The Briarwood community will gather on Sunday, August 23, at 10 a.m. for the official dedication of “Rabbi Mendel Kaufman Way,” honoring the longtime rav of the Young Israel of Briarwood, whose decades of harbatzas Torah, guidance, and devotion helped shape Jewish life in the neighborhood.
The dedication follows the New York City Council’s passage of legislation co-naming the intersection of Daniels Street and Pershing Crescent in Rabbi Kaufman’s memory. Council Member James F. Gennaro, who represents the area, spearheaded the measure and successfully shepherded it through the City Council.
For generations of Briarwood families, Rabbi Kaufman was far more than the rav of a shul. He was a trusted moreh derech and mentor who was there for individuals and families through every stage of life. His warmth, wisdom, and devotion to the tzibur helped foster the close-knit spirit that came to define the Briarwood Jewish community.
Those who knew Rabbi Kaufman remember a rav whose leadership was rooted in Torah, chesed, and a deep sense of responsibility for others. His influence extended well beyond his own congregation, strengthening Jewish life throughout Briarwood and touching countless people who turned to him for counsel and support.
The effort to name a street in his memory grew from a desire to ensure that his decades of avodas ha’kodesh would remain part of the neighborhood to which he gave so much of himself.
“Rabbi Kaufman’s legacy is one of unity, education, and love,” supporters wrote while advocating for the co-naming. “His teachings and deeds continue to inspire us, urging everyone to live with kindness and integrity.”
With the Council’s approval, his name will now become a permanent part of the neighborhood he served.
“It is a privilege to honor Rabbi Kaufman’s extraordinary contributions with this lasting tribute, ensuring that his name and legacy will continue to inspire Briarwood, Queens, and all those whose lives he touched for generations to come,” Gennaro said.
The official co-naming ceremony will take place Sunday, August 23, at 10 a.m. at the Young Israel of Briarwood, Rabbi Kaufman’s longtime shul. Community members, friends, former congregants, and all those whose lives were touched by Rabbi Kaufman are invited to attend the unveiling of Rabbi Mendel Kaufman Way and join together in giving kavod to the memory of a rav who gave decades of his life to the Briarwood community.
By Shabsie Saphirstein
