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On Sunday afternoon, November 9, over 100 attendees gathered at the Ocean Avenue Jewish Center in Brooklyn to commemorate the 35^th yahrzeit (18 Cheshvan) of Rabbi Meir Kahane z”l – the controversial yet enduringly influential rabbi, activist, and founder of the Jewish Defense League (JDL). Kahane, a staunch advocate for Jewish self-determination and security, was assassinated in 1990 by Egyptian national El Sayyid Nosair while speaking at the Marriott Hotel in Manhattan. His murder marked one of the first acts of Islamist terrorism on American soil, a precursor to the ideological violence that would follow in later decades.

Each year, New York’s political establishment gathers in San Juan, Puerto Rico, for the SOMOS Conference, a nonpartisan forum designed to bring together legislators, city officials, and community advocates for dialogue and coalition-building beyond Albany’s usual confines. Originally centered on Latino concerns—somos meaning “we are” in Spanish—the conference has evolved into a dynamic meeting ground where leaders across political, ethnic, and religious lines exchange ideas on issues ranging from education and housing to healthcare and public safety.

A Story of Faith, Persistence, and the Queens Activists Who Refused to Let His Memory Fade

For 4,118 nights and days, the image of Lt. Hadar Goldin z”l hung in the corridors of remembrance – a silent vow that Israel does not leave its own behind. On November 9, 2025, that vow was finally fulfilled.

On Monday, November 3, the Queens Jewish community lost one of its oldest and most inspiring members. Yisroel Dov HaLevi (Herman) Steinberg z”l passed away at the age of 104, leaving behind a remarkable legacy of faith, courage, and devotion to his family and Torah. His funeral at Schwartz Brothers–Jeffer Memorial Chapels in Forest Hills was attended by multiple generations of relatives, friends, and community members, all paying tribute to a man whose life embodied strength, resilience, and unwavering belief in Hashem.

There’s something uniquely uplifting about a Motza’ei Shabbos in Queens. The leichter are put away, the Shabbos tablecloths are folded, and the streets come alive as pizzerias and restaurants fill with families easing back into the week. And among that energy, another kind of liveliness takes hold in the beis midrash of Bnei Yeshiva on 73^rd Avenue, where fathers and sons once again gathered for the beloved Avos U’Banim program.

 As anti-Semitism reaches levels not seen in decades, legal scholars, prosecutors, and community leaders gathered in Queens to confront this growing crisis and examine how the justice system can serve as a powerful tool to counter hate.