Blog Posts

WJOA Shabbat, Purim Spiel, Trivia and Book Club

3/4/2025

See below for the WJOA early March announcements!

Featured in today's newsletter:
Shabbat Services and Potluck: 3/7
Purim Spiel: 3/9
Trivia: 3/12
Happy Hour: 3/25
Book Club Brunch and Discussion: 3/30
Happy Hour and Cardmaking for Dorot: 4/1
Schmooze News

Shabbat Services and Potluck

Friday, March 7, 7pm
Mor and Liz's place in Astoria

Join us for the next Wandering Jews Shabbat, as Mor and Liz host us at their place. We'll have a Shabbat service followed by a vegetarian potluck dinner. Please RSVP by Wednesday, March 5 to Mor. (Note that space is limited, so RSVP early to reserve a spot.) You'll receive the address and a spreadsheet so you can tell us what vegetarian dishes you will bring for dinner. Here is the Facebook event.

RSVP to Mor

Purim Spiel

Sunday, March 9, 3pm
Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden downstairs (29-19 24th Ave, Astoria)

RSVP to Brian to join us on Sunday afternoon for our annual spiel! We will be downstairs at the Beer Garden. Also let Brian know if you're interested in helping with performing in it (we'll be arriving early to rehearse). Costumes welcome! Here is the Facebook event.

RSVP to Brian

Trivia Night

Wednesday, March 12, 7:15pm–10:00pm
Finback Brewery LIC (29-37 41st Ave, Long Island City)

Please RSVP to Laura so she can save seats. The WJOA Trivia team will be celebrating our second place finish from February when we return to Finback LIC on Wednesday, March 12. Arrive by 7:15pm to snag a seat and grab a drink and/or some snacks before trivia begins at 7:30pm. We hope to see you there! Here is the Facebook event.

RSVP to Laura

Happy Hour

Tuesday, March 25, 6pm
Bar Dalia (33-17 31st Ave, Astoria)

Come hang out with us as we continue choosing bars from the BOAST: Best of Astoria & LIC best Happy Hour bars in Astoria winners list. Check out the other BOAST 2024 winners here. Here is the Bar Dalia Happy Hour menu. Please send a RSVP to Jennifer so she can hold you a seat Here is the Facebook event.

RSVP to Jennifer

Book Club Brunch and Discussion

Sunday, March 30, noon
Location TBD

The next Book Club book will be Jerusalem Beach by Iddo Gefen (304 pages). We'll meet for a discussion and brunch potluck at location TBD. Come with a question or two if you'd like. Here is the link to the book at Astoria Bookshop. RSVP to Jonah by Thursday, March 27 if you can make it. Here is the Facebook event.

RSVP to Jonah

Happy Hour and Cardmaking for Dorot

Tuesday, April 1, 6:30pm
Oliver's Astoria (37-19 Broadway at 38th St, Astoria)

Join Jennifer as she leads a handmade cardmaking workshop where the cards are made by YOU! The cards will then be given to Dorot, a non-profit organization that provides many different services mainly for older adults living on the Upper West Side. One way to volunteer is by making cards that Dorot will distribute to older adults for birthdays and holidays. Here is more info about Dorot and their cardmaking program. All materials will be provided. We will meet at Oliver's in Astoria and enjoy Happy Hour while creating our cards. Here is Oliver's menu. To attend, RSVP to Jennifer. Here is the Facebook event.

RSVP to Jennifer

Schmooze News

WJOA member Eli Steier has a YouTube series of two-minute videos called Whole Heart Torah Fundamentals. You can check it out here.
- These short clips are designed to introduce and deepen key Torah concepts such as the significance of the unity of Hashem, Hashem's love for us, and the importance of being wholehearted.
Central 20s & 30s
- Theater Trip: Deadclass, Ohio
  Thursday, March 6
  7:00–8:30pm | The Tank (312 W 36th Street)
  Join Rabbinic Intern Brooklyn Michalowicz for an evening of theater. An original piece about intergenerational memory, devised from archival materials and ephemera belonging to Holocaust survivors, Deadclass, Ohio is not a traditional Holocaust play. Space is limited. Read the synopsis and register
Central 30s & 40s
- New group alert!
  Central Synagogue now has a group for those in their 30s and 40s. The group goes to Shabbat services at Central on the third Friday of the month, followed by a bar nearby to schmooze. (They also have other events.) You can sign up here to get on the email list, and the WhatsApp group is linked here.
Donate to Aid in the LA Fires
- The fires in LA, which are still ongoing, have been devastating. GlobalGiving has a fundraiser, California Wildfire Relief Fund, where all donations to this fund will support wildfire relief and recovery efforts in California. Your donation will directly help people in need by providing food, water, and shelter through vetted nonprofits.
Donate to Aid in the Israel-Gaza Crisis
- We are heartbroken and devastated by the Israel/Gaza war. You can contribute to GlobalGiving's Israel-Palestine Crisis Relief Fund, which provides emergency relief and long-term support to people in need.
Donate to Aid in the Ukraine Crisis
- In February 2023, WJOA board member Jonah Schrogin volunteered at JCC Krakow, where he packed and sorted food for Ukrainian refugees. If you'd like to contribute to JCC Krakow's Ukraine relief program, here is their Ukraine Appeal. JCC Krakow is a 501(c)(3) organization, so any donations made are tax-deductible. Please write “Ukraine donation via Jonah Schrogin, int vol” in the comment box.
- Jonah has another fundraiser, this one benefitting GlobalGiving's Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund. This supports more than 80 non-profit organizations on the ground in Ukraine and in the surrounding areas providing humanitarian aid, such as shelter, medical care, food, and clean water. Contribute here, and you can get more information by emailing Jonah, including seeing a recorded presentation.

Have an event you'd like to organize or share? As always, please don't hesitate to send them our way!

—The WJOA Team

WJOA Trivia, Happy Hour and Purim Spiel

2/20/2025

See below for the WJOA mid-February announcements!

Featured in today's newsletter:
Trivia: 2/19
Happy Hour: 2/27
Happy Hour and Cardmaking for Dorot: 3/4
Purim Spiel: 3/9
Book Club Brunch and Discussion: 3/30
Schmooze News

Trivia Night

Wednesday, February 19, 7:15pm–10:00pm
Finback Brewery LIC (29-37 41st Ave, Long Island City)

Please RSVP to Laura so she can save seats. The WJOA Trivia team will be showing off our skills at Finback Brewery LIC on Wednesday, February 19. Arrive by 7:15pm to snag a seat and grab a drink before trivia begins at 7:30pm. We hope to see you there! Here is the Facebook event.

RSVP to Laura

Happy Hour

Thursday, February 27, 6pm
Queen's Room (36-02 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria)

We thought it would be fun to hang out again on Ditmars Blvd, this time at Queen's Room. Plus it was the BOAST: Best of Astoria & LIC 2024 Winner for Best American Restaurant. Come see what everyone is talking about! Queen's Room Happy Hour is 4–7pm. We will meet there at 6pm. Check out their menu here. Check out other BOAST winners here. Please send an RSVP to Jennifer, so she can save you a seat. Here is the Facebook event.

RSVP to Jennifer