Community Corner

One Yom Tov afternoon, when Rabbi Moshe Turk (Founder and Co-Director of the Jewish Heritage Center) and his wife made a sidewalk visit to check on JHC alumnus Melissa (Maisel) Rabb, she mentioned how she had recently participated in a Zoom reunion from a program she attended several decades ago. “What a great idea,” Rabbi Turk immediately thought. “That is exactly what the JHC alumni need to have!” With that, the idea of last week’s JHC Alumni Reunion was born. Reunions have taken place in the past at hotel retreats, dinners, etc., but this first Zoom reunion would enable alumni of this highly-respected kiruv organization from throughout the country and all over the world to easily attend, “see” each other, and share together.

Those eligible will donate plasma to COVID patients

Am I an eligible recovered coronavirus patient? That was the question on the minds of Queens residents on Monday afternoon, May 4, at a mobile testing center at the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills sponsored by the Refuah Health Center in Spring Valley, in conjunction with Mount Sinai Health System in New York City. With the acknowledgement of the medical community that recovered COVID-19 patients’ blood plasma can save lives, and the overall knowledge that our community had many recovered individuals, COVID Plasma Initiative with the help of the Queens Jewish Link, Bukharian Jewish Link, and the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills, made an effort to bring a testing site to our neighborhood and allow our friends and neighbors to join the growing community of COVID-19 survivors who have mobilized to fight the virus. Refuah Health began its testing on April 3 and has continuously worked onwards to provide relief.

On Shabbos Pesach, Rabbi Alexander Zishe Meyer ben HaRav Chanoch Henach and Bina Rochel Blum zt”l, lovingly known to many in Kew Gardens Hills simply as Zishe, passed away from COVID-19. Throughout his professional life, Rabbi Zishe Blum wore many hats: respected Long Island rabbi, principal, teacher, and mentor to many cherished students, who all noted his unique enthusiasm. He was extremely humble, never expecting any honor or accolades.

More than 1,000 people participated in the Orthodox Union’s Semichas Chaver Program’s (SCP) virtual siyum on Sunday celebrating the completion of Hilchos Shabbos. Participants joined from 54 different Jewish communities on five continents. The siyum featured keynote addresses from Rabbi Hershel Schachter and the Chief Rabbi of Yerushalayim Rabbi Shlomo Amar, who, along with Rav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg, are the guiding influence behind SCP.

The New York City Parks Department and Council Member Rory Lancman have teamed up to bring masks to the Kew Gardens Hills community. Packs of five masks at one pack per family were handed out at the Mauro Playground on Park Drive East and 73rd Terrace between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 5. The line may have looked long but was fast moving. The program will resume at this location on Monday, May 11, from 10 a.m. until noon.

On the surface, the days of S’firas HaOmer seem to have two, somewhat contradictory themes: On one hand, it’s a time of mourning when we limit joyous activities, like making a wedding, listening to music, or buying new clothes. On the other hand, the month of Iyar, which sits in the middle of S’firas HaOmer and contains the majority of its days, is a time of great rachamim (compassion) and an influx of Divine healing. The Hebrew letters that spell the month of Iyar are actually an acronym for the phrase “Ani Hashem Rof’echa” – “I am G-d, your Healer” (Sh’mos 15:26).