Susie Garber

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.

How will this year’s Rosh HaShanah davening in Queens be different from any other year? With the pandemic, shuls had to plan davening while keeping in mind social distancing, masks, and concerns about the length of the service. It was fascinating to learn about all the details that different shuls and yeshivos are implementing so that everyone will be safe and healthy and still be able to participate in Rosh HaShanah davening. Many things were surprising. This writer had the honor to speak to many of our choshuve rabbanim about the plans for their shuls, and they also shared their perspective and their suggestions on what we should focus on in our davening this year on Rosh HaShanah.

On Tuesday evening, September 22, Rabbi Yissocher Frand, senior lecturer at Yeshivas Ner Yisroel in Baltimore and well-known speaker, shared his annual t’shuvah drashah on behalf of Just One Life. First, Rabbi Marty Katz, Executive Vice President of Just One Life, spoke about the holy work of this organization. He quoted the famous teaching in the Gemara that if you save one life you saved a whole world. You save babies, you save families, he stated. If a mother in pregnancy is in danger or in a difficult situation, the organization receives references. Shaare Zedek Hospital in Israel sends them referrals, as the government doesn’t pay for high-risk pregnancies. With the coronavirus, more cases have come to Just One Life. Rabbi Katz urged everyone, “Be part of our mission. Be part of our team.”

A beautiful song titled “The Aliyah Song” was born in Queens and has been viewed by over 10,000 people on YouTube and 100,000 on Facebook. Rabbi Benzion Klatzko, Founder and Director of Shabbat.com, composed the lyrics and the upbeat melody.

Rabbi YY Jacobson, well-known speaker, shared a powerful shiur about harnessing the power of this time of year. The shiur was dedicated in memory of Mrs. Devorah Leah Hecht a”h, and was hosted by Chazaq, TorahAnytime, Asher to the Yatzar, and www.TheYeshiva.net.

Where could we go this summer to escape from the pandemic? After canceling two previously planned trips for this summer, we switched our destination to Maine, a place we’ve enjoyed visiting many times before. Maine has glorious mountains and sparkling mirrored lakes. We packed plenty of hand sanitizer and masks and headed on our way.