Community Corner

Rabbi Nota Schiller zt"l was born in 1937 in Brooklyn, New York, and received his formative education at Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin and later Yeshivas Ner Yisroel in Baltimore. A visionary educator, he co-founded Shma Yisrael Yeshiva—later known as Ohr Somayach—in 1972, alongside Rabbis Noah Weinberg, Mendel Weinbach, and Yaakov Rosenberg. Their mission: to open the doors of Torah learning to young men with little or no background in Jewish studies.

Queens Centers for Progress is made up of people working together to promote the independence of individuals with developmental disabilities. They play many different roles, but each of the agency’s more than 600 staff members is focused on this same goal.

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz participated in a Queens Community Network event, hosted by the New York Board of Rabbis, to address the borough’s ongoing fight against hate crimes. Speaking before a gathering of rabbinical and spiritual leaders, she outlined the measures her office has taken to combat antisemitism and enhance the security of all Queens residents.

The Queens Jewish Link (QJL) marked a milestone that blended tradition, pride, and purpose – an exuberant bar mitzvah celebration honoring 13 years of publication and 600 issues of impactful journalism. The event, emceed by the charismatic Nachum Segal, drew a vibrant crowd to the Young Israel of Jamaica Estates of community leaders, elected officials, and Jewish activists who gathered to reflect on the paper’s legacy, and honor a slate of individuals whose dedication has fortified the Jewish spirit in Queens and beyond.

For the past six years, I’ve been on the outside of politics, looking in. In that time, I’ve written and published over 500 columns in a wide variety of outlets covering everything from current events to cultural and social issues to deep political analysis.

The familiar surroundings of the Emet Center on Union Turnpike were temporarily traded for the grandeur of Buckingham Palace when students and staff traveled across the pond for a first-ever trip to London, England. This landmark jaunt was the culmination of an 8-week jHealth program designed to integrate Judaism with a future in medicine. Thirty-five students from Queens College and Adelphi University were accompanied by a devoted Emet team including Co-Founders Rabbi Akiva Rutenberg and Rabbi Mordechai Kraft, as well as Program Director Sara Benyamin and her husband Yiggy. The five-day itinerary blended education, exploration and opportunities for impactful spiritual growth.