Community Corner

As a prime contender in a hotly-contested mayoral race, Andrew Yang chose to return to Kew Gardens Hills this past Sunday afternoon in an attempt to sway undecided voters in the neighborhood known to use the ballot box to voice their opinions. Early in the race, Assembly Member Daniel Rosenthal made waves with a groundbreaking endorsement for Yang, which was followed by other leading Jewish political and communal endorsements. Rosenthal has stood by his candidate of choice, culminating in an important endorsement from the Queens Jewish Alliance for Action.

Responding to a letter from Coalition for Jewish Values (CJV) and a broader outcry, Google CEO Sundar Pichai last week removed his corporation’s Global Lead for Diversity Strategy and Research, Kamau Bobb. The letter from CJV, an organization that represents over 1,500 Orthodox rabbis, called for Mr. Bobb to be replaced for having authored – and retained – a blog post on his personal website that contained markedly antisemitic content.

Defendant Faces Up to Four Years in Prison if Convicted

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Kristoffer Bahamonde has been charged with criminal mischief as a hate crime, harassment, and other charges for allegedly defacing several locations in Elmhurst with swastikas and other graffiti in late May 2021. District Attorney Katz said, “The defendant allegedly used symbols of hate to deface property and intimidate members of our shared community. In Queens County, we stand together against hatred directed toward any group. This defendant’s alleged actions do not reflect our values or who we are.”

Kew Gardens Hills has been in the limelight of the political arena ever since it was declared a red zone at the height of the pandemic. More interest followed, with national attention surrounding the James Gennaro’s successful City Council race against an antisemitic opponent, where the City’s Ranked-Choice voting methodology was first put to the test. Since then, Assembly Member Daniel Rosenthal has been credited with keeping the focus on Central Queens.

On Thursday afternoon, June 3, Queens rabbonim and community leaders gathered at Haym Salomon Square by Vleigh Place and 72nd Avenue in Kew Gardens Hills to lend support to NYC Comptroller candidate David Weprin as the June 22 Primary election nears. Weprin, a Yeshiva of Central Queens graduate and Holliswood resident, has been a longtime public servant with vast knowledge in finance and is currently a local Assembly Member.

Over Memorial Day Weekend, Queens Borough President candidate Elizabeth Crowley met with several Jewish leaders in the Kew Gardens Hills area and toured several small businesses in the area.