Community Corner

On Tuesday night, 17 Elul (September 17) hundreds of people from Kew Gardens and other communities came together at the Ner Mordechai Congregation on Lefferts Boulevard for a night of chizuk and t’hilim for a r’fuah for all cholei Yisrael, and specifically for Alexander Zisha ben Alizah (Rosenblum), the renowned “tantzer” and baal chesed, who was in a horrific car accident almost three years ago and needs a major r’fuah sh’leimah.

In 1969, man took the iconic first steps on the moon. That same summer, a giant leap was taken by a visionary group of founders who established OHEL Children’s Home & Family Services. When OHEL’s doors opened to abused, neglected, and homeless children, the children took their first steps into loving care.

“Giant Leaps Taken, Bold Steps Forward” is the theme for OHEL’s 50^th Gala, set for Sunday, November 24, at the New York Marriott Marquis.

Sukkos is a happy and exciting time for Jewish families across the globe. But what do you do with your kids for a full week without yeshivah?

Well, once again the Chazaq organization stepped up to the plate. While Chazaq’s main mission is to inspire the thousands of local public school children by providing dozens of educational programs on a monthly basis, nevertheless Chazaq has continued their exciting children’s extravaganzas for the community at large.

ALEH residents with severe complex disabilities and Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks join extended Noé family for sefer Torah inauguration and dedication of ALEH’s ‘Bet Chayil’ center, a game changer for disability care in Israel.

The Mishnah in Rosh HaShanah (1:2) teaches us how Rosh HaShanah is different from the other three times of the year (Pesach, Shavuos, and Sukkos) during which we are also judged. Rosh HaShanah, the Mishnah teaches, is different because “Kol ba’ei olam ovrin l’fanav – all who come into the world are judged individually, as they pass before Hashem, as if they are walking in a single file.” This mishnah brings a pasuk in T’hilim (33:15) to explain how Hashem could judge the billions mixed together all over the world as unique, individual creatures. The pasuk says: “Ha’yotzeir yachad libam, ha’meivin el kol ma’aseihem – because Hashem formed every aspect of every being, He can fully comprehend every single individual’s actions, words, and thoughts.”