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Rabbi Joshua Rabin Cantor Emeritus George Lindenblatt
Judaism With Open Arms |
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Friday Flyer |
June 7, 2024 • 1 Sivan, 5784 |
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A Double Celebration Tomorrow! |
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Tomorrow we have double simchas, as we celebrate the Bar Mitzvah of Quinn Black and the Bat Mitzvah of Tessa Black! We are delighted to observe the rites of passage for these young adults, who have grown up in ACI's community and become such friends and helpers. After services, please join us for a Kiddush luncheon. |
A Moment to Reflect |
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By Mitch Blas
I hope that many of you had the opportunity to observe some of the ceremonies that took place on Thursday, June 6, 2024, in Normandy, France. These ceremonies commemorated the 80th Anniversary of the invasion of the Normandy coast by the Allied Forces of WW II. These military operations ultimately led to the liberation of France, and to the defeat of the Nazis and other Axis Forces on the European continent.
A number of former members of the Astoria Center of Israel (ACI) were amongst “The Greatest Generation,” who enlisted and fought in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters during WW II. Many of them interrupted their lives to volunteer, and a number of those brave volunteers lost their lives on the beaches of Normandy, and in other places where American troops fought in this war.
As we at ACI approach our Centennial Anniversary in 2025, we are doing many things to repair damages and to otherwise “spruce up” our historic synagogue. We will soon be making efforts to clean and restore our elegant lobby area. I hope that as you come into the lobby, you might want to go over to the alcove where our gift shop is located. Across from the gift shop there is a beautiful wooden plaque on the wall. This plaque lists members of ACI (including my uncle, Lester Schulman), who volunteered to serve in our country’s armed services during WW II and beyond.
Please take a moment to look at those names, and please take a moment to reflect about our own synagogue’s brave women and men, who, along with millions of others, volunteered to serve in our nation’s military. They were all willing to give everything in order to protect freedom in the world. Some of those we remember at ACI made the ultimate sacrifice, at Normandy, and elsewhere, in order to defend that freedom.
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Shabbat Services |
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Saturday, June 8 at 10am
Tot Shabbat From 11am-12pm Doors open at 9:45; come early to schmooze. Please join us afterwards for a Kiddush lunch! |
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Upcoming Children’s Programs |
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Tot Shabbat Every Week 11:00am-12:00pm through June 29 For preschool children
Junior Congregation is on hiatus for the Summer |
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Candle Lighting |
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Tonight's candle lighting time is 8:07 pm. Havdalah will be Saturday at 9:16 pm. The weekly Torah portion is Bamidbar. |
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Celebrate Shavuot with Malkhut and ACI |
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For the second year, Malkhut and ACI are coming together for a shared Shavuot program in Jackson Heights!
This year, Malkhut is bringing the holiday of Shavuot and Pride month together with a special storytelling program, "The First Jew in Canada: The Incredible True Story Of Jacques LaFargue, The 18th Century Transgender Jewish Ancestor You’ve Never Heard Of," written and performed by S. Bear Bergman, a celebrated trans Jewish writer and performer. We will also share a potluck dinner celebrating the richness and diversity of our community through the foods that represent our journeys and identities.
Date & time: Tuesday, June 11th, 5:30 - 10pm Location: St Mark's Episcopal Church, 33-50 82nd St, Jackson Heights, NY 11372 (enter off 34th ave, indoor and/or outdoor locations weather permitting)
Find more details and register for the event on Malkhut's website. |
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Journal Service on June 21 |
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Join us for ACI's 2024 Journal Service at 7pm on Friday, June 21, honoring our dedicated acting Ritual Chair, Susan Mickel. Susan has been essential to the continuity and meaning of ACI's services for many years, and we welcome this opportunity to celebrate her substantial contributions.
Following the service, enjoy a dessert reception sponsored by the Jacobs, Blumenthal, and Sprung families. We look forward to seeing you at this special evening of gratitude and community!
You can still get your ads in for the digital edition of the Journal! Design and pay for your ad at astoriacenter.org/journal-order. |
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Volunteers Needed for June 30 Blood Drive! |
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Irene Sprung, our dedicated Blood Drive Coordinator, needs a few helping hands to help run our blood drive on June 30. Shifts are from 12-3 and 3-6. Please contact [email protected] if you can help!
You can also make an appointment to donate! |
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ACI's Summer Schedule |
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ACI will pause our regular schedule of Shabbat morning services and Tot Shabbat for July and August, but we still have a full calendar of Shabbat events in store!
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This Week in Hebrew School |
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We kicked off the second-to-last day of Hebrew School with an exciting school-wide scavenger hunt. For the first 45 minutes, children teamed up with two other students in their class as they searched for various objects, pictures, or answers to questions related to lessons they learned throughout the year—on topics ranging from Jewish holidays, to the Siddur, to the Torah, to customs and traditions.
Supervised by teachers and volunteers, students explored six rooms, including their classrooms, armed with clues and prompts to guide them. Some of the tasks were challenging, testing their memory and sleuthing skills; some answers could be found on bulletin boards, chalkboards, or in a Siddur or Machzor. But most of all, the activity fostered teamwork, encouraged persistence and resourcefulness, and reinforced the sense of community.
After the hunt, we gathered in the main sanctuary to review some of the answers before moving on to the next activity.
The rest of the afternoon was dedicated to decorating their Shabbat boxes, which will be filled next Tuesday with crafts they made for this project during the year. We then gathered in the main sanctuary with Morah Shanah as we sang the Adon Olam and other Shabbat songs before finishing with Hatikvah.
In our final class on June 11th, we will complete the unit on the holiday of Shavuot, enjoy a Klezmer workshop led by one of our former teachers, indulge in a pizza party (a well-deserved treat for their hard work finishing the scavenger hunt), and receive certificates marking the completion of another successful year at ACI’s Hebrew School. |
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Open Door Shabbat |
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Shabbat morning is the best time for Jews to come together, and the WORST time to feel out of place in synagogue.
Join the ACI once a month for a no-experience-necessary Shabbat service, where we will explore the:
Don't know Hebrew? No problem! Skeptical about religion? We'd love to have you!
Haven't gone to synagogue since your Bar/Bat Mitzvah? You're perfect!
Join us from 10:30 am until noon for Open Door Shabbat on June 22 and July 13. At 10:00, there will be a brief meditation service, and at 10:30 we will start the learning service.
If you have any questions, contact Rabbi Josh at [email protected]. Attendance at all sessions is not required; sign up at the link below.
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Mi Sheberachs |
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Please keep the following people in your hearts and prayers for the blessing of r'fua sh'leima:
Dodie Knebl Harold Lefkowitz Dov Meir Ben Avraham V’ Dvora אלונה בת שרה Sherwin Liff HaRav Yaakov ben Esther Dinah Bat Brina Allan Wishnoff, son of Sylvia and Fred Wishnoff Sarah Leah bat Mushy
To add (or remove) a name, please contact Lizanne Fluxmon. |
Yahrzeits |
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This week (2 - 8 Sivan), we observe the yahrzeits of the following ACI members, family and friends. May their memories always be a blessing.
Julius Baer |
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