Shabsie Saphirstein

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz’s year-long push for sustained resources to fight crime and modernize her office reached a milestone this week, as Mayor Eric Adams announced the largest-ever citywide investment in local prosecutors: a combined $633 million for the city’s five district attorney offices in Fiscal Year 2026. The plan includes more than $17 million in new citywide funding this year, with Queens slated for targeted support to hire experienced prosecutors, strengthen technology, and expand capacity for complex cases – priorities Katz first pressed for publicly in March 2024.

On Sunday evening, June 22, Chaverim of Queens & Great Neck hosted its annual Members Appreciation Barbecue, celebrating the tireless dedication of its volunteers and dispatchers.

The smell of sizzling burgers wafted through Alley Pond Park as families gathered for the Queens Village Republican Club’s annual “Family Fun Day & BBQ” on Sunday, August 10. Kids raced in potato-sack relays, battled in tug-of-war, and lined up for face painting, while a DJ kept the music upbeat and balloon animals bobbed above the crowd. Under red, white, and blue tents, vendors served hot dogs, salads, kosher treats, and even offered a cheeky T-shirt reading, “Only You Can Prevent Socialism.”

On Wednesday evening, June 11, at Passaic’s elegant Brookhaven Boutique Event Space, TorahAnytime celebrated its 20th anniversary with an Appreciation Evening recognizing the team behind its mission—those who have brought Torah to every corner of the globe.

This past Sunday, July 6, the Hillcrest community came together in a remarkable display of kavod haTorah as the Manshary family dedicated a new sefer Torah to the Young Israel of Hillcrest in memory of their loved ones, including their grandmother, Tziporah bas Esther a”h, fulfilling a dream she had always hoped would come true.

A century of life – defined by courage, education, and unwavering service – was celebrated with heartfelt warmth at the Margaret Tietz Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Jamaica Hills, as Jack Alkana marked his 100^th birthday. The joyous milestone, observed this past Monday, June 23, honored a man whose legacy continues to inspire all who know him.