Community Corner

Guest speakers from Israel can’t come and speak in synagogues across America these days, but you can catch them online instead. One of Israel’s major Torah conferences – the Yemei Iyun B’Tanakh 2020 – is online this year, with an all-star line-up of Israel-based and U.S.-based speakers.

Hadar Bet Yaakov, Queens’ newest Bais Yaakov high school for girls, is spanning its wings into summer time with HBY Connects events via Zoom on a variety of topics. Mrs. Malkie Ribowsky, Assistant Principal, Kodesh, led girls in an HBY Connects evening, focusing on Shabbat, and what we can do to connect and make Shabbat meaningful for us. She spoke about the “gift” from Hashem that Shabbat was for Jews everywhere, and went on from there to try to personalize that gift for students. Girls talked about what they were able to do to make Shabbat special: baking special cookies, cakes, sweet bakery delicacies, and even artistic table settings – all things that they were able to do themselves to “bring to the table” and make Shabbat beautiful.

The Shalom Task Force is proud to announce that we have retained the services of Kim Susser, Esq. as Consultant and Managing Director of Sarah’s Voice, the Legal Project of STF. Ms. Susser’s expertise will ensure a smooth transition as we strengthen and grow Sarah’s Voice to a fully independent Legal Project. Ms. Susser is considered an expert in domestic violence throughout New York State and has more than 25 years of non-profit managerial, educational, and legal experience. As the Former Director of the Matrimonial & Family Law Unit at the New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG), a leading New York City non-profit legal services program, she created Project Eden, a forerunner in providing culturally specific legal services to the Orthodox Jewish community and raising awareness of domestic abuse in that community. “I am excited and honored to be able to use my skills, knowledge, and passion to grow Sarah’s Voice and expand access to high quality legal representation for victims of abuse in the Orthodox population,” said Susser. Ms. Susser will provide strategic planning and direct supervision as we work to expand Sarah’s Voice to reach more people with additional services. Sarah’s Voice represents Orthodox Jewish victims of domestic abuse with a multi-disciplinary approach to confronting domestic abuse in the Orthodox community.

We would like to take the opportunity to publicly thank Brooklyn Legal Services for ten years of collaboration, providing the foundation for Sarah’s Voice to thrive on its own.

Legal services are confidential and provided free of charge without regard to race, gender, age, or sexual orientation.

Sarah’s Voice is now offering email and text options for victims to safely reach out during the COVID-19 pandemic. Callers can email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call/text 347-592-2124. The caller will be connected to a trained victim-advocate. The advocate cannot provide legal advice but can answer basic questions, complete safety planning, and schedule a safe time for you to speak with an attorney. A victim-advocate is available to respond within 24 hours during business hours, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Sarah’s Voice services are based on New York State law and resources and are free of charge.

Think of it as a sukkah hop without the sukkos.

Moving into a new community can be difficult even in the best of times. During this pandemic, it is even harder to get to know your new friends and neighbors.

Dr. Minutello will lead the new Heart Valve Center, the only center in Queens to Offer TAVR

Robert M. Minutello, MD, an interventional cardiologist with a long history at NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine, has been named director of the cardiac catheterization lab and director of the structural heart disease program at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, where he will also lead the new Heart Valve Center.

Many of the tree-lined streets in Kew Gardens Hills will be getting an upgrade of sorts throughout the remainder of July. The annoyances of partial sidewalk closures, loss of parking, and blocked driveways will pave the way to brighter, fuller, and more vibrant city blocks with added greenery. The expansion of the green garden program will include installations along various roads in our area. Affected roadways include Parsons Boulevard between Jewel Avenue and 72^nd Avenue; 71^st Avenue between Park Avenue and Kissena Boulevard, and between 150^th Street and Vleigh Place; and 72^nd Avenue between 150^th Street and Vleigh Place.