Hand in Hand The Annual Report
2015 – 2016
A Year of Indelible Impact Dear Friends, The Talmud teaches that “the whole value of a benevolent deed lies in the love that inspires it.” This past year was rich with all we achieved at Washington Hebrew Congregation, inspired by many kinds of love: love of Judaism, of family, of community, and of our fellow human beings seeking peace and justice at home and abroad. Maybe you joined us at Temple for the service marking the emotional close of the NAACP’s Journey for Justice; danced at B’nei Mitzvah and weddings; helped feed the hungry on Mitzvah Day, MLK Day, or Sukkot; beamed as you watched our Confirmands stride proudly into their Jewish future; or helped welcome a newcomer on Shabbat. In these ways and more, your love made an indelible imprint on our Congregation and on the world. We are the oldest and largest congregation in our nation’s capital, with a legacy of leadership in the Reform movement and a proud history 164 years strong, but our impact is written on a smaller scale. The fabric of our story is woven by the compassion, generosity, and spirit of our members. The extraordinary year, detailed on the pages that follow, is a tribute to the importance of every member of this community in helping us grow from strength to strength. Shalom,
Rabbi M. Bruce Lustig Senior Rabbi
David M. Astrove President
Membership & Worship A Connected Community WHC by the Numbers In 2015-2016, our diverse and dynamic Congregation grew in many special ways. We:
added 127 new member families,
named 25 babies,
welcomed 126 Consecrants to Religious School,
celebrated 102 B’nei Mitzvah and 48 Confirmands, and officiated at 32 weddings.
Weekly Worship and Holiday Celebration Throughout the year, our Congregation came together in services that transported us around the globe and back worship, deepening ties to one another and our heritage. in time. This year’s series began with artist-in-residence The High Holy Days began the year with a stirring Dan Nichols, whose stirring folk-rock energized Simchat call to reflect on the year behind us and opportunities Torah and Consecration. In November, we enjoyed ahead. A transformative week-long Sukkot program “Flamenco Sepharad” by the passionate Gerard Edery Trio engaged thousands in “A Time of Action,” addressing and Ross M. Levy, whose irresistible grooves appealed pressing social issues together. Holiday celebrations to all generations. In February, Cantors Manevich and punctuated our Jewish year, from the revelry of Simchat Bortnick were joined by Kol Rinah to share the liturgical Torah to the glow of the Hanukkah lights to a music of composer Ben Steinburg. The Guy Mendilow Beatles-themed Purim that brought the spirit of the Ensemble, with artists from Israel, Palestine, Argentina, ‘60s to WHC. All year long, the Pat & Larry Mann Japan, and the U.S., joined us in March with “Tales Streaming Initiative allowed us to live stream services from a Forgotten Kingdom.” On Memorial Day Shabbat, and special events from the Kaufmann Sanctuary and Jerusalem’s Nava Tehila Jewish Renewal Congregation Albert & Shirley Small Chapel, with members unable led a reflective and joyful service. The series closed to join us in person enjoying the WHC experience with “Hanefesh Shel Shabbat,” an original service around the globe. composed by WHC member Robert Nath, uniting arranger and accompanist Cantor Jonathan Comisar; The Irene & Abe Pollin Music Program Cantors Manevich and Bortnick; and Kol Rinah and the Initiative, (PMP) made possible by the extraordinary Reston Chorale, under the direction of David Lang; to generosity of Irene Pollin, introduced special Shabbat end an unforgettable year.
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Auxiliaries & Groups
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or every age and every stage of life, we offered members opportunities to build connections — to each other and to Judaism. 2239, our auxiliary for young professionals, was proud to be named one of North America’s 50 most innovative Jewish initiatives in the 11th annual Slingshot Guide, a prestigious resource for grantmakers. Couples Club brought young couples and families together to socialize and celebrate. The Boomers met for outdoor excursions, film screenings, and Shabbat dinners. The Empty Nesters gathered to learn from speakers on topics ranging from aging to comedy, and the Prime Timers convened over lunch for a monthly speaker series. Brotherhood launched Fatherhood, a community for dads, and their softball team won their fifth Suburban Maryland Synagogue Softball League championship. Sisterhood supported organizations across
Many Pathways to Participation the globe, managed the Judaica Shop, and raised funds at a successful 29th annual Holiday Boutique. WHC’s youth also had a full year, from ETY, our elementary school youth group, who explored Judaism through field trips to WHECTY teens who enhanced friendships and developed valuable leadership skills with programs designed to accommodate today’s busy students. Snowbirds and travelers were treated to a concert by our cantors and an elegant reception at the Florida Reunion, hosted this year by Ann and Don Brown in Palm Beach Gardens. With three book groups, an Israeli investment club, and the Kol Rinah choir providing additional outlets for involvement, we were proud to have something for everyone seeking to engage in our vibrant community.
