Susie Garber

Kew Gardens Hills is a truly singular neighborhood. It is filled with shuls and chashuve rabbanim, a wide array of chesed organizations, and, above all, a spirit of genuine achdus. In honor of the upcoming 50^th anniversary tribute dinner for Rav Noach Isaac Oelbaum shlita, I had the privilege of speaking with Rav and Rebbetzin Oelbaum about the beginnings, challenges, and growth of their k’hilah over the past half century.

On Sunday evening, September 15, the Kew Gardens Hills community gathered at the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills to dedicate the new Congregation Mikveh Israel, the Beverly Blisko Women’s Mikveh. The scene was alive with warmth and an ruach, as neighbors, rabbanim, and supporters came together to mark a true simchah for the community.

On Wednesday evening, October 22, community women of all ages gathered at Ohel Simcha for an uplifting and inspiring Rosh Chodesh shiur hosted by Chazaq and delivered by the well-known inspirational speaker, Charlene Aminoff.

Strolling in the Beis David neighborhood in Yerushalayim, this writer and her husband passed a building with a plaque and stopped to read it. We discovered it was the Rav Kook House Museum. When we stepped inside, we were transported back in time to explore the life of the great tzadik, Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook.

On Sunday evening, September 14, Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser, well-known speaker and author, shared a beautiful shiur on behalf of Chazaq at Kehilat Ohr Ve’achdut in Jamaica Estates.

“This is the spot where Rav Yitzchak Luria first sang the famous nigun for L’cha Dodi on Friday night,” a tour guide for a Birthright group shared as he recounted history and miraculous stories that took place in Tzfat.