Roosevelt Islander Jim Luce’s notes, on the fly, are casually enthusiastic. They betray the powerful impact that he and his foundations achieve in their work. But we’ll try putting it in perspective.
by David Stone
for The Roosevelt Island Daily News
The Saraswati School Opening
“We will rise at six for an 8 o’clock Opening Cremony,” Luce texted The Daily. “Indian apparel has been measured and arranged and will be delivered in the morning.”
“A tailor is working all night to deliver it. I understand there will be three Hindu priests and a crowd of about 300. High ranking Tibetan Buddhist monks will also be in attendance, along as many of our Muslim team members. Bix Is being acknowledged as my partner in large banners and in the program.
“We drove out 20 minutes to the suburbs to see it tonight. It is a hive of workers setting it up.
“Children on the road outside are happy, barefoot and dirty. I asked who they were, and we’re informed that they were my students. Tomorrow they will be well groomed and wearing our school uniform for their first day of education.”
An “incredible” breakthrough…
But this trip is far from over, and there’s already a big breakthrough…
“I just brokered an exchange program with the Manjushree orphanage 8000 feet up in the Himalayan mountains. We will send 50 kids to them and they will send 50 of the kids to us. The Buddhists will learn about Hinduism and the Hindus will learn about Buddhism. Incredible.”
We will continue with these stories as Jim Luce’s team continues the stretch from Roosevelt Island to high up in the Himalayas.
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Susan Rosenthal, a Sacrificial Lamb?*
After Susan Rosenthal was fired, David Kraut would talk about almost anything except Susan. This was unusual because David could discuss a subject long after everyone else had exhausted both the subject and the available oxygen. When her name entered the conversation, however, he became careful. At first I mistook that restraint for discretion; later, I began to recognize guilt.
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