Shabsie Saphirstein

I spoke with Avi Yagudaev, who gave me an inside look into the legendary undertaking of Bike4Chai, a renowned cycling event benefitting Chai Lifeline that has taken place since 2010. This year, a record number of cyclists - more than 675 - united for the largest Bike4Chai experience to date. On Tuesday evening, August 8, the festivities kicked off at the Kalahari Resort with a buffet hospitality dinner where fellow riders of the 14th Bike4Chai ride spent time connecting. When you’re a part of Bike4Chai, you’re a part of a dedicated team making a difference in the lives of children with serious illnesses.

It was not all that long ago that I was a high school student. Recently, I found Yaakov Tzion Rubinov and Daniel Yusupov, two recent Yeshiva Sha’arei Zion elementary school graduates, hard at work organizing their latest endeavor: KGH Chesed. Previously, the soon-to-be high school bachurim launched TorahInfo, a platform they use to disseminate inspiration on Judaism, taking a page from organizations like TorahAnytime and Chazaq. The duo has hosted Rabbis Ephraim Ben Mordechai, Gavriel Elbaz, Yisroel Kaikov, Yaniv Meirov, Hershel Praeger, Menashe Tzadka, and others.

Over $50,000 raised

On Sunday evening, August 6, I joined neighborhood families for the annual Stahler Orchestra Music-A-Thon, now in its sixth year. The program has steadily grown and now welcomed the generosity of the Hershkowitz family, who opened their backyard to the extended Stahler family and friends for this worthy cause. Under the shade of a tent, the Stahlers set up shop and impressed their audience with classic Jewish tunes. Special thanks to Dovid Roberts, Ushi Shapiro, and Rabbi Yehoshua for adding to the entertainment, and to Moshe Finkel for standing on stilts and juggling!

Illusionist Yoel Spielman has been performing his craft for years now. His talents have added delight to all kinds of events, and he’s had an audience with some of the tri-state area’s most influential names. Now, he’s choosing to give back.

On Monday night, Sam Berger, New York State Assembly candidate for the 27^th district - widely encompassing Kew Gardens Hills as well as College Point and Whitestone - held a kickoff fundraiser. The successful event was hosted by community leaders Sorolle and Shimmy Idels. The program was highlighted by remarks from Congress Member Gregory Meeks and a keynote address from New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, who was cordially welcomed on his first appearance in Kew Gardens Hills.

The year of Hakhel will forever be remembered by the countless events that united Jews worldwide. Here in Queens, Hakhel will be highlighted as the year that began a special unity amongst the esteemed shluchim that our communities are privileged to house. The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rav Menachem Mendel Schneerson zt”l, who is buried at Montefiore Cemetery on Francis Lewis Boulevard in the Cambria Heights section of Queens, often encouraged symbolic Hakhel assemblies as an opportune time to promote Jewish unity and gatherings despite the Jewish nation not all residing in Eretz Yisrael. It is apropos that such a beautiful display of harmony amongst the Rebbe’s shluchim took place during this auspicious year of Hakhel, as it resides upon the “kings,” or more accurately the leaders – rabbis, shluchim, and communal activists – of each community to make these gatherings a reality.