 8:00-9:00pm

Part 2: SPECIAL NEEDS TRUSTS AND GUARDIANSHIPS
Wednesday, April 22, 8:00-9:00pm

Register: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_AhCCszhHTQu86Tuvp748MQ

Many of us postpone Estate Planning because we lead such busy lives and we assume that it will be an involved process. We may also put if off because we don’t want to think about such things or make hard decisions. It’s something we know we need to get to, but we want to believe we'll have time to do it in the future.

The unfathomable reality of our present circumstances has made many of us realize that Estate Planning is something we should prioritize. While the logistical challenges of social distancing can make it seem impossible, protecting your family does not have to wait. But where to begin?

Skyer Law is offering a free, two-part webinar series for people who have children or grandchildren with special needs and want to learn more about this topic. Please register using this Zoom link. Our goal is to provide you with a basic understanding of Estate Planning and the directives used to protect ourselves and the ones we love.

Speakers:

Valerie Zaloom Buccino is an attorney at Skyer Law who has over 26 years of experience working with families whose children have special needs and disabilities in the areas of Estate Planning, Special Needs Planning, and Guardianship legal services. Read her full bio: https://www.skyerlaw.com/valerie-zaloom-buccino

Gregory Cangiano is a partner at Skyer Law, and has been an attorney with the firm since 2006. He has extensive litigation experience in all areas of special education law, including in appeals to the Federal District Court. Read his full bio: https://www.skyerlaw.com/greg-cangiano

Shefa School panel discussion Jan 30 w/Skyer Law partner Abbie Smith

Skyer Law partner Abbie Smith is speaking on a panel about the IEP process and special education law aimed at parents of students with language-based learning differences. This event is sponsored by the Shefa School.

Thursday, January 30, 2020
6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
The Shefa School, 40 East 29th Street

This event is free and open to the public, but RSVPs are required: office@shefaschool.org

Event description from the Shefa School website:

American law guarantees that every child receive a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). But what happens when the local school district fails to meet this basic obligation, which happens all too often? Parents need to know how to advocate for their child and when to bring in educational advocates and lawyers to help them navigate the messy and confusing process.

Our three esteemed panelists are accomplished educational attorneys who will explain the IEP/CSE process and describe how parents can seek reimbursement for an independent special education school as well as secure transportation and other important resources that many students are entitled to. Please join us to learn the basics of what you need to know as a parent or educator and when to seek the help of a professional to make sure your child receives the education they need and deserve.

Panelists:
Alexandra Hindes, Law Offices Of Neal Rosenberg
Irina Roller, Law Offices of Irina Roller
Abbie Smith, Skyer Law