On a frigid Super Bowl Sunday morning, the social hall at the Young Israel of Jamaica Estates (YIJE) filled early despite the cold. The gathering marked QJCC’s 56th year of continuous service to the people of Queens.

The program opened with Cantor Alan Brava of the Free Synagogue of Flushing leading The Star-Spangled Banner and HaTikvah.

QJCC Executive Director Rabbi Mayer Waxman welcomed attendees, thanking elected officials who braved the weather and sponsors who made the event possible. He recognized Meal Mart for catering and its ongoing partnership in feeding homebound seniors, and he acknowledged longtime staff members Carol Krohn and Marina Litman for their essential behind-the-scenes work.

 

Rabbi Waxman highlighted several guests whose presence underscored the moment’s urgency: Holocaust survivor and US veteran Sami Steigmann, recently barred from speaking in a New York City public school; Rabbi David Shushan, assaulted in Forest Hills simply for being visibly Jewish; and Moshe Davis, former head of New York City’s Office to Combat Anti-Semitism.

He announced a new partnership with the Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation – secured through a grant by Assemblymember David Weprin – to launch the first Faith Leaders Fellowship on Anti-Semitism and Hate, training interfaith leaders to combat bias.

 

Rabbi Waxman stressed that while QJCC confronts anti-Semitism directly, its core mission is service: operating a kosher food pantry for thousands, delivering four kosher meals weekly to homebound seniors, and providing case assistance including SCRIE, Senior MetroCard help, immigration guidance, and translation services. QJCC also partners with Met Council for SNAP enrollment twice weekly and, through the Charles B. Wang Community Health Center, employs Marina Litman as a New York State Department of Health navigator while hosting a Facilitated Enroller for Medicaid and Medicare assistance.

Rabbi Dr. Dov Lerner, mara d’asra of YIJE, delivered a stirring invocation on sacred hatred – not of people, but of injustice – and the moral urgency leaders must feel to protect the vulnerable.

 

QJCC President Barry Grodenchik spoke candidly about rising challenges: armed security at synagogues, increasing hate crimes, and a recent pro-Hamas protest near the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills and the Yeshiva of Central Queens. He thanked Governor Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James, and local officials for their condemnation, affirming that Queens Jews would remain visible and proud.

City Council Speaker Julie Menin, the first Jewish Speaker in New York City history, outlined a five-point plan to combat anti-Semitism: buffer zones around houses of worship and schools, security camera funding, security planning assistance, and expanded Holocaust education. She shared her family’s survival story in Budapest and warned that 34 percent of young Americans now believe the Holocaust is exaggerated or fictional – an “unconscionable” statistic.

 

The room reflected broad political support, with attendance from State Senators Leroy Comrie, John Liu, and Joseph Addabbo Jr.; Assemblymembers Sam Berger, Ed Braunstein, Alex Bores, Nily Rozic, and David Weprin; former Council Speaker Adrienne Adams; and representatives of Congressman Gregory Meeks, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, and Governor Kathy Hochul, among others.

State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli reaffirmed New York’s commitment to Israel Bonds and described millions in security grants being processed for religious institutions.

 

Attorney General Letitia James urged attendees to check in on one another – especially regarding mental health – and highlighted her office’s victories protecting SNAP, Head Start, domestic violence services, and the Hudson Tunnel project, while reaffirming support for the Jewish community in Crown Heights.

Congress Member Grace Meng emphasized bipartisan efforts to combat anti-Semitism, protect nonprofit security grants, and fund Israel’s defense systems, spotlighting new federal funding for houses of worship to hire security staff.

 

New York City Comptroller Mark Levine defended continued investment in Israel Bonds and described Queens as a microcosm of American Jewry, calling for continued visibility and engagement.

Congress Member Tom Suozzi warned that social media, partisan primaries, cable news, and foreign disinformation are deepening American division. Quoting Holocaust survivor Congressman Tom Lantos, he reminded the room that “the veneer of civilization is paper thin” and that defending it is everyone’s responsibility.

 

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz reported that anti-Semitic incidents now account for 55 percent of all hate crimes in New York City. She outlined recent prosecutions and confirmed the arrest of Rabbi Shushan’s assailant.

Katz administered the oath of office to the incoming QJCC Board of Directors and welcomed new members Retired Supreme Court Justice Jeff Leibowitz and Ruben Davidoff, Esq.

 

The event closed with remarks from Dan Rosenthal (former Assemblymember and UJA-Federation VP), Mark Treyger (JCRC-NY CEO), and Met Council CEO David Greenfield, each stressing the urgency of visibility, resilience, and communal responsibility in the face of rising anti-Semitism.

As guests thanked NYPD officers and Queens Shmira volunteers on their way out, one truth was clear: in Queens, standing together is not a slogan – it is daily practice. Amid the chill, that resolve burned stronger than ever.

 

Event cosponsors included: ADL New York/New Jersey; AJC New York; All About Kindness; Commonpoint; Congregation Etz Hayim; Margaret Tietz Nursing and Rehabilitation Center; Northeast Queens Jewish Community Council; Parker Jewish Institute; The Reform Temple of Forest Hills; StandWithUs; Yesodot; and Shimi Pelman.

By Shabsie Saphirstein