Local

Thursday evening, January 5, was the first of a series of Zoom lectures on hate crimes hosted by the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills. Rabbi Stuart Verstandig, president of the shul, welcomed everyone to the program. He shared that the idea for this Thursday evening program was initiated by Rabbi Emeritus Yoel Schonfeld, who is now the president of the Coalition for Jewish Values. Rabbi Verstandig introduced the featured speaker, Assistant District Attorney Michael Brovner, Chief of the District Attorney’s Hate Crimes Bureau.

On Sunday evening, December 11, Let’s Get Real With Coach Menachem featured a virtual lecture with Rabbi Moshe Rotberg, world famous therapist. Coach Menachem shared in his introduction that finding a good therapist is like a shidduch. It takes time. The client has to see where he is, what he is looking for, and if it is working.

A breath of holiness from Eretz Yisrael elevated Kew Gardens Hills as community women poured into the Simchah Room of Mrs. Golda Fried to hear a shiur by Mrs. Shira Smiles, well-known speaker, on the subject of wonderful words.

Sometimes you hear someone speak and it changes your whole perspective and helps you see what is really important. Chazaq’s Tuesday Torah Talks always hosts fascinating guests interviewed by Rabbi Yaniv Meirov, CEO of Chazaq. This past Tuesday night, December 27, Rabbi Meirov interviewed Rabbi Asaf Haimoff, rav of Beis Midrash Efrat in Brooklyn, and the result was a powerful life changing message for all of us.

“She was a woman of valor – a woman of yesteryear. Mrs. Brunhilde Dreyfuss made sure that beds in Kew Gardens Hills were tahor and kadosh for future generations.” Rabbi Peretz Steinberg, Rabbi Emeritus of the Young Israel of Queens Valley, spoke at the l’vayah of Mrs. Dreyfuss, 96, who was the mikvah lady for the Kew Gardens Hills Mikvah for 35-plus years. “She made every woman who came to the mikvah feel like a bas melech. She made them feel important. She made sure that every kallah or convert had a positive mikvah experience,” he said.

On Monday evening, December 12, Emet Outreach featured a Zoom shiur with Rebbetzin Devorah Kigel on the subject of “Mommy Versus Wife.” It’s a tremendous challenge today to be a fantastic mother and a fantastic wife, when you are torn between the needs of both your children and your husband.