Community Corner

The weeks leading up to Pesach are often filled with fragrant aromas emanating from homes, as delectable dishes are prepared for the holiday festivities. But many families struggle to put food on their tables. This year, a long list of organizations, individuals, and synagogues took on the plight of food insecurity plaguing our community and went above and beyond to ease the financial burdens on families ahead of the holiday. I was privileged to personally visit an array of food pantries, meet and greet clients, and interact and assist volunteers on their mission to feed the hungry. I also spoke with other community leaders who operated noteworthy food distributions. I encourage our readership to submit Letters to the Editor that highlight additional Pesach food drives.

On Monday, US Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens), a member of the House Appropriations Committee, once again encouraged houses of worship and nonprofit organizations in Queens to apply for funding to improve the safety and security of their properties.

During the final week of September 2020, Denis P. Mullaney quietly took on the role of commanding officer for the 107^th Police Precinct that serves a swath of Queens from Kew Gardens Hills through Fresh Meadows, Cunningham Heights, and Hilltop Village. The area also covers parts of Flushing, Pomonok, Hillcrest, and Jamaica Estates. At that time, he also celebrated two decades with the department, and had just concluded a four-year stint as the commanding officer in the department’s Transit District 20 that broadly covered the scope of the 107^th precinct. He replaced Deputy Inspector Scott Henry, who transferred to the Transportation Authority.

On Tuesday, March 23, the Queens Borough Safety Patrol-Shmira unveiled a fleet of three vehicles that will now be used to monitor our communities. A sizable crowd stood for the ceremony and ribbon-cutting in Forest Hills. “Your presence today attests to the value and significance of Queens Shmira as a community service,” said founder Hiski Meirov.

The Navi Yechezkel writes about Noach, Iyov, and Daniel as three men who saw three worlds. Each saw a world in its glory, a world in its destruction, and a world rebuilt. Throughout the 106 years of Rav Mordechai Leib Glatstein’s illustrious life, he saw three worlds in many forms. There is hardly anyone alive who knew him during the early years of his scholarship in Warsaw when he received s’michah from the Ravad of Warsaw, or as he sat together with the Piezecna Rebbe, comforting broken Yidden. No one could have imagined that this quiet, humble man was in the room when Rav Menachem Ziemba, Rav Shamshon Stockhammer, and Rav Dovid Shapiro among others, were discussing whether or not to rise up against the Nazi beast that had tortured them in the Warsaw Ghetto.

On Monday, March 15, Shevach High School was privileged to have noted inspirational speaker Rabbi Meir Simcha Sperling address its students. In his captivating manner, Rabbi Sperling took the well-known signs of kosher animals and gave everyone an interesting insight and a new appreciation of this mitzvah.