Dear ,

On Rosh Hashana Chabad's Shofar in the Park was full with people of all ages, proudly listening to the Shofar and celebrating together.

Read below "Stories of Change" for my own Rosh Hashana in the park experience.

Chabad's volunteers also visited dozens of homes and were stationed in central places to help those who are home bound be able to hear the Shofar.

Yom Kippur brought with it a full house of people who gathered together to pray on this holy day. Many Jews who don't usually have the opportunity to join prayers joined together on this one day a year, and asked Hashem for forgiveness and for a good year.

Thank you Larissa K. for sponsoring the break fast in honor of her parents.

On Sukkot we had Lulav and Esrog visitations throughout the entire week, enabling hundreds of people to do the Mitzvah of Shaking the four kinds. We also had dozens of senior Chabad Yeshiva boys who braved the rain and walked all the way from Brooklyn to dance on the streets and celebrate the holiday with us.

Thank you to Avner and Melissa W. for sponsoring the Hoshana Rabba and Shemini Atzeres meal, in memory of Aharon Chaim Ben Shamai Hanolad Mi Esther

As we were in midst of the holiday of Sukkos, we were blessed with another celebration: the birth of a baby girl! We celebrated her birth over the last two days of the holiday, during Hakafot of Simchat Torah. Thank you all who joined in the celebration and wished her well.

We are 5 years strong!

For the 5th year in a row, the streets of Queens were closed down for a Sukkos Unity Celebration - a grand concert featuring Ashkenazi Star Arye Kunstler and Sefardic Star Shimon Deri took over the community with dance, song, and hours of holiday celebration.

Thank you to our sponsors! Your support brought joy, music and dancing to the whole community.

(click the image to watch the video)

We were honored to be featured in the Jewish news! See how our community came together. 

Queens Jewish Link: Read the full article here.
Bukharian Jewish Link: Read the full article here.

As the holidays wind down and the regular school year resumes, it's time to provide Jewish clubs to the kids in public school! Chabad's programs in Forest Hills High School, Halsey and Russel Sage Middle schools are about to resume. See the flyers below.

Begins Tuesday, October 20
Register at ChabadYQ.com/RS190

Begins Wednesday, October 14

Begins Friday, October 16

 I take a deep breath.

I turn around to see the huge crowd of hundreds surrounding me from all sides.

I see a personal injury lawyer on one side, a mother of six on the other, children of all ages, teens that I recognize from my teen programs, and the good ol' Jewish grandma.

All, with their eyes closed, focused.

The playground is quiet. The basketball was left mid air, and the slides are empty. The only thing that was heard was the ice cream truck driver trying to figure out where all his little customers went.

And I give that final Shofar blast. The Tekiya Geeeeeeeeeedola.

At that moment, I am full of feeling.

A feeling of awe - in awe of the proud Jewish teens, who left their non-Jewish teammates scratching their heads at their absence.

A feeling of thanks - thankful for the mission to be there for each other, joined as one community.

And a feeling of hope - hope for a Jewish future. Because no matter where we are on the social scale, no matter what class or party we label ourselves with, we are all present, experiencing the same simple Shofar blast, and the same united Jewish soul.

An experience that must stay with us for the year, and fuel the future generation.

And as I open my eyes, and my kids begin distributing the laffy taffys, I am approached by the mom of a public school student:

'Rabbi, how do I get my child to more Jewish programs?'

And I give a quiet smile. Thanking Hashem for the sign that our mission is succeeding, that the Jewish people do not disappoint. And that we are clearly closer to Moshaich than we may imagine.

Warm Regards and Moshiach now,

Rabbi Yaakov Horvitz

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