Rego Park Homepage | History | Community Information | Contemporary Profile | [A "REal GOod Place to Live" | Creative Accent | Domestic Abuse | Conclusion

Contents 1 Rego Park's Creative Accent 1.1 Lost Battalion Hall 1.2 Bukharian Jewish Museum 1.3 Bukharian Broadway 1.4 Real Good Park 1.5 Religious Institutions 1.5.1 Our Savior Lutheran Church 1.5.2 Rego Park Jewish Center 1.6 References

Rego Park's Creative Accent

There are many things in Rego Park that distinguishes it from other neighborhoods. Some of these things include parks, museums, cultural centers, and ethnic restaurants.The Bukharan immigrant community has helped distinguish Rego Park and make it unique.

Lost Battalion Hall

Lost Battalion Hall is a recreational center located at 93-29 Queens Blvd. between 62nd Ave and 62nd Road.This recreational Center is named for the heroism of the 77th Division of the United State's army in WWI.This division was stationed in France. During the battle of the Argonne, many of the soldiers became separated from the division.These isolated soldiers are remembered as heroes because they effectively held off the German army for five days, while only having one day's ration per man, and only being able to communicate with their division through carrier pigeon.107 of the isolated soldiers were killed during this battle and later became known as the "lost battalion".

The recreational center covers 1.97 acres. The park property was acquired by the city in 1902 with a donation from Frank deHass Simonson.On December 6, 1960, the city placed the property under Parks jurisdiction.They created a recreational center with a gym and basketball courts.In 1972, permission was given to AT&T to place a telephone exchange under the grounds as long as they built a playground behind the recreation center. The AT&T playground opened in 1976.In 1995, Queens Borough President Claire Shulman, approved for $350,000 to be used to renovate the building.The money was used for a new gym floor, new basketball backboards, and a fitness center among other improvements.Community residents can use the fitness center which has weights, treadmills, and stationary bikes. In 1998, Council member John Sabini sponsored a $30,000 computer resource center. Sabini also air conditioned the gym and renovated the play ground^[3].

Lost Battalion Hall includes a senior center, pre-school facilities, after-school programs, and a kids summer camp.Activities for all ages at the recreation center include volleyball, table tennis, basketball, boxing classes, and weightlifting programs^[4].

Bukharian Jewish Museum

The Bukharian Jewish Museum is located at 65-05 Woodhaven Blvd.65- year old Aron Arnov has been collecting artifacts and remnants of his Bukharian people for the last ten years. In 2004, he received a grant from the New York Community Trust which enabled him to open up

the museum. He created the museum to preserve the Bukharian culture. He has said, We [already] lost our environment. There is no desert, no camels [in New York], so I started this museum."^[7] The museum houses over 2000 pieces, and features exhibits on the culture, history, and home-life of the Bukharian community of the Old Country. Arnov leads groups through the museum in a traditional colorful robe. Souzenys, traditional wall coverings in different colors and tribal colors hang everywhere in the museum. One example of an artifact is a 400 year old deer-skin Torah. In 2004, Arnov was honored by the New York City Council for his accomplishments in conserving Bukharian culture. Arnov has said, "People tell me I'm crazy, but I tell them, let me be the crazy one. Because we need someone crazy to preserve our culture so that the rest of the world and our children will know that we existed."^[8]

Bukharian Broadway

Bukharans quickly adjusted to life in New York by becoming entrepreneurs and creating a thriving commercial strip along 108th Street, which has been nicknamed the "Bukharian Broadway". The strip is filled with ethnic Bukharan restaurants and gift shops. The restaurants all serve the Bukharan traditional cooking which is based on charcoal, lamb, rice, beets, potatoes, carrots and spices like cumin, paprika and chili. Julia Moskin, a New York Times columnist has written, "A spirit of abundance pervades Bukharian restaurants. Kebabs of pure lamb fat, crisp and smoky, perfume every dining room. Platters of plov are enormous. And warm chewy bread called lepeshka, like a huge bialy, keeps coming until you say stop."She explains that although the cuisine, which has Chinese and Indian influences, is not very wide-ranging, one can be sure that everything will be very appetizing and flavorful^[10].

