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An estimated 767 individuals, about 480 households, benefited from the free food packages given at the Forest Hills Jewish Center on August 30 for the upcoming Jewish holidays.

“Why would Forest Hills resident Noach ben Avraham want to convert to Judaism, especially now?” is a question that hangs in the air among his fellow Jews. “Their question echoes centuries of trauma, amplified by the recent surge of anti-Semitism,” he said.

For those who have lost a loved one, no matter when, the upcoming Jewish holidays can be challenging. Skills for coping with grief during this time were featured at an online meeting on August 24. The Central Queens Jewish Community Circle co-sponsored the event with The Jewish Board of Family and Children Services.

Reuven Morrison didn’t have to confront the terrorists at Bondi Beach, Australia, on December 14, 2025.  He could have stayed on the ground, covering his head like the three police officers assigned that first night of Chanukah.  When Morrison saw that something needed to be done, and nobody else was doing it, he did it, said his daughter, Sheina Gutnick, at Chabad of Forest Hills North on Father’s Day, June 21.

Shloshim for Arlene Ross was held at Congregation Havurat Yisrael in Forest Hills on August 16. More than 45 people, including her daughter, Ariella, and people on Zoom, attended the siyum and special breakfast.

Rabbi David Algaze’s last day as full-time rabbi of the synagogue he created in 1981, Congregation Havurat Yisrael in Forest Hills, will be on June 6. Rabbi and Rebbetzin Tamara Algaze will relocate to Miami Beach, Florida. Both hope to spend more time with family.