Mitzvah Day from YOUR B’NAI ISRAEL FAMILY
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
DECEMBER 2019 Kislev/Tevet 5780 VOLUME 77 NUMBER 4 STAY CONNECTED facebook.com/groups/BnaiIsraelCong/ www.bnaiisraelcong.org UPCOMING Men's Club Sports Night UPCOMING See page 18. Let Us Build a World of Kindness Ps. 89:3 HAG HANUKKAH SAMEAH! Mitzvah Day FROM YOUR B’NAI ISRAEL FAMILY Hanukkah Candles Sunday, December 22 through Sunday, December 8 Sunday, December 29 Projects | Blood Drive | Collections See page 15 for details. Hanukkah Celebration & Dinner Thursday, December 26 See page 18 for details. Havdalah Have-Deli Inside B’nai Mitzvah .....................................................................2 A Congregational Saturday Evening Program Rabbi's Message .............................................................. 3 Notes by Cantor Bolts ................................................. 4 HINEINI .............................................................................. 4 Saturday, December 14 Leadership Message .......................................................5 Shabbat Magic ................................................................. 6 Lessans Adult Learning Institute ................................7 Featuring: HAZAK ..................................................................................7 • Pajama Havdalah Program Early Childhood .............................................................. 8 Shabbat Magic Youth Services ................................. 9 • Community Havdalah Service Youth & Education ........................................................ 10 Israel Corner ..................................................................... 11 • Community Deli Dinner Social Action ................................................................... 14 • Cantor Josh & Friends Variety Show Mitzvah Day .................................................................... 15 Blumberg-Zalis Family Library ................................. 16 • Kadima & USY Programs Sisterhood ....................................................................... 17 Sisterhood Judaica Shop ............................................ 17 See page 6 for information. Men's Club ....................................................................... 18 Mazal Tovim .................................................................... 19 Members in Mourning ................................................ 20 Donations ......................................................................... 21 Morocco Jewish Heritage Trip ................................ 23 B’NAI MITZVAH devn ipa Ari Jordan Fine Lily Cayla Rulnick December 7 | 9:00 AM December 21 | 9:00 AM Ari Fine, son of Elana Lily Rulnick, daughter of WINNE R and Sandy Fine, grandson Alisa and Aaron Rulnick, of Judi Fine and Neal granddaughter of Dr. Fine, and Marilyn Smith Adrienne and Rabbi Arthur and Barry Smith, is a Rulnick, and Marsha and 7th grade student at Julius West Middle Sidney Tishler, is a seventh-grade student Thank you to the readers of School. For his mitzvah project, Ari is at Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School. Washington Jewish Week supporting Amman Imman: Water is Life, For her mitzvah project, Lily volunteers for for choosing an organization that raises awareness of Friendship Circle, where she participates water scarcity in Africa and raises funds to in monthly birthday parties with children B’nai Israel build wells. Ari is leading read alouds of who have developmental disabilities. Lily Congregation the children’s book, Nya’s Long Walk, for also participates in the Sunflower Bakery as the best elementary school students and is running a B’nai Mitzvah Program, a program that fundraiser for their Wells of Love program. trains maintainable and transferable skills to adults with learning differences. • Preschool Julia Hannah Fine • Event Venue December 7 | 9:00 AM Alex Lev Kandel • Judaica Shop Julia Fine, daughter of January 4 | 9:00 AM Elana and Sandy Fine, Alex Kandel, son of • Continuing Education granddaughter of Judi Fine Melanie and Rami Kandel, Program and Neal Fine, and Marilyn grandson of Zehavit and • Alternative Shabbat Smith and Barry Smith, is Emmanuel Kandel, and a 7th grade student at Julius West Middle Service/Programming Nancy Savage and Ronald School. For her mitzvah project, Julia is Savage (z”l), is a seventh- • Family-Friendly participating in Sunflower Bakery’s B’nai grade student at Cabin John Middle School. Mitzvah Seeds Program. Sunflower Bakery Shabbat Service For his mitzvah project, Alex volunteers is a local bakery dedicated to providing • Kiddush weekly at the Bender Jewish Community skilled job training and employment for Center sports program mentoring children adults with learning differences. She is also in the DC metropolitan