APRIL 2018
VOL. 59, NO. 4
Washington Hebrew Congregation Clergy
M. Bruce Lustig, Senior Rabbi Susan N. Shankman, Rabbi Aaron Miller, Associate Rabbi Joseph A. Skloot, Ph.D., Associate Rabbi Mikhail Manevich, Cantor Susan R.A. Bortnick, Cantor
Senior Staff – Education
SUPPORTED BY AN ENDOWMENT FROM LIBBY AND MELVIN MANDEL
In This Issue Cantor’s Reflection...............................................................................3 Rabbi's Reflection................................................................................4 WHC's Spring Concert: “The Life of Oscar Hammerstein in Song and Story”...............................................................................5 Gift the Gift of Life on Mitzvah Day.....................................................6 Mitzvah Day: Sunday, April 22 — Our Biggest Volunteer Day.............. 7 Report of the Nominating Committee for the 166th Annual Meeting.....8 Welcome to Washington Hebrew — New Staff Join Leadership and Youth Teams.........................................9 Celebrating Rabbi Skloot.................................................................... 10 Financial Expert Advises on the "Money Talk"..................................... 10 Carrie Simon House Newsletter..........................................................11 Amram Scholar Series: “The Life of Golda Meir — Israel’s ‘Lioness’”............................................................................ 13 Amram Scholar Series: “The Sould of Jewish Humor” in Season Finale................................................................................. 14 WHC Programs & Events................................................................... 15 April Calendar.................................................................................... 16 B’nei Mitzvah.................................................................................... 18 Life Cycle........................................................................................... 19 Contributions.....................................................................................20 “An Evening With Mona Golabek: The Children of Willesden Lane”........................................................ 32
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DJ Schneider Jensen Head of Schools, Early Childhood Education Ira Miller, Director of Informal Education Stephanie Tankel, Director of Religious Education Alexis Tinsley, Director of the Rabbi Joseph Weinberg ECC
Senior Staff – Administration
Steven Jacober, Executive