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The lasting legacy of David HaMelech are his writings (collectively known as T’hilim or Psalms), his moral legacy as a prophetic figure, and politically as a conqueror who expelled the Canaanites from Jerusalem and expanded Israel’s borders to their greatest extent. In contrast to the monarchs of his time, there is little archeological evidence testifying to his life.

As we daven for the r’fuah sh’leimah of Rabbi Paysach Krohn, the maggid of Queens, we recognize the many things he does for our people as a lecturer, author, and guide to Jewish history. In the latter role, he’s taken people on tours of kivrei tzadikim in Poland and cemeteries closer to home. Although I’ve never taken his tour of the cemetery belt on the Brooklyn-Queens border, I had the opportunity to visit Union Field Cemetery last month for the k’vurah of Marilyn Goldsmith, a resident of Fresh Meadows and mother to a close friend.

The evening following Shabbos VaYeitzei was scheduled for a melaveh malkah at the Hebrew Academy of Nassau County, the yeshivah in West Hempstead. Unknown to the faculty, parents, and students was the news that its founder, Rabbi Meyer Fendel, 94, died in Jerusalem. Upon learning of his passing, Rabbi Ouriel Hazan, the principal of HANC, expressed pride in the founder’s determination to create a yeshivah in West Hempstead, which made the community a magnet for Orthodox families.

For over three hours on Monday, members of the New York City Council questioned CUNY chancellor Felix Matos-Rodriguez on the uptick in anti-Semitic incidents in the country’s largest public urban university.

The future of the country rested not only on Michigan and Pennsylvania, but also congressional districts where polls could only predict a tossup. New York’s Fourth District on the south side of Nassau County was one such example. While Donald Trump carried the majority of Long Island’s vote, in this district his party’s incumbent Rep. Anthony D’Esposito lost to Democrat Laura Gillen by 1.7 percent. Truly every vote mattered.

In the course of this year’s presidential election, as was the case in the past two elections, hyperbolic and patently false statements shared by Donald Trump receive their 15 minutes of coverage but without any harm to his poll numbers. These stories fade away and then another story emerges.