Community Corner

Politics on social media does not always reflect conditions on the ground. The latest such example is in Woodhaven, where Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar was on the receiving end of negative Twitter posts last week from bike advocates and leftist activists over her proposal to expand the number of parking spots. “Parking is so limited here that some residents sleep overnight in their cars waiting for a parking spot to open,” wrote her chief of staff Vjola Isufaj. “The Assemblywoman proposed creating angled parking on 98^th Street to open up spaces. She also proposed turning unnecessary median striping on Woodhaven Boulevard into parking space.”

On Sunday night, September 12, Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Laub graciously organized a parlor meeting at their residence in Kew Gardens Hills to spread awareness of Chazaq’s life-changing programs.

After a successful launch of the Purple Fellowship last year, Shalom Task Force (STF) is excited to announce that applications are now open for the next cohort of fellows. The Purple Fellowship is open to high school juniors and seniors interested in growing into leadership roles in the Jewish community. Fellows attend nine-week intensive training programs that cover important topics including domestic violence, abuse in the Jewish community, boundaries, and being an upstander, as well as advocacy and fundraising skills. Students develop skills to become active community leaders. One fellow shared that “the Purple Fellowship taught me so much about a topic I knew nothing about. It has inspired me to continue to spread awareness and the importance of being a leader in my community.”

Texas statute better aligns with Jewish values cherishing every human life

Weighing in on the Texas law prohibiting abortions after six weeks’ gestation except in cases of medical necessity, the Coalition for Jewish Values (CJV), representing over 1,500 traditional, Orthodox rabbis in matters of public policy, called the law a step in the right direction, better aligned with mainstream Jewish values, Rabbinic texts, and legal codes. In so doing, it condemned the left-wing National Council of Jewish Women and its “Rabbis for Repro” for distorting Jewish teachings, devaluing the sanctity of life, and causing a desecration of G-d’s Name.

The start of the 2021/5782 school year saw the inauguration of the first two classes at The Queens Cheder in Forest Hills. What began as a mere dream for a Sephardic community desperately seeking a higher Judaic educational standard for their youngsters quickly turned to reality over a few short weeks. The unique institution will follow the strictest of Sephardic standards and radiate as a beacon of Torah education in New York while living in the eye of the Sephardic sages of yesteryear and being a pride for Queens Jewry.