ANNOUNCEMENTS
Astoria Center of Israel receives grant for restoration - Historic news for ACI. As Rabbi Pearl writes in his December column, "On October 16, as reported in the Queens Gazette, we came together to publicly announce that Illya Azaroff’s design firm had been hired, that a $200,000 grant from the Conservancy and the David Berg Foundation had been activated, and that the estate gift of $50,000 from Dorothy Horowitz – thanks to Sydelle Diner– made the grant match possible." CLICK HERE TO READ THE COVERAGE ON THE QUEENS CHRONICLE WEBSITE.
Temple of Comedy returns December 14! Have a night of uproarious laughter, when comedy comes to Astoria! ACI's 2nd Annual Comedy Night features three top, hand-picked comedians who come to us by way of "The Laughing Devil Comedy Club" in Long Island City - one of the hottest venues in NYC! Wine bar opens at 7pm; doors to comedy show open at 7:45 pm. Tickets (general seating) $20 per person at the door. Raffles for gift certificates to fine restaurants, food shops, and other local businesses. Call the baby-sitter, feed the cat, get out of the house and have some fun! Hear these comedians who ahve appeared in clubs and on national television to rave reviews!
Do a mitzvah and help save the lives of fellow New Yorkers! ACI's 5th Annual Blood Drive needs you to donate blood on Sunday, December 15, 10:30 am - 4:30 pm. To sign up in advance -- whether to donate blood or to help in other supportive roles that day -- contact the ACI office by phone at 718-278-2680 or by email at acioffice18[at]gmail.com. It is preferable to sign up in advance, so the day can be better organized, but walk-ins are also very welcome! (Blood Donors must be between the ages of 16 to 75 (minimum weight 110 pounds); age 16 must have written parental permission (please request form prior to donation); age 76 and over permissible only with doctor’s note. Last year's donations helped over 100 people!
Monday night Hebrew classes begin November 18. Native Israelis and ACI members Alona and Shlomo Shevach will teach a weekly, introductory Hebrew class, covering reading, writing, and conversation. This class is free to all ACI members (but you must pre-register, and seriously intend to regularly attend classes.) To registers call (718-278-2680) or email astoriashul[at]gmail.com the ACI office. Non-members also welcome - contact the ACI office regarding registration and fees.
New class - The Joy of Text: Everything You Wanted To Know About our Texts (But Were Afraid to Ask) - A monthly Shabbat morning learning series based on Judaism’s “text appeal” is starting up. Led by Rabbi Pearl, the “Joy of Text” will begin on November 16, and will meet once per month from 8:30am - 9:15am before Shabbat services. We will tackle some interesting textual highlights, comparisons, anomalies, and challenges, and tease out their contemporary relevance. Texts to be studied will include material from:
- Pirkei Avot (Ethics of our Fathers)
- Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law)
- Parashat Hashavua (the weekly Torah portion)
- Nevi’im (the Hebrew prophets)
- Sifrei Emet (Biblical Wisdom Literature)
The class is open to all ACI members, and will be conducted in English so knowledge of Hebrew it is not necessary (but is of course welcome!). Please contact Rabbi Pearl at rabbipearl@gmail.com to let him know if you are interested.
Monthly Potluck Dinners return October 4. The dinner will start at 6:15 pm with Kabbalat Shabbat service following at 7:00 pm. It’s our monthly feast for body and spirit, as YOU, with your pareve/dairy kosher dish, help create a tempting table of tasty treats. See the EVENTS calendar for the full line-up of activities returning to ACI this fall.
A new year for Tot Shabbat begins October 5. Bring your young children for a fun Shabbat morning -- with songs, stories, and yummy kiddush snacks! Meet and mingle with Astoria's families! Thanks again to Cara Bernstein who stepped in to lead Tot Shabbat last year. Welcome to Lisa Goldberg, who is leading Tot Shabbat this year. Mark your calendar for Tot Shabbat dates in 2013: Oct 5, 19; Nov. 2, 16; Dec. 7, 21
Shabbat Kids & Youth Education Program (SKYEP) starts again October 5. This year SKYEP is split into two age groups:
- Older children (pre-bar/bat mitzvah) meet with Morah Ayelet 9:30-10:30 am, then go into the Main Sancturay with assignments and guidance to experience the Shabbat service 10:30-11:30.
