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In the month of Sivan, we celebrate the festival of Shavuos, which commemorates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. This connection to the Book of Ruth is particularly poignant, as Ruth, a convert to Judaism, embraces the Torah and becomes an integral part of the Jewish people.

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Jeffrey Morel was arraigned on attempted murder and other charges in connection with a shooting in Far Rockaway that sent bullets flying into a nearby yeshivah and parked cars.

The crowd arriving at New York City’s landmarked Surrogate’s Courthouse for the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce’s World Trade Week Event featured a diverse array of political and financial backgrounds, as dignitaries from a host of US trading partners mingled with top NYC officials, corporate executives, and business leaders to celebrate World Trade Week. The Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce, appointed by the US Department of Commerce as a World Trade Week NYC partner, hosted the prestigious event in conjunction with the NYC Mayor’s Office, the Greater NY Chamber of Commerce, and the Korean American Chamber of Commerce.

A unique achdus reception was held this past Monday evening, May 15, at the Park Drive East home of Dvora Skoczylas, benefiting Kollel L’Horaah Yerushalayim, where her son HaRav Yaakov Aaron Skoczylas shlita is Rosh HaKollel. Rav Skoczylas, the m’chabeir of Ohel Yaakov, addressed the event and shared warm, inspiring words. HaRav HaGaon Noach Isaac Oelbaum shlita, mara d’asra of Khal Nachlas Yitzchok, delivered the program’s featured address, where he eloquently spoke of the impact that the Skoczylases have had on perpetuating Torah here in New York, and especially in Eretz Yisrael, where Rav Yaakov Aaron’s impact is widely known. Rav Oelbaum, who specifically encourages donations to this cause, bentches the benefactors with much brachah, hatzlachah, and nachas for their entire family. The event committee, Yosef Gorbacz, Rabbi Yitzi Oelbaum, and Elchanon Spiegel, thank the greater Queens community for taking on the expenses of this special kollel. A hot buffet was enjoyed by all.

We celebrate the day where all Jews stood at Mount Sinai 1312 BCE, when all kosher laws came into effect and they found themselves without food. All of the food they had became non-kosher and they needed to start their pantry from scratch. The first easy, go-to food was milk and dairy, so that’s why we celebrate Shavuos with eating a dairy meal. This means eating dairy reminds us of a time when we had very little to eat.