Susie Garber

On Monday evening, September 11, The Rabbi Fabian Schonfeld Adult Education Center featured an inspiring lecture by Rabbi Shay Schachter at the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills. Rabbi Schachter is the Rosh Beis Midrash at the Young Israel of Woodmere, overseeing its extensive adult educational programs. He is the Rabbi and spiritual leader of Yachad, the Orthodox Union’s international program for individuals with disabilities.

Last Wednesday evening, Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser, world-renowned author and speaker, spoke at the Young Israel of Forest Hills on behalf of Chazaq on the subject of preparing for Rosh HaShanah.

On September 2, Regina Lewis celebrated her 104^th birthday. Regina Steiner Lewis was born in Krakow in 1919. She was raised and lived in the Jewish community there called Kazimierz.

A beautiful state-of-the-art pre-school has been opened in Maspeth this week and was named for Rebbetzin Pesha Leibowitz a”h of Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim. The pre-school is in the Maspeth Jewish Center building, which was originally built in the 1920s. The original congregation dated back to 1910.

We all know that Queens is a special community filled with achdus and wonderful yeshivos and chesed. There is something else unique and special about Queens. Did you also know that we are graced with k’varim of tzadikim in Mount Judah Cemetery and the adjoining Union Field Cemetery, which are just off the Jackie Robinson Parkway?

On Tuesday evening, September 5, Rebbetzin Devorah Kigel shared a virtual shiur on behalf of Emet Outreach on the subject of preparing for Rosh HaShanah. She taught that we have to take advantage of this time of year. It’s a unique opportunity. She shared a teaching of her rebbetzin, Rebbetzin Esther Baila Schwartz, that Elul is a month that is holy in and of itself, and not just because it is leading to Rosh HaShanah. The spiritual potential in this month is higher than any other time of year. She shared a mashal of how you feel reenergized and like a new person after a vacation. In the same way that vacation recharges you, so, too, Elul does this for your neshamah. Rebbetzin Kigel added that it’s like plugging your soul into an outlet to recharge. During Elul, we can feel more connected to Hashem.