Please Join Us At Our Annual QJL Networking Expo At YIJE On Wednesday, February 18

If you want to feel the full strength of Jewish Queens in a single night, there is one room where you will see it – and this year, that room is going to be packed.When the Queens Jewish Link Networking Expo fills a space, you don’t just notice the crowd; you feel the energy of a community that works together and builds real opportunities. Faces from Kew Gardens Hills, Forest Hills, Jamaica Estates, Rego Park, Fresh Meadows, Bayside, and Richmond Hill appear side by side: neighbors, leaders, business owners, educators, and professionals you rarely see in one place.Conversations spark at every table, laughter travels across the room, and you quickly realize how interconnected Jewish Queens truly is. That is exactly what this Expo has become.

On Wednesday, February 18, the Expo returns to the Young Israel of Jamaica Estates, 83-10 188th Street, and it is set to be the largest gathering yet. Last year,more than 800 people filled the room; this year, we are preparing for more. The event has become the premier communal networking night in Queens. Each year has brought more participation, more businesses, more professionals, and more tangible connections that extend far beyond a single evening.

What truly keeps people coming back is not a formal program; it is how easy the night makes real, useful connections. The Expo is intentionally stress-free and welcoming: no awkward icebreakers, no rigid schedules, and no pressure to “work the room.” Guests enjoy complimentary, high-quality bites throughout the evening, which makes it natural to mingle and actually talk. People stay longer than they plan because conversations feel organic, and that is exactly how genuine professional relationships begin.

The connections made here often turn into real opportunities: a job lead for a young professional, new clients for a small business, volunteers for a nonprofit, or partnerships that strengthen local institutions. At a past Expo, two neighbors who had lived just blocks apart for years met for the first time and, by the end of the night, launched a neighborhood chesed initiative that continues today. Moments like that happen when you simply get the right people in the same room.

This year’s evening will begin at 6:00 p.m. with a ceremony honoring individuals and institutions whose work has had real impact on Jewish life, Jewish pride, and Jewish safety.

Rabbi Yaniv Meirov, CEO of Chazaq, will be recognized for two decades of building Chazaq, a Queens-based outreach effort that grew from small Torah lectures and handouts into a national organization reaching tens of thousands through youth programs, public-school outreach, and innovative Torah education, helping many young Jews reconnect with their heritage.

Radio personality Sid Rosenberg will be honored for using his prominent platform over the past decade to challenge anti-Semitism and publicly stand up for Israel at a time when such voices are urgently needed.

Holocaust survivor Sami Steinmann will be recognized for his powerful firsthand testimony, which continues to educate students and community members and keeps the lessons of history vivid for the next generation.

The 107th Precinct of the NYPD will also be honored for its ongoing partnership with the Queens Jewish community in its commitment to protecting Jewish institutions and neighborhoods, particularly during times of heightened concern.

The evening will be emceed by Nachum Segal, the legendary radio host of JM in the AM, with music from Chazzan Nissim Saal and remarks by Talkline Communications founder and radio host Zev Brenner, blending inspiration with conversation while keeping the focus squarely on the people in attendance.

From 7:00 to 9:30 p.m., the main ballroom will open for relaxed networking, bringing together business owners, rabbinic guides, educators, nonprofit leaders, young professionals, volunteers, and long-timecommunity figures from across the borough – all sharing the same room, the same food, and the same sense of belonging.

Admission is free, but RSVP is required at queensjewishlink.com/expo and space is filling quickly. Limited vendor tables and sponsorship opportunities remain available for those who want to support – and be visible within – this growing communal moment.

This is a night you want to be part of to take advantage of opportunities that help local businesses and institutions thrive. Please scan the QR code to RSVP.

See you there!

By Shabsie Saphirstein