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Rabbi Joshua Rabin Cantor Emeritus George Lindenblatt
Judaism With Open Arms |
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Friday Flyer |
January 2, 2026 • 13 Tevet, 5786 |
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Happy New Year! |
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Wishing everyone in the ACI community a warm and happy 2026! |
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Come Out to Hear Jewish Music (and much more!) in Astoria |
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The annual Golden Fest, a two-night extravaganza of traditional music and dancing from the Balkans and beyond, is coming back to the Marquee Astoria (formerly Astoria World Manor) on January 16 and 17! Among the 50+ performers, there will be klezmer bands, music in Yiddish and Ladino, and other traditional music from around the Jewish world. Join us at ACI at 5:30 on January 17 for wine and light snacks, after which we'll make havdalah and walk over to the venue to enjoy the music. Tickets for the festival are available on the Golden Fest website; please RSVP to Litza if you plan to join us at ACI beforehand! |
Shabbat Services |
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Saturday, January 3 Doors open at 9:45; come early to schmooze. Join us after services for a light Kiddush! |
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Upcoming Shabbat Children's Programs |
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Tot Shabbat 10:30-11:30am For preschool children
Junior Congregation 10:30-11:30am For school-aged children
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Candle Lighting |
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Shabbat candle lighting time is tonight at 4:22 pm.
Havdalah will be Saturday at 5:26 pm.
This week's Torah reading is Vayechi. |
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Starting Soon! A New Opportunity for Jewish Study |
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This new Jewish year we are thrilled to partner with Hadar’s Project Zug to offer ACI members a wonderful opportunity to deepen your Jewish learning with curated, text-based courses designed to spark rich discussion. In this course, titled Out of the Ruins: Jewish Wisdom on Resilience, we’ll look to our own tradition, focusing on narratives from the Torah as well as the events of Jewish history to mine our texts for wisdom on resilience. We’ll ask: what are the different shapes resilience takes and how might we cultivate our own capacity for resilience based on the wisdom of Jewish tradition? This is a chance not only to engage in Jewish text study, but also to connect on a deeper level with fellow community members. The class will meet four times (virtually) on Thursdays in January (January 8, 15, 22, and 29) from 8-9:30 pm. The class is free for ACI members, with a suggested donation of $36 for non-members. |
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Coming in January: PJ Library's Jewish Children's Book Festival |
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ACI is thrilled to partner with PJ Library and 92NY for the first-ever Jewish Children’s Book Festival, taking place on Sunday, January 11 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at 92NY in Manhattan. This free, family-friendly event celebrates Jewish stories, imagination, and creativity through author storytimes, live music, crafts, and workshops for all ages. Families can also “shop” for free PJ Library books to take home. |
ONGOING PROGRAMS AND OPPORTUNITIES |
Open Door Shabbat |
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Join the ACI community once a month for a no-experience-necessary Shabbat service, where we will explore the structure and meaning behind the prayer service. Learn more here. The next dates:
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Rikers Island Services |
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ACI is partnering with the NY Jewish Coalition for Criminal Justice Reform to organize volunteer groups for worship services at Rikers Island - contact Litza Stark to participate or find out more. |
Sunday Meditation |
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Join Rabbi Josh each Sunday night from 9:00-9:15 pm ET on Zoom for a brief meditation to close out the weekend and start the new week with calmness, focus, and purpose. Our meditation is open to anyone who wants a few minutes of quiet to center themselves. Learn more, or join the meditation here. |
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Pathways to Judaism |
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ACI is offering an introduction to Judaism course via Zoom for those exploring Judaism or considering conversion. The Fall course, held Monday nights, is already underway, and the Spring session will be held Thursday nights from February to June. Learn more and register here. |
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This Week in Hebrew School |
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Hebrew School did not meet this week, but we will resume on January 6th. Wishing you a happy and restful break! |
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Pastoral Requests ACI is committed to serving our community’s needs. If you would like to inform the synagogue about a hospital visit or death, or request pastoral care for yourself or someone you know, please fill out this simple form. All submissions are confidential.
Do You Want to Pray for Someone Who Is Sick?
Each Shabbat at ACI, we recite a מי שברך לחולים, a prayer for those in our community who are sick and in need of healing. You are welcome to add anyone to the list, regardless of whether the person is Jewish or not. If you would like to add a name, please complete this form.
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Support ACI's Mission |
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Help us continue to serve our community with meaningful programs, welcoming services, and a well-maintained sacred space. Donate Here. |
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Messages |
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In memory of my beloved father, Irving J. Pomerantz, from Mr. Emil Pomerantz |
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In memory of deceased members of the Nemser, Fondiller, Kaufman and Levine families, from Elizabeth and Joseph Olwell
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In memory of Roberta Saltzman, from Susan Mickel |
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In memory of Roberta Saltzman, from Janice Spencer |
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In memory of Shirley Wigler and Morris Heller, from Judy and Steven Markowitz |
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In Loving Memory of Rabbi Dr. Alvin Kass, from the NYPD Shomrim Society
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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: If you don't see a name here that you would like to be included, please submit it using the form here.
Aaron Vajda |
Yahrzeits |
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This week (14-20 Tevet), we observe the yahrzeits of the following ACI members, family and friends. May their memories always be a blessing.
Samuel H. Greiff Max Miller Jennie Diner Abraham Gedalia Cohen Norman Kempin Morris Alterman Norman Weinberg Elsie Flatow Hugo Markus Bessie Ostrav Joseph Mendel Schwartz Edward Gunsberg Samuel Cintron Hon. Nathan A Goldenthal Risa Hirschler David Shraberg Moses Mendel Leon Flatow Dr. Joseph Kosowsky Leib Hammer Irving Nadel Claire Reisman Rae Wilson Anna Bernstein Pearl Holtzman |
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