Rabbi Joshua Rabin

Cantor Emeritus George Lindenblatt

Judaism With Open Arms

Friday Flyer

March 6, 2026 • 17 Adar, 5786

Next Week! Centennial Shabbat Across America

On Friday night, March 13, 2026, hundreds of synagogues across the continent will take part in a historic national Jewish event to celebrate what unifies all Jews — Shabbat!

Catering by Ben’s Kosher Deli of Bayside. For the first time – the dinner will feature BRISKET! (All your other favorite menu items from years past will return.)

Dinner Ticket – $45
Children Aged 10 and Under – $25

At ACI we never want finances to be a barrier to participation. Want to join us and need assistance? Please email [email protected] and we’ll be in touch.

The deadline for registration is this Sunday, March 8 at midnight!

Get Your Tickets Now!

More dates to remember:

March 6: Professionals potluck Kabbalat Shabbat with the Wandering Jews of Astoria

March 8: Blood Drive

March 13: Centennial Shabbat Across America

March 21: Jacob and Max Blumenthal B'nai Mitzvot

March 28: Book Club meets after kiddush

Shabbat Services

Saturday, March 7
10:00 am

Tot Shabbat & Junior Congregation
10:30-11:30 am

Doors open at 9:45; come early to schmooze. Join us after services for a light Kiddush!

Upcoming Shabbat Children's Programs

Tot Shabbat

10:30-11:30am

For preschool children

March 7 - TOMORROW!
March 21
April 18

Junior Congregation

10:30-11:30am

For school-aged children

March 7 - TOMORROW!
April 18

Download the full calendar as a PDF

Candle Lighting

Shabbat candle lighting time is tonight at 5:35 pm.

Havdalah will be Saturday at 6:34 pm.

This week's Torah reading is Ki Tisa.

Save a Life - Give Blood This Sunday!

The New York Blood Center will be at ACI from 10:30am to 4:30pm on Sunday, March 8. Use the link below to make your appointment now!

Additionally, if you're available to help out on March 8, please reach out to Irene.

Annual Passover Food Drive

We're once again participating in City Harvest's Passover Food Drive! Help us make sure that no one in our city goes hungry over Passover this year. All types of canned or non-perishable food is needed, but the most useful foods include tuna, salmon, sardines, gefilte fish, grape juice, and oils.

Please bring your contributions to the box in the lobby between March 9 and April 13!

Thank You for an Amazing Purim Carnival

We had record attendance at this year's Purim Carnival last Sunday! Thank you to Joanna Muenz and a small army of volunteers for pulling off such a spectacular event. Shout out as well to Ben Boylan for providing his photo booth - learn more about Ben's Non-Traditional Wedding DJ services here.

There's Still Time to Pick Up Your Mishloach Manot!

If you haven't been able to pick up your Centennial Mishloach Manot package, there's still time. All bags will be in the chapel office until Open Door Shabbat on March 14, so feel free to pick them up during office hours, at Shabbat Across America, or during Shabbat services.. You won't want to miss this year's keepsake ACI bookmark crafted by Adam Cohen, as well as special custom Purim candies!

If you are homebound and need delivery, please let Litza know.

Attention Knitters and Crocheters!

We are seeking donations of red hats for babies with congenital heart disease! The CHD Coalition's "Little Hats, Big Hearts" program supports families of children with congenital heart disease. They donate bags to families at local hospitals including Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, NYU and Morristown Memorial. We have a donation basket set up in the lobby for contributions. Need inspiration? Here are sample patterns for knitters and crocheters. Please contact Irene Sprung with any questions!

ACI's Book Club Launches Next Month!

The Astoria Center of Israel Book Club will be launching next month. The club will meet approximately every other month. The first book will be A Rich Brew by Shachar Pinsker, and we'll meet following Shabbat Services and Kiddush on Saturday, March 28th.

Please complete the form here if you would like to participate, or reach out to Allie at [email protected].

