Community Corner

Masbia Kosher Soup Kitchen of Queens held a “Human Rights Seder and Feeding the Needy” event ahead of Passover. Masbia’s Alexander Rapaport conducted the Seder together with New York City Human Rights Deputy Commissioner Kajori Chaudhuri, and Executive Director Hassan Naveed of the Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes. Staff of both offices, together with Masbia staff, joined the Seder, which was followed by volunteer work at the kosher soup kitchen and food pantry. The lead-up of Passover is the busiest time of the year for Kosher Emergency Food providers, due to the increase in demand. The Masbia Soup Kitchen Network is holding a Charoses Drive to raise the necessary funds to buy the Kosher for Passover food to feed the needy (masbia.org/passover2023).

When it comes to the weeks before Passover, three words are most important to Masbia’s Executive Director. They are: logistics, logistics, logistics. But this year, there’s something even more critical - sponsors, sponsors, sponsors. The Charoset Drive is what Masbia calls those weeks leading up to Passover.

Pesach preparations were underway at Emet with the debut of the first in a series of three workshops. A rapt audience of 25 women listened intently as Rabbi Binyamin Yuhanan explained how to clean and kasher for Pesach in a peaceful way.

BIRTHS

Ellen Abberbock on the birth of a great-niece, born to Yehuda Leib and Shira Abberbock of Philadelphia. Mazal tov to the grandparents, Dr. Stuie and Sari Apfel, and Dr. Gary and Judy Abberbock

This past Shabbos, Parshiyos VaYakhel-P’kudei, as we closed Sefer Sh’mos and the words of Chazak, Chazak, v’Nis’chazeik reverberated throughout shuls, Mrs. Magda Schwartz a”h, the well-known sheitel macher of Kew Gardens, passed away. Fittingly, as we each intoned, “Be strong! Be strong! And may we be strengthened!” the source of strength for many people went to her eternal reward.

Recognizing a national shortage of qualified teachers in Jewish and special education, SINAI Schools and Touro University have partnered to create The SINAI Teacher Fellowship Program, beginning this fall. This trailblazing collaboration offers current and prospective SINAI faculty the unique opportunity to earn a graduate degree at a greatly discounted tuition, while also receiving full compensation as an assistant teacher at SINAI and hands-on training and mentorship from experienced SINAI educators.