Local

This past summer, the Queens community was introduced to the New York Police Department Shomrim Society for the launch of their Safe Shabbat program at Hashevaynu in Kew Gardens Hills. On Thursday, March 24, members of the group hosted their highly anticipated Annual Dinner Dance and Installation of Officers. As we reconnect with friends and loved ones after over two years without large public gatherings, newly elected President Philip Weisbord greeted event goers with great pride. NYPD Chief of Department Kenneth Corey commended the NYPD Shomrim Society for their efforts in support of their Jewish membership and the city as a whole. Chief Chaplain and NYPD Shomrim Society Spiritual Director Dr. Rabbi Alvin Kass led the prayer over the event and broke bread with special guest NYC Mayor Eric Adams. The newly elected board members were honored by Mayor Adams, who administered their oath of office, and spoke passionately about fighting crime on behalf of all NYC residents.

Through The Eyes Of Some Of Our Rabbanim And Community Members

Tribute from Yaakov Serle, Co-Publisher

Queens Jewish Link and Bukharian Jewish Link

For residents of Kew Gardens Hills, seeing a line a block long on 72^nd Avenue for the Passover food distribution hosted by the Chazaq Organization and Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty is quite eye-opening. For others, the experience of seeing the charity in their neighborhood is heartwarming, but for all it is the selfless dedication of these two organizations and their staff and volunteers that brings out the best of a community on the precipice of a holiday that promotes family, progress, and renewal.

If you live or work in Kew Gardens Hills, you may remember Robert the Watchmaker, 71. The man with a smile, the Main Street staple is gone but never forgotten. Look at the photo of the short man with a goatee and a kind smile, sometimes with a loupe in one of his eyes as he tinkers with a watch in his small shop nestled between the Main Sweet candy shop and the Men’s Famous barbershop, on the same block as Main Street Cinemas.

Over the past number of years, the Queens Jewish community has been hit with an increasing number of addiction cases that have led to severe issues, including death on more than one occasion. Rabbi Yaniv Meirov, CEO of the Chazaq Organization, has not taken this issue lightly.

Hundreds of mishloach manos came pouring into Margaret Tietz Nursing and Rehabilitation from community yeshivos, shuls, and residents in celebration of Purim. Ezra Academy and Shevach High School both organized hundreds of bags, while Israel Root of the Five Towns once again coordinated a special delivery with many more boxes full of holiday gifts for the residents of the center. The Queens community drive was led by Ellona Kravitz, who joined with her family for the distribution around the facility.