Of Kiddush Hashem Large and Small

By Denise RaBinowitz

his was the topic for a panel of women at the recent

TAgudath Israel of America convention held Thanksgiving weekend. There are multiple ways men and women of all occupations can create a lasting impression of integrity and values among the larger community, said the panelists who hailed from Monsey, Lakewood, Cleveland, and the Five Towns.

The subject was of great interest to participants and viewers of the broadcast event in the light of the recent finger-pointing at Orthodox Jews during Covid, increased media smears in expanding Jewish communities, and the recent Hollywood series that perpetuated new and old negative stereotypes of Orthodox life.

The public work of two of the convention panelists was recently highlighted by members of the New York State Legislature. In their annual Women of Distinction Awards held annually during March which is Women’s History Month, Rivkie Feiner of Monsey was honored by State Senator Elijah Reichlin-Melnick of Rockland County and Faigie Horowitz of Lawrence was honored by Assemblywoman Mathylde Frontus of Coney Island.

Principal of Feiner Grant Strategies of Airmont, Rivkie Feiner runs a grant development business with offices in several states. She is a board member of the Jewish Federation of Rockland County and has been a tireless advocate for the frum community in the halls of local, state, and federal government. During the recent spate of antisemitic violence in Monsey and the baiting rhetoric of a Lower Hudson paper, she led missions and efforts to promote understanding. Her volunteer work includes Tomchei Shabbos of Rockland and Yeshiva Ohr Reuven.

Known as Rebbetzin Faigie in the Five Towns community for her role at Beis Medrash Agudas Achim of Lawrence, Faigie Horowitz has been an executive at nonprofits serving the broader as well as Jewish communities in her roles at the Flatbush Haitian Center, the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council, Met Council on Jewish Poverty, and Chai Lifeline. Her volunteer roles span organizations serving people with special needs, co-founding Rachel’s Place Shelter, joining the board of the Ani Ledo-

Rebbetzin Faigie Horowitz speaking at the Agudah event

di Helpline, and co-founding JWOW!, Jewish Women of Wisdom.

Assemblywoman Frontus first met Rebbetzin Faigie at a community health initiative the former spearheaded for the JCC of Greater Coney Island and later when she was a newly elected Assemblywoman. To their surprise, they found they both had worked at the Flatbush Haitian Center where the Assemblywoman was a social worker, long before becoming a professor and politician. Their interests coincided. Faigie Horowitz was developing political support for fair pay for home care as part of her role as director of communications for Caring Professionals Home Care. Dr. Frontus became an early cosponsor of the bill and an advocate for the home care needs of seniors and people with disabilities who choose to live at home.

Makor Disabilities Services, formerly known as Women’s League Community Residences, operates a group home for medically frail young women in Seagate which is in the Assemblywoman’s district. As a board member for decades for the organization which cared for her severely disabled sibling, Faigie Horowitz invited the Assemblywoman to come visit and an initiative for employing local residents at the award-winning agency was begun.

ivkie Feiner and Faigie Horowitz have reason to

Rbe proud of their honor as Women of Distinction among a host of diverse women from other communities. “It’s also about the everyday menchlichkeit and good citizenship we practice daily that makes a statement about frum women and the frum community,” points out Rivkie Feiner. “We all have a role to play and can maximize Kiddush Hashem and break stereotypes in any work, recreational, or public environment.”

“We may be the only frum person that the individual

encounters up close and personal. We are all ambassadors for the frum community at large,” observed Faigie Horowitz.

The particular advantages women have in dispelling Jewish stereotypes was addressed at the convention session. Religious women are not as recognizable as Jewish men, and their accomplishments in the public and professional sectors debunk the myths of a tribal culture where women are restricted. Very often unveiling the normalcy of our community goes a long way towards

showing us as less “other.” This often piques interest in a frum individual’s lifestyle and a healthy desire to get to know him or her better. Our visible wholesome family life, obvious respect for elders, and compliance with civic rules as simple as keeping one’s trash in the mandated space can keep negative stereotypes at bay. Led by moderator Chanie Jacobowitz of Lakewood, Vice President for Public and Government Affairs of Beth Medrash Govoha, the panelists, which included Alexandra Fleksher, Mishpacha columnist and activist, agreed that choosing an area of public activism is often per-“We are all ambassadors for sonal and circumstantial. May feel compelled to get involved because of the frum community at large.” an issue that affects a family member or the community at large. Using one’s talents to impact the klal in a positive way can be the domain of every individual Jew. Standing up for our values when they conflict with those of the broader secular world also prompts a deeper understanding of who we are. Accomplishment despite Shabbos and yom tov deadlines, stepping away from raucous environments where language and mores are inappropriate, and keeping boundaries indicate choice of a refined lifestyle that reflects on the Am Hashem. Ordinary chesed is also a great equalizer. Hearing about large and small activism on behalf of people with special needs, the hungry, neighbors, and the elderly breaks

Rivki Feiner, fourth from left, was honored by Senator Elijah Reichlin-Melnick last month

down distrust and breeds respect and appreciation of our community.

This the domain of every observant individual, whether they are active in the broader realms of business, the professions, or public service. Stay-at-home mothers or kollel members who largely live within Jewish enclaves can also impact the perception of Jews in his community.

Nonetheless, there needs to be a balance between addressing an issue head-on and correcting a record when it comes to media misrepresentation. It’s a fine line that distinguishes between giving attention to screeds and setting the record straight.

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