Culture & the Arts
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Expressions of Jewish Life
HC hosted a dazzling mosaic of cultural exhibits and concert by Shira & Friends for our ECC and and performances celebrating Jewish life around Couples Club families. the world. In October, we premiered “Zionismus Our cantors performed the best of classic and contempo– The German Roots of Zionism,” an exhibit rary Broadway music to a full house at the Julia Bindeman curated by the Leo Baeck Institute, New York (LBI) and Suburban Center with “A Night of Broadway” in made possible by the German Information Center USA, April, and comedian Dani Klein Modisett tickled our funny with a weekend of music and scholarship. bones with “Take My Spouse, Please” in May. Our In December, the highlight of our congregational relationship with the award-winning Edlavitch DCJCC Hanukkah celebration was a spectacular concert by Theater J continued with congregants joining clergy Israeli superstar David Broza, presented in partner- throughout the year for plays and thought-provoking ship with the Israeli Embassy and Masa Israel Journey. post-play discussions that emphasized the breadth and We also hosted a special Hanukkah Havdalah service richness of Jewish culture in the arts today. 2015 – 2016 Annual Report
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Lifelong Learning Exploring Judaism at Every Age and Stage Congregational Conversations Our Jewish Identity in an Age of Religious Violence
Guided by Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks’ Not in God’s Name: Confronting Religious Violence, we began the second year of this ground-breaking WHC program at American University. More than 400 people filled their auditorium and overflowed to Temple to attend the opening discussion between Rabbi Sacks, former chief rabbi of the United Kingdom, and Ambassador Akbar Ahmed, American University’s Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies. Monthly book club-style meetings enabled us to explore the text in small groups, while larger Keynote lectures
brought noted authors and theologians to Temple to discuss the book’s themes as they relate to present day struggles. The year-long Conversation concluded with an interfaith Shabbat service and “dinner of dialogue” that brought Imam Johari Abdul-Malik, Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, author Bruce Feiler, and over 250 members of the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faiths to Temple to discuss how interfaith cooperation can transform the conversation on faith and extremism at the local and national levels.
WHC Academy It was an incredible year in which WHC’s dynamic lifelong learning opportunities empowered adults of all ages to deepen their understanding of Judaism. With hundreds participating in WHC Academy over the years and many more wanting to enroll but not able to come to Temple on Monday nights, we expanded our reach and also offered courses in the mornings at the Julia Bindeman Suburban Center. The Academy’s curriculum included Rabbi Skloot’s year-long core course on European Enlightenment and Jewish Culture and a series of shorter classes, two of which were part of a
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unique collaboration with Georgetown University’s Center for Jewish Civilization that enabled participants to learn from Georgetown professors Jacques Berlinerblau and Ori Soltes. Other WHC lifelong learning opportunities engaged hundreds more. Classes and lectures, held throughout the week at different times and locations, included the Wednesday Study Group, Back to Basics, Conversational Hebrew, Wise Aging, and the Amram Scholar Series — which covered an expansive range of subjects from Einstein’s physics to the Holocaust to the legal battle for marriage equality.
12 Jewish Questions Where is God in times of tragedy? What’s Jewish about food? What happens after I die? 12 Jewish Questions grappled with these topical questions in a 12-week course for adults, both Jewish and nonJewish, seeking to discover (or rediscover) the relevance of Judaism to their lives. In the second year of this fresh approach to
adult learning, two new cohorts participated in the course, taught by Director of Religious Education Stephanie Tankel in the fall and Rabbi Aaron Miller in the spring. Through hands-on learning and interactive discussion, the course addressed questions on Jewish identity, beliefs, culture, and customs.
