Catalog of Events

The Rosh Hashanah Shabbot Dinner- With a large family style Rosh Hashanah Shabbot dinner JQ brings in the Jewish New Year with a feeling of family, community, tradition and belonging. Rosh Hashanah is the best way to commence the Jewish life-cycle that is found throughout JQ International programs and events.

The Sukkah in the City Brunch and Collection of Towels and Blankets for Abraham’s Tent— Imagine a roof-top sukkah at Kol Ami Synagogue in West Hollywood. Then imagine Mimosas, Bagels and Lox, and other delectables with friends under the late summer sky. Sunshine always graces JQ’s Sukkah in the City Brunch as the ancient custom of “food in a hut” (dining outdoors in the sukkah) is brought into modern day.

Evening with Mazon—JQ International partnered this past year with Mazon to introduce a new level of educational programming to the JQ community. Mazon allocates donations from the Jewish community to prevent and alleviate hunger among people of all faiths and backgrounds and together with JQ, a Hunger Simulation and program was created and implemented to raise awareness of hunger and its affects on our society. To follow-up JQ International hosted volunteer days with two Mazon fund recipients Project Chicken Soup and SOVA.

Annual Color Party and Toy Drive for Vista Del Mar Child Services—This past years Red Party was vibrant and luscious as all the food, beverages, and decorations were colored with red. Even the guests wore red to celebrate the chosen colored theme. Attendees come toy-in-hand to brighten the up-coming winter holiday season for the children of Vista Del Mar Orphanage. The Vista Del Mar Child Services Youth Village brings together children from the southland to provide them with programming, mentoring, and a safe environment for them to grow.

Hanukkah Party and Wish List for My Friend’s Place—JQ members celebrate the Festival Lights with a candle lighting and Hanukkah Party. There are dreidels to play with, and latkes to eat. And while the candles are burning bright JQ collects wish list items for My Friend’s Place, a homeless youth resource center in Hollywood. Art supplies, clothing, toiletries, backpacks and CDs; all these items are of great need.

Tu B’shvat Tree Planting and Picnic-—JQ International’s annual tree planting and environmental action day. Each year JQ partners with different organizations to work collectively and collaboratively on Tu B’shvat, the Jewish holiday celebrating trees and nature. This past year JQ International worked together with JNF (Jewish National Fund), COEJL (Coalition of Environment and Jewish Life) and Tree People to plant a variety of plants and trees in public parks. Traditionally JQ hosts a Tu B’shvat Seder and a picnic.

Israeli Shorts Film Screening—An enjoyable evening of assorted Israeli short films collected to give a little flavor sampling of a wide spectrum of genres and perspectives by Israeli film makers. From left-wing to right-wing to non-political, this collection of films will make you laugh, cry, sympathize, love, hate and think differently as each of these films give you a little taste of what Israeli cinema has to offer.

Purim Costume Party and Shoe Drive for Soles for Souls—What better way to celebrate the defeat of Hayman than with an all-out costume party and prizes for the most amazing costume creations. Celebrate and create an atmosphere that shouldn’t be missed with creative costume designs and the warmth for helping those in need via the annual Soles for Souls Shoe Drive. JQ International has collected hundreds of pairs of shoes for Soles for Souls, an inspiring organization that brings needed shoes to developing countries and those in need locally at home in the United States.

Passover Seder—Custom dictates that we recount the suffering of our ancestors from their enslavement to the exodus from Egypt. JQ members gather together to relive the story of Passover and relate it to modern day civil liberty struggles that we collectively hope will soon be overcome. The queer elements added to the JQ Hagadah are growing with each year as JQ’s Seder takes on an even more powerful meaning in the traditions of the organization.

Yom Ha’atzmaut Party—With the celebration of Israel’s Independence, JQ International hosts an evening event full of festivities and time honored traditions.

The JQ Ultimate Game Nite and SOVA Food Bank Drive—With out-of-the-box games and a scavenger hunt loaded with brain puzzles, riddles, and clues may the best team WIN! This is no ‘bored’ game night. By the end of the evening, some players are on the ground pulling their hair out. All games and riddles are designed using different aspects from logic to knowledge and common sense to book-smarts. Better make sure your team has the best of each element! JQ International members collected non-perishable food items to be distributed by the SOVA Food Bank, the interfaith food pantry, supplementing the hungry with a few extra days worth of food each month.

Lag B’omer Bonfire—A summer evening on Dockweiler Beach just south of Santa Monica. Imagine friends gathered around a bonfire with the ocean waves crashing behind, a guitar player and JQ members singing and laughing as the flames and experience light up the moment. What a wonderful way to welcome the summer with the many members who come early to lay out under the sun and play in the surf.

Annual Jew-B-Que and School Supplies & Backpacks for Abraham’s Tent—To kick off the summer JQ members gather to bar-b-que under the stars. With a bar-b-qued feast appetites are satiated, and backpacks are filled with much needed school supplies for Abraham’s Tent. Abraham’s Tent, a local Jewish response to homelessness, brings together different community players to help bring resources to homeless families.

OUTFEST Film Screening and After-Party—Each year JQ works with OUTFEST to bring promote a variety of Jewish and Israeli GLBT Films to the Los Angeles community. Often celebrating the premiere of the screening in Los Angeles, JQ International hosts an After-Party in conjunction with the film and its creators.

The Jewau Luau and SOVA Food Bank Drive—An annual favorite, JQ members and volunteers go all out to put on a Polynesian themed pool party with featured items such as Israeli Poi (tropical hummus), fruit kabobs, and many other delicious tropical delights. Join JQ members and enjoy the sounds of the South Pacific, and don’t forget to bring your bathing suits to take a swim and non-perishables to be distributed by SOVA, the interfaith food pantry supplementing the hungry with a few extra days worth of food each month

Leadership Shabbot Dinner Series—To top off all the holidays, Shabbot Judaism’s most central and significant components of the Jewish communal life-cycle, allows JQ the opportunity to foster a special leadership development program central to JQ’s tradition as a grassroots leadership organization the Leadership Shabbot Dinner Series. Every month allows new themes and guest speakers to promote the highest level of JQ’s Leadership the opportunity to meet and build relationships high in the GLBT and Jewish community.

*This list of events is a sample of many programs offered currently by JQ International. Social action projects may be partnered with different events and new programs may be offered in place of currently offered programs.