Community Corner

The l’vayah of Reb Avraham Aharon “Abe” Rosenthal z”l was held on Motza’ei Shabbos, June 6, at Bet Midrash TOV in Kew Gardens Hills. It drew hundreds of mourners, with standing room only. Rabbanim, family, friends, and those he quietly helped gathered to pay final respects. The k’vurah took place at Har HaMenuchos in Yerushalayim.

 The tragic death of Zenon Reynarowyzh, an 86-year-old man killed in Forest Park on June 6 by a falling tree during a storm, has raised questions about public safety, responsibility, and the stewardship of one of New York City’s greatest assets: its urban canopy.

Tuesday’s Keren Olam HaTorah Event at Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim May Be one of the Most Important Nights in Local Torah History

Every so often, a moment arrives that transcends an ordinary communal event and becomes part of a community’s history. This coming Tuesday, June 16, Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim in Kew Gardens Hills will host a gathering unlike anything many residents have witnessed in their lifetimes: A delegation of some of the most revered Torah leaders in the world will arrive in Queens as part of the ongoing mission of Keren Olam HaTorah, an international effort launched to preserve the future of Torah learning in Eretz Yisrael. For our community, this is a rare opportunity for everyone to stand together in support of the institutions that serve as the beating heart of the world of Torah.

It is just past midnight on a Tuesday in Kew Gardens Hills. The house is finally quiet, and upstairs, the children are asleep. A father sits at his kitchen table, the glow of his laptop illuminating a spreadsheet of next month’s tuition and camp payments. His phone buzzes: a Charidy link dropped into a family WhatsApp chat. Then, another buzz: a voice note forwarded through a community group from a respected rav in Eretz Yisrael. Before Shabbos, his phone will be flooded with emergency campaign statuses. After Shacharis, local businessmen will be discreetly approached.

 The reception at the Rabbinical Seminary of America (Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim) in Kew Gardens Hills was filled to capacity on Sunday morning, June 7, as friends, family members, volunteers, educators, and longtime supporters gathered for the Jewish Education Program (JEP) Queens Testimonial Breakfast. While the event honored dedicated volunteers who have helped shape the lives of countless children, the gathering’s true focus reached far beyond the plaques: Every Jewish child matters, and every act of outreach has the power to transform generations.

Governor Kathy Hochul formally signed New York’s new Buffer Zone Bill before more than 600 elected officials, clergy members, and communal leaders gathered Sunday morning at Met Council’s Annual Legislative Breakfast at Cipriani 42^nd Street. The breakfast, held annually before the Israel Day on Fifth Parade, has become one of the premier gatherings of Jewish communal leadership and public officials in New York.