Community Corner

Last week, on Sunday, June 4, the HILI Class of 1970 held a class reunion, 53 years after graduation, in Lawrence. HILI, the Hebrew Institute of Long Island (Yeshivah d’Long Island), was based in Far Rockaway, on the grounds of where Yeshiva Darchei Torah is now located.

A man who participated in a gang assault on a Jew by hitting him with a metal crutch has been sentenced to 18 months in jail — after prosecutors’ initial offer of six months was rejected by a judge as too lenient. Waseem Awawdeh, who previously pleaded guilty to second-degree attempted assault as a hate crime, and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, was sentenced Tuesday to 364 days in jail for the first offense and six months for the second, to be served consecutively for a total of 18 months.

Ten months ago, in August, Queens said goodbye to eight kollel yungeleit from Chofetz Chaim as they embarked on a mission to build a Torah community, along with strengthening the Jewish core of the many unaffiliated Jews in Tampa. They started Tampa Torah Academy and Tampa Kollel, collectively known as Tampa Torah Center, to bring more Torah infrastructure to Tampa.

The Chazaq Annual Jewish Cultural Carnival exceeded expectations, creating a joyful and inclusive atmosphere that brought together a crowd of nearly 2,000 attendees. This vibrant celebration of Jewish heritage and culture captivated participants of all ages with its wide range of attractions and activities.

Assemblyman Daniel Rosenthal, representative from Queens, has been appointed by the UJA-Federation of New York to a top position.  Rosenthal, 32, will be the organization’s vice president of government relations, succeeding Louisa Chafee.