by Susie Garber

Photographer Yaakov Katz, a resident of Kew Gardens Hills, saw an urgent need in klal Yisrael and he stepped up to the plate. People were hosting simchos without their family members and friends, and they needed a way to include them in their simchos. Mr. Katz used his photography and videography expertise and he created a new division of Yaakov Katz Studios that would do livestreaming. He offers livestream or Zoom for weddings and other simchos.

Mr. Shiu Reichmann, a veteran Queens Hatzolah member for the past 38 years, spoke about the intensive training that goes into becoming a Hatzolah volunteer, and he explained the process of any Hatzolah call in depth. “Well before the member arrives at the door, the volunteer could be in the middle of working, sleeping, helping around the house, or even eating a Shabbos meal. When the call comes over the Hatzolah radio, he drops everything to respond immediately. Your emergency becomes his emergency.”

Shalom Bayis is such an important mitzvah and Rabbi Avraham Nissanian, well-known inspirational speaker, shared an eye-opening shiur on Monday evening, November 9, via Zoom with advice that could change the atmosphere in the home and the world and really bring Mashiach right now. Rabbi Nissanian shared that the angry feelings we might have on the highway if someone does something we don’t like can also crop up in our home. What happens after a disagreement in our home? Does each spouse try to prove that he or she is right? He pointed out something that his mother taught him when he got married: “Never go to sleep with the anger of the day with you.” Even when one spouse wins an argument, he is still the loser because he lost the respect of his spouse.

On Monday evening, October 26, Rabbi Avraham Nissanian, well-known inspirational speaker, delivered a beautiful shiur on Zoom (second in a series) on the subject of giving compliments. It was amazing to learn that something that appears so simple and straightforward as giving compliments has so many halachic ramifications and so many nuances and important concepts to understand. Rabbi Nissanian, on behalf of Eishel Avraham, covered the topic in depth and left the listener well-informed and ready to use this powerful tool to promote harmony in his home, in the workplace, and in the world in general in the best way possible.

For as long as I can remember, I have always been curious to learn about Hatzolah volunteers and their families.

As we see them zoom by with lights and sirens blaring, rushing to save a life, we recite a chapter of T’hilim and wonder what it is like to have a family member who is a Hatzolah volunteer? How does this vital mitzvah impact the family?

The first lecture this year of the Navigating the Medical System Lecture Series took place on Tuesday evening, October 13, remotely, with over 80 participants, and featured Dr. Calvin Hwang, MD, MPH, FCCP, Assistant Professor in Clinical Medicine at Weill-Cornell Medical College and Patient Safety Officer for the Department of Medicine NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Queens. Dr. Hwang spoke about what to expect and how to manage COVID-19. The lecture as always was co-sponsored by Congregation Etz Chaim. Ms. Christina Yoon, Director of Community Outreach Representative and Community Health Initiatives at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Queens, greeted the audience, and then Dr. Mel Breite, Founder and Director of the Navigating the Medical System Lecture Series, welcomed everyone to the ninth season of the lecture series and then he introduced the speaker.