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  • At Plainview menorah lighting, leaders unite against antisemitism | Long Island Business News

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    THE BLUEPRINT

    • Leaders and community members united at a Plainview , standing against .

    • The event moved indoors due to winter weather, not security concerns, organizers emphasized.

    • JCC leadership highlighted increased security efforts and community resilience since Oct. 7.

    • Speakers stressed unity, strength, and standing against hate across all backgrounds.

    Leaders in united to confront antisemitism at a public menorah lighting at the in Plainview on Monday.

    What had been planned as an outdoor ceremony was moved indoors because of a weekend winter storm that brought bitter cold temperatures and snow to the region.

    The move indoors was not, said Mid Island Y JCC and Suffolk Y JCC CEO Rick Lewis, “because of the in Australia,” referring to a mass shooting in Sydney in which 15 people were murdered while celebrating at Bondi Beach.

    Lewis made a point about standing up to antisemitism.

    “If it were 10 degrees warmer, we would be outside because this community will not hide from this fight,” Lewis said, drawing cheers from the crowd.

    Still, he said, security was a major priority at the JCC.

    “This building is a safe place on any given day, with a security budget that has doubled since Oct. 7,” he said, referring to the Hamas attack in Israel in 2023. “Sixty thousand people a year walk through our doors, and I along with the [JCC’s] incredible board of directors don’t take their responsibility lightly.”

    The Plainview menorah-lighting featured community members, elected officials at the local and state level, and business and community leaders, including from the Plainview-Old Bethpage Chamber of Commerce. Over the last two years, community members had come together weekly to rally for the return of Omer Neutra, the Plainview native who was killed in the 2023 Hamas attacks and buried in Israel last month after his body was returned to his family.

    Monday’s event was designed to shine a light against public hate and celebrate strength and hope. Lewis expressed gratitude for Ahmed al Ahmed, the Syrian-Australian Muslim shop owner who tackled one of the gunmen during the Bondi attack, wrestling the man’s shotgun from his grip and turning it on the attacker.

    Monday’s event also highlighted that the ‘s. Lewis said that people of all backgrounds were welcome at the JCC, though its focus is on Jewish culture and knowledge.

    “We are one family in this town,” Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joe Saladino said at the menorah lighting. “We’re going to let the world know that we’re not afraid of anyone who tries to strike out against the Jewish people.”

    “I think it is very, very important that people in leadership positions stand up and remind the world how important it is to address antisemitism and not hide behind misinformation that you get off the internet,” Lewis told LIBN. “It is important that we stand proud and support the cause.”

    He added that “if our community doesn’t stand up and remind everyone of the problem at hand, the situation will only continue to get worse.”

     


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    Adina Genn

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  • Cobs Bread slices its Long Island expansion plans | Long Island Business News

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    THE BLUEPRINT:

    • shuts down Plainview store months after opening

    • Planned location canceled before launch

    • Merrick and Oceanside stores remain open and performing well

    • Company shifts U.S. strategy to focus on high-performing markets

     

    Australian bakery chain Cobs Bread is now toast in two Long Island locations, putting a crimp in its planned area expansion. 

    The chain abruptly closed its location in the Plainview Centre shopping complex earlier this month after it had only first opened this summer. The company also recently pulled out of a location it had leased in the Parkway Plaza shopping center in Carle Place before that planned store opened its doors. 

    A notice on the door of the shuttered Plainview store tells the tale. / LIBN photo

    Cobs Bread had high hopes for making dough here. After debuting in the U.S. 10 years ago with a store in Stamford, Conn. and a second in Greenwich, Conn., the company set its sights on Long Island. The chain opened its first area bakery at 2013 Merrick Road in Merrick in Dec. 2023 and added another four months later at 3187 Long Beach Road in Oceanside. 

    Unfortunately, Cobs Bread’s plans to rise in Plainview and Carle Place didn’t pan out. 

    Karen Frost-Spokes, vice president of Cobs Bread USA, told LIBN that while the stores in Merrick and Oceanside are performing well and “showing strong community engagement and sales,” the decision to close Plainview and abort the Carle Place opening “was part of a broader to focus resources on high-performing areas and ensure long-term sustainability.” She added that the “decision reflects our commitment to strengthening our foundation and positioning ourselves for smarter expansion in the U.S. market.” 

    The Long Island bakery landscape has been transformed in recent years, with a shrinking number of family-owned independent stores facing increasing competition from global and regional chains like Paris Baguette, Tous Les Jours and The French Workshop. 

    However, Frost-Spokes said that the Plainview closure “was not directly due to competition from other bakery chains like Paris Baguette or other competitors,” even though Paris Baguette has a store in the same Plainview shopping center. 

    Louis Biscotti, managing director and national industry leader at C-Biz in Melville, said that while baked goods are popular with consumers, competition is fierce among chains and in-store bakeries, especially with rising input and labor costs. 

    “I applaud strategic management decisions to close underperforming stores, especially in these difficult economic times,” Biscotti told LIBN. “Companies sometimes wait too long to pull the plug hoping for better results and close monitoring of profitability is key to making appropriate decisions.”   

    Cobs Bread started in 1980 in Australia as a family-run business called Bakers Delight. It has since grown to become a global network with over 700 bakeries in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the U.S. The Cobs Bread brand now has more than 130 bakeries in North America and expects to expand to over 350 bakeries in the U.S. and Canada by 2027, according to its website. 

    The company gives back to local communities through its End of Day Giving program, where unsold bread is given to those in need. The initiative has so far racked up more than $300 million in donations. 

    Though its Long Island stores are corporate-owned, Cobs Bread is seeking to expand through franchising. The all-in investment to open a Cobs Bread franchise ranges from $891,890 to $1.152 million, according to the company. 

    For now, the chain’s expansion here remains unleavened. 

    “At this time, there are no confirmed plans to open additional locations on Long Island,” Frost-Spokes said. “However, we remain committed to the U.S. market and are continually evaluating opportunities for future expansion based on performance data and market potential.” 


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    David Winzelberg

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