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Weekly Flyer
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April 10, 2026 • 23 Nisan, 5786
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Find Your People @ ACI
We Swear This Won’t Be Weird…
Synagogues are wonderful — but they’re not always designed for deeper connection on a first (or fifth) visit.
If you’ve been coming to ACI off and on and would like to actually get to know people, join us for this 90-minute Zoom gathering. We’ll slow things down, move beyond small talk, and create space for real conversation — one-on-one and in small groups.
You don’t need to be a member. You don’t need to know anyone. Just come as you are.
Open to everyone.
Where: Zoom link provided after registration
When: Monday, May 11 from 8-9:30pm
More dates to remember:
April 12 at 10am — Board Retreat (check email for RSVP link)
Through April 13 — Ending Tuesday: Annual Passover Food Drive
April 13 at 8pm — Monthly Board Meeting (rescheduled - check email for Zoom link)
Saturday, April 18 — Community Potluck Kiddush
Friday, April 24 — Kabbalat Shabbat
Friday, April 24 — Deadline to sign up for Shabbat Dinner Swap
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Open Door Shabbat
Children’s Programs
Tot Shabbat
10:30–11:30 am
For preschool children › April 18
› April 25
› May 2
› May 16 Junior Congregation
10:30–11:30 am
For school-aged children › April 18
› May 2 Full calendar PDF →
Candle Lighting
Tonight at 7:12pm Havdalah: Saturday at 8:13pm Torah reading: Shmini
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Community Potluck Kiddush
Join us for a potluck Kiddush after services and children's programming on April 18! If you can, bring a pareve or dairy dish to share (sign up here). But there's no obligation to contribute, we'd love to see you!
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May Adult Jewish Learning: Money and Power
This May we are thrilled to partner once again 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. Power and money introduce tricky dynamics and complicated moral questions into professional and personal relationships. In this course, we'll be exploring the effects of influence and how Jewish sources might advise us to respond when navigating relationships with power imbalances. We'll explore questions like: when do we speak up and when do we stay silent? When do we speak truth to power and when do we flatter to avoid conflict? What moral standards should we require from those in power and what happens when they fail to meet those standards?
The class will meet four times (virtually) on Wednesdays in May (6, 13, 20, & 27) from 8:00-9:30 pm ET. The class is free for ACI members, with a suggested donation of $36 for non-members.
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Our Shabbat Dinner Swap is Back!
Spend Shabbat with neighbors across Western Queens! ACI's Shabbat Meal Swap connects people who want to host or be hosted for a Shabbat dinner in someone's home. No membership required; all are welcome.
Sign up to host or be hosted on any Shabbat between May 1-June 26. We'll match you with dinner partners and connect you to coordinate a date. The form takes just 2–3 minutes.
Sign up by April 24 at 5:00 pm.
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Ending Tuesday: 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 by April 13!
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Share 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, 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?
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Ongoing Programs & Opportunities
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Pathways to Judaism
An introduction to Judaism course via Zoom for those exploring Judaism or considering conversion.
Learn more and register.
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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 to
find out more.
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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:
- April 11 - TOMORROW!
- May 9
- June 6
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This Week in Hebrew School
Hebrew School was not in session this week because of the Passover holiday. We will see everyone next Tuesday, April 14!
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Pastoral Requests
If you would like to inform the synagogue about a hospital visit or
death, or request pastoral care, please fill out this form. All submissions
are confidential.
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Support ACI’s Mission
Help us continue to serve our community with meaningful programs,
welcoming services, and a well-maintained sacred space.
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Messages
חג פסח שמח with love from Sue Ann and Mitch
In memory of my mother, Ethel Freed, from Elaine Freed Lindenblatt
In memory of my mother, Piroska Lindenblatt, from Cantor & Elaine Lindenblatt
In honor of the Hamermesh Family from Frances & Dan Hamermesh
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Mi Sheberachs
Please keep the following people in your hearts and prayers for the blessing of r'fua sh'leima:
Aaron Vajda
Avram Michel Ben Sylvia V'Fred Wishnoff
Elizabeth Bruner
Eric David Laxman
Esther bat Chana
Faiga bat Feivel v’Leia
Gary Lefkowitz
Joel Tarlowe
Leah Chana bat Lena
Malcolm Mungo
Margaret Hall
Menachem Mendel Yonah Ben Beila V'Yakov
Michael Laster
Pia Yehudit bat Pesha
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
Sidney Williams and Baby
Wilton Mungo
Zalman Mordechai Aaron ben Yehudit
Want to pray
for someone who is sick? You can add anyone to the list, regardless of whether the person is
Jewish. Submit a name here.
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Yahrzeits
This week (24–30 Nisan), we observe the yahrzeits of the following ACI members, family and friends. May their memories always be a blessing.
Fannie Sharnack
Lester Woods
Morris Zeifman
Harry H. Summers
Bertha Sroka
Dorothy Shaber
Florence Schinz
Ida Weinstein
Jacob Printz
Samuel Friedlander
Phillip L. Wiener
Claire Raphael
Rev. Samuel Dembowitz
Elizabeth K. Pomerantz
Joseph Dym
Annie Klein
Samuel P. Samuels
Ethel Freed
Ruth Baker
Arthur Wohl
Ethel Sohmer
Sidney Abrams
Samuel Tugender
Louis Gerry
Herbert Dornfest
Sylvia Wachtel-Isaacson
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