Community Corner

Woodmere residents Jonah Loskove, David Rubin, Naftali Shavelson, Marc Ziarno and Michael Fagin, and Shoshi Tuchman from Cedarhurst, have been named valedictorians of Yeshiva University’s Class of 2022. These impressive honors reflect their remarkable achievements in every facet of their academic career.

US Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens), New York’s senior appropriator on the House Appropriations Committee, encouraged local houses of worship and nonprofit organizations to start preparing their applications for the federal government’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program if they are interested in seeking funding from the initiative this year.

Throughout history, David HaMelech’s Book of Psalms has been a traditional source of inspiration, clarity, chizuk, and comfort in times of distress. Whenever we find ourselves in difficult situations, whether individually or communally, we open up the Book of Psalms and use David HaMelech’s poetic praises and supplications to ask Hashem for mercy. Throughout the 150 chapters, there are praises, declarations, and supplications spanning the full range of human emotions (e.g., fear, hope, despair, excitement). All of the chapters convey an emotional awareness of Hashem’s involvement in every aspect of our lives. The Midrash tells us that when King David compiled the Psalms, he had in mind himself, as well as every Jew of every generation and every circumstance. The words of the Psalms contain appropriate chapters for every possible situation, feelings, and circumstances.

When most people think of a men’s night out, it usually revolves around sports, but Emet Outreach recently drew a crowd of almost 60 married men for an evening of conversation. Part of the ever-expanding programming in its Couples’ Division, the theme was “Asking for a Friend.” The forum was a Q&A session with Rabbi Akiva Rutenberg, LMSW, and Dr. Akiva Perlman, a noted mental health expert, which covered the topics of connection, intimacy, and creating meaningful relationships.

When 4,515 Jews aboard “The Exodus” attempted to break the British blockade of then-Palestine, a British Navy cruiser and four destroyers were there to stop them in 1947. However, it became a public relations disaster for Britain and paved the way for the creation of the modern State of Israel.

The Coalition for Jewish Values (CJV), representing over 2,000 traditional, Orthodox rabbis in matters of American public policy, last week castigated New York City’s Museum of Jewish Heritage for banning Florida Governor Ron DeSantis from speaking at the Museum as part of an upcoming event. The CJV rabbis criticized the Museum for using language of inclusivity to “demonize and exclude,” and politicizing a memorial to the Holocaust.