Four Clinicians Lead Women’s Health and Wellness Evening at the Bukharian Jewish Community Center in Forest Hills

The Bukharian Jewish Community Center in Forest Hills, Queens, hosted a Women’s Health and Wellness Evening on Tuesday, Oct. 27, organized by the BJW Women’s Book Club, The Bukharian Times reported in its Oct. 29 edition. Four volunteer clinicians gave short presentations on prevention and early care, followed by a question-and-answer discussion.

The evening was organized and moderated by Elana Yuabov, whom the newspaper described as a Bloomberg professional, community volunteer and one of the driving forces behind the book club. According to the report, Yuabov has helped lead the club for the past four years, and it has grown from a reading group into a program of literary, educational and community events. In her opening remarks, the report said, she told participants that women often manage households and care for children and parents while neglecting their own health, and that looking after themselves is what allows them to keep caring for others.

The presentations

• Food allergies. Dr. Olga Kagan, PhD, RN, spoke about recognizing and responding to food-allergy emergencies. She told the audience that food allergies can develop unexpectedly, including in adulthood in people who previously tolerated a food, and cited a figure of about one in 13 American children having a food allergy, according to the report.
• Early warning signs. Elena Levy, PA-C, described a functional approach to health and urged women to raise symptoms with clinicians early. The newspaper quoted her advice to “listen to the whispers of your body before they turn into screams.”
• Bone health. Dr. Julie Shalom, PharmD, discussed strength training, weight-bearing exercise and nutrition, along with early risk assessment and bone-density testing.
• Bladder health. Dr. Diana Sionov, DPT, a physical therapist the report said has more than 28 years of clinical experience, addressed urinary incontinence and described non-invasive approaches, including bladder training, breathing techniques and behavioral strategies.

The organizers thanked BJCC director Iosif Khaimov for hosting the event, and Alla Levi for recording it. The Bukharian Times reported that the full recording has been posted on YouTube.

The BJCC in Forest Hills is one of the main gathering places for the Bukharian Jewish community in Queens and is home to the Kanisoi Kalon synagogue. It regularly hosts lectures, classes and community programs.

The information in this article is general and is reported as presented at the event. It is not medical advice.

Sources: The Bukharian Times, “Knowledge Saves Lives,” Oct. 29, 2026.