News

Belarus has long been described by western observers as the last dictatorship in Europe. It still has streets named after Marx, Lenin, and Dzerzhinsky; the state police still has the KGB initials, the red star adorns the state emblem, and its president, Alexander Lukashenko, has been in power for 26 years. But unlike the Chinese, the people of Belarus have access to an uncensored Internet, and many citizens have family members living abroad where there are more economic and political opportunities. This past Sunday, they voted in unprecedented numbers against Lukashenko’s bid for a sixth term.

 Keeping her promise to deliver Homeland Security funds to her district, Rep. Grace Meng announced this week that $1.6 million in grants have been awarded to 16 Jewish institutions across Queens.

Rabbi Manfred Gans, 96, Senior Rabbi of Congregation Machane Chodosh, devoted shepherd to a diverse flock in Forest Hills, died on Sunday, leaving memories of a multifaceted life that touched thousands of people from many walks of life.

When Allen Fagin assumed the role of Executive Vice President of the Orthodox Union more than six years ago, he considered it a temporary assignment, 18 months at most, following his retirement from 40 years of practicing law. But he stayed on as the organization expanded its programs amid challenges relating to the cost of living, anti-Semitism, and assimilation.

With most City Council seats up for grabs in next year’s election, David Aronov, 24, is seeking to make history in the district covering Rego Park, Forest Hills, and Kew Gardens. “Our community is the greatest at spreading the word. I will put up posters and flyers, and social media proves that you do not need a lot of money to run,” Aronov said.

Rep. Grace Meng, the establishment Democrat running for her fifth term, endorsed her freshman colleague Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in her reelection bid for the district covering western Queens and eastern Bronx. “One of the first town halls we held in relation to the coronavirus in Queens – she and I set that town hall up with all our relevant hospitals. And that was way in the beginning,” Meng said in an interview on City Watch, a news show on the leftist radio station WBAI. “She’s been on most if not all of the calls we’ve had. We’ve had a lot of New York delegation calls.”