Community Corner

A standout meeting was held with Council Member Lynn Schulman in Kew Gardens last week. Aaron Cyperstein, President of Chaverim of Queens, and Rabbi Daniel Pollack, Special Liaison to Congress Member Grace Meng, facilitated a program to thank Schulman for all of her efforts on behalf of the Jewish community. Schulman has specifically spent time prioritizing public safety, fighting against anti-Semitism, and maintaining funding for Jewish community groups, where she has delivered $5 million thus far. Schulman has also shown great support for Israel and strongly opposes Boycott Divest Sanctions (“BDS”). Assembly Member Daniel Rosenthal, also in attendance, thanked Schulman for all of her advocacy on behalf of the Queens Jewish Community.

In this week’s parshah, we learn that the sons of Korach did not follow their father, nor his teachings. As it states, “And the sons of Korach did not die” (BaMidbar 26:11). The sons of Korach were spared from the fate decreed upon their father because they did not follow in his ways.

Rambam Mesivta graduated its 27th class on June 19, to the rousing applause of faculty, staff, parents, family members and students.

The Orthodox Union Women’s Initiative is bringing back its highly successful ALIT Summer Virtual Beis Midrash. The program will offer a two-week schedule July 10-20 with Monday/Wednesday and Tuesday/Thursday tracks of virtual classes and interactive discussions for women all over North America and around the world.

A man who participated in a gang assault on a Jew by hitting him with a metal crutch has been sentenced to 18 months in jail — after prosecutors’ initial offer of six months was rejected by a judge as too lenient. Waseem Awawdeh, who previously pleaded guilty to second-degree attempted assault as a hate crime, and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, was sentenced Tuesday to 364 days in jail for the first offense and six months for the second, to be served consecutively for a total of 18 months.