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The Zohar tells us that Yom Kippur, the most spiritual day of the year, is really Yom Ha’K’Purim, which means “a day like Purim.” (Tikkunei Zohar 21: 57b)

Shalom Task Force’s 30^th anniversary brunch saw an overwhelming turnout, with over 300 attendees gathered to honor Guest of Honor Esther Williams and Next Gen Leadership Awardees Hannah Feldschreiber and Gabi Zahavi. The event was a resounding success, showcasing the unwavering support for STF’s mission to address critical issues within the community.

24 years, Dad,

Have gone past,

Since that ninth of Adar

When we saw you last.

You were the classic

Renaissance man

Not everyone

Could understand,

Starkly honest and stoic

But brave and heroic,

The heart of a lion

And the soul of a poet.

You fled the Shoah,

Landing in Peru,

Crossed Titicaca,

Climbed Machu Pichu,

Trekked the Amazon jungles

Like Indiana Jones,

Saw teeming piranha

Turn a beast into bones.

You found your way

In America

Found your angel,

Your calming breeze,

Our Emmalika.

Beginning all over

Was a difficult quest,

Our family struggled

But we were loved

No less;

We’d go for rides,

Watch planes take off

At JFK,

Or head for the ocean,

Your happy place.

Erudite in world history,

Spoke seven languages

Fluently,

Sought out the best

Like “El Exihente”

In a world enmeshed

With mediocrity.

Taught us to hate

Injustice and evil,

To love Israel

And the Jewish people;

You lived a life rich

With adventure and fun,

Travails and challenges

To overcome.

So glad you saw Avraham

And he got to see you;

I can see your eyes shine in him,

Icy blue.

With Emma in Shamayim

Forever in love,

May your neshamah

Have an aliyah,

Pesach Zev ben Dov.

By Sharon Marcus

Democrat Tom Suozzi emerged victorious in the highly-contested special House election held Tuesday. Suozzi’s win marks a significant moment for the district that voted for George Santos and is seen as a rejection of the party that allowed Santos to represent them for nearly a year.  

This upcoming Wednesday, February 28, the Queens Jewish Link, in partnership with its sister publication the Bukharian Jewish Link, will host an evening of networking, open to all.

Amid the bustling neighborhoods of Queens, a silent crisis unfolds, as a substantial number of Jewish students attending public schools are at risk of losing touch with their rich heritage. In Queens alone, nearly 10,000 Jewish public-school students from traditional homes face the challenge of losing their Jewish identity. With the absence of a Jewish educational environment, these children miss out on the fundamentals of their faith, jeopardizing the continuity of Jewish traditions and values.