WJOA Trivia and Christmastime with the Jews

Read about upcoming events and news from the Wandering Jews of Astoria.

Happy Chanukah! See below for the WJOA mid-December announcements. Featured in today's newsletter: Trivia Night: 12/23 Book Club Voting: 12/24 Christmastime for the Jews: 12/25 Schmooze News Trivia Night Tuesday, December 23, 7:30pm–10:00pm The Bonnie (29-12 23rd Ave, Astoria) Please RSVP to Laura by Monday, December 22 so she can save seats. The WJOA Trivia team will compete at The Bonnie on Tuesday, December 23. Arrive at 7:30pm to help save seats, catch up, and grab a drink and/or snacks before trivia begins at 8pm. We hope to see you there! Here is the Facebook event. RSVP to Laura Book Club voting By Wednesday, December 24, 7pm Please vote (only once) using the link below for the next Book Club book. We are doing ranked-choice voting again, so rank your choices first to fifth. Vote below by Wednesday, Dec. 24 at 7pm. Here is the form to vote. Cammy Sitting Shiva by Cary Gitter (288 pages) The Way Back by Gavriel Savit (368 pages) Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippman (352 pages) Heart of a Stranger by Angela Buchdahl (352 pages) Becoming Eve: My Journey from Ultra-Orthodox Rabbi to Transgender Woman by Abby Stein (272 pages) Here is the Facebook event. Vote Christmastime for the Jews Thursday, December 25, noon Congregation Sons of Israel (33-21 Crescent St, Astoria) On Christmas Day, we'll meet at Congregation Sons of Israel in Astoria at noon for a kosher Chinese lunch served buffet style, then we'll walk to Regal UA Kaufman Astoria for a movie. (Avatar 3 will be in theaters.) Join us for just lunch, just the movie, or both. This will be a Bring Your Own Beverage event, and it will be $20 to cover the cost of food. RSVP to Jenna by Monday, December 22, so she can place the food order and provide more information about the movies. Here is the Facebook event. RSVP to Jenna Schmooze News Chanukah Concert Outdoors On Sunday, Dec. 21 at 4:30pm, there will be a Chanukah concert outdoors at "Under the 7" at 46th St. in Bliss Plaza. There will be a performance by The Shuk Music Group followed by menorah lighting at 5pm. This event is open to all, and there will be latkes and donuts. This event is sponsored by Young Israel of Sunnyside and UJA Federation. If you have any questions, you can contact WJOA member Jenna.   Birthday cards for seniors In honor of the New Year of Trees, WJOA member Jenna will be leading an event making birthday cards for seniors on Sunday, Feb. 1, 11am at Young Israel of Sunnyside followed by Tu B'Shevat celebrations. RSVP to Jenna if you can make it.   Central 30s/40s  30s/40s Shabbat is usually the third Friday of the month, where they go to services at Central at 6pm, and then they have a small area reserved at Draught 55 at 7:30pm. You're always welcome to meet them directly there. Real-time updates will be shared in WhatsApp You can sign up here to get on the email list, and the WhatsApp group is linked here.   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.    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