Brrr!!”

It was freezing cold on Wednesday, January 1, in East Rutherford, New Jersey; yet that didn’t stop tens of thousands of Jewish men and women from traveling to MetLife Stadium and Barclays Center to participate in the 13th global Siyum HaShas of Daf Yomi.

 Yes, you read that header correctly.

Hakerem Wine and Liquor is an extraordinarily popular frum-owned Kew Gardens Hills destination for a variety of alcoholic beverages that often grace our Shabbos tables and shul kiddushim. This past Sunday at 5:40 p.m., the scene inside this establishment, just off Jewel Avenue and Main Street, was one of shock and awe. A man donning a mask, leaving his features indiscernible, brazenly walked in, brandishing a firearm and demanding the cash from the register.

For six straight years, Riki Deutscher and Yelli Koenig have teamed up to bring the Kew Gardens Hills community a warm and delightful Rofeh Cholim Cancer Society pre-auction event. Although the hosts never asked for recognition or applause, it is appropriate to acknowledge that the evening was hosted at the Koenig residence and dedicated in memory of Deutscher’s mother, Raizel Rivkah bas R’ Moshe Yechiel a”h. Together they rallied the women of our community in unison, to respond to those hit with sudden misfortunate. Since 1997, RCCS has been on a mission to help suffering Jewish families. This year’s auction, The Mission, was designed with a mysterious adventure in search of hope.

Twenty years ago, the world was preparing for a new millennium, Google had just launched, and the first iMac had hit stores. Here in Queens, we were creating our own milestones. Yeshiva Madreigas HaAdam was established more than two decades ago and quickly became a pillar of harbatzas haTorah in our Queens community. On Tuesday, December 10, the Yeshiva held its 20th annual dinner celebration at Da Mikele Illagio, honoring an array of familiar faces.

 Rabbi David Hill was known by many names.  Rabbi Hill, Dave, Davey, Dad, and Zaidy.  He was known by many as a leader in the Modern Orthodox community during the 1960s and beyond, as the President of the National Council of the Young Israel, Owner and President of 999 Real Kosher Sausage Co., and founder of Operation Lifeline, which provided a necessary connection between the Jews trapped in the Soviet Union and the rest of the world.  Rabbi Hill died this past Saturday, at the age of 98. 

An Inspiring and Interactive Learning Program

Emet Outreach has added another dimension to its already multi-faceted learning opportunities. “Torah Connect” is a new chavrusa-based learning initiative for the Queens community. The program is designed to provide a forum where Emet students of varying Jewish backgrounds can be paired with members of the community to connect, share Torah thoughts, and elevate their learning.