Community Corner

 There were tons of smiles this past Motza’ei Shabbos, January 7, for the Queens Jewish Center’s melaveh malkah that united the Forest Hills shul’s diverse membership. Men, women, and children of all ages converged on the expansive main ballroom of the elegant shul, situated on the corner of 108^th Street and 66^th Avenue. A delicious generous dairy buffet provided by Shlomo Zalman Schwartz of Naomi’s Kosher Pizza and Falafel on Main Street in Kew Gardens Hills kept attendees nourished throughout the evening.

The USPS Post Office of Kew Gardens Hills has released a troubling alert for area residents to cease the use of mailboxes throughout the community. Due to an unsettling rash of thefts from mailboxes, including the one directly outside the Main Street branch, an advisory is in effect for all mail to be deposited solely through the mail slot inside the branch lobby. Residents have become aware of stickiness on the doors and slots of local mailboxes. Many have reported fraudulent deposits of checks mailed through these mailboxes. The office of Congress Member Grace Meng is aware of the issue and is working with Postal Police to investigate.

To mark the 178th yahrzeit of Rebbe Nosson z"l of Breslov, Reb Chaim Kramer ensured the continuing legacy and fire of Bresolv with words of inspiration this past Sunday evening, January 8, at Rabbi and Rebbetzin Yehuda Zakutinsky's Hasheyvanu of Kew Gardens Hills. The program began with a Chinese buffet and concluded with a leibidig kumzitz led by Reb Yosef Karduner, who entertained with authentic songs. The men and boys joined hand-in-hand and shoulder-to-shoulder, igniting the fire of Breslov ever so fierce. A group of women and girls also privately held hands in joyful spirits.

Acts of chesed are at the core of the Young Israel of Jamaica Estates. At this month’s Family Mitzvah Morning, 40 mugs were decorated and filled with coffee and snacks for local hospital healthcare workers at Northwell Health! Parents and grandparents enjoyed making crafts with their children.

Building strong relationships and encouraging shalom bayit has always been a central mission at Emet. That is especially apparent by the growing number of participants in the Couples Division. For more than 18 years, Emet has been fortunate to participate in the weddings of hundreds of students. The Couples Division aims to meet the needs of a wide range of couples – from newly engaged, to recently married, to those who are raising families. Thanks to an important sponsorship by the Yakubov family, the division’s educational and social opportunities are expanding in 2023. “We are honored to announce that the Yakubov family has generously partnered with us to support key couples workshops and events this year,” said Shay Yonaiev, Couples Director. “Emet’s incredible couples have always been a source of pride and a priority for us because they represent our ultimate goal, which is building Jewish families. We would like to thank Alex and Anna Yakubov and their children Oren and Mira, Michael, and Yuri for sharing in our vision and enabling Emet to have a greater impact in the community.”

HALB Middle School students had the opportunity to hear words of inspiration and encouragement from Daniel Tamir. Daniel has journeyed from playing professional basketball in both Israel and Europe as a non-observant Jew, to living a Torah observant lifestyle in Los Angeles. He currently runs a basketball program and combines lessons gleaned from basketball with Torah and opportunities for personal growth. Daniel believes that small but consistent micro-changes over time yield tangible and lasting results in ball and in life.