Susie Garber

On Sunday evening, March 12, family and community members gathered for a meaningful fourth yahrzeit commemoration of Rabbi Eyakim Rosenblatt zt”l, Rosh Yeshivah of Yeshiva Kesser Torah. Rabbi Avraham Dovid Garber, rav of Kesser Torah, welcomed everyone in person and on Zoom. First, Dr. Rick Shields, well-known nutritionist and speaker, shared a heartfelt remembrance on Zoom. He related that, in his Gemara shiur, Rabbi Rosenblatt would start by saying, “Where are we holding?” He soon turned this question into a spiritual nigun that he sang to his talmidim in the beginning of shiur. The literal meaning was: Where are we holding in the Gemara daf, but the deeper question was: Where are we holding in life? This question has stayed with his talmidim for all these years.

On Sunday evening, March 5, Let’s Get Real With Coach Menachem Bernfeld, featured Rabbi Yitzchok Feldheim speaking on how to stop hiding in the bushes and get back to the gan, meaning Gan Eden. Rabbi Feldheim is a world-renowned speaker who spent the past 20 years speaking with college students.

On Sunday evening, March 12, Rabbi Jonathan Rietti, well-known speaker, spoke at Torah Center of Hillcrest on staying religious in a secular world, in commemoration of the yahrzeit of Eliyahu ben Istam Nisanov a”h. The shiur was sponsored by his sons, Yaakov and Baruch Nisanov, and hosted by Chazaq. The shiur can be viewed on TorahAnytime.

On Thursday evening, February 23, Rabbi Stuart Verstandig, President of the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills, welcomed everyone to a Zoom program on advocating for our rights as a community in Albany. He acknowledged the presence of the rav of the shul, Rabbi Daniel Rosenfelt, and the Rabbi Emeritus, Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld. He shared that the guest speaker is an advocate for our community, and he lobbies in Albany on our behalf. He focuses on three areas, educational autonomy, religious liberty, and assistance for nonpublic schools.

Despite the freezing temperatures on Motza’ei Shabbos, March 4, a large crowd gathered at Congregation Ahavas Yisroel to hear an inspiring shiur about Purim delivered by Rabbi Moshe Schwerd, well-known maggid shiur and speaker. He began by sharing that we all know that Taanis Esther and Purim are auspicious times for t’filah. Galus began with the sale of Yosef and ended with K’rias Yam Suf. G’ulas Mitzrayim is the template for the final g’ulah. The final g’ulah can come only when Amalek is gone. Amalek has to be gone at the End of Days as they are inconsistent with the idea of g’ulah.

Exclusive QJL Interview with Assemblyman David Weprin’s Staff Member, Sam Verstandig

Could a 13-year-old boy become involved in politics and make a difference? The answer is a resounding yes, as Sam Verstandig, staff member for Assemblyman David Weprin, shared in his amazing story. When he was an eighth grader at the Yeshiva of Central Queens, he was the president of the school’s anti-bullying club. He decided to look for funding for the club, as he wanted to make a difference and expand the club to accomplish more. This led him to become involved with local elected officials. The then-State-Senator, Joe Addabbo, explained the legislative process and this sparked more interest in Sam in anti-bullying bills in Albany.