Real Good Park

Real Good Park covers 1.60 acres, and is located between Horace Harding Expressway and 62nd Ave, and between 99th St. and 102nd Street. The city bought the property in 1954 and immediately put it under the Park's jurisdiction.In 1999, Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, sponsored a $65,000 renovation of the park. The park includes playground equipment, three basketball courts, a spray shower and London plane trees ^[12].

Religious Institutions

Our Savior Lutheran Church

Our Savior Lutheran Church is located at 92-14 63rd Drive, and first held services in Rego Park around 80 years ago in 1931. The church has worship services on Sunday. Their logo includes different kinds of people of different colors gathered around the cross, showing the ethnic diversity of the congregation. The church hosts a number of events and services for the community such as first communion classes and mission trips. The church also has an Our Savior Lutheran School, located at 64-33 Woodhaven Blvd ^[14].

Rego Park Jewish Center

The Rego Park Jewish Center was founded in 1939 and is located at 9730 Queens Blvd.It is a traditional conservative synagogue that encourages Jews of all different backgrounds and levels of observance to participate in their events and services. They provide morning and evening prayer services, along with opportunities to visit the sick, and book discussions. They also provide classes on English as a second language to help reach out to the large immigrant community in Rego Park ^[16].

References

1. ↑ <http://newsblaze.com/story/20081009094731pamb.nb/topstory.html>
2. ↑ <http://newsblaze.com/story/20081009094731pamb.nb/topstory.html>
3. ↑ New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. Lost Battalion Hall. <http://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/Q401/>
4. ↑ "Lost Battalion Hall Recreation Center" Newsday. <http://www.exploreli.com/entertainment/localguide/48433,0,381714.venue>
5. ↑ "From Central Asia to Central Queens, a Museum Preserves an Ancient Culture." UJA Federation of New York. <http://www.ujafedny.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=ggLUI0OzGpF&b=1833907&content_id={990C9AFA-4A93-4C19-8DE7-DA278F87B344}&notoc=1>
6. ↑ "Teens trace their roots at Bukharian Museum." December 13, 2007. <http://junctionblvd.blogspot.com/2007/11/bukharian-youth-find-new-and-old-ways.html>
7. ↑ "Teens trace their roots at Bukharian Museum." December 13, 2007. <http://junctionblvd.blogspot.com/2007/11/bukharian-youth-find-new-and-old-ways.html>
8. ↑ "From Central Asia to Central Queens, a Museum Preserves an Ancient Culture." UJA Federation of New York. <http://www.ujafedny.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=ggLUI0OzGpF&b=1833907&content_id={990C9AFA-4A93-4C19-8DE7-DA278F87B344}&notoc=1>
9. ↑ Moskin, Julia. "The Silk Road Leads to Queens". The New York Times. January 18, 2006. <http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/18/dining/18rego.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=the%20silk%20road%20leads%20to%20queens&st=cse>
10. ↑ Moskin, Julia. "The Silk Road Leads to Queens". The New York Times. January 18, 2006. <http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/18/dining/18rego.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=the%20silk%20road%20leads%20to%20queens&st=cse>
11. ↑ <http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/8614667.jpg>
12. ↑ Real Good Park. New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. <http://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/Q357B/>.
13. ↑ <http://www.our-saviour.org/church/index.html>
14. ↑ <http://www.our-saviour.org/church/index.html>
15. ↑ Wilkinson, Christina. "Forgotten NY neighborhoods: Crescent City, Rego Park." March 19, 2006. <http://www.forgotten-ny.com/NEIGHBORHOODS/regopark/regopark.html>.
16. ↑ <http://www.rpjc.org/pages/aboutus.php>.