Lithuanian Heritage on Display at Queens Landmark Church

By MOHAMED FARGHALY

mfarghaly@queensledger.com

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda and First Lady Diana Nausėdienė made a rare visit to Maspeth’s Transfiguration Church on September 25, shining a spotlight on a neighborhood landmark that has been a spiritual home for generations of Lithuanian-Americans — and is now teetering on the brink of closure.

The 1962 church, built by Lithuanian immigrants during a time when religious practice was suppressed in Soviet-occupied Lithuania, has long served as a spiritual and cultural hub, the church is renowned for its Lithuanian-crafted artwork and cultural significance, but costly repairs and a dwindling congregation have left its future uncertain. Nausėda, who was in New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly, toured the church at 64-25 Perry Avenue and praised the community’s efforts to preserve its history.

Parishioners and church staff guided President Nausėda and the First Lady through the church, highlighting its Lithuanian-crafted artwork, distinctive architecture, and the historic features that have made Transfiguration a cultural and spiritual landmark for decades.

“Today we visited the Church of Transfiguration in Maspeth, NY. Built by Lithuanian Americans in 1962, when faith was suppressed in Soviet-occupied Lithuania, it reminds us of WWII horrors, forced migrations, and also the fight for freedom, in which the U.S. played a vital role. Grateful for the efforts to preserve this church!” Nausėda wrote on social media platform X.

The visit comes as the church faces significant financial challenges. Repairs to the building, which includes the church structure, a rectory, and a convent now rented by the Lithuanian Catholic Relief Association, are estimated at more than $1.3 million, far exceeding the parish’s budget. Attendance has dwindled to roughly 160 to 200 parishioners on weekends, and the parish struggles to cover the building’s operating costs.

“The president of Lithuania came in today, the consulate arranged for the him to visit transfiguration church, because it has a great history with the Lithuanian people. It was built as a Lithuanian national church, and most of the artwork in it was done by Lithuanian artists, and we’d love to have it preserved,” said Rev. Msgr. Joseph Calise, pastor of St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish, which merged with Transfiguration in 2019.

Calise emphasized the ongoing financial strain and the need for external support to maintain the church. “Part of the conversation was on getting it landmarked. And that causes problems, because the difficulty that we have as a parish is that even if the repair works are done, we don’t have enough people in the congregation to actually sustain the building much longer. There are a lot of costs involved in running the building, and the people coming just there aren’t enough to meet the monthly costs of the building,” he said.

Calise said an ideal scenario would involve an outside organization purchasing the building and converting it into a museum to preserve its Lithuanian art and cultural heritage. “So we really need an outside group, an outside society, to actually just buy the building and the property, have it deconsecrated and make it a museum, or something like that, to preserve the art. That would be the best ideal, ideal scenario if people want to preserve the artwork, because we just don’t know how much longer the parish can sustain itself,” he said.

Calise said he hopes the president’s visit will raise awareness and potentially encourage groups interested in preserving Lithuanian art in the United States to step in. “The reality is, my hope would be that his influence would be in finding some society that wants to preserve Lithuanian art in the United States, and that he would be able to convince them, then to take over the building itself, to just buy the building and the properties and preserve it as a museum,” he said.

The church has long been a cornerstone of the Lithuanian-American community in Maspeth, but parishioners say dwindling attendance and high repair costs threaten its future. Calise said the parish continues to explore options to sustain the congregation and preserve the historic artwork. “There is no denial that it is a beautiful church. There’s no denial that the Lithuanian influence of Lithuanian art is quite clear. So it was an honor to be able to have him and welcome him. I hope he got a sense of both sides of what’s going on, not only the sense of what we’d love to preserve, but also a sense of our daily struggle to keep the building open,” Calise said.

As Transfiguration Church navigates the challenges of dwindling attendance and costly repairs, the visit from Lithuania’s president underscores both the community’s deep cultural roots and the urgent need to preserve a landmark that has stood as a spiritual and artistic home for generations.

