Rabbi Blog

Dear QJC Family,

Eliana and I would like to thank everyone for an amazing Yamim Nora’im season. From selichot through hakafot, it was great to daven, learn, and celebrate together. Thank you to everyone who worked hard to make it all happen.

Although I mentioned this on the morning of Simchat Torah, I would like to remind everyone that we encourage anyone who received an honor on Simchat Torah to make a donation to the rabbi’s fund. Over the past few months, I have already received a number of requests for tzedakah, and your assistance is greatly appreciated.

Here are a few things I would like to call to everyone’s attention as we move into the new year:

1) Show Up For Shabbat - This Shabbat, October 25-26, we will mark one year since the horrific shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. The week after the attack last year, the American Jewish Committee initiated “Show Up For Shabbat” to show our solidarity with the Pittsburgh community and to demonstrate our resilience. Once again, AJC is promoting the “Show Up For Shabbat” initiative to commemorate the event and to remind the world to fight antisemitism and all hatred.
Queens Jewish Center has officially signed up to be a participating synagogue. Our participation demonstrates our unity with the American Jewish community and our determination for shul to remain a holy place for prayer.
Although it has been a long season of being in shul, I strongly encourage everyone to attend shul this Shabbat for this initiative. I would even encourage anyone who can to attend one more minyan this Shabbat than you normally attend. May this year bring our community safety and only smachot.

2) New Chesed Initiative! Central Queens Jewish Community Circle Visiting Senior Program - this is a new initiative to visit homebound seniors in Forest Hills/Rego Park. If you would like to sign up, please fill out this form or reach out to queensjewishcommunitycircle@gmail.com for more information.

3) New Parasha Shiur! Beginning Wednesday, November 6, I will give a parasha shiur every Wednesday night. Maariv will be at 7:30 pm, and the shiur will be at 7:45 pm. We will explore a halachic topic from the parasha, based on the incredible shiurim from Rav Osher Weiss shlit”a, and we will also find a meaningful, timely message in each topic to keep us inspired from week to week.

4) Minyanim - as usual, but especially as mincha/maariv get earlier each week, please support our minyanim if you are able to. Late maariv will begin on Monday, November 4 at 7:30pm.

Stay tuned for events coming up over the next couple of months, including a tisch and scholar-in-residence!

Warmly,

Rabbi Judah Kerbel