On Sunday, February 24th, over 100 members of the Bukharian community of Queens represented 100,000 Bukharian Jews spread across the United States of America. The Alliance of Bukharian American’s (ABA) Inaugural Legislative Breakfast brought together members of Congress, Senators, Councilmembers, Assembly members, the State Council’s Jewish Caucus, the City Comptroller and NY State Attorney General in a show of camaraderie and unity for a common goal: continue moving along the path of empowerment for this great city and all of its citizens, including the Bukharian community.
Ten Honorees were recognized as representatives for their bodies of government and the great effort to be a voice for us all. In recognition of their outstanding achievement and the amazing contributions by their colleagues for the success of the many diverse Queens communities, we took the opportunity to show our appreciation as a whole.
The event opened with a special and heart-felt prayer for the welfare of all our fellow citizens with the Head Rabbi of Beth Gavriel, Rabbi Immoniel Shimonov. This was followed by a powerful and well-articulated invocation given by Rabbi Israel Yitshakov of Beth Gavriel. ABA Member David Mordukhaev then gave a brief overview of the past year’s work done by the ABA for the betterment of our communities, including immigration work, social work and educational work on behalf of our members and neighbors; the overarching theme always being unity.
The first and second Awards were presented by Assemblyman David Weprin to Senator Joe Addabbo Jr. and Senator Leroy Comrie for excellence in ‘State Leadership’. The third Award was presented by the ABA’s David Mordukhaev to Councilman Rory Lancman for outstanding ‘Community Partnership’. The fourth Award was presented by Senator Toby Ann Stavisky to Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz in recognition of truly spectacular ‘Queens Leadership’. The fifth Award was presented by the ABA’s Victoria Zirkiev to Congresswoman Grace Meng for excellence in ‘National Leadership’. The sixth Award was presented by Councilman Donovan Richards to Councilman Chaim Deutsch in recognition of excellence in ‘City Leadership’. The seventh Award was presented by Chazaq Organization’s CEO Yaniv Meirov to Attorney General Letitia James in recognition of excellence in ‘State Leadership’. The eighth Award was presented by the Bukharian Jewish Union’s David Aronov to Assemblyman Daniel Rosenthal in recognition of Community Leadership. The final pair of Awards was presented by the Alliance of Bukharian Americans on behalf of the entire Bukharian community of America to Mr. Simcha Elishaev and Mr. Ilya Koptiev for their excellence in ‘Local and International Leadership’. The Honorees were presented these Awards as representatives of their bodies of Government and Office. They utilized the opportunity to share their sentiment with the Community:
Success, Growth, and Positive Direction: The Bukharian community has come so far over the last few decades. We have seen a thorough transformation of an immigrant population. The Bukharian community’s transition from dependent and disenfranchised to self-sufficient and thriving is a testament to the wonderful opportunities offered in the United States, and New York in particular. The Alliance of Bukharian Americans is building a political foundation and taking the right steps to ensure the community move along the right trajectory. The Elected Officials will continue to represent the needs and voices of the multiple communities which make up the City and Country.
Resurgence in Anti-Semitism: There is a disturbing trend on the rise, an increase in Anti-Semitism. The seemingly random and unprovoked attacks in the streets, the graffiti and the name calling, are all symptoms of a time when Jews could not walk in the streets for fear of violence and harassment. These are inexcusable offenses, and deserve appropriate response from law enforcement. We cannot hold back and must stem this tide and punish the perpetrators to deter an escalation. The ABA’s unwavering support towards the victims of anti-Semitism, and its relentless and unapologetic pressure to receive answers and results will continue to bear important changes in community security. The Elected Officials will continue doing everything in their power to ensure that the diverse communities of Queens, New York, and America stay safe and resilient.
The Legislative Appreciation Breakfast was attended to by over 120 guests who came to celebrate the community’s success and the people who help make it happen. Many other esteemed Elected Officials attended including Senator John Liu and NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer; both spoke words of encouragement and stressed the importance of working together. Many fellow organizations joined including Chazaq, EMET Outreach, Masbia of Queens, Agudath Israel of America, Teach NYS of the Orthodox Union, Yeshiva Tiferet Tzion High School, Yeshiva Sha’arei Tzion, Medrash L’man Achai and the Queens Jewish Community Council.
This event was made possible by the generous contributions of the Beth Gavriel Community Center and Management Team (thank you Mr. Boris Mordukhaev!), the Margaret Tietz Nursing and Rehabilitation Center (16411 Chapin Pkwy # 1, Jamaica), and FM Home Loans (186-09 Union Tpke, Fresh Meadows). The ABA looks forward to future events which give us the opportunity to come together in celebration of our achievements, and in appreciation of our Elected Officials who guide us along the path to self-empowerment.
By Adam Suionov
Photo Credits: Yaakov Katz Studios - 646-300-1811
ABA’s Inaugural Legislative Appreciation Breakfast
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