Local

Petty crimes committed locally have unfortunately almost become accepted as the norm now, as residents are forced to keep a keen eye out for suspicious behavior right here in our neighborhoods. This past Thursday evening, I was fortunate to join a friend of the community, Deputy Inspector Kevin Chan, Commanding Officer of the 107^th Precinct, for an informative Zoom call hosted by the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills and its mara d’asra Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld.

We are saddened to inform the community of the passing of Dr. Marshall Michael (Moshe Mordechai ben Nasan) Joffe z”l, a brilliant gem of our neighborhood, last Tuesday, October 5. Dr. Joffe, 59, was a gentle and kind, devoted member of the Kew Gardens Hills community, who excelled professionally as a prolific researcher of statistical science. Amongst his peers, Dr. Joffe is remembered for his groundbreaking work in causal inference, which influenced biostatistics and epidemiology. Most notable were his clinical research advances in nephrology and his teaching career as a longtime professor at the University of Pennsylvania. Many of his revolutionary ideas and philosophies were detailed in published journals.

In T’hilim, Psalm 27, David HaMelech beseeches, “Let me dwell in the House of Hashem all the days of my life, behold the pleasantness of Hashem, and to visit in His Sanctuary.” How can David HaMelech live somewhere permanently and yet merely be a visitor? Rabbi Zvi Sobolofsky explains that David HaMelech is asking Hashem to help him always have the excitement of a first-time experience when he serves Hashem. David HaMelech desires to be a dweller all of his days but yet never lose the passion of a visitor.

The Women’s Division of Emet Outreach kicked off their fall programming with an evening of timely inspiration. Over 100 young women packed the Young Israel of Jamaica Estates to hear from renowned speaker Mrs. Jackie Bitton. The relevant theme of the night was “Back to Routine…Now What?” Ms. Adina Fendel, Emet Women’s Director, explained, “The idea was to get right back into consistent Torah learning the first week after Yom Tov, as everyone once again juggles school, work, and family.”

The inception of Jewish life in Kew Gardens Hills many decades ago brought an expansion of Torah that continues to blossom on the very same streets today. The construction of the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills, under the guidance of Rav Fabian Schonfeld zt”l, the shul’s rabbi emeritus, took on a greater role as the facility breached on capacity, the essence of Torah and Yiddishkeit forever sown into its very walls.

The Queens Jewish community held a successful fundraiser lending support to the Honorable David J. Kirschner, a candidate for Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York. Held on Wednesday evening, October 6, at the home of David and Paula Berger in Kew Gardens Hills, elected officials, community leaders, and old and new friends gathered to wish Kirschner a special happy birthday. With barely two weeks until early voting opens statewide on October 23, and absentee voting already underway, Kirschner has shown that one can serve with distinction.