JUNE/JULY 2021 Iyar/Sivan/Tammuz 5781 Summer Edition
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JUNE/JULY 2021 Iyar/Sivan/Tammuz 5781 Summer Edition VOLUME 78 NUMBER 9 STAY CONNECTED facebook.com/groups/BnaiIsraelCong/ www.bnaiisraelcong.org IMPORTANT High Holiday Ticket Mailing IMPORTANT See page 4. MAZAL TOV to the Confirmation SUMMER Class of 2021/5781 Speaker Series JASON ALTNEU GABRIELLE BARKE ELIZABETH KOTLOVE ETHAN LENKIN During a beautiful celebration on Shavuot, our confirmands presented reflections on Community members speak on their intensive educational projects. Shabbat mornings about the RabbiVisit www.bnaiisraelcong.org/ Matthew Simon and interesting ways that they connect Dr. Saraconfirmation2021 Rubinow Simon special experiences to their Jewish Createto a viewLegacy their Endowmentreflections. for identities. Jewish Engagement See pages 6–7 for details. !cuySee page 11.kzn Inside B’nai Mitzvah ........................................................ 2 Lenkin Building Anniversary .......................... 2 Tish’a B’Av Rabbi’s Message ................................................. 3 The Ninth of Av Leadership Message .......................................... 5 HINEINI Lessans Adult Learning Institute ................. 5 Annual Campaign On this day we Summer Speaker Series .................................. 6 HINEINI Annual Campaign ............................. 8 2020–2021 commemorate the Judaica Shop ....................................................... 10 destruction of the Sisterhood Endowment ................................. 11 Temples and other Project Outreach ................................................ 11 WITH tragedies of Jewish Early Childhood .................................................. 12 history. Youth & Education ........................................... 13 APPRECIATION Shabbat Magic ....................................................13 Youth Events ...................................................... 14 We honor and recognize Saturday, July 17 Israel Corner ....................................................... 15 those who supported the and Blumberg-Zalis Family Library .....................16 2020–2021 Hineini Sunday, July 18 Social Action ...................................................... 16 Annual Campaign Sisterhood ........................................................... 17 See page 3 for more information. Men’s Club .......................................................... 18 See page 8. Mazal Tov ............................................................ 19 Members in Mourning ................................... 20 Donations ............................................................. 21 B’NAI MITZVAH B'NAI ISRAEL CELEBRATES devn ipa 18 YEARS Jacob Ari Krantz FOR LENKIN June 12 | 9:00 AM Jake Krantz, son of Tracy EDUCATION AND and Stefan Krantz, grandson of Sondra (z”l) and Richard ACTIVITIES (z”l) Evans and Lenore and Fred Krantz, is a seventh- CENTER grade student at Charles E. Smith Jewish by RABBI JONATHAN A. SCHNITZER Day School. For his mitzvah project, Jake is planning to collect sports equipment for In our Jewish tradition, 18 is a special Just as we did 18 years ago, we will need Leveling the Playing Field, an organization number. It signifies Chai, life, and an a surge of energy, creativity and agility for that gives underprivileged children the affirmation of our human potential. our post-pandemic B’nai Israel blueprint. opportunity to enjoy the mental and physical Most of all, we will need you. benefits of youth sports participation. Last month, 18 years ago, on a bright Sunday morning—May 18, 2003—we at B’nai Israel How fortuitous it is that the 18th celebrated an extraordinary accomplishment: anniversary of the dedication of the Lenkin Benjamin Amdur the dedication of the Thelma and Melvin Education and Activities Center coincided June 19 | 9:00 AM Lenkin Education and Activities Center, with the Festival of Shavuot...when we the Benjamin Amdur, son of which launched an era of exceptional growth Jewish people recognize the centrality of Alexander Amdur and and vitality for our congregation, from which Torah. At its essence, our Synagogue is a Gabriela Rosenberg, all of us continue to benefit. It was one of my living laboratory of Torah, its values and grandson of Samuel (z”l) most memorable moments as a rabbi. responsibilities. and Anita Rosenberg, and Millard (z”l) and Sheila Amdur, is a seventh- Reaching that milestone was daunting: So...Mazal Tov to all of us, L’ Hayyim— grade student at Charles E. Smith Jewish Day there were construction delays, pauses in to life—and onward to B’nai Israel’s School. For his mitzvah project, Benjamin generating the required funds and other Centennial and the next chapter in our is helping with distributing food at the obstacles inevitable