Community Corner

In this week’s parshah, Lech-L’cha, Hashem commands Avraham Avinu to “go forth from your land, your birthplace, and your father’s house” (Genesis 12:1). Rashi explains that Hashem doesn’t just tell Avraham Avinu to leave; He also hints that Avraham will gain from this journey – both spiritually and materially. Yet, Hashem doesn’t fully reveal where Avraham is going, leaving him to embark with only trust in Hashem.

The Randor Road schoolyard at PS 178 the Holliswood school was the scene of a unity simchas beis hashoeva that brought out all walks of Jewish like from the Fresh Meadows, Jamaica Estates, Holliswood, and Hollis Hills communities. The program was highlighted by the musical talents of Mendy Shapiro with a deejay accompaniment.

Queens’ “name-it and they make-it” pizza place has new features. Pizza Professor in Kew Gardens Hills has slices of pizzas for the first time, not just pies, and “buy one and get one pie free” on Fridays. Customers get a free pizza on their birthday as long as they show their ID and follow Pizza Professor on social media.

Coalition for Jewish Values (CJV), representing over 2,500 traditional, Orthodox rabbis in American public policy, welcomed Monday’s decision by the Israeli Knesset to ban UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East, from operations in Israel and official meetings with state officials. CJV called upon United States and European officials to reverse their objections to Israel’s move.

City University of New York Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez visited Queens College on Tuesday, October 22, to join President Frank H. Wu on visits to two campus sukkahs, individually sponsored by Queens Hillel and by Chabad on Campus. “The harvest sukkah symbolizes courage and fragility – themes that coexist in so many of our lives,” said Wu. “Commemorating the Israelites’ bravery in seeking new lives in freedom from slavery, the holiday of Sukkos offers lessons in resilience and community for us all.”

The Kew Gardens/Richmond Hill community-wide Simchas Bais HaShoeiva at Khal Adas Yereim of Kew Gardens included R’ Aaron Cyperstein, Co-President of Khal Adas Yereim; Rav Dovid Willig, Congregation Tifereth Moshe; Rabbi Aloni Russek, Divrei Chizuk; and Rav Aryeh Rockove, Khal Nachlas Avos.