Forest Hills hub becomes home base for civic engagement and Jewish pride
In a spirited effort to ignite Jewish civic engagement and strengthen communal unity, Jewish Voters Unite (JVU) officially opened its Queens Voter Center on Erev Shavuos, welcoming more than 80 participants into its new Forest Hills storefront. The event marked not just the start of a campaign, but the beginning of a movement deeply rooted in Torah values and community pride.
The date was no accident. As Jews worldwide prepared to reaccept the Torah at Matan Torah, Queens residents gathered to reaffirm a modern-day mission: shaping the future of our city through participation, principle, and purpose.
A mezuzah was affixed by Rabbi David Algaze, Rav of Congregation Havurat Yisrael of Forest Hills, formally inaugurating the center with blessing and dignity. Guests were treated to hot pizza and sides from Naomi’s Pizza. Elegant mini-cheesecakes, in honor of Shavuos, added a sweet touch to the celebration. The walls were lined with Jewish civic materials and outreach tools, and the atmosphere pulsed with clarity of purpose, captured in JVU’s rallying cry: “Don’t Kvetch. Vote.”
The local initiative is part of a national movement under the leadership of Peter Svarzbein, National Director of Jewish Voters Unite. Queens operations are driven by dedicated staff that includes community leaders Arlene Ross of Forest Hills and Sam Verstandig of Kew Gardens Hills, whose tireless efforts helped bring this historic hub to life.
JVU’s civic momentum continued the following Shabbos, June 14, through its We Vote Shabbat initiative. Rabbanim across New York City addressed their congregations from the pulpit, urging participation in the upcoming primary elections and framing the vote as a sacred obligation. The next day, on June 15, JVU hosted We Vote Sunday: Help Combat Jewish Hate! – coinciding with the second day of early voting – the first when the Orthodox community was able to make its voice heard. At the Forest Hills Voter Center, families received ranked-choice voter information, educational materials, and complimentary ice cream sundaes, a sweet reward for showing up to the polls with pride.
That Sunday’s efforts took on profound meaning in the wake of a horrific anti-Semitic attack in Colorado earlier that week. It was a stark reminder of why JVU’s mission matters, why your vote matters, and why the Jewish community must continue to organize, show up, and stand together.
Throughout June, JVU maintained a highly visible presence across Queens. From booths at events to pins on shirts and bags in the hands of shoppers, their materials were seen in shuls, yeshivos, kosher eateries, and on street corners, all urging Jews to take action. Their educational campaign included a voter webinar on ranked-choice voting, outreach before New Jersey’s primary, and a virtual panel, Jewish Voices, Jewish Votes, addressing the growing threat of anti-Semitism across America.
In a city where only 23% of residents voted in the 2021 primary, JVU’s campaign served as a wake-up call. “Sometimes it’s just a few hundred votes that decide who sits on the City Council or in the State Assembly,” staffers were often heard saying. “That’s our window, and we’re finally stepping through it.”
From Forest Hills to Kew Gardens Hills, JVU proudly declared that voting is an act of Jewish strength. The phrase “Don’t Kvetch. Vote.” spread quickly through social media, storefronts, and community WhatsApp chats, transforming communal frustration into action and identity.
“What we are building is a national movement to increase Jewish voter participation at all levels, but it starts here, locally, one voice at a time,” explained Svarzbein to the Queens Jewish Link at the inaugural event of the Queens Voter Center. “We’re not just supporting Jewish voters; we’re standing up for Jewish lives and values.”
The Jewish Voters Unite Queens Voter Center offered voter registration assistance, civic education resources, and community programming. To get involved, visit jewishvotersunite.org or stop by the Austin Street location during open hours.
By Shabsie Saphirstein
