Community Corner

With large in-person Chanukah gatherings being put on hold due to the pandemic, various divisions of the Orthodox Union, the nation’s oldest and largest umbrella organization for the North American Orthodox Jewish community, have come together to create a centralized online hub with resources to guide community members in celebrating at home throughout the holiday, which will take place December 10 through December 18.

Marc J. Rowan and Aryeh B. Bourkoff honored for philanthropic leadership

UJA-Federation of New York’s virtual Wall Street Dinner raised $31 million for UJA’s annual campaign. The November 30 event honored Marc J. Rowan, co-founder and senior managing director of Apollo Global Management, Inc., with the Gustave L. Levy Award, and Aryeh B. Bourkoff, founder, chairman, & CEO of LionTree LLC, with the Alan C. Greenberg Young Leadership Award.

On Wednesday evening, December 2, Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim – Rabbinical Seminary of America, located at the corner of 76^th Avenue and 147^th Street in Kew Gardens Hills, was privileged to host the 107^th Precinct, Sector D of Kew Gardens Hills, Build the Block Neighborhood Policing and Safety Meeting.

Emet Outreach has launched EmetTorah.com, a new online resource to educate and inspire the community with rich Torah content. Designed as a virtual library, the site offers a comprehensive showcase of classes and drashos given by Emet’s dynamic roster of educators and notable guest speakers. Visitors can access motivational, relevant, and informative classes in a user-friendly format. The site allows viewers to experience and share in the warmth, knowledge, and personal connection that are the hallmark of Emet’s Jewish outreach. Most importantly, this initiative makes Emet inspiration easily accessible 24/7 with maximum impact for the thousands of Emet students and alumni.

Here’s a riddle: Has COVID-19 been good for the Jews or bad? The answer is: Yes. (Classic Jewish answer!)

The time after lighting the Chanukah menorah is a beautiful time, very special and full of potential for growing. There is a s’gulah from the Ramban for after lighting the Chanukah lights to say T’hilim p’rakim 90 and 91 on all eight days of Chanukah in the following order: