On Sunday morning, October 18, a large crowd gathered to celebrate the opening of the new office of the Queens Jewish Link and to show support for Israel. The new office is located at 68-68 Main Street.

Mr. Yaakov Serle, Founder and Publisher of the Queens Jewish Link, welcomed everyone. He shared that the new office has a conference room that can be used for political meetings in addition to the email and the newspaper. All the local politicians and many local rabbanim attended this gala event, which included delicious food from Soy Sauce.

Congresswoman Grace Meng voiced her congratulations to the Queens Jewish Link and she spoke about her sympathy for victims and their families in Israel. She stated that the United States and Congress stand with our friend and ally Israel.

Next, Councilman Rory Lancman condemned the savagery and barbarity in Israel when individuals are incited to inflict random violence on people they don’t know. He urged that we must wage an unrelenting war against ISIS and the Taliban and anyone who incites this violence.

He noted that it is hard to imagine a time when Queens didn’t possess its own paper. “This is our own paper for our community. We read it every week.” Lancman pointed out that the Queens Jewish Link is having a positive influence on what happens in government as it focuses the local legislators and they make sure they are doing what the community wants. He stated, “Thank you for being such an important part of Jewish life in our community.”

Next, Assemblyman David Weprin spoke and voiced his support of Israel. Following this, New York City comptroller, Scott Stringer, imparted that knowledge is power. The Queens Jewish Link keeps the community connected. He thanked Congresswoman Grace Meng for her unwavering support of Israel. He said she is good for the Jews, as are our other local politicians. Mr. Stringer emphasized that we as Jews must be able to move freely all over the world.

Mr. Yaakov Serle noted that our children in seminary and yeshiva in Israel are in lockdown. That’s not living. That’s being in prison. They can’t walk the streets of Jerusalem safely. We have to do something about this. It’s up to us to change the media. The Queens Jewish Link needs to get the word out to the rest of the media, which is generally not aligned with Israel, he said.

Mr. Peter Koo, City Council Member of Flushing, expressed his thanks to the Queens Jewish Link and his community’s support of Israel.

After this, Mr. Michael Simanowitz, who helped found the Queens Jewish Link, shared that Queens needed a voice of its own. He stated that Mr. Serle has been amazing bringing the community this weekly newspaper. He complimented Congresswoman Grace Meng on her support of Israel. He then noted that the President and State Department have their heads buried in the ground, stating that we need the Queens Jewish Link to publicize support for Israel. It is time in the United States to tell the President and the State Department enough is enough. The Queens Jewish Link is the voice that says, “We stand with Israel.”

Rabbi Moshe Turk, Director of the Jewish Heritage Center of Queens and Long Island, led everyone in reciting tehillim for Israel. Rabbi Turk praised the Queens Jewish Link for being a source of unity in our community. He thanked Yaakov Serle, Yaniv Meirov and Mr. Naftali Szrolovits, managing editor, who works so tirelessly on behalf of the Queens Jewish Link.

Rabbi Simcha Hochberg, mara d’Asra of Young Israel of Jamaica Estates, pointed out how special it is that the Queens Jewish Link is linked to a Torah point of view. “This paper tries to link all types of Jews together,” he stated. “Chaverim Kol Yisrael. That will bring Mashiach.”

Rabbi Avraham Nissanian, mara d’Asra of Shaare Tova, blessed the paper with continued success and thanked them for bringing so much Torah and unity to our community.

There was delicious food and a dramatic ribbon-cutting with a giant scissor, held by Congresswoman Grace Meng and other politicians with Mr. Serle.

On this crisp, October morning the chill in the air was warmed by the good wishes and celebration of our local paper, the Queens Jewish Link, that brings so much achdus to our community, and the knowledge that our local politicians are all supporting Israel with us.

By Susie Garber