Community Corner

Each year, New York’s political establishment gathers in San Juan, Puerto Rico, for the SOMOS Conference, a nonpartisan forum designed to bring together legislators, city officials, and community advocates for dialogue and coalition-building beyond Albany’s usual confines. Originally centered on Latino concerns—somos meaning “we are” in Spanish—the conference has evolved into a dynamic meeting ground where leaders across political, ethnic, and religious lines exchange ideas on issues ranging from education and housing to healthcare and public safety.

In a continued push to reclaim the streets and reduce crime, detectives from Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz’s office teamed up with NYPD officers from the 107^th Precinct to execute a targeted scooter removal operation. Undercover and uniformed units moved in on a dozen illegally parked and unregistered scooters, removing them from public thoroughfares. In one case, investigators confirmed that the scooter was stolen, a reminder that these seemingly innocuous vehicles often play a role in broader criminal activity.

On Monday, November 3, the Queens Jewish community lost one of its oldest and most inspiring members. Yisroel Dov HaLevi (Herman) Steinberg z”l passed away at the age of 104, leaving behind a remarkable legacy of faith, courage, and devotion to his family and Torah. His funeral at Schwartz Brothers–Jeffer Memorial Chapels in Forest Hills was attended by multiple generations of relatives, friends, and community members, all paying tribute to a man whose life embodied strength, resilience, and unwavering belief in Hashem.

As the sun set on September 15, Sorolle and Shimmy Idels welcomed neighbors and community leaders onto the deck of their Kew Gardens Hills home for a campaign reception with a clear message: Queens cannot afford to lose its only Jewish voice on the New York City Council – Lynn Schulman.

 As anti-Semitism reaches levels not seen in decades, legal scholars, prosecutors, and community leaders gathered in Queens to confront this growing crisis and examine how the justice system can serve as a powerful tool to counter hate.

It’s a regular Tuesday afternoon in Queens. Your child is coughing, running a fever — and you’re stuck between school pickups, Zoom meetings, and dinner prep. You call the doctor’s office, only to wait on hold, hoping to speak with a nurse and secure an appointment. Maybe you rush to urgent care instead — where the “quick visit” turns into sitting in a crowded waiting room for hours. By the time you’re seen, the day is gone.