The beis midrash at Bais Yosef D’Ulem–Rabbi Friedman Shul was filled to capacity on Tuesday evening, July 14, as men from 17 neighborhood shuls and learning programs gathered for the KGH Rosh Chodesh Yarchei Kallah. The monthly initiative unites the Kew Gardens Hills Torah community for learning, this month with a six-page mar’ei m’komos packet and a Nine Days pareve buffet from Naomi’s Pizza.

An hour before the Misaskim Volunteer Appreciation Dinner on Monday, July, 13, a small group of dedicated volunteers was already inside Ateres Chaya Rivka, a brand-new community simchah hall on Main Street, just off 68th Drive in Kew Gardens Hills. The elite contingent comprised Misaskim of Queens’ inaugural Emergency Disaster/Recovery class, tasked with chesed shel emes at a tragic scene most hope never to encounter.

A few weeks before the p’tirah of Arlene Ross a”h, I enjoyed a slice with her at Naomi’s Pizza in Kew Gardens Hills. We debated politics, as we often did. Arlene did not argue simply to win. She argued because she believed something had to be done – and because she expected the people around her to help do it.