News

The punch in the eye that Blake Zavadsky received on Monday followed the assailant’s asking, “Why are you in our neighborhood?” The victim was wearing a hoodie with the logo of the Israeli Army while shopping at a Foot Locker in Bay Ridge with his friend Ilan Kaganovich.

The Coalition for Jewish Values (CJV), representing over 2,000 traditional, Orthodox rabbis in American public policy, called this week for Senators and Representatives to use the upcoming second session of the 117^th Congress to better take into account the views, interests, and rights of millions of Americans. CJV President Rabbi Pesach Lerner noted, “Numerous congressional actions over the past year threatened not only Jewish religious interests, but an environment conducive to progress on issues that all Americans respect and value.”

Havurat Yisrael, the Forest Hills synagogue led by Rabbi David Algaze, celebrated its 40^th anniversary at a Gala Dinner held on Sunday, December 12, at Congregation Beth Sholom in Lawrence. The Rabbi and his wife were honored for his founding of the synagogue and his long leadership. Honored also were four of the founding families, David & Ruth Better, Jack & Shulie Goldhaber, Bruce & Miriam Jacobs, and Stuart & Judy Rosen. These families were at the founding of the synagogue and continue to serve as leaders of the congregation.

Emet Outreach has added “parenting” to the impactful and relevant topics at their monthly Couples Division workshops. Interested participants gathered at the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills for the first session on “Parenting 911: Using Ancient Values in Modern Times.” The class, which was taught from a Torah perspective, was a welcome offering. “As many of our alumni are now raising families, Emet is growing along with them,” said Rabbi Akiva Rutenberg, Emet Co-Founder and Director. “We’re always looking to support our students at every stage of their spiritual and personal journey, so parenting is the latest milestone on the continuum of classes we want to share.”

This January, the Orthodox Union Women’s Initiative will be celebrating the culmination of its first two-year Nach Yomi cycle, featuring shiurim from women scholars, with a series of celebratory events in New York, Israel, and across the country. The Torat Imecha Nach Yomi program began in January 2020 and has featured daily downloadable audio shiurim on Nach (the Prophets and Writings).

Rabbi Binyamin Grossman electrified the crowd at the Yeshiva Madreigas HaAdam 23^rd annual dinner with the announcement of their newest branch in the sixth borough of New York City. Yes, a new satellite yeshivah location recently opened in North Miami Beach, Florida. Yeshiva Madreigas HaAdam of Miami opened in Cheshvan this year and recently moved to its new permanent home on December 21. It was created as a brand-new branch of its parent yeshivah, Yeshiva Madreigas HaAdam in Hillcrest, Queens, and the two institutions share a Rosh HaYeshivah, HaRav Moshe Faskowitz. In Miami, the yeshivah is led by Rabbi Binyamin Grossman, Menahel, and Rabbi Noach Peled, Maggid Shiur.