Community Corner

I first learned about Yehonatan “Yoni” Asayag through a group email sent by the Forest Hills Jewish Center. The message referenced his involvement in a presentation by Purple Fox, an organization run by Special Forces soldiers that provides support to families of fallen IDF soldiers. Purple Fox helps these families navigate loss and regain stability, offering educational scholarships, mental health and PTSD treatment, and direct financial and material assistance.

Argentinean-born Rabbi David Algaze of Congregation Havurat Yisrael in Forest Hills discussed his research about Spanish Jewish history and his work with Latin people becoming Jews.

About 300 people took home free Kosher for Passover food packages at the Forest Hills Jewish Center on Sunday, April 6. Including their families, an estimated 1,000 people benefited.

From protecting oneself to protecting one’s synagogue, Jews are preparing themselves.

Legion trains people in Krav Maga, active shooter, sudden confrontations, situational awareness, emergency first aid, and more. “We doubled our numbers immediately following 10/7,” said Meredith Weiss, Legion Co-founder and Chair of the Board.

The annex in Amsterdam, where Anne Frank, her parents, sister, and three other Jews hid from the Nazis, has been recreated at the Center for Jewish History in Manhattan.

The Community Security Initiative secures synagogues and Jewish institutions. The Anti-Defamation League has been fighting anti-Semitism since 1913.

“We come back from a weekend, and there’ll be like 70 Incident Reports waiting for us. It’s insane,” said Scott Richman, Regional Director for the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) that covers New York and New Jersey. “It’s not that big of a team dealing with all of this. It’s not slowing down.”