Lifelong Learning Exploring Judaism at Every Age and Stage Religious School Another year of inspiration energized Pre-K through 12th grade students and connected them to Judaism. At both the Temple and Julia Bindeman Suburban Center campuses, our extraordinary educators and madrichim (student assistants) instilled in every student a love for Jewish holidays, history, and the Hebrew language. Guest musicians Dan Nichols, Ross M. Levy, Sam Glaser, Rabbi Noam Katz, and Mike Witman made Judaism come alive for our elementary schoolers. 8th and 9th grade students practiced Jewish values on weekend retreats and field trips. They also built stunning Peace Benches alongside counterparts from two mosques and one church, which were installed at each house of worship and presented at the Department of Justice’s National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention. In May, we celebrated our 128th Confirmation Service as a dedicated class of 10th graders affirmed their connection to WHC and to Judaism, creating a moving service that conveyed the themes of Kehillah Kedoshah (holy community) and Jewish continuity. New this year, our Post-Confirmation program equipped 11th and 12th grade students with insights into Judaism and life to carry forward to college and beyond.
Early Childhood Centers
The Edlavitch-Tyser Early Childhood Center The Rabbi Joseph Weinberg Early Childhood Center Our youngest community members enjoyed a year of exploration and discovery at our ECCs at Temple and the Julia Bindeman Suburban Center. On both campuses, students explored gravity, speed, and magnetism in our STEM rooms.
A key value of the schools is to follow the children’s curiosity to help them learn and apply concepts. One class created a pizza restaurant, which required research, math, art, interpersonal, and organizational skills. Others found ways to heal the world by cleaning and donating used toys, keeping them from landfills and giving them new lives with families in need. Pre-K students wrote, illustrated, and bound books in an author’s project. For the first time, both campuses offered extended day options, giving families the flexibility of early morning and late afternoon programming. Over the summer, Camp Keetov introduced young campers to cultures around the world and the spirit of teamwork through the Olympic games and offered four- and five-year olds customizable options and new activities.
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Faith in Action Tikkun Olam at WHC Hand in Hand, Healing the World – Tikkun Olam by the Numbers 2,500 of us took part in the week-long Sukkot: A Time of Action Nearly 1,000 of us participated at the 25th annual Mitzvah Day
760 of us packaged meals with the WHC Hunger Project
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– including the project’s milestone 500,000th meal
he year began with an immediate focus on tikkun olam. On the first day after Rosh Hashanah, the NAACP’s America’s Journey for Justice concluded on Macomb Street, as we opened our doors to hundreds of tired but elated marchers, and our house of worship became a home to all. The bimah reflected the diverse mosaic of our society as rabbis, cantors, pastors, imams, ministers, and lay leaders — including NAACP President Cornell William Brooks — led a moving interfaith prayer service.
Through WHC Collects, we gathered more than 8,000 pounds of food for the hungry in our own area, school supplies and toys for homeless children, and blankets for Syrian refugees. The Caring Committee reached out to over 400 congregants to offer aid or cheer. We addressed the growing epidemic of gun violence through an interfaith rally in February, a powerful film screening in April, and an interfaith forum at Temple in May. We sent Book Buddies, holiday meals, and support to the Abram Simon Elementary School and helped them start an after-school drum line, whose musicians kept the beat at our Freedom Seder. Our ongoing efforts to help Simon students spend part of their summer at Camp Moss Hollow were recognized by Family Matters of Greater Washington, which presented Washington Hebrew Congregation with the 2016 John Theban Award for Meritorious Service. We welcomed
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interfaith guests and walked alongside our neighbors as we led Faith Over Fear: Choosing Unity Over Extremism, earning recognition in Time magazine by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar We sent a colorful delegation to June’s Capital Pride Parade, with marchers of all ages proudly celebrating our spirit of welcome. As always, members of the community made their day off from work a “day on” for tikkun olam at the MLK Day of Service. Together, we sorted and boxed dozens of cartons of donated clothes and produced 12,000 Hunger Project meals, 3,700 healthy snack bags, 600 tuna casseroles, 400 grocery bags filled with food, 200 goody bags, 100 pounds of cut vegetables, and 168 fleece blankets, all of which benefited people in need in our region. In March, we celebrated Carrie Simon House (CSH) at a Shabbat service and dinner. Founded by WHC in 1988, CSH is a nonprofit, transitional housing program in northwest Washington, D.C. that provides young, homeless mothers and their children a stable, nurturing living environment and resources to get their lives back on track. A CSH alumna, case worker, and special guest Mayor Muriel Bowser acknowledged the many lives we have touched and transformed. Marking 25 years of Mitzvah Day at WHC, over 700 volunteers fanned out across Temple, Julia Bindeman
Suburban Center, and throughout the metro area for this signature day of service. Through their hard work, our volunteers put together 2,525 turkey sandwiches; 2,600 trail mix bags for hungry children; 900 fleece blankets; 1,100 individual toiletry kits for the homeless; 50 buckets filled with cleaning supplies for the newly homebound; 100s of pounds of fresh vegetables for nutritious soup; 50 caps for kids undergoing cancer treatment; and 70 piñatas and 39 cakes decorated for the birthday celebrations of children in need. Chaired by Kim Goldsteen and Lauren Wiseman, we made a powerful impact on our neighbors and ourselves as we celebrated this milestone silver anniversary.