Courtesy JASA

Inside the Struggles of NYC Seniors: A Talk with JASA

By MOHAMED FARGHALY

mfarghaly@queensledger.com

A new survey of older New Yorkers highlights alarming financial, housing, and social challenges facing the city’s aging population, according to the Jewish Association Serving the Aging (JASA). The survey found that 40% of seniors are struggling to pay bills, one in four cannot access stable housing, and one in five report intense loneliness.

Staffed seven days a week by experienced social workers, JASA’s Help Center fields over 6,000 calls annually from older adults and their caregivers, connecting them to services including Medicaid enrollment, mental health care, legal support, housing assistance, home care, and community programs.

“We hear from older adults, some in their 80s, who are struggling to pay skyrocketing rent or keep up with rising maintenance and taxes, leaving them facing eviction and the fear of homelessness,”  Meredith Levine, JASA’s Senior Director of Care Management and Information Services said. “Rising food costs force those on limited incomes to stretch their budgets by sacrificing food quality for less healthy items or cutting down to two small meals a day. Many also delay or go without unaffordable home care, leading them to perform risky activities like shopping and showering alone, which puts them at risk for falls. This financial strain extends to caregivers, who struggle to afford ongoing supplies like adult diapers and may find their ability to work impacted as caregiving needs increase.”

Housing challenges are widespread, especially amid a city-wide housing crisis. “Even seniors who already have housing face rising numbers of eviction cases. Homeowners are increasingly targeted by growing scams, such as deed theft and other forms of financial elder abuse that can leave them without secure housing. We also frequently hear from older adults whose physical needs have changed, forcing them to suddenly rethink their living situations when they can no longer safely navigate stairs in walk-ups or their homes,” Levine said.

JASA also helps combat social isolation. “While social connection is not usually the primary reason someone contacts the Help Center, our highly trained staff listen for clues about a caller’s social life during their assessment. Based on their findings, they can suggest specific JASA programs designed to combat isolation, such as JASAChat, which facilitates intergenerational friendships, community programming in our residential buildings, and social activities at our Older Adult Centers throughout the city.”

Caregivers are supported through programs including partnerships with Montefiore’s Einstein Hudson Valley Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease and JASA’s Caregiver Support Program in Southern Brooklyn. “This program offers support groups, trainings, respite, and supplemental supplies to ease the emotional and financial burden on caregivers,” Levine said.

The Help Center also guides seniors through complex government programs. “Our staff can educate community members on the types of benefits available, discuss eligibility criteria, clarify the differences between programs, and explain the application process. Following this initial guidance, the Help Center connects clients to specific JASA team members who can assist with enrollment through careful handoffs.”

Levine described how the process works: “When someone calls the Help Center for the first time, a trained social worker will answer the phone. Our team makes evaluations on a case-by-case basis. We don’t follow a script or require you to sign forms or give us information you don’t want to share. Instead, when we answer the phone, we listen to your challenges and use our deep knowledge and experience to figure out what you need and how you can get it. If you have to leave a voicemail, it will be returned within two business days.”

JASA serves over 40,000 older New Yorkers annually. “Rather than using scripts or intake forms, our team listens carefully to the circumstances of each caller to ensure the recommended solutions match the problems at hand. To minimize barriers to access, we have expanded our hours to seven days a week and evenings and have staff who speak Spanish, Russian, and English,” Levine said.

For New Yorkers seeking help for themselves or others, Levine said: “The most important thing to know about the Help Center is that you are not alone. The Help Center is a resource any older adult or caregiver can take advantage of, so don’t be afraid to ask for help. The Center can be reached 7 days a week at 212.273.5272, via email at help@jasa.org, or often through Live Chat on the JASA website. Information is also available at https://www.jasa.org/services/help-center. As our lives evolve, it’s critical to know which supportive options are available to you. If you’re in need of support, give us a call – it’s our priority to help you age safely in your home and community for as long as possible.”

Courtesy NYC.Gov

Adams Exits, Mayoral Contest Heats Up

By MOHAMED FARGHALY

mfarghaly@queensledger.com

Mayor Eric Adams announced on September 28 that he is ending his third-party bid for re-election, narrowing the field in the race to lead the nation’s largest city.

“Despite all we’ve achieved, I cannot continue my re-election campaign,” Adams said in a video posted on social media on Sunday. “The constant media speculation about my future and the campaign finance board’s decision to withhold millions of dollars have undermined my ability to raise the funds needed for a serious campaign.”

Adams, a lifelong New Yorker, rose from a childhood in Brownsville and South Jamaica to a career in public service that spanned four decades. He served as an NYPD officer and co-founded 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care, later representing Brooklyn in the State Senate and becoming the borough’s first Black borough president. In 2021, he was elected the city’s 110th mayor, campaigning on public safety, equity, and economic recovery.

“Who would have thought that a kid from South Jamaica, Queens — growing up with learning disabilities — could one day become the mayor of the greatest city in the world?” he said.

The mayor touted achievements including record housing construction, a drop in shootings and murders, higher test scores and school attendance, and record job growth. “We lowered costs for working- and low-income families — expanding funding for rental vouchers, childcare, and household costs, while eliminating the income tax burden for more than half a million New Yorkers,” Adams said.

During his tenure, Mayor Eric Adams pointed to progress on public safety, economic recovery, and livability across New York City. His administration oversaw double-digit decreases in murders, shootings and burglaries, removed more than 15,000 illegal guns from city streets, and added 1,000 officers to the subway system, cutting transit crime by nearly a quarter. The city recovered all jobs lost during the pandemic and added nearly 300,000 more, while raising wages for delivery workers and nonprofit employees and launching a $2 billion plan to cancel medical debt. Adams also touted record-breaking affordable housing development, a landmark transformation of Willets Point, expanded child care access, and initiatives to make streets safer and cleaner — from pedestrian redesigns to trash containerization. He framed these efforts as part of a broader push to build a safer, more affordable, and more livable city for working New Yorkers.

But Adams’ accomplishments were often overshadowed by his federal corruption indictment, which — though later dropped by the Trump administration — left a lasting mark on his approval ratings and campaign prospects. Despite repeatedly insisting he would stay in the race, his campaign was hobbled by the loss of millions in public matching funds, poor fundraising, and record-low approval ratings.

“I also know some remain unsure of me after the unfortunate events surrounding my federal case. I was wrongfully charged because I fought for this city — and if I had to do it again, I would fight for New York again,” Adams said.

His exit comes after Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani’s Democratic primary win over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is now running as a third-party candidate. Adams’ withdrawal could help consolidate support behind Cuomo, though his name will still appear on the November ballot because the deadline to remove candidates has passed. Limited polling has shown Cuomo benefiting most from Adams’ absence, though Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa also stands to gain.

Adams acknowledged his departure would reshape the race but pledged to keep working for New Yorkers until the end of his term. “Although this is the end of my reelection campaign, it is not the end of my public service,” he said. “I will continue to fight for this city — as I have for 40 years, since the day I joined the NYPD to make our streets safer and our systems fairer.”

The mayor warned against rising extremism in politics and urged voters to focus on results over rhetoric. “Beware of those who claim the answer is to destroy the very systems we built together over generations. That is not change. That is chaos,” Adams said.

“My fellow New Yorkers: this is your city. Its leaders work for you. I am one of you. My story is your story. I lived the struggle, but I never stopped loving this city,” Adams said. “That is why I ran for mayor — to turn my pain into purpose. And I will keep fighting for this city no matter what, from City Hall or beyond.”

With Adams out, November’s mayoral race is set to intensify, carrying high stakes for New York City’s future as residents weigh questions of safety, affordability, and leadership in the nation’s largest city.