To the Queens College Jewish Community

To the Queens College Jewish Community:

Our hearts go out to all those who suffered losses during the devastation of hurricane Sandy. Whether it be power, heat, cars, basements or entire homes or businesses, the effects of this disaster will be felt for a long time. As we continue to hear about the fallout of this terrible blow to our greater community, we want to make sure that all of you know that the Queens College Jewish Community, particularly through Queens College Hillel and the OU Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus (JLIC), along with all of your fellow students, are here to help in any way we can. Since the beginning of this semester we have been placing a strong emphasis on what we have coined, “transforming a commuter school mentality into a Queens College Jewish Community.” Those were not mere words and we wish to do everything in our power to assist our larger, broader, QC Jewish community in this difficult time.

In the spirit of the adage of our sages, emor mi’at v’aseh harbeh // say little and do much (Avot 1:15), we want to focus on the immediate, practical efforts being made to assist our students who are in need:

1) Housing and Meals: We recognize that many students commute to Queens College every day and that this may prove challenging for many due to limited gas supply, ruined cars, delays in public transportation, and other factors. Additionally many are still without power and heat. We are offering housing to any Queens College Jewish student who feels that it would be helpful to remain in Kew Gardens Hills beginning this Monday through this Thursday night. If you would like to be housed for any of these days, please click here and fill out the on-line form. We are also making communal dinners available for those who will be housed, if desired. If it would be convenient and helpful to you to join a communal meal on any day that you will be staying in the community, please indicate so in the appropriate field on the form. For further inquiries, feel free to contact the Hillel Club Community Committee at ResLife@QCHillel.org

2) A Safe Place: Hillel will be extending its hours Monday through Thursday. We want to offer our students the ability to have a well-lit, warm, dry place to hang out with friends, study, or just disconnect for a while. Hillel, located in Student Union 206, will be open from 8:00AM – 10:00PM every day this week as a “home away from home.”

3) We Are Here for You: If there is any way we can help make your time at Queens College easier this week, if there is anything we can do beyond the things listed in this e-mail, or if you just want to talk, please feel free to stop by Queens College Hillel in Student Union 206 and reach out to a staff member. Additionally you can contact Rabbi Robby Charnoff, JLIC Educator at JLICRabbi@QCHillel.org, Shoshana Charnoff, JLIC Educator at SCharnoff@QCHillel.org, or Jenna Citron, Director of Jewish Student Life at Jenna@QCHillel.org . Please don’t hesitate to reach out.

 Please forward this e-mail to any Queens College student that you know as we do not have many of their e-mail addresses.

Wishing you all the best and letting you know that we are thinking of all of you,

Robby Charnoff

Click here for Queens College weekly davening times or this week’s Shabbat schedule!