Bais Yaakov of Queens 8th-grade STEM classes study hydrophobicity

 By Chanita Teitz

Are you thinking of selling your home or do you know someone who might be selling? According to the National Association of Realtors, sale prices of homes have risen 6% from October 2015, and the housing inventory has dropped 0.5%. Here in Queens, we see this right before our eyes.

Prices of houses in Kew Gardens Hills, Hillcrest, Fresh Meadows, and Jamaica Estates have gone through the roof, and we sell them as fast as we list them. Prices continue to rise, and the predictions are that interest rates will also rise. They have already risen to 4.15% for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage and may continue to rise by a quarter of a percentage point. With continued tight inventory, home prices will stay high.

Although winter is traditionally considered off-season in real estate, this is a good time to sell for a good price as well as a good time to buy before interest rates continue to rise. Before you listen to anyone else, call us to know the true value of your home.

I also want to mention to my readers that my granddaughter Rivky Horowitz is training to run in the Yachad 10K half-marathon in Yerushalayim in March. Rivky’s goal is to raise $3,000. If you would like to help, visit www.jerusalem.teamyachad.com or search the Web for “Yachad Jerusalem Marathon 2017.” Scroll down to the featured runners and click on Rivky Horowitz. You will be able to make a pledge to help her reach her goal.

Yachad is the National Jewish Council for Disabilities and is a thriving international organization dedicated to helping Jewish individuals with disabilities be included in every aspect of Jewish life. They have social programming for all ages, Shabbatons, vocational training, and Israel Birthright trips among their services.

We are proud that Rivky is representing Team Central at the marathon and for her dedication to helping people with disabilities.

 

School News

Bais Yaakov of Queens 8th-grade STEM classes study hydrophobicity
Bais Yaakov of Queens 8th-grade STEM classes study hydrophobicity

QCC Hillel Pre-Chanukah Event

By Rabbi Moshe Bunin,

Director of Programming

 Queensborough Community College Hillel, in conjunction with EMET, Professor Reuven Zahavy, and others, hosted an awesome fun-filled and inspiring free pre-Chanukah Event with lots of tasty kosher foods, Jewish music, and Torah thoughts about Chanukah. It was attended by a wide range of Orthodox and not-yet-religious Jews from all walks of life.

QCC Hillel is a vital Orthodox-operated club that is geared for and enjoyed by everyone from all backgrounds and all levels of religiosity. The purpose of the club is to inspire Jewish students from all backgrounds to want to be more Jewish. The focus is on the awesome rabbis, inspiration, and the free kosher foods. This club gives the students the ability to be connected to G‑d and His Torah, and to connect with other Jews at the college and at EMET’s weekly “Shabbos at the Delmans” and other important EMET functions.

QCC Hillel meets almost every Wednesday in S224, 12:00—1:30 p.m. QCC Hillel has won countless awards from the college as the best club on campus and is highly regarded by the college president. QCC Hillel cannot do everything alone. They need your assistance, both financially and physically. QCC Hillel can be contacted via e-mail at QCCHillel613@gmail.com and via Facebook.

BYQ 8th-Grade STEM Classes Study Hydrophobicity

The eighth-grade STEM students at Bais Yaakov of Queens wrapped up their unit on materials engineering and their investigation of the polarity of water by testing the hydrophobicity of various common fabrics. Students learned that materials accept water differently. They were given samples of cotton, silk, wool, polyester, nylon, and a polyester Lycra blend. They measured how long it took for water to be absorbed by the materials, if the material was absorbed at all. They then soaked the materials and calculated the percentage of water-holding capacity of each fabric sample. A lively discussion ensued about which materials are best used for objects that need to be water-resistant and those that are better suited to absorbing water or sweat such as work clothes. The exploration raised many ideas about different fabrics and their varied uses. The girls were able to see the importance of choosing the right materials for each design.

Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz Addresses Shevach High School

Rosh Chodesh Kislev was celebrated at Shevach High School with the address of Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz, the rav of Beis Hakneseses of North Woodmere and maggid shiur at Lander College for Men. He connected with the girls immediately with his can-do yet humorous approach to growth.

Rabbi Lebowitz opened with thought-provoking questions on the upcoming yom tov of Chanukah. Do we celebrate the victory of war, or the finding of the untainted oil, or the eight days that the oil lasted before new pure oil could be procured? If we look to “Al HaNissim” for the answer, we would have to say that it is the victory that we remember.

Rabbi Lebowitz did not answer immediately but rather described the influences young people today are facing, which come from three different angles and shed light on the message of Chanukah throughout history.

The first influence is from the outside, where the world would like us to believe that we are not different and should not strive to be. Baruch Hashem, we are not persecuted like days of old, but there are still challenges to our being able to define ourselves on a higher level than the average person in society.

The second is from within, where friends are so important in how we act overall. Every person needs friends, but we should be trying to connect to people in a way that will bring us up and allow us to reach greater heights in observance and in kedushah overall.

