Community Corner

NewYork-Presbyterian Queens has received the Mission: Lifeline^® Gold Receiving Quality Achievement Award for implementing specific quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association for the treatment of patients who suffer severe heart attacks.

Please recite Psalms 20, 30, 88, 121, and 130.

Chaim Avraham ben Shifrah Zisel

Yehudah Yudel ben Miriam Gittel

Just over a year has elapsed since the untimely passing of Dr. Tali Skoczylas a”h, on 7 Sivan 5779. The Queens Jewish Link spoke with Rabbi Yaakov Aaron Skoczylas, who now resides in the Sanhedria Murchevet neighborhood in Yerushalayim, to learn more about what made his father so special, and the unique father-son bond the two shared.

On the eve of Tish’ah B’Av, as many in our community were preparing for the solemn day ahead, the Fazilov family of Kew Gardens Hills was dealt a terrifying ordeal. Video from a home surveillance system depicts a bearded African American man entering the family home just off 71^st Avenue and 137^th Street as if it was his own. Clad in a gray sweatshirt, jeans, and a tan beanie, the man brazenly attempted to rob the dwelling as the homeowner was present.

This week’s parshah begins with the verse, “Behold, I set before you today blessings and curses” (D’varim 11:26). Moshe Rabbeinu was conveying a simple yet profound message to our ancestors. Life is filled with choices and there are blessings and curses. If you follow in the way of Hashem, blessing awaits. If you ignore your spiritual responsibilities and engage in negative behaviors, there will be consequences. Each and every day, these two paths are in front of us and we must choose which one to travel.

Shabbatons have always been essential experiences that the educators at Emet Outreach provide for college students, young adults, and young couples. The Shabbos programming is hands-on, personal, and impactful. It is designed to enable participants to delve into the beauty of Shabbos, disconnect from technology for 25 hours, and truly feel what it is like to be an observant Jew. Over the past few months, these meaningful weekends of spirituality and solidarity were put on hold. With safety a top priority, Emet’s team monitored the protocols and waited for the right moment to resume. That moment recently arrived for a small group from Emet’s women’s division. Gone were the days when the biggest concern before a weekend was what clothes to pack. Now, the weekend kicked off with COVID-testing for all interested participants a few days before departure.