Queens Jewish Link
Connecting the Queens Jewish Community 
With antisemitism surging and Israel besieged on multiple fronts, embrace the true meaning of the “Festival of Lights” rather than pretending it’s a blue-tinsel version of your neighbor’s holiday.
This Year More Than Ever, Don’t Conflate Christmas And Chanukah
The fall of Bashar Al Assad in Syria is a massive sea change in the region, and the latest domino to fall in a decade old story of American abdication on the world stage. Regardless of whether or not America should be the global police, the fact remains that when the American military is a feared omni-presence, the world is actually a safer place.
A major milestone in a historic trend was publicized last week when the Solomon Schechter School of Queens sent a letter to parents noting that its trustees voted to rename the school as Queens Hebrew Academy. “The new name reflects the community’s changing needs and is consistent with our mission’s statement. It sets the stage for the school’s future, while honoring our 68-year legacy.”
The shocking news about Omer Neutra, an American citizen who was believed to have been held alive in Gaza for the past 14 months, rocked the Jewish community that has been clinging to hope. Omer, who was from Plainview, Long Island, was apparently killed during the October 7 attack, and his body was taken by Hamas terrorists to Gaza and held there. As tragic as this news is, it also highlights the dichotomy of the reactions of our nation’s leaders.
At the annual Chanukah party at the White House this week, Second Gentleman and token Jew Doug Emhoff lauded Joe Biden’s record on his actions with the Jewish people during his sole term. “I want to thank [Joe Biden]... and your steadfast leadership and commitment to this strategy and making sure we got it done,” Emhoff said.
The United Nation Security Council recently voted on a ceasefire resolution to end the state of hostilities in Gaza. This seemingly righteous resolution was fundamentally flawed. It called for the cessation of the War between Israel and the Islamic terrorists including Hamas but did not mention the 101 hostages now held under dire conditions for more than 400 days. Previous resolutions from the UNSC had linked hostage release with the end of the war. Why the change in language?
