News

On Wednesday evening, September 4, community members gathered at the home of Michael and Gila Rollhaus in Kew Gardens Hills for a Zionist Organization of America meeting focused on fighting anti-Semitism in Congress.

On Tuesday evening, September 3, Shira Smiles shared an inspiring shiur for women at the Young Israel of Holliswood. She noted how Elul always coincides with the beginning of the school year. The Satan knows we get distracted with technicalities of school so we have no time to focus on Elul. “Coming here tonight for a shiur says I want to learn and grow and come into Rosh HaShanah prepared and ready.”

On Wednesday evening, August 28, community women gathered at Congregation Beth El in Hillcrest for the first of an eight-class series of lectures on the Shabbos home (hilchos Shabbos). The next seven classes will be held at the Emet Outreach center at185-12 Union Turnpike, Fresh Meadows, NY 11366. There will be four or five classes before Rosh HaShanah and the rest will follow after Sukkos.

Why is the story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza located in Maseches Gittin? Rabbi Moshe Schwerd, well-known maggid shiur and speaker, spoke to a packed audience on Tish’ah B’Av at Congregation Ahavas Yisroel. He shared many interesting ideas about the story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza, and he offered practical take-away lessons. The Churban is like a divorce, so this story is placed in Maseches Gittin. However, it’s not found in the perek with divorce issues, but it is in a perek that tells about how to make restitution for damages. This teaches that the Churban is only a damage. Ultimately, Hashem will make restitution and we will be able to rebuild the Beis HaMikdash, so that is why the story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza is in this section of the Gemara.

Sadly, again this year, Mashiach did not come in time for us to celebrate Tish’ah B’Av as it should be: a joyful holiday. Instead, we had to sit on the floor; but the community is blessed with the incredible dedication and work of Chazaq, Beth Gavriel, and TorahAnytime, so the day was not just a day to get through, but, as Chazaq put it, a day to grow through. Chazaq featured a “Tish’ah B’Av Marathon” with speakers from 10:30 a.m. until 6:45 p.m. at Beth Gavriel, and TorahAnytime live-streamed a record 16 live events that were going on all around the world with locations in Queens, Brooklyn, Monsey, Israel, England, and more – so that the day was turned into a very meaningful day of Torah and growth.

Rofeh Cholim Cancer Society is a lifeline for 25,000 patients around the world with a full staff around the clock, guiding patients every step of the way. They help patients with insurance advocacy, referrals, patient support, and medical direction, follow-up appointments, grants for second opinions (which in many cases is life-saving), transferring medical records, and staying on top of the situation. On Tuesday evening, August 6, local rabbanim, local politicians, and community members gathered at the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills to show support to RCCS.