The Midway Jewish Center of Syosset broke ground on the construction of a new pre-school education center, which will be known as the Janice Lustig Pre-School Education Center, this Wednesday as local congregants, residents and politicians witnessed the ceremonial event.

The new center is expected to be completed in the spring of 2003 and will be dedicated to the memory of Janice Lustig who passed away in the summer of 1999. Lustig played a major role in the creation of the nursery school in 1977 and thanks to her husband Don the current project has gained additional momentum.

The new center will provide new classrooms and a multi-purpose playroom. Also included in the project will be the expansion of existing classrooms, kitchens and bathrooms. The modernized center will also feature a state-of-the-art security system and technology to ensure the safety of staff, students and faculty.

Gary Orkin, vice president of Midway Jewish Center, started the ceremony by explaining to the many people in attendance that this is the 50th anniversary year of Syosset's Midway Jewish Center. He explained that $220,000 was raised for the project through fund-raising efforts, but that is only 25 percent of the total costs. Sterling National Bank is assisting with the remainder of the costs and Ed Lieberstein, representing Sterling National Bank, was present at the ceremony to wish the congregation luck with the new addition.

Midway's Rabbi Perry Raphael Rank spoke about how exciting the Janice Lustig Pre-School Education Center will be. "The old center has served us well over the years; however the time has come to expand and convert our nursery school with its limited space into something more substantial," said Rabbi Rank. "The new facility will allow us to be on equal footing with other pre-schools in the area. The expansion will also give us the flexibility to offer day care and other services in the future if we choose."

Michael Roseman, president of the Midway Jewish Center's project team is excited to be part of this project. "Many people have given time and money to this project and we are very grateful. The new pre-school education center will allow many more students to enroll here at the Midway Jewish Center," said Roseman. "The current facility now has a capability of 70 students, but the new facility will allow us to educate up to 120 children."

Mitchell A. Weingarten, chairman of the board of trustees at the Midway Jewish Center said that the center knows no bounds. "We are here to break ground on a symbol of the present and the promise of the future," said Weingarten. "We will teach more children and enrich the lives of their parents."

Sheila Eckstein, nursery school director, has been waiting for this day for a long time. "We are finally here," said Eckstein. "It has taken a long time, but we are finally here. Over the years, our spirit and caring has grown so much. Janice would be so happy as children and her family were the loves of her life."

Jack Lustig, son of the late Janice Lustig, spoke and thanked all of those responsible for making this dream of his mom's come true. He explained that his mom Janice was a teacher for 25 years in the Syosset School District. "My mother's passion in life was teaching," said Jack Lustig. "She believed that the world was a better place if you were important in the life of a child."

Nassau County Presiding Officer Judy Jacobs presented two citations to the center: one from Nassau County and County Executive Tom Suozzi and the other from the Nassau County Legislature.

Town of Oyster Bay Councilwoman Bonnie Eisler presented a citation on behalf of the Town of Oyster Bay in recognition of the groundbreaking for the new center.

State Senator Carl Marcellino, State Assemblyman David Sidikman, Nassau County Assessor Charles O'Shea, Nassau County Comptroller Howard Weitzman, Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor John Venditto, Town of Oyster Bay Councilwoman Mary McCaffery, Town of Oyster Bay Receiver of Taxes James Stefanich, Town of Oyster Bay Clerk Martha Offerman and Superintendent of Syosset School District Dr. Carole Hankin were all present at the ceremony to wish the Center luck and success with their new addition.

For more information about Midway Jewish Center, please call 938-8390.