Interfaith Vigil set to unite Queens communities

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Queens residents, elected officials and faith leaders will come together for a COVID-19 vigil. Photo by Rolf Schweizer Fotografie via Wiki Commons

Queens residents, elected officials and faith leaders will come together for a COVID-19 vigil. Photo by Rolf Schweizer Fotografie via Wiki Commons

By Rachel Vick

Queens Borough Hall will host a virtual interfaith vigil Tuesday to commemorate residents who have died as a result of the coronavirus in the epicenter of the pandemic.

The Queens Borough President’s Office organized the event in partnership with local  elected officials and faith leaders. The vigil begins at 5 p.m and will unite New Yorkers to honor the memory of the thousands of lives lost. Participants will also celebrate the frontline workers who have kept the borough and the city running despite the virus.

Participating interfaith leaders include:

  • Imam Shamsi Ali of the Jamaica Muslim Center

  • Reverend Dr. John H. Boyd, II of New Greater Bethel Ministries 

  • Father Joseph Fonti of The Church of St. Mel

  • Pastor Ben Hur of Promise Church 

  • Dr. Neeta Jain of International Ahimsa Foundation, Inc.

  • Rabbi Mark Kaiserman of The Reform Temple of Forest Hills

  • Gurdev Singh Kang of the Sikh Cultural Society 

  • Father Mike Lopez of All Saints Church 

  • Rabbi Yossi Mendelsohn of Congregation Machane Chodosh 

  • Dr. Uma Mysorekar of the Hindu Temple Society of North America

  • Venerable Youwang Shih of the International Buddhist Progress Society 

The vigil will be streamed on the Borough President's website, queensbp.org.