Community Corner

The city of Pinsk in Belarus may seem a very unlikely place for a siyum haShas, but quietly out of the spotlight, a beautiful Torah community has sprouted forth from the ruins of Communism, and limud haTorah is thriving in Pinsk.

At Emet Outreach, the summer months have been as exciting and vibrant as ever. Emet’s educators and students have strengthened their commitment to studying Torah and exploring Judaism. Here are a few highlights of Emet’s recent learning programs:

Yeshivat Ohr Haiim has been a fixture in the Queens Jewish yeshiva system for 35 thriving years. The yeshiva stands true to its moto of providing a “premiere torah education in the true Sephardic tradition.” This past Sunday evening, August 25th, the community at large joined for the grand opening of the state-of-the-art yeshiva facility. The gathering was graced by past and present faculty and student body all aiming to deliver every Jewish child the Jewish teachings they deserve.

We all knew that this day would come. Man does not live forever, and nothing can stop the inevitable processes that are the end of us all. Even as in the middle of my writing of this hesped, my daughter Ashira gave birth, and once again brought to mind that “Dor holeich v’dor ba” – generations come and generations go, and the world goes on. Even the most alive, passionate, successful, and thriving people eventually go to the Olam HaEmes. The slow approach of the end has been apparent for years, as his strength and health deteriorated, and activities were slowed and curtailed, although his iron will made him continue as much as he could. Most of all, with the passing of his life partner Jean a”h, his magnificent life slowly approached closure. But it still seems unfathomable that Eugen Gluck, that larger-than-life towering personality, is no longer bein ha’chayim (amongst the living).

Philanthropic giant Eugen Gluck passed away on Monday night at the age of 92, sealing the book on a life of survival, financial success, and the development of Jewish communities. The Forest Hills resident is best known for his support of Bet El, the yishuv north of Jerusalem bolstered by Gluck’s ability to secure funding from thousands of individuals at annual dinners that brought some of the leading political figures from America and Israel.

As summer comes to an end and families prepare for their children to go back to school, Dr. Joseph J. Abularrage, chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, offers the following tips for a healthy and safe school year.