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Gabriel Boxer, known to many in the Jewish world as the Kosher Guru, is no stranger to Queens. Gabriel, a prodigy of the former Yeshiva Dov Revel of Forest Hills, now home to a division of Touro College and Bnos Malka Academy, grew up in Hillcrest, where his parents Nina and Tim Boxer, members of the Young Israel of Hillcrest and Rabbi Binyomin Ruttner’s Adas Yeraim, reside. “They are both very warm, friendly, and very genuine; always smiling,” related Rabbi Dr. Richard Weiss, rav of the Young Israel of Hillcrest. The two of them are low-key and are known to act quietly, with much dignity. “Tim is a very religious person who loves going to shul, despite life’s struggles. Nina shares the credit for this, as her devotion to Tim in making sure he gets to shul is remarkable.”

The name Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm evokes an array of memories stemming from his brilliant mind and wellspring of writings, including addresses that have left an indelible mark on listeners. The rabbi’s intellectual humor made those engaged in friendly conversation think, and his humility is quite notable. Nonetheless, no discussion can be had without the mention of his wife, Mindy a”h, who passed at the end of April of this year. Rabbi Lamm is best remembered for supporting Yeshiva University’s philosophy of Torah U’madda, that Orthodox Jews can thrive in both Torah learning and having a productive role in modern society.

We live in an amazing community. In a previous article, I mentioned all the heroes on my block in Kew Gardens Hills; now, I would like to single out another special group of people who shine, bringing positivity and sparkle to many people during all times and especially during this difficult time. I interviewed several local psychotherapists and psychologists to find out how this virus has affected their work and their thoughts about it. I found their positive outlook and thoughts so inspiring.

Rabbi Menachem Rottenberg z”l, who passed away May 16 at the age of 96, was a prime example of the continuation of world Jewry, and helped lay a foundation that influenced thousands of students at a prominent Queens yeshivah.

 Night Seder America began as a small endeavor by a rebbe yearning to educate his talmidim, and soon evolved into a riveting nightly display of a remarkable kiddush Hashem. As the reality of the restrictions of the global pandemic set in, parents of elementary yeshivah boys in grades 6 through 8 sought an outlet to entertain their children in a manner that upholds their family values and maintains the fire of Torah. Night Seder America, NSA for short, led by Rabbi Ari Schonfeld, started on Thursday evening, March 19, by just word of mouth, and continues to shine as an innovative resource that has stepped up to bring 45 minutes of unique kosher content on a nightly basis via the Zoom videoconferencing platform.

Last Thursday, the residents of Kew Gardens Hills experienced an event that was a bright spot amid the dreariness of the coronavirus quarantine: a parade of ambulances, fire trucks, and police cars on Main Street, to celebrate the selfless, live-saving work of Queens Hatzolah volunteers during this pandemic. “The volunteers are beyond incredible; their call volume had doubled, and it wasn’t spaced out evenly,” said Shiu Reichmann, a longtime Queens Hatzolah coordinator.