Local

The fourth night of Chanukah took on special significance for the Queens Jewish community, as Hatzolah of Queens and Great Neck invited members and their wives to a special Chanukah party. The dinner, held at Ner Mordechai in Kew Gardens, is an annual event that pays tribute to the selfless volunteers and their wives, who dedicate themselves just the same, allowing their husband to save lives.

On Wednesday evening, December 28, Rena Greenberg led a challah bake at the Young Israel of Queens Valley in memory of her daughter Bryna Brachah bas Aryeh Yaakov a”h, to show hakaras ha’tov and to raise money for Chai Lifeline.

Last week, Chazaq brought the holiday of Chanukah to life with a series of seven festive events that, combined, drew hundreds of attendees from throughout the community. Here are some of the highlights:

Application Deadline: Thursday, February 16

On the heels of two wildly successful efforts to both attract new members and correct long-standing demographic inequities across Queens’ 14 community boards, Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. is again accepting applications from qualified and civic-minded individuals interested in serving on their local community board.

Last Sunday evening, Zos Chanukah, at the United Palace Theater in Manhattan, the large crowd welcomed to the stage with wild cheering Israeli sensation Ishay Ribo, dressed in his trademark dark gray shirt, strumming a simple acoustic guitar, his eyes closed in fervent devotion, singing his original compositions of Hashem’s praises. “Such a freezing night in New York City,” Ribo said. “And yet, despite the cold, we have come together to celebrate tonight in warmth and unity.”

Many young men return from Eretz Yisrael, having grown leaps and bounds, and are now looking to keep the momentum going. The big question that they ask themselves is whether they should focus on continued growth in Torah learning or follow the pursuit of earning? At our yeshivah, we ask the question: Why not have both?