The third is not even ideological, but addresses our sense of purpose in this world. We should not be counting raindrops, so to speak, but using our time and energy for goals that are meaningful to us individually and the Jewish people generally.

That is the message from the “Al HaNissim” we say during Chanukah. The miracle came through the pure oil but was not totally about the oil. It was about what the Jewish People are and can be, despite the challenges and influences of the world around us, both from within and from without. We must define ourselves vis-à-vis our mesorah and make choices that make us proud of ourselves and a pride to the Jewish nation.

The students left inspired and ready to take on the month in a positive way.

 

Upcoming Events

Weekly Parashas HaShavua Shiur. World-renowned maggid shiur and YU rebbe Rabbi Meir Goldwicht gives an easy-to-understand Hebrew parashah shiur at Young Israel of Hillcrest, 169-07 Jewel Avenue, on Thursdays at 8:00 p.m. For more information and schedule changes, call Sol Gelernter at 917-642-4548.

Casino Night. December 17. Have a great time while supporting the Young Israel of Holliswood’s youth department. Play awesome table games, and win fabulous prizes like a TV, Xbox, drone, kids’ books, diamond studs, Aron’s gift card, and more. Food and drinks will be served as well. Cost is $75/person. Register at yiholliswood.org/casinonight.

Kew Gardens Synagogue Bazaar Sale. Quality artwork, clothing, housewares, and electronics. 83-17 Lefferts Blvd. (near Metropolitan Avenue), Kew Gardens NY 11415. Saturday night, December 17, 7:30—10:00 p.m., Sunday, December 18 10:00 a.m.—5:00 p.m. Hot coffee and doughnuts available while you shop! Bring a friend and support a local shul while finding your (unhidden) treasure!

Completion of Sefer Torah. In memory of Rabbi Meir Bilitzky. On Sunday, December 18, 11:00 a.m. at the Young Israel of New Hyde Park, 264-15 77th Ave., New Hyde Park, NY 11040. There will be dancing after the Torah is completed followed by divrei zikaron from Rabbi Paysach Krohn and others. There are still many dedication opportunities. Visit http://tinyurl.com/RabbiBilitzkyTorah.

Queens Jewish Center 2nd Annual Yahrzeit Lecture Series. In memory of Rav Joseph Grunblatt, zt’l. A dinner and lecture will take place on Sunday evening, December 18, at 5:00 p.m., featuring the renowned psychologist and speaker, Dr. David Pelcovitz, on “Psychological and Jewish Insights Into Gratitude.” Dr. Pelcovitz is chair in psychology and Jewish education at Yeshiva University’s Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education & Administration. Dinner reservations are $30 for QJC members and $35 for not-yet-members. Kids under 12, half price. For more information, call 718-459-8432 or visit https://www.MyQJC.org/event/sir—dr.-david-pelcovitz.html. Sponsorships are welcome. Recommended sponsorships: $250 (includes two dinner reservations); $125 (includes 1 dinner reservation).

Chazaq of West Hempstead Chanukah Concert for Kids of All Ages. Uncle Moishy live in concert! ECC of West Hempstead. Sunday, December 18, showtime 11:00 a.m.; doors open at 10:30 a.m. Tickets $15. Purchase tickets at LI Judaica, 350 Hempstead Avenue, or call Robbie Aboff at 516-455-7710, or order online at Jewishtickets.com.

Relationships by the Extraordinary Mrs. Tammy Karmel. Monday, December 19. Doors open at 8:15 p.m. Program starts 8:30 p.m. sharp! Donation (tax-deductible): $10. 72-23 139th Street (side entrance).

YESS! 25th Anniversary. Thanks to your support, YESS! (Yeshivah Education for Special Students) continues to successfully educate children from throughout the metropolitan New York area in grades K-8 with learning disabilities, language disorders, and attention challenges. They are located at the Yeshiva of Central Queens and offer outstanding Jewish and general special education and opportunities for mainstreaming. The community is invited to a celebratory brunch on the first morning of Chanukah, Sunday, December 25, 9:15 a.m., at the Young Israel of Hillcrest. The cost for the brunch is $36 per person and will feature a talk by the renowned Dr. David Pelcovitz on “Developing Civility in Our Children and Grandchildren.” For reserved seating, contact Rebecca Wittert at 718-575-2702 or wittert@juno.com. If you are unable to join, please note that you can be a sponsor named on the program of the event for a donation of $100 or more. Students join in thanking you for any contribution you may make to YESS! as the tax year closes.

N’Shei Chazaq Women’s Division Chanukah Paint Night for Women. Wednesday, December 28 at 8:00 p.m. at Beit Gavriel Community Center, 66-35 108th St., Forest Hills. $40 per person. Proceeds go to fund the Chazaq afterschool program. A fun evening is being planned with Chinese auction, wine-tasting, desserts, and music. For your reservation, call 718-285-9132.

Chanita Teitz is a real-estate broker at Astor Brokerage in Kew Gardens Hills, serving the entire Queens vicinity. For all your real-estate needs, call her at 718-263-4500 or e-mail chanita@astorbrokerage.com.

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