Community Corner

Outrage over the vile and dangerous anti-Semitic riot that occurred on Monday, November 20, at Hillcrest High School in Queens, was expressed at a hastily organized rally hosted by the Queens Jewish Alliance (QJA) at the Board of Education’s offices in Ozone Park this past Monday. While an investigation persists, four teens have been arrested so far, and student suspensions continue for those who orchestrated the student-led riot where youth stormed the hallways hunting a Jewish teacher who had attended a pro-Israel rally at the Kew Gardens Hills Public Library. As now widely reported, an estimated 400 teens at Hillcrest High School flooded corridors for two hours protesting the schoolteacher, who shared a photo of herself online at our neighborhood demonstration far from her school premises. The disturbance forced a lockdown, while the teacher was forced to barricade in an office for her safety. Just weeks prior, at the same school, school safety agents were violently attacked. Their underage attackers received a mere record notation.

Food Pantry Expansion Announced,

Posthumous Honorifics For Assemblymembers Simanowitz And Mayersohn

“Welcome to our new home,” were the everlasting words of Michael Nussbaum, President of the Queens Jewish Community Council (QJCC). Queens’ political leadership did not disappoint last Tuesday, November 21, for the ribbon-cutting event ten years in the making. “In the beginning there was darkness, and then there was light,” began Nussbaum, who also lived up to his promise to open the facility’s doors before stepping down this upcoming February. “In the beginning, this space was empty for over a decade. Today it has been revitalized and there is life,” continued Nussbaum as he credited our “thriving, successful, active central Jewish community” as the optimal space for an organization.

On Monday, Queens College students rallied on their quad in support of Israel. They were joined by professors and Rabbi Shlomo Brukirer of OUJLIC’s campus branch of Hillel. The pro-Israel students were confronted by a boisterous group of Muslim students, but members of the NYPD and campus security were on hand to provide protection.

On Sunday, December 17, at 5 p.m., the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills will hold its 72nd Anniversary Dinner in its ballroom. The dinner is an opportunity to express gratitude and appreciation to those who have worked for the shul and community.

In a heartwarming and unique event on November 19, a number of meaningful “shidduchim” were made. YUConnects partnered with the Young Israel of Woodmere, the “Singles Doing Chesed” group, and the Young Israel of Holliswood to pack boots for Israeli soldiers. The event, held in a bustling warehouse in Freeport, brought together 40 enthusiastic attendees motivated by shared values and a love of Israel. The atmosphere was filled with a sense of camaraderie and purpose, as participants worked diligently, blending the spirit of community service with the excitement of meeting new people.

The March for Israel rally in Washington, DC, will be remembered as an indelible moment for this generation. On a day when the collective voices of 300,000 participants resonated in solidarity with Israel, the individual experiences also made it unforgettable. Emet Outreach was proud to send a full bus from Queens to join in this historic initiative. Along with Emet’s Co-Founders Rabbi Akiva Rutenberg and Rabbi Mordechai Kraft, over 50 educators, alumni, and students shared the journey. Mrs. Rivka Muskat, Emet Associate Director, explained, “Traveling with Emet to the rally was so uplifting. From the heartfelt t’filah on the bus, to the spirited walk to the Metro station, to the surging crowds from all over on the Metro, to the unprecedented unity at the rally itself – it gave us all so much faith in the power of am Yisrael.”