News

On Tuesday night, February 14, streams of young ladies and women of all ages excitedly filled the hall of the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills for a unique Hafrashas Challah Event. Close to 200 women came to show their support for the Erna Lindenfeld Hachnosas Kallah Fund of Queens (ELHKQ) and join together for an evening of incredible inspiration. Greeting each person as she arrived were our special hostesses for the Hafrashas Challah Event, as well as the members of the ELHKQ Board. A buffet table was set with an assortment of drinks, fruit platters, and a delicious selection of pastries. Round tables covered the room bedecked in lovely tablecloths, with piles of gloves, baggies, and “Happy Tears” tissue packets available in the center of each table, all ready for the Hafrashas Challah moment. Side tables were piled high with challah dough that had been ordered by the attendees.

Last week, the New York City Council made history and voted to pass a bill that will phase out the use of No. 4 heating oil by 2025 for schools and City-owned buildings, and by 2027 for private properties. This newly passed legislation fast-tracks the 2030 deadline for private and public buildings established by Local Law 38 in 2015. Intro 0470, authored and introduced by New York City Council Member James F. Gennaro, Chair of the New York City Council’s Committee on Environmental Protection, will also raise the minimum and maximum penalties for burning a prohibited fuel oil after the phase-out dates.

The family fun has been ongoing all winter long at the Young Israel of Jamaica Estates. This past Motza’ei Shabbos, they wrapped up their winter season of Parent-Child Learning. Parents and grandparents come with their children and study in the newly refurbished beis midrash. Source material for the parshah is provided for those looking for deeper meaning, while others bring this week’s assignments. YIJE’s mara d’asra, Rabbi Dov Lerner, is on hand for anyone needing assistance or insight. The evening highlight is the pizza and raffles afterwards, where everyone is a winner!

Tucked away on the corner of Daniels Road in Briarwood, Yeshiva Etzion fills with young men arriving for night learning with Rabbi Avraham Gaon.  Twenty years ago, Rabbi Gaon began the yeshiva as a place for anyone who wanted to learn and grow in their Judaism.  Today, two decades later, its original mission statement of “No Jew Left Behind” hasn’t changed; their purpose is to inject of love of Torah and learning into everyone not in yeshiva - yet.   “I meet people where they are,” Rabbi Gaon explains.  “So, the yeshiva doesn’t give a bechina (entrance exam) as a prerequisite of entry. Coming every day to learn, coming on time, that’s the bechina.”

A Saturday night out celebrated the beauty of a budding community when over 75 couples gathered for Emet’s Fellowship Alumni Couples Melaveh Malkah. Held at the Young Israel of Jamaica Estates, there was a feeling of family and friendship in the packed room. The warmth and connection came from years of building relationships between Emet’s students and staff.

This week, Agudath Israel led a delegation of Orthodox Jewish advocates from the Long Island and Queens areas to Albany to advocate for our community’s needs. This was the second installment of Agudath Israel’s three annual advocacy missions to Albany, which give community representatives the opportunity to speak to their legislators about issues of concern to New York’s Orthodox Jewish communities.