Local

Nargis Malayev’s Story

In the spring of 2020, when the whole world was hit by a global pandemic, in this monstrous time, our community lost dozens of people daily. On April 3, the Pinkhasov family was completely orphaned, having lost their mother, Chorman Pinkhasova, on that day. On April 5, at the time of the funeral, the heartbroken Chorman children were not even allowed near their mother’s body for identification, even to say a final goodbye. It seemed that everything bad that could have happened on that day had already occurred. But having approached the freshly dug grave of the deceased, the children in bewilderment discover the head stone of their father’s grave tilted and tied with ropes.

The Nassau County Legislature declared that End Jew Hatred Day will be recognized annually, on April 29.

End Jew Hatred Day acknowledges the need to act against Jew-hatred across the country. In Nassau County, there has been a rise in attacks against the Jewish community, including flyers filled with hate messages being distributed recently in Rockville Centre, Long Beach, and Oceanside.

Emet Outreach hosted an extraordinary reunion when 66 couples, alumni of the Emet Leaders Fellowship, gathered at the LaKota Oaks resort in Norwalk, Connecticut, for a three-day retreat. They were joined by Emet staff members and their spouses for a Torah-infused weekend of meaningful classes and relationship-building activities. “This retreat focused on the theme of ‘Reaching Higher’ in our relationships with Hashem and our spouses,” said Rabbi Akiva Rutenberg, Emet Co-Founder and Director. “It was also a chance to spend time together and strengthen our relationships with Emet’s alumni, whom we think of as family. We’ve watched many of them grow since they were in college, and we want them to know that we’re here to support them as they build their own Jewish families.”

An Invitation To The One Israel Fund BBQ And Wine Tasting

Preparations are underway for One Israel Fund 13^th Annual Summer BBQ and Fine Israeli Wine Tasting, an annual event that raises funds for Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. This year’s event will take place at the home of Joseph and Jenny Felder in Lawrence, NY, on the evening of August 15.  The couple, together with an All-Star Committee, invites everyone to join them in supporting One Israel Fund while enjoying a phenomenal BBQ by Graze Smoke House, paired with a full array of Israeli wines. And all sponsors will go home with a fantastic bottle of wine as well.

Recently, Rabbi Daniel Pollack, Jewish liaison to Congress Member Grace Meng, led a delegation of Queens yeshivah principals in discussing educational issues affecting the Orthodox Jewish community with State Senator Leroy Comrie. The senator was recently redistricted to serve many of the families educated within the institutions these principals direct. Some of the schools, as well, fall in the senator’s new district map.

During the first Shabbos following Tish’ah B’Av, we read the first of the seven special haftaros of n’chamah, giving klal Yisrael comfort after our period of mourning. The haftaros tell of the coming of Mashiach and the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash, which gives us hope that although we have suffered a great loss, there will be a time when the mourning comes to an end.