- Younger children (ages 8-10) meet with Morah Ayelet 10:30-11:30, then all join with the congregation for the kiddush.
New Facebok group for ACI members - become part of the conversation! If you're a member of Astoria Center of Israel, then you're welcome to join our new Facebook group, a place for real time conversation and updates on all that's happening at ACI. Simply search for 'Astoria Center of Israel: Members Group' and request to join!
Sign your child up for free Jewish books from the PJ Library. PJ LIBRARY IS A JEWISH FAMILY ENGAGEMENT program implemented on a local level throughout North America, mailing free, high-quality Jewish children's literature and music to families across the continent on a monthly basis. All families raising Jewish children from age six months of age through five, six, seven or eight years (depending on the community) are welcome to sign up on the Astoria Center of Israel page of the PJ Library Website.
The ACI Cookbook is heating up! Co-chairs Gina Friedlander and Zahava Alter ask you to submit recipes to us at ACIcooks@yahoo.com. Recipe forms are available from the information table in the synagogue lobby. You can also download the form - right-click on your mouse and choose 'save as' to download the form in Word format or click HERE to download the form in PDF format. You're encouraged to submit 3 or 4 favorites and we'll include as many as possible. The more creative, them-based, or holiday, the better. And make sure they're kosher! Please address any questions to ACIcooks@yahoo.com. Thanks for your help!
EVENTS CALENDAR:
All events are at the Astoria Center of Israel unless otherwise noted. All events are at the Astoria Center of Israel unless otherwise noted. Events may be cancelled due to weather conditions. Check this website for cancellation notices.
ACI Chanukah Party
Date: Sunday, December 1
Time: 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Cost: ACI Members: $10; non-members: $12. Kids: 6-12 $5; age 5 and under free
Hebrew Class
Date: Monday, December 2
Time: 7:00 - 8:00 pm
Board Meeting
Date: Tuesday, December 3
Time: 7:30 pm
Potluck Dinner followed by Kabbalat Shabbat Services
Date: Friday, December 6
Time: Dinner at 6:15 pm, service at 7:00 pm
Tot Shabbat
Date: Saturday,
December 7
Time: 10:45 am
Shabbat Kids and Youth Education Program
Date: Saturday, December 7
Time: 10:30 am
Adult Ba’alat Mitzvah Class
Date: Saturday, December 7
Time: F
ollowing services
Astoria Center of Israel Annual Membership Meeting
Date: Sunday, December 8
Time: 10:00 am
Hebrew Class
Date: Monday, December 9
Time: 7:00 - 8:00 pm
Shabbat Kids and Youth Education Program
Date: Saturday, December 14
Time: 10:30 am
Temple of Comedy - ACI's Second Annual Comedy Night
Date: Saturday, December 14
Time: Wine bar opens at 7pm; doors to comedy show open at 7:45 pm
Cost: Tickets (general seating) $20 per person at the door
ACI's 5th Annual Blood Drive
Date: Sunday, December 15
Time: 10:30 am - 4:30 pm
Hebrew Class
Date: Monday, December 16
Time: 7:00 - 8:00 pm
Shabbat Learning Series - "The Joy of Text"
Date: Saturday December 21
Time: 8:30 am - 9: 15 am (preceding Shabbat services)
Adult Ba’alat Mitzvah Class
Date: Saturday, December 21
Time: F
ollowing services
Hebrew Class
Date: Monday, December 23
Time: 7:00 - 8:00 pm
Hebrew Class
Date: Monday, December 30
Time: 7:00 - 8:00 pm
For complete details see our EVENTS page. |