Tikkun Olam Values — The TOV Fund
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Supporting New Social Action Programs at WHC
he TOV Fund supported a broad range of new social action programs at WHC, launching right into the new Jewish year with Sukkot: A Time of Action. Throughout this invigorating week of learning and activism, 2,500 adults, teens, and children addressed hunger and homelessness, immigration, and race relations. Artist-in-residence Dan Nichols opened the week with the D.C.-area premiere of his documentary, Road to Eden, and every day that followed featured insightful Lunch & Learn speakers and hands-on community service. Dan concluded his time at WHC with “A Mosaic of Meaning,” a festive evening celebrating the TOV Fund’s impact and the installation of a stunning Tree of Life by renowned artist Bonnie Cohen.
Throughout the year, the Fund helped us repair the world around us. Every month, WHC Hunger Project volunteers packaged 12,000 nutritious meals for those in need, reaching a significant milestone in December — our 500,000th meal. On Mitzvah Monday, WHC volunteers put aside their own Thanksgiving preparations to feed the hungry. We packaged meals with the WHC Hunger Project, assembled casseroles, and packed 300 bags with “All the Fixin’s” Abram Simon Elementary School families and N Street Village clients would need to cook a Thanksgiving feast. There was a special bonus in this year’s bags — fresh potatoes planted by our sixth graders and harvested by our teen Motzi Fellows. The TOV Fund also enabled young professionals in 2239’s Acts of Religious Kindness program to travel to Philadelphia for a weekend of service learning that included projects on prison literacy and urban agriculture. The Motzi Fellowship gave two cohorts of WHC teens hands-on experience at a real working farm, studying sustainable farming and local poverty, for an unforgettable exploration of the ways Jewish values and social responsibility intersect. 2015 – 2016 Annual Report
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Financial Overview
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ashington Hebrew Congregation maintained a healthy financial position through the 2015-2016 fiscal year. Prudent stewardship of our resources ensured that expenditures reflected our congregational priorities. Revenues drawn from our Early Childhood Centers, Religious School tuition, and membership commitments continued to provide a steady wellspring of support. With congregational giving on the rise, many members, friends, and external foundations generously stepped forward to invest in our success. “Thanks to all who helped sustain our community, listed in the print edition of this report, we are confident that WHC will continue to grow from strength to strength in the coming year and beyond.
Revenues Membership $5,379,993
ECC and Camp
$2,599,405
Endowment Transfer
$1,349,885
Religious School
$683,340
Other
$679,594
$621,754
Facilities and Programs
Development $618,501 TOTAL
$11,932,472
Expenditures
ECC and Camp
$2,774,749
General and Administrative
$2,505,976
Worship and Music
$2,502,108
Facilities
$2,060,807
Religious School
$1,052,963
Programs
$1,063,589
TOTAL
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2015 – 2016 Annual Report
$11,932,472
3935 Macomb Street NW, Washington, District of Columbia 20016 202-362-7100 • whctemple.org