Shabsie Saphirstein

In less than 40 days, New Yorkers will be back at the polls. Supreme Court Justice Cassandra Aimeé Johnson has been hard at work in recent months meeting local borough lay leaders as she vies to fill a vacancy at the Queens Surrogate Court in Jamaica. As Cassandra traveled across the county, the Jewish community was foremost on her list, and she won the endorsements of Queens County Democratic Party Chairman Rep. Gregory Meeks and District Leader Shimi Pelman early on.

Judge Simcha (Scott) Andrew Dunn ascended to the 11th District of the New York Supreme Court, as one of 58 justices, in a very personal ceremony on Thursday evening, April 18, on the atrium stage at the Helen Marshall Cultural Center at Queens Borough Hall amongst family and friends.

A remembrance and candlelight vigil was held this past Tuesday evening, May 14, honoring fallen Detective Jonathan Diller, at the headquarters of Patrol Borough Queens South located at the 107 Precinct in Kew Gardens Hills. Queens Shmira member Patrick Zagdanski and Israel Peskowitz, Director of Government Affairs for Chazaq, attended.

This past Motza’ei Shabbos, the yeshivah world was thrown into mourning for the third time in a week with the petirah of HaRav HaGaon Yechiel Yitzchak Perr, ztk”l, 89. Rabbi Perr was the founder and Rosh HaYeshivah at Yeshiva Derech Ayson, Yeshiva Far Rockaway, my alma mater. Though our interactions were few over my high school career, each was steeped in deep meaning and lesson, be it in the beis hamesdresh or the yeshivah office where I often found opportunities. Rabbi Perr relied on the wisdom and foresight of his partner at the yeshivah, HaRav Aharon Brafman zt”l, the pioneering menahel. Together, they changed the landscape of Far Rockaway and built a community where hundreds of alumni settled. His loss is incalculable for the Torah community and as the preeminent Torah authority at the helm of the Far Rockaway community, Rabbi Perr made an indelible mark influencing thousands of bnei Yisrael with his unmatched brilliance.

Rav Reuvain Feinstein Joins Police Commissioner and Neighborhood Reps

This year’s NYPD Pre-Pesach Security Briefing at One Police Plaza drew significant attendance, more than 400, with strong participation from all the city’s Jewish communities.

The Queens Jewish Community Council (QJCC), 56 years strong, successfully distributed Passover food packages this past Sunday, April 14, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Forest Hills Jewish Center. Rabbi Mayer Waxman, Executive Director, led the drive from the morning delivery, courtesy of the Met Council, as cases of food were dropped curbside - enough to feed some 1,000 recipients from approximately 300 local families.