Local

This week, President Joe Biden led a White House tradition dating back to the Truman administration but rumored to have originated at Lincoln’s holiday meal. “First of all, the votes are in. They’ve been counted and verified. There’s no ballot stuffing,” he quipped, standing over two fortunate turkeys. “There’s no “fowl” play. The only red wave this season is going to be if a German shepherd, Commander, knocks over the cranberry sauce on our table.”

Following hundreds of petition signatures, emails, and calls to control speeding drivers on Woodfield Road, the West Hempstead Community Support Association hosted County Legislator John Giuffre and Inspector Gregory Stephanoff of the Nassau County Police Department on Thursday, October 27, to brief local residents on the situation.

In his tour of Jewish communities on Long Island, coordinated by Chabad, the Chief Rabbi of Israel David Lau shlita visited more than a dozen shuls, schools, and organizations. Towards the end of his trip, he spoke at the Young Israel of West Hempstead to offer encouragement and strengthen the connection between this community and Israel. The event was cosponsored by the Chabad of West Hempstead, Anshei Shalom, Bais Torah U’tefillah, and Eitz Chayim of Dogwood Park.

Since my move from Queens to West Hempstead, I’ve had to adjust to mowing my lawn, paying higher property taxes, and encountering a very different political landscape. In Queens, elected officials and candidates have a high degree of visibility, making themselves known to voters by attending community functions, and retail politicking outside stores, shuls, and schools. To my dismay, the visibility of candidates in West Hempstead has been limited mostly to lawn signs, and the vast majority of them are for the Republican contenders.

In regard to last week’s 2022 General Election guide for Jewish communities in Queens and Long Island, we have received plenty of feedback from readers. Our inbox included praise for reporting on statewide and local offices, and criticism for omitting some of the races. In a year where every state legislator and House member is up for a vote, we felt it was necessary to expand on last week’s coverage with a few more important races where our community can make an impact.

Each decade following the census, federal, state, and city legislative districts have their lines adjusted for changes in the population. The lines reflect communities of interest, based on their ethnicity, race, and income, among other factors. While the Jewish community has been successful in keeping most of Fresh Meadows within the same district as Kew Gardens Hills, in Forest Hills the story is different.