in such a complex destiny! MidCounty United Ministries Mobile Pantry. project. But throughout the process, there was also a palpable sense of commitment and excitement, as hundreds and hundreds Simon Pugach June 19 | 9:00 AM of our B’nai Israel members helped in activating our vision for the future. Simon Pugach, son of Susan and David Pugach, Many in our B’nai Israel ranks vividly grandson of Janice and Gary remember the dedication event of 18 years Bilchik and Simon (z”l) and ago and the fulfillment of that dream. They Marilyn Pugach, is a sixth- deserve our gratitude for the courage, grade student at North Bethesda Middle caring, love and generosity which they School. For his mitzvah project, Simon is exemplified for our congregation. Others helping people experiencing food insecurity have become part of our Synagogue by preparing food for Martha’s Table. community in the intervening years and have been impressed by both the physical This dedication plaque hangs near the and spiritual beauty of our facility. entrance to the Thelma and Melvin Lenkin Education and Activities Center. Each name God willing, as the pandemic lessens, we represents an entire committee of volunteers will convene once again at B’nai Israel who dedicated themselves to this tremendous under more normal circumstances. It will community endeavor. be heartwarming to see our community streaming back to the Lenkin Education and Activities Center for a myriad of purposes. But this much is also certain: the pandemic has upended many aspects of Jewish life, including at our Synagogue. 2 JUNE/JULY 2021 happened most recently in 2008 and it will happen again in 2025), but it offers us a unique opportunity as a community: a chance Tish’a B’Av to explore the notions of consolation, return, The Ninth of Av and love. These themes are most appropriate for us to consider as the pandemic wanes On this day we commemorate the and we each reemerge into a newfound destruction of the Temples and experience of life. other tragedies of Jewish history. SATURDAY, JULY 17 The opening lines of this special haftarah 8:00 PM Shabbat Minha service read, “Comfort, oh comfort My people, followed by a Tisha B'Av says your God. Speak to the heart of learning session Jerusalem…” (Isaiah 40:1-2). The phrase Havdalah, Ma'ariv and the reading of Eikhah-Book of Lamentations RABBI'S MESSAGE “speak to the heart” evokes courtship and will follow when Shabbat ends at by RABBI MITCHELL BERKOWITZ love; God seeks reconciliation with God’s 9:02 PM people after a difficult and trying time. Reconciliation between estranged parties is SUNDAY, JULY 18 Tisha B’Av, or the 9th of Av, is not the most about learning how to rebuild and how to 9:00 AM Shaharit 2:00 PM Minha widely observed day on the Jewish calendar. heal. After what has been a terribly trying 8:00 PM Ma’ariv Often arriving in July or August, this day is time for us all, we seek moments for healing the only one that mirrors the customs of Yom and rebuilding—with ourselves, with each Fast ends at 9:02 PM. Kippur: a complete 25-hour fast coupled other, and with God. All of us have been with other abstentions. It is a dark day on the tested this past year, and all of us have faced Jewish calendar for on it we recall not only loss and disappointment. Shabbat Nachamu the destructions of the Jerusalem Temples teaches us that after pain, there is yet hope but other calamities of Jewish history. But for healing and comfort. even less well-known is a celebration which follows six days later: Tu B’Av, or the 15th Healing and comfort are necessary, but they of Av, a celebration of love and courtship are insufficient. We strive not only to recover IN-PERSON with somewhat obscure origins. and return, but to thrive and flourish. In order to do that, we need love. We need to SERVICES The Mishnah teaches us that Tu B’Av and reawaken that sense of love for ourselves, are Happening Yom Kippur were actually some of the most love for each other, and love for our sacred joyous days on the calendar in the ancient tradition. Tu B’Av presents us with an at B'nai Israel Jewish world, because on these days “the opportunity to do so. You are invited to join us for in-person daughters of Jerusalem would go out in services every Wednesday morning at white clothes, which each woman borrowed So please join us on July 24 for the 7:15 AM, Saturday morning at 9:00 from another” (Mishnah Ta’anit 4:8). The celebration of both Shabbat Nachamu AM, and as announced for holidays mishnah goes on to teach that these were and Tu B’Av. We will host a Service of and special occasions. With rapidly the days upon which the unmarried women Consolation and Renewal. Our traditional changing public health guidelines, we and men of ancient Israel would go out to Shabbat morning services will be enhanced appreciate the recommendations