Dear Editor:
I am very disappointed in the teenagers in this community. I am a mother of a special-needs daughter. She is fun-loving, delightful, the light of her family’s life — but sometimes her family needs a break — a respite.
I signed up with Hamaspik and although they do not have any offices in Queens (the closest is the Five Towns), they were able to find me a respite worker who lived in KGH. For a couple of hours on Shabbos and on Sunday, I was able to have some rest and menuchah, knowing my daughter was being well cared for and played with. But the respite worker’s family moved away.
Hamaspik is finding it very difficult to find teenagers in KGH, both male and female.
Yes, KGH does have its own unofficial organizations that help, but I am finding them to be unprofessional. If it is drizzling, Shabbos groups are called off. My daughter has a raincoat. My husband and I still need the rest. I used to walk to my friends’ houses in the rain on Shabbos — not in a thunderstorm, but regular rain.
On Yomim Tovim, there is nowhere to send my daughter and no one to pick her up to play because “It’s Yom Tov. It’s hard to get girls. Family is here… they may be away…” I understand that — but ask the girls who will be around if they can volunteer. Yom Tov is long. It is longer when you were awake since 3 a.m. because your child was awake since 3 a.m.
There are no electronics on Shabbos or Yom Tov — no TV, no iPad, no games — and I do not allow more than 30 minutes of electronics a day anyway. My other children and I play with her, read to her, and walk with her. It is beautiful — but it is exhausting. It makes Shabbos and Yom Tov that much harder.
I once called a girl a week in advance to babysit for one night — my husband and I call that our “peace and quiet night,” which we try to take once a month. She told me, “I don’t know my plans yet. Can I tell you the night before?” Two others said the same thing. One girl had a family simchah, which I understand. But the attitude of “I’ll see if something better comes up” is hurtful.
Chesed is not something you do only when it is convenient. Chesed means showing up. Even when it rains. Even when it is hot. Even in the summer. I do not believe every teenager is away all summer.
This affects shalom bayis. Siblings are now forced to give up rest, schoolwork, or social time because they feel bad that their parents have no menuchah.
There are communities where volunteers are plentiful. I am jealous. It is hard to ask for help repeatedly only to hear “no.”
KGH has wonderful teens — I truly believe that. Parents — if your teen needs a chesed to volunteer for, being a respite worker (and it pays) is a real opportunity. My daughter loved her respite worker; they are still close.
I am not trying to lecture. I am asking: Please help us. Call Hamaspik. It is not hard to sign up. And if you run an unofficial Shabbos group, please follow through reliably.
We love our children deeply. Hashem entrusted us with special neshamos. But it is physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausting. We need help — dependable help.
Please step up. I do not know where else to turn.
Thank you,
Chani A.
Dear Editor:
Kol hakavod to the Jewish Link readers who joined our Jewish community judicial watch group twice this past week in federal court in Manhattan for the sentencing of two antisemitic attackers.
Tarouk Bazrouk was sentenced to 17 months in federal prison for three separate vicious attacks on Jews. That is one month shy of the top recommended sentencing guideline — but as Alan Dershowitz noted, Bazrouk should have received the maximum five years. At least the $750,000 in unreported cash found in his home safe was confiscated, and he will remain a convicted felon.
Donovan Hall made a thousand threatening phone calls and texts to Jews, including to the Blue Moon Hotel. He was sentenced to 49 months in federal prison, again one month shy of the top guideline. He, too, will remain a convicted felon.
The takeaway: We must continue to be vigilant and exert pressure on the justice system. Do not assume someone else will do it.
Glenn Richter
Dear Editor:
Where in the world is a little bit of sanity? (Sorry, Waldo.)
I am not referring to the mayoral election, which lacks all degree of sanity. Instead, I am referring to the recent claim that baseball is not America’s pastime, but originated in a small town in Canada. What next — apple pie came from Toronto?
And what is going on with the jewelry heist at the Louvre? What exactly does one do with jewels that valuable?
And why are $250 million being spent to tear down the East Wing of the White House? That money could help laid-off federal workers or be distributed by lottery: 250 winners of $1 million each.
Finally, someone tell Andrew (formerly Prince Andrew) to get a job and pay rent wherever he ends up. If not, prison has free room and board.
Debbie Horowitz
Dear Editor:
Cuomo or Sliwa?
The Mamdani threat is real, but there is no point discussing Mamdani further, because his supporters maxed out in the primary and his independent numbers cannot grow (see savenyc.org). In the worst case, he would not be allowed or given money by the President or Governor (Hochul or likely Stefanik) to do what he promises, and he could even be removed.