A Rich Brew explores the surprising and central role that cafés played in shaping modern Jewish culture from the mid-19th to the mid-20th century. Literary scholar Shachar M. Pinsker argues that cafés across six major cities — Odessa, Warsaw, Vienna, Berlin, New York, and Tel Aviv — became vital “thirdspaces” where Jewish writers, thinkers, artists, and political activists met, debated, created, and exchanged ideas. More than just places to drink coffee, these social hubs helped foster creativity and community during a time of rapid urbanization and migration. Drawing on memoirs, archival documents, literature, and visual culture, Pinsker shows how café life influenced literature, politics, art, and theater and helped define what modern Jewish culture would become.

Looking for Your ACI Story!

As the Astoria Center of Israel celebrates 100 years of serving the Jewish community in Western Queens in 2026, we are inviting members of our community past and present to share their favorite moments and memories at the Center.

Over the course of the year, we will share your reflections — in emails to our community, on social media, on our website, and with the press — to tell the story of the many lives ACI has touched.

What’s your ACI story?

Fill out the form to share your favorite memories.

ONGOING PROGRAMS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Open Door Shabbat

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:

March 14
April 11
May 9
June 6

Pathways to Judaism

ACI is offering an introduction to Judaism course via Zoom for those exploring Judaism or considering conversion. The Spring session will be held Thursday nights from February to June. Learn more and register here.

Rikers Island Services

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.

This Week in Hebrew School

This Tuesday, we had a school-wide Purim celebration, with trivia, packing hygiene kits for the food pantry in the spirit of mishloach manot, and baked hamentashen!

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.

Support ACI's Mission

Help us continue to serve our community with meaningful programs, welcoming services, and a well-maintained sacred space. Donate Here.

Messages

I want to thank all of the ACI community who comforted me by participating in Shiva services or by making generous donations in honor of my sister, Charlotte Zuckerman, who passed away on 12/31/2025. Your good wishes are truly appreciated. Thank you - Steven Markowitz.

Congratulations to Devra Alper and Alex Baransky on the arrival of their son, Aaron Lev, from Susan Mickel

In memory of my beloved Harvey Margolin, from Mrs. Helen B. Margolin

In memory of my beloved Harold Kaye, from Ms. Beverly Kaye

Mi Sheberachs

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
Avram Michel Ben Sylvia V'Fred Wishnoff
Beverly Kaye
Elizabeth Bruner
Eric David Laxman
Esther bat Chana
Faiga bat Feivel v’Leia
Gary Lefkowitz
Joel Tarlowe
Leah Chana bat Lena
Malcolm Mungo
Menachem Mendel Yonah Ben Beila V'Yakov
Michael Laster
PESSAH Ruchel bat Dina
Reynah Rosendorf
Richard and Laura Cohen
Rony Joel
Sarah Chana bat Zeesl v Dov-Beryl ben Rev Chaim HaLevi
Shalom ben Haim
Shandel Gittle bat Rifka
Shari Levin
Shirli bat Ari Abraham v’Malka
Wilton Mungo
Zalman Mordechai Aaron ben Yehudit

Yahrzeits

This week (18 - 24 Adar), we observe the yahrzeits of the following ACI members, family and friends. May their memories always be a blessing.

Richard Hirschler
Morris Rosenthal
Agatha Schneller
Anna Heller
Nathan Frank
Ida Mickel
Yetta Baer
Norman Schwartz
Max Siegel
Joseph Zoob
Meyer Stamler
Rudolph Gross
Bella Lefkowitz
Morris Rosenwasser
David Wigod
Rachel Eisenberg
Henry E. Levene
Rubin Kirschner
Bertha Weiss
Hilda Ross
Ella Halpert
Iris Barrel Apfel
Monus Eisenberg
Elizabeth Schwartz
Harry Pack
Juliette Markowitz
Keevo Kupersmidt
Annie Marks
Sabina Nashoffer
David M. Steiger
Dr. Herman B. Caine
Jonah Cohen
Saul M. Sternfeld
Benjamin Reiff
Harry Tifford
Harvey Margolin
Max Dash
Sarah Miller
William Carroll Schwartz
Margot Wolff
Meyer M. Dreher
Reuben Belnick
Fannie Pritz
Harvey Weiss