Community Corner

On a sunny afternoon on August 31, 1992, a TWA flight from Brussels landed at its iconic terminal at JFK Airport. Before we even walked into the building, my family was excited to arrive at our new home. I was eight at the time, and my brother was almost four. We jostled past other customers for the honor of being the first to touch American soil.

A hot morning on Tish’ah B’Av is an unusual time for a public protest. But after nearly two years of appealing to the management of Mount Carmel Cemetery in Glendale, the All Bukharian Community Network (ABCN) felt that a rally at its gate was necessary to bring attention to the conditions of the graves.

The co-naming of a block of 150^th Street between Jewel Avenue and 70^th Road last Sunday in honor of Rabbi Fabian Schonfeld zt”l is the latest example of an honor bestowed by the City Council to an individual who contributed towards the development and character of a neighborhood. The unveiling of the sign brings to mind other local Jewish leaders who appear on the map of The World’s Borough. This list strictly covers street signs, leaving out the parks, schools, and other points of the local map with Jewish names.

At the height of the pandemic, when hosting guests for Shabbos posed a health risk, many families in West Hempstead socialized outdoors at Halls Pond Park. Now that shuls have reopened and the mitzvah of Hachnasas Orchim can be practiced again, the park remains an afternoon favorite among residents. But in a town where the budget and staffing are tight, trash accumulates in the park, detracting from its natural beauty.

In a newly drawn district with an open-seat race and a diverse population, the contest for New York’s 10^th Congressional seat has 11 candidates running in Tuesday’s Democratic Primary. In the final week of the race, after receiving visits from many of these contenders, the Jewish leaders in Boro Park issued an endorsement for Dan Goldman, 46, a former federal prosecutor who worked on the first impeachment of President Donald Trump.

The new City Council District lines released this week offer empowerment to some communities and political movements, but also worry Jewish activists who fear the dilution of their power as a voting bloc effective in defeating leftist candidates.