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We are fortunate to live in Kew Gardens Hills, which is such a vibrant, frum community, filled with young couples from Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim, Yeshivas Ohr HaChaim, Lander College for Men, Queens College, and more. Our community is known for its beautiful achdus, and this was highlighted recently with the start of a new holy project in Queens. Ashkenazim, Sefardim, Jews from every background, came together with a like-minded goal: to reconstruct our Kew Gardens Hills Mikveh. The mikveh has not been renovated or modernized for the past 20 years. Any homeowner will attest to the fact that there is wear and tear and a need for upgrading after that many years.

What’s the secret to finding happiness? How do we merit the free gifts from Hashem’s treasure trove of gifts?

On Sunday, December 5, Zos Chanukah, Chazaq and Mikvah USA hosted an incredible night of inspiration for women with two dynamic speakers. First, Rebbetzin Amit Yaghoubi, well-known inspirational speaker, shared a big thank you to Chazaq for all they do in every area of Jewish society. They are interested in helping every Jew. “Chazaq has big goals.” She thanked Mikvah USA for providing the framework to enable people to keep the mitzvah of mikvah. “This is what the Jewish family is – it is family purity.”

Chazaq, Stories to Inspire, and TorahAnytime hosted the following powerful shiurim for Chanukah. On Sunday, November 28, Rabbi Meir Simcha Sperling, TorahAnytime Speaker, shared a story about a man who walked into shul and sponsored a large, lavish kiddush for his community. He made the kiddush as a sign of gratitude for being saved after being hit by a car while walking to shul. The next week, another man sponsored a kiddush for the community. He made the kiddush as a tremendous hakaras ha’tov for the fact that he walked to the same shul as the man who made the kiddush the week before and for the previous 20 years that he always arrived safely and was never hit by a car.

On Sunday evening, December 5, Chazaq hosted a fireside chat with Rabbi Benzion Klatzko, founder of Shabbat.com. Rabbi Klatzko taught that holidays end on a high. On Yom Kippur, we have N’ilah. Purim ends with a feast. Sukkos ends with Sh’mini Atzeres and Simchas Torah. Chanukah ends with Zos Chanukah.

 One person and one idea can bloom into something powerful that changes the world. Robbie Aboff, Chazaq Events Coordinator, saw a special chesed taking place in his community in West Hempstead, and he was determined to bring that chesed to Queens. The result was eight distributions. Chazaq/Chickens for Shabbos distributions have brought so much light and love to so many. The idea was to contact large companies, and they would donate goods for the distributions. Over the past couple of months, the distributions focused on widows, agunos, divorcés and divorcées, moros, and m’chanchim. Sometimes they would be specifically available for one particular group. The overwhelming response was extreme gratitude that a need was being met in such a dignified, beautiful way.  “We want to thank our partners at Olam Chesed for arranging the goods that we distribute at the distributions.  Most of the expenses of the distributions are covered by the generous support of Chickens for Shabbos.”