COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

Community Highlights

Orthodox Jews Join Mayor Adams’ Senior Staff

Fred Kreizman and Menashe Shapiro were appointed by Mayor Eric Adams to his senior staff last month. Fred Kreizman served in the administration of former Mayor Michael Bloomberg as a deputy commissioner and Jewish liaison. He will now serve in the Adams administration as commissioner of the mayor’s community affairs unit. Menashe Shapiro, who has served as an advisor during mayoral campaigns of both Bloomberg and  Adams, has been appointed deputy chief of staff. Edward Mermelstein has been appointed commissioner of the mayor’s office of international affairs. This is the highest post ever given to a member of the Russian speaking-community. He comes to his job in City Hall as the chair of the Council of Jewish Émigré Community Organizations.

First-Time Tuition Aid for Parents in Lakewood Private Schools

Families in Lakewood whose 2020 income fell below their 2019 income because of the pandemic are now eligible for special grants to cover school educational costs including tuition for private schools. Rabbi Avi Schnall, director of the New Jersey Agudath Israel office said last month, “This is the first time ever in the Garden State that there will be real money being allocated to families for educational expenses.” Grants will begin with a minimum of $2,500. In Lakewood, the grants are being sponsored by the Lakewodd Township as a result of the federal  American Rescue Plan’s financial aid for parents of students in private schools.

NYPD Arrest Islamic Suspect of Attack on Jew

College students Blake Zavadsky and his friend Ilan Kaganovich were shopping for shoes in the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn in late December when confronted by two men who took offense to Zavadsky’s IDF hoodie. The men insulted Zavadsky and Kaganovich by calling them “dirty Jews” and ordered Zavadsky to remove his hoodie. One of the men then proceeded to punch Zavadsky in the face twice. Based on photos from security cameras, suspect Suleiman Othman of Staten Island was arrested last month by the New York Police Department. Othman was charged with third degree assault as a hate crime, two counts of menacing in the third degree, and varied accounts of harassment. Zavadsky proclaimed that he will not be intimidated by the attack and will continue wearing the IDF sweatshirt. “Nothing is going to stop me from believing what I believe,” Zavadsky said. 

Rabbi Dr. Jack Cohen on Dating with Wisdom

Rabbi Dr. Jack Cohen, a world-renowned dating coach and shadchan, spoke last month in Brooklyn at K’hal Bnai Avrohom Yaakov on the important topic of “Dating with Wisdom in 2022.” With many people talking of the growing shidduch crisis in the frum community, Rabbi Dr. Cohen has devoted the past several years to helping hundreds if not thousands of Jewish singles, divorcees, and widow/widowers find their bashert. His activities have been endorsed by many prominent and leading Rabbanim. Hundreds of his lecture on all aspects of shidduchim and shalom bayis can be found on Torahanytime.com.

OHEL Workshops for Family Members of Developmentally Disabled

Do you have a family member with developmental disabilities? OHEL Children’s Home and Family Services is offering you a chance to get educated on important issue to help your family members. The February 8 workshop will discuss best kept secrets: services wants and wishes; the March 8 workshop will offer tips on how to juggle and not drop the important role of managing one’s family; the May 10 workshop on getting to know how to help your child meet and greet: and the June 14 workshop that will focus on trusts, guardianships, and estate planning. 

Flatbush Community Fund Distributes Essential Winter Items 

Last month, hundreds of Flatbush families benefited from an awesome two-day giveaway of essential winter items such as shovels, coats, winter clothing, heaters, blankets, and heating pads. The distribution was orchestrated by the Flatbush Community Fund that has for the past three years attempted to centralize social services in collaboration with over 100 Rabbanim and community leaders. 

Dirshu World Siyum for North America

Dirshu will hold the North American siyum for the Daf Hayomi B’Halachah in Trenton, NJ on March 3. The siyum for men will take place at the Cure Insurance Arena, and for women at the Patriots War Memorial Center. Other siyumim for the Daf Hayomi B’Halachah have already been held in Radin and Vilna. Similarly inspiring programs will be held in Eretz Yisrael, France, England, South America, South Africa, and Australia.

The JCCMP partnered with Met Council for a Food Distribution for the

community. Yehuda Schupper of Assemblywoman Helene Weinstein’s

office distributed free COVID testing kits and hand sanitizer.

Paint night at the JCCMP Girls’ Motzei Shabbos Program.