Queens Jewish Link
Connecting the Queens Jewish Community 
On Sunday evening, January 9, Dr. Norman Blumenthal, PhD, Director of Trauma, Bereavement, and Crisis Intervention at OHEL Children’s Home and Family Services, and Education Director of the Bella and Harry Wexner Kollel Elyon and S’michah Honors Program at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS), spoke at a community-wide virtual event sponsored by the Vaad Harabonim of Queens, Ohel, and Nefesh.
On Tuesday evening, January 11, Navigating the Medical System featured an informative virtual lecture on Multiple Sclerosis (MS), hosted by Congregation Etz Chaim. Jai S. Perumal, MD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology and Neuroscience at Weill Cornell Medicine and Attending Neurologist at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Queens, shared a detailed lecture on Multiple Sclerosis.
On Motza’ei Shabbos, January 1, Chazaq, Torah Anytime, Daily Giving, and Chickens for Shabbos hosted “Turn Saturday Night into Motza’ei Shabbos,” featuring Dr. David Lieberman, PhD, a psychologist, author, and well-known speaker, and Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser, well-known speaker and author. This amazing program is featured every Motza’ei Shabbos at 8:30 pm on TorahAnytime.com/Live events.
On Sunday evening, January 2, Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Schwartz, PsyD, a clinical psychologist, licensed in New York and New Jersey, specializing in anxiety, spoke for Let’s Get Real With Coach Menachem. Coach Menachem Bernfeld began by sharing that we’re all performing in life. Sometimes we want to do something and we start feeling nervous so we stop doing it. “Life starts beyond your comfort zone.” It’s a good feeling after you are able to step out of your comfort zone. This is how we grow in life.
On Sunday evening, December 26, Let’s Get Real With Coach Menachem featured Rabbi Yechiel Spero, educator and author of the Touched by a Story series and Dr. Eli Shapiro, licensed clinical social worker and Founder of the Digital Citizenship Project. The discussion focused on how to create a close relationship with our children.
On Monday evening, December 13, Rebbetzin Devorah Kigel, well-known speaker and teacher for Emet Outreach, spoke on behalf of the organization on the topic of why marriage is so hard. In her inimitable way, Rebbetzin Kigel shared wise insights and practical advice. She has had years of experience as a dating and marriage coach. She shared that her shiur was geared to the average couple dealing with normal things. She began with the following disqualifier: If a relationship is dealing with abuse or addictions, then this requires professional help beyond the scope of her lecture. She shared that she can refer people to professionals who can help with these types of situations. She added that “Torah is not a substitute for therapy.” Torah does help everyone, no matter their situation.
