Community Corner

Covid-19 has taught us a lesson or two regarding advance planning (futile) and flexibility (crucial). And so, with Covid on the rise again, albeit with most cases being minor, Meir Panim is continuing with operations to provide necessities for Passover, and where needed, a place at the Seder table. That said, Meir Panim is aware of the need to pivot with the times, and to be ready in short order with a “Plan B.”

Never underestimate the impact of hosting Shabbos guests. “My hosts were so welcoming that I want to have a warm and inviting home like that one day,” was a frequent comment by Emet Outreach students after an exceptional Shabbaton in Far Rockaway. The weekend marked the first Shabbaton for the spring semester of Emet’s Leaders Fellowship. Thirty students, who are members of the Cross-Campus Forest Hills Fellowship and the St. John’s University Fellowship, were greeted like family. They were joined by Emet staff members including Rabbi Nissim Musheyev, Rabbi Yakov Musheyev, Mrs. Hilla Kozuch, Rabbi Ari Hertz, and Ms. Chava Zaretsky.

The Torah commands us to count the days from Pesach to Shavuos in order to connect the Exodus on Pesach with the giving of the Torah on Shavuos. The days of S’firas HaOmer are a time to rectify character attributes. Rav Moshe Feinstein explains that the name Shavuos, literally “weeks,” so beautifully conveys this idea since the holiday of Shavuos is an outcome of the weeks that precede it. For this very reason, the date of the holiday of Shavuos is determined by the 49 days of S’firas HaOmer, and not the date, because the 49 days prior, that are used to prepare, are essential to the holiday, and are required in full (see Sheim MiShmuel, BaMidbar 5675).

Recent pro-family legislation in Florida prohibits classroom instruction in sexual orientation or gender identity through third grade and requires that parents have access to information regarding the physical and mental health of their children. Disney employees staged a walkout in response, complaining that LGBTQ content was cut from films and that Disney had not done enough to protest the bill, which Democrats characterized as “Don’t Say Gay” although no such language exists in the bill. Despite the reported failure of the walkout, Disney’s CEO, Bob Chapek, then both publicly opposed the new law and pledged that Disney would create more LGBTQ content, specifically for its youngest viewers.

U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY), New York’s senior appropriator on the House Appropriations Committee which funds the programs and projects of the federal government, announced last Friday that she helped secure funding for several initiatives crucial to Israel and the Jewish community.

David HaMelech famously stated, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for You are with me.” David HaMelech did not expect that we will live amazing lives with no hardships. Life may certainly be difficult at times (e.g., financial difficulties, children who do not live up to our expectations, health issues, etc.). At times, just like David HaMelech, we may feel as if we are “walking through the valley of the shadow of death.” What keeps us all going is when we stop to realize that we are not afraid. We remember that Hashem is with us and will comfort us and help see us through any rough times we experience.