Community Corner

On Wednesday, March 25, Bnos Malka Academy united virtually to daven together at the same time as the rest of klal Yisrael. At 11:30 a.m., students, parents, and teachers were invited to attend a Zoom meeting. Led by Rabbi Weichselbaum, Bnos Malka families joined together in saying T’hilim, Avinu Malkeinu, Acheinu, and Kabalas Ol Malchus Shamayim. A PowerPoint was displayed with all of the t’filos so that all in attendance could participate in saying each word.

Younger students were led through several p’rakim of T’hilim by their teachers earlier in the day.

May the t’filos of klal Yisrael be heard in Shamayim, and may Hashem annul this decree speedily.

On Sunday evening March 29^th the world was sad to learn of the passing of Rabbi Yosef Neumann z”l, 72, the victim most gruesomely wounded in a hate-filled machete attack during a Chanukah celebration at the home of Rabbi Chaim Rottenberg in Monsey, N.Y. On December 28, 2019.

On Motza’ei Shabbos, March 21, Chazaq, the Queens Jewish Link, and TorahAnytime hosted an uplifting, livestreamed melaveh malkah titled “Finding Light in the Darkness.”

As students and parents enter Week Two of their new learning routines, the Yeshiva of Central Queens faculty and Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) continue to enhance the virtual learning environment and set of activities to keep students engaged in learning while keeping social avenues open. This week, students were engaged in the #YCQatHome photo scavenger hunt challenge, a daily activity where students find certain items and then photograph the items and submit for the end-of-the-week video. Teachers continued to introduce class challenges encouraging students to do chores around the house, which certainly helped frantic parents begin their Pesach preparations; show off their personal collections; share videos of recipes and cooking; and show school spirit by spelling out YCQ with various items. Specialty classes were introduced this week, including gym class for all grades, art, music, and library for lower elementary, and computer class for all elementary school students.

Chief Bukharian Rabbi, Rav Yitzchak Yisraeli, Appoints New Rabbis

Rav Yitzchak Yisraeli is a renowned Torah scholar who dedicates his life to giving rulings on the most difficult halachic topics ranging from medical to business law, while also guiding Rabbis of the Bukharian community in their day to day service of their respective congregations.

One cannot imagine the indignation of our rabbinical, medical, and public leaders at the noncompliance of certain communities concerning the order to daven at home. This past Motza’ei Shabbos, hundreds of Bnei Brak residents poured out into the streets to follow the funeral procession of a rabbi affiliated with a hard-line anti-Zionist faction. Rather than to provoke a riot and possibly infect themselves, police officers were reluctant to enforce social distancing rules.