area! coordinating a neighborhood food drive for with special needs. His family has an Manna Food Center. endowment fund, The David Lev Kandel Memorial Endowment Fund that supports Amanda Jayne children with special needs attend Camp Gershoni JCC. December 14 | 9:00 AM Amanda Gershoni, DUES REMINDER daughter of Jodi and Yoav Gershoni, granddaughter January is around the corner! A of Harriet Fishel and Alan HAZAK friendly reminder that B’nai Israel Kent, Janet and Jerry Slusky, and Denise policy is to pay the full balance and Amnon Gershoni, is a seventh-grade Shabbat of yearly membership dues by student at Julius West Middle School. For Saturday, December 28 December 31st or be on a payment her mitzvah project, Amanda is collecting plan with the synagogue. Payments and assembling birthday bags for children Join members of HAZAK can be made by check, credit card, who are celebrating their birthdays at for this special Shabbat service or stock transfer. Children’s National Medical Center in as we celebrate the accomplishments Washington, DC. Amanda believes sick of our chapter and its For more information, please children’s birthdays should feel festive and dedicated leaders. contact Hal Ossman, Executive special. Director (hossman@bnaiisraelcong. org, 301-816-5563). 2 DECEMBER 2019 offered an opportunity to do something for themselves, by themselves. Faith and Welcome to the Newest Family is designed for parents to be with each other—without their children in the Members of Our room—in order to allow for a real deep B’nai Israel Family conversation about our lives as parents (October 5–November 5, 2019) raising Jewish children. This program offers you the opportunity New Member . to think intentionally about the future and your family’s Jewish identity. Faith and AARON GOLDBERG Family can help you be a better parent by drawing upon the wisdom of our tradition, Brukhim habaim! The entire congregation and linking everyday moments to Jewish shares our joy in welcoming you into our RABBI'S MESSAGE practices that bring greater meaning, depth, B’nai Israel family. by RABBI MITCHELL BERKOWITZ and joy to our lives. Each of the five sessions provides opportunities to learn blessings and songs, engage in meaningful text study, As new parents, Rebecca and I are figuring and explore with peers how to manage the out what it means to establish a family, to competing values of the world in which care for and raise another human being, we live. to love and educate our daughter, and to determine how best to help her become a Typically, I shy away from thinking about strong, compassionate, and kind woman, Hanukkah as time of gift-giving. This Inclement dedicated to the values that we too hold year, however, I encourage the parents of dear. Of course, we want her to see the young children in our community to give Weather value in living a committed Jewish life, and themselves a precious gift: the gift of time Information recognize all of the joys that are manifest in carved out for themselves, time to learn and a Jewish home. explore for themselves, time to have fun In the event of inclement weather, with their partner and grow closer to their we will make every effort that we can In speaking with other parents of young peers. This year, give yourself the gift of to communicate to our membership children, I know that they too wonder how participating in Faith and Family. and school communities via email. to integrate Judaism into their homes and into their daily lives. How can Jewish rituals I am thrilled to be offering this opportunity to Please be aware that separate punctuate the day, the week, the month, in the B’nai Israel community, and I hope that decisions are made for our schools, a way that adds value, meaning, and joy to you will consider participating in it. I have synagogue offices, synagogue our family? What are the Jewish values that not yet set a schedule for the course because programs, and daily minyan. In we apply to everyday happenings? How can I want to hear from those who are interested all cases, the most up-to-date Judaism make us better parents? about their schedules and availability. If information will be posted on our you are interested in participating, please website at www.bnaiisraelcong. These questions are at the core of a new reach out and let me know (301-816-5575, org. If events are not listed as curriculum that we are piloting here at B’nai [email protected]). canceled on our website, it is safe Israel. Over the summer, we applied and to assume that they are proceeding were accepted into a cohort of synagogues Wishing you all a hag Hanukkah sameach, as scheduled. that will offer a new USCJ curriculum, a festive Hanukkah celebration. Faith and Family. This five-session program is designed specifically for parents of young children (defined rather