Throughout the year, the Forest Hills Jewish Center offers many opportunities for enrichment. These opportunities include:
- 30-minute Limud at 7:30 PM on nights when there is no in-person minyan. Our Rabbi and Hazzan pick topics relating to Jewish law and religious practice, and the associated music.
- Our annual Scholar-in-Residence Program, which brings in prominent journalists, authors, and academics for multi-day presentations to our congregation—all made possible by the generosity of an annual donation in memory of Malcom Peace Sevin. Recent scholars have included Benjamin Sommer, Professor of Bible at The Jewish Theological Seminary of America and Senior Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute, and noted journalist Yossi Klein Halevi (also a Senior Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute).
- Our annual Shabbaton weekend has evolved into the Shabbaton at Home, a continuing series of seminars presented by members of our community with strong Jewish backgrounds. These lectures cover topics as diverse as “The Afterlife in Jewish Thought and Text” and “Who Was Haman Anyway?”.
- The Hebrew Literature Group meets 5 to 8 times a year on Thursdays at 5:00 PM on Zoom. We have discussed many genres of Hebrew literature. This year, our topic is “Israeli Poems Written in Response to the Events of October 7th”.
- Interviews with Jewish authors of note, from fiction writers to major Jewish scholars.
- Groups that meet regularly for members to learn and practice Hebrew reading and conversation skills.
Sisterhood
The FHJC Sisterhood aims to:
- Strengthen and unite the women of our synagogue
- Support our commitment to Conservative/Masorti Judaism in our homes, our synagogue, and our community
- Reinforce our bonds with Israel and with Jews worldwide
We are affiliated with the Women’s League for Conservative Judaism and a member of its BQLI Region. Together with other Sisterhoods we support the Torah Fund campaign and participate in National and BQLI events such as Women’s Seders, Study Days, and On-Line Study Sessions.
Our programs include:
- Book discussions
- Educational programs led by members, clergy, and guest speakers
- Yoga and Pilates classes
- Chesed programs including donations to Transition Center, a shelter for families escaping domestic violence
- Live programs from Israel
- Women’s history presentations
- Women’s health education
- NYC Jewish history tours
- Art appreciation
- Museum trips
- Crafting
- Cooking and baking classes
- Wine and cheese tastings
Our programs are on Zoom, hybrid, and in person.
Men’s Club
Friendship. Community. Tradition. Service.
The Forest Hills Jewish Center Men’s Club is a welcoming community dedicated to strengthening our synagogue through friendship, chesed (acts of kindness), Jewish learning, and engaging social programs. Whether you’ve been a member for years or are new to our congregation, there’s a place for you to connect, contribute, and become involved.
Throughout the year, the Men’s Club offers a diverse calendar of programs and events for members of all interests, including:
Community & Chesed
- Queens Jewish Community Council (QJCC) food distribution before Rosh HaShanah and Passover
- Distributing chocolate bars to congregants for a sweet New Year
- Yom HaShoah Yellow Candle Program
- Environmental and volunteer initiatives
- Additional chesed projects benefiting our local community
Jewish Learning & Spiritual Growth
- Lay-led Hebrew Reading Program for adults beginning to learn Hebrew or looking to refresh their reading skills
- NEW! Monthly Lay-Led Learner’s Minyan beginning this year, providing a welcoming opportunity to become more comfortable with the Shabbat morning service while building on the Hebrew Reading Program
- World Wide Wrap (Tefillin) around Super Bowl Sunday
Social & Family Events
- Torah & Tasting evenings
- BBQ in the Sukkah
- Coffee House (FHJC Talent Show)
- Breakfast Speaker Series
- Sporting events, day trips, and outings—including Islanders hockey, Brooklyn Cyclones baseball, batting cages, miniature golf, and more
- Decorating the synagogue Sukkah
- Sponsoring Kiddush cups for our B’nei Mitzvah celebrants
Our Men’s Club is more than a calendar of events—it’s an opportunity to build lasting friendships, strengthen our Jewish identity, support our congregation, and make a meaningful difference in our community.
Nagilah
Nagilah is the choral group of the Forest Hills Jewish Center. Studies show that singing makes people happy—and singing together makes people happier. Our name means, “Let us be joyous!” Our singers consider this their “happy place,” and perhaps it will be yours, too.
We have been singing together for 15 years. We sing traditional, contemporary, and original Jewish music. We meet for rehearsal and shmoozing on Sunday mornings. Reading music is helpful but not mandatory. A good ear, the ability to carry a tune, and the willingness to learn are all you need. All voice parts (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass) are welcome. We sing at a number of events throughout the year, such as the annual Thanksgiving Interfaith Service, Coffee House, and the FHJC Yom HaShoah service.
For further information, please email Heidi Nelson Rolnick, Director of Nagilah.
Even more ways to come together
- Every Shabbat morning, we have hour-long activities for the children in our congregation, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
- Once a month, the third- through sixth-graders in our Religious School have the opportunity to attend Youth Group, a place to play, do crafts, and make friends after class.
- We often send out event announcements through our official listserv, and our members are always chatting on the unofficial one. You can email our IT Manager to be added to the listservs, or, if you’ve already joined, you can use the buttons below to find the full archive of those messages.
