In the “world’s borough,” every language can be heard, and for Jewish languages, the epicenter of this diversity is Rego Park. I experienced it in my youth, in which the barber spoke Bukhori, the baker spoke Hungarian, the rabbi spoke German, elders spoke Yiddish sprinkled with Romanian and Ukrainian words, classmates spoke Russian, and many other such anecdotes within a short walking distance.

This year’s Pesach recognizes that more than 130 captive Jews remain unaccounted, in our prayers, along with thousands of men and women in uniform, defending and volunteering in the Jewish homeland. Many of us will have the Seder at home or close to home, and this Chol HaMoed Guide offers perennial favorites with updated exhibit information, along with lesser-known places in the city and nearby.

A white picket fence that exemplifies suburban streetscapes was found vandalized with spray paint on Monday morning with “Zionism is Nazism,” “Stop the Genocide” and “Free Palestine.” Facing the busy Merrick Avenue, its writer intended to share the anti-Semitic messages with a large audience.