News

On Tuesday, March 12, the New York branch of the Teach Coalition, Teach NYS, held its annual Mission to Albany to lobby the New York State Senate and Assembly. Hundreds of students, faculty, and volunteers from yeshivos, day schools, and neighborhoods across the state traveled to the Capitol to meet with legislators. This past week, those lobbying efforts paid off with increased funding from the state for non-public schools to be reimbursed for their STEM teachers, security costs, Comprehensive Attendance Policy, and Mandated Services.

Purim is a time of year that everyone seems to enjoy. After all, who doesn’t like eating, drinking, and having a good time?

HAFTR High School students and their chaperones, Rabbi Yonoson Hirtz and Mrs. Goldy Walfish, had the privilege of attending the AIPAC 2019 policy conference in Washington DC, which culminated with a lobbying session where students went to Capitol Hill to meet with our Rep. Kathleen Rice. Students also had the unique opportunity to meet and speak with former HAFTR parent, Ambassador David Friedman, US Ambassador to Israel. Love of the Jewish state and promotion of a strong US-Israel relationship is central to HAFTR’s mission.

New York State lawmakers completed voting on the 2019 budget early Monday morning, which includes both victories and disappointments for the Orthodox Jewish community. There were headline developments of general interest: agreement to an MTA overhaul; the introduction of congestion pricing in Manhattan, the first in the nation; and a 2020 plastic bag ban.

On Sunday evening, March 24, supporters of the Bnos Malka Academy, parents, and community members gathered at The Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills for a special event on behalf of Bnos Malka that included a delicious buffet, a raffle, and an incredibly inspiring speech by Rabbi Daniel Glatstein, rav of Kehilas Ahavas Yisroel in Cedarhurst.

Our community is fortunate to have a place for nursing care and rehabilitation that caters to the Orthodox community. The local rabbanim visit, and many have sent relatives to the facility. There is an Orthodox rabbi on the premises, the food is under the Vaad Harabonim of Queens, and there are Shabbos and holiday programs as well as daily minyanim. In addition, Rabbi Haim Alcabes recently began a weekly learning program of M’silas Y’sharim followed by a Gemara shiur. There is a regular group of participants, which includes community members who come on Friday for the class together with residents at Margaret Tietz. The shiur originally took place at Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim, and when Rabbi Alcabes’ father came to Margaret Tietz, the idea to move the shiur to Margaret Tietz was met with a lot of enthusiasm. It is a special opportunity for the community and for residents at Margaret Tietz. The shiur takes place at 9:30 a.m. on Friday in the small shul on the first floor of the nursing home. The shiur on Shushan Purim focused on some review of concepts taught previously, as well as some new material from M’silas Y’sharim. The give-and-take and lively discussion showed how engaging and well-received this shiur is for the participants.