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The Jewish community of Queens has a myriad of volunteer organizations that add to the betterment of our lives and those of our neighbors. Despite his untimely passing, the work of chaplaincy was beautifully showcased by the sincere devotion of Rabbi David Keehn z”l. Throughout the blocks of Queens there are ample chaplains – both men and women – ready, willing, and able to step up to help friends, neighbors, and brethren. The Queens Jewish Link took some time to speak with Rabbi Chaplain Mendy Coën, Director-General at the United States Chaplain Corps (USCC), and some of his team to get a better grasp of their outreach efforts to access and help others.

Back on December 2, CUNY Law Student Government Association (LSGA) passed a resolution that “proudly and unapologetically” endorsed the BDS movement against Israel and condemned pro-Israel student groups on campus. Subsequently, Chancellor Matos Rodríguez of the City University of New York (CUNY) rejected the declaration. “These organizations speak for themselves and the opinions or positions they express are entirely theirs and do not represent the views of CUNY or the majority of the 300,000 members of our community,” expressed Rodriguez. “I am focused on elevating dialogue and building bridges between people and groups of different backgrounds whose beliefs and divergent experiences and histories sometimes place them at odds. Now, more than ever, I believe it is incumbent on all of us, especially those of us in higher education, to promote tolerance and civic engagement, and to commit ourselves to coming together, hard as it may often seem, to forge mutual understanding as members of this widely diverse University community.”

The Coalition for Jewish Values (CJV), representing over 2,000 traditional, Orthodox rabbis in American public policy, called today upon universities to abandon “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) efforts, pending a comprehensive review to ensure that such programs do not promote antisemitic bias. A recent Heritage Foundation paper, entitled “Inclusion Delusion: The Antisemitism of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Staff at Universities,” determined that “Rather than promoting diversity and inclusion, universities may be contributing to an increase in anti-Jewish hatred by expanding DEI staff and power.”

A memorandum alleging that ultra-Orthodox yeshivahs do not provide substantially equivalent education as public schools was sent to the desk of Mayor-elect Eric Adams on December 20 by Naftuli Moster, Executive Director of Yaffed, an advocacy group hellbent on destroying the yeshivah system.

Rabbi Yosef Gesser, author of Hamodia’s “Monuments to Nobility in Our Backyard, conducts a tour to kivrei tzadikim at Mount Judah Cemetery in Queens this past Friday. The group visited the k’varim of HaRav Shlomo Heiman zt”l, HaRav Yaakov Kamenetsky zt”l, HaRav Henoch Leibowitz zt”l, the wife of the Chofetz Chaim, and many other Torah luminaries.

Since Kathleen Courtney Hochul began her stint as governor of New York on August 24, 2021, she has worked tirelessly to gain the support of her constituents. To rebuild New York State post-pandemic, Hochul celebrated a key milestone this past week, announcing the Port Authority’s transformation of John F. Kennedy International Airport with the groundbreaking of a $1.5 billion privately financed expansion and modernization of Terminal 4, to be completed within two short years. “Today’s groundbreaking is a huge part in the story of New York’s comeback from the hardship we underwent during the pandemic,” Hochul said. “The economic impact of this transformation will be felt for decades, while solidifying our state’s global leading role in welcoming visitors from abroad and those returning home. I look forward to all this partnership with the Port Authority and Delta will bring to New York.” Plans are set to include a major concourse expansion to add ten new gates, the renovation of existing concourses, and roadway upgrades to improve access for vehicles.