As residents of Seward Park and the Lower East Side, we urge the Board of Directors to bring in a Kosher restaurant as a commercial tenant of the Seward Park Co-op. A Kosher meat restaurant is vitally important to observant Jewish communities such as this one since it serves as a place for community to gather and socialize around food, and also acts as a cultural center that needs our support to continue to thrive in a growing neighborhood. A Kosher restaurant will dramatically improve the quality of life for Kosher observing residents, but will also draw patrons from the many diverse populations of the Lower East Side. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Further, there are many elderly Seward Park residents who are unable to walk a long distance, having a kosher restaurant will enable them to have a fresh meal every day.

Diversity is an important part of why we love the Lower East Side and we encourage the board of Seward Park to help maintain culinary diversity in the neighborhood by bringing a new Kosher restaurant to Seward Park Co-op.

Thank you.