Even though a big portion of Chapter 3 focused on figures and graphs, I really enjoyed reading about neighborhoods that I am familiar with in Brooklyn and learning more about their history. I am actually moving to the Gerritsen Beach area, so it was cool to read about the area’s history, especially because I’ve noticed the Italian/Irish majority in the neighborhood itself (I’ve seen Irish and Italian flags hung outside many homes). I’m also familiar with Sheepshead Bay because I used to attend the Bay Academy which was right next to the end of the big bay on Emmons Avenue and West End Avenue. When reading about all of the neighborhoods I was familiar with, I found myself agreeing with every analyzation that Chapter 3 talked about; I’ve experienced all of these neighborhood communities firsthand and know which immigrants dominate which neighborhood. However, I found it strange that Borough Park was included in the list of neighborhoods that are near Jamaica Bay because it is in fact nowhere near Jamaica Bay. A multitude of neighborhoods are much closer to Jamaica Bay than Borough Park, like Manhattan Beach or Midwood. Even Brooklyn College is closer to Jamaica Bay than Borough Park.
I didn’t know just how important Jamaica Bay was for immigrants until reading the last two chapters. I thought Chapter 5 was very well-organized because it first gave a little bit of history of the religious denomination that was being described before shifting to how the religious community was tied to Jamaica Bay. It was unfortunate to read about the tension between the National Park Service and members of the Hindu community because of the puja ceremonies. It seemed like there was no right answer to this problem. It’s extremely important for people to feel comfortable when practicing their respective religion, but leaving trash in the Jamaica Bay crosses the line. We need to keep our environment clean and safe, and leaving discarded items, even if you’re following a sacred tradition, is out of the question.
After reading about the eruvim in Chapter 5, I thought about whether I have seen these structures before and perhaps not realized it. It was interesting to read about yet another religious controversy that was focused around Jamaica Bay, especially since it involved a completely different religion: Judaism instead of Hinduism. I thought it was interesting to notice that different religions can be connected through the idea that both see water and Jamaica Bay as a place of symbolism and purity, no matter what their central belief is. I believe that it’s imperative that the National Park Service addresses the needs of these religious communities and creates solutions that allow the groups to continue their rituals and ceremonies without harming their environment. Both sides of the debate will definitely need to be more open-minded and understanding if any solution is to be anticipated in the near future.