Therefore, the election that we can affect is now between Sliwa and Cuomo. The prevailing logic is based on polls, but there is equal and opposite logic not reflected in the media narrative. There are too many agendas and variables to trust anyone’s projections.
Because the core problem is low turnout. New York City did not “choose” Mamdani. He won a snail race where “none of the above” was the real majority. Mamdani’s 56% of 29.9% turnout equals only 16.7% of eligible voters. Meaning 83.3% of votes are up for grabs.
The solution is to make turnout too big to rig. B”H, this seems to be happening in early returns. I could tell you whom to vote for, but the bottom line is: use your vote. Do not stay home. Vote your conscience and your rational self-interest.
P.S. If President Trump announced a $100 IRS deduction for verified voters in each election, turnout in every cycle would change instantly. People with “complicated reasons” not to vote would come out for a simple tax deduction. States could do this as well.
Chaim Rubin
What Next
Dear Editor:
Now that Mamdani has won, we in our community need to be ready to take a stand to protect ourselves. If we look at history, we may not have to be forced to live under Mamdani’s neo-Nazi occupation. There might be a path to stop the terror and antisemitism he will bring. We can do this in the two months leading up to the horror of his possibly being sworn in.
As everyone knows, it was back in 1898 that the County of Queens became the Borough of Queens and joined New York City. In fact, at one time, Queens and Nassau were one county. Nassau was formed by the townships in Queens that did not want to join New York City. There is ample precedent for breaking off from NYC and being an independent city, as it wasn’t always one city.
Our neighborhoods—Kew Gardens Hills, Hillcrest, Jamaica Estates, Fresh Meadows, and more—could, I am sure, find allied neighborhoods in other parts of Queens like Whitestone or College Point that would rather not be part of a Mamdani NYC. Many there do not want to live under a socialist and radical regime. With them, we could have our community leaders, clergy from across all religious groups, leaders of major community organizations, political organizations, and elected officials declare our independence from New York City and declare ourselves our own city, no longer part of NYC.
We can probably get parts of Brooklyn—like Brighton Beach, Manhattan Beach, Borough Park—and more, as well as Staten Island, creating an entity from the Outer Bridge in Staten Island through parts of eastern Queens up to the Nassau border, that would not want to be part of a socialist New York. We declare our own city and spend the time from November preparing a new city charter, a new city government, and more. There is already a Staten Island movement to break off from New York City. Now that Mamdani is elected, they will do it anyway, but this way we can explore an alliance.
However, there is a good chance that both the City of New York and the State of New York will not go along with such a plan. If New York City and New York State do not go along, which is highly likely, we make an appeal to President Trump to bring in the National Guard and federal assistance in helping us establish an independent city in New York State and to bring the full force and power of the federal government to prevent us from being coerced into living under a socialist Nazi government that will make life for Jews a living nightmare—worse than London—where we will have to be terrified of walking the streets, and our neighborhoods will be overrun with antisemitic mobs chanting for violence, and where our schools and community organizations will be targeted.
Since Mamdani won, we will need to break off to save our neighborhoods. We need, as a community, to unite for this. An independent city of all the parts of our areas in Queens, and if possible linked up with areas in Brooklyn through to Staten Island, would be the only option.
We have to be prepared for the worst and break off and form a new city. So let us gear up and be prepared for our potential secession from the City of New York and the fight it will entail.
Dovid Hirsch
Dear Editor:
The news is in: Zohran Mamdani has won the mayoral race in NYC. We need much siyata diShmaya. However, as Yidden, let us not fret. Let us remind ourselves of what Chaza”l say, that lev melachim v’sarim b’yad Hashem, and the seforim note that this begins specifically when he becomes the melech or sar! We must do our best—avodas Hashem and tefilah—and Hashem will do the rest.
Also, this week is Parshas Vayeira, and I saw hashgachah that just as I was discussing Mamdani’s winning with family, a shiur was playing, and the maggid shiur was mentioning how Avraham davened for Sedom (no less!), and that had there been at least ten tzadikim, it would have saved the entire city.
So, for a city like New York, which has one of the greatest concentrations of Yidden in the world, and many more than ten tzadikim and yere’im u’shleimim, let us focus our eyes heavenward, and Yidden in New York—and all over—will have great siyata diShmaya in the coming years.
(Maybe we should also daven at the kever of R’ Shmuel Kunda z”l—he knows a thing or two about the Mayor of New York, York, York, York!!)
May we see the geulah soon.
S.R., Lakewood
