Community Magazine June 2019

Hacham Baruch Kollel & Hesed Fund It was so heartwarming to read about the history of Maskeel El Dal, the Hacham Baruch Kollel & Hesed Fund, and learn about how they helped so many families in our community. Hacham Baruch Ben-Haim, zt”l , was a teacher to my father, David Hanon, and many of his contemporaries. Hacham Baruch was a true leader that the community respected and looked up to. He led and taught with an iron fist and a gentle tongue - and ruled according to the person’s level. B”H , the community has vastly grown since Hacham Baruch was the rabbi at Shaare Zion. May his legacy continue in the words of Torah that he imparted to his students and the community. And, as the Hacham often said, may we “always move forward.” Raquel B. DJ Cohen, A”H Last month’s story about DJ Cohen (Not All Superheroes Wear Capes, DJ Wore a Smile) deeply touched my soul. His special ability to see with such clarity the hand of Hashem in all that occurred to him during his battle with cancer and his outlook on the developments were truly inspiring. My heart aches for his wife and family. I cannot imagine what they must be going through. However, they should know (and I’m sure they do) that DJ touched the lives of many and will continue to do so. He certainly touched mine. May Hashem bless DJ’s family, friends, and loved ones, and may they be strengthened and comforted. Michael A. AIPAC 2019 I read last month’s article about the AIPAC 2019 conference with great interest. It is puzzling tome that whenmy friends and business associates talk to each other about the current political situation and the increasing amount of anti-Semitic remarks from the freshman Democrats that the same question pops up - “How do we get them out of office?” Well – it’s called voting. Freshman Democratic congresswomen, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC), Ilhan Abdullahi Omar, and Rashida Tlaib (who recently tweeted “Free Palestine” and bashed Israel in Congress) will be up for re-election again in the not too distant future. It will be more telling if they are re-elected in 2022, after they have proven to be supporters of terrorism in the Middle East, than it was when they were elected in 2018. There is no trick to firing bad politicians - you need to vote them out! Greg F. Flatbush Shomrim To the wonderful members of Flatbush Shomrim Safety Patrol, There are not enoughwords to express my gratitude to you all. On April 25, 2019 you responded to a call of a missing elderly woman with Dementia. That woman was my mother. Within minutes you quickly responded. You were strangers who didn’t care about my religion or race and knew nothing of my family, and yet, you did not hesitate to help me. Every time I turned, another Shomrim member was there to support me, passing on information, and making every effort to find my mother. Your patience, concern, and determination reassured me she would be found. And she was. What can I say, except – Thank you! I want everyone to know what a true blessing the Flatbush Shomrim members are for our community. With deepest appreciation, Teresa Gentile Propel Just writing in to say that although I’m an at-home mother with no plans to join the workforce, I look forward to reading the Propel column every month. I really enjoy reading the genuine success stories about the women in our community. Pnina W. mAY 2019 ISSUE Tell us what you really think! Send us a letter! Letters submitted become the property of Community Magazine and will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. Letters may be edited and revised for length, style and grammar before publication. All submissions are considered for publication unless otherwise requested. email: letters@CommunityM.com WEB: www.CommunityM.com Fax: 718-504-4246 POST: Community Magazine 1616 Ocean Pkwy Brooklyn, NY 11223 l tters NotAllSuperheroesWearCapes,DJCohenWore aSmile >Page34 VolumeXVIIINumber 8 Nissan - Iyar 5779 May 2019 COMMUNITY ThePowerofUnity WordsofRabbiEli J.Mansour ReadAbout theHacham BaruchKollel andHesed FundExpansionPlans! 16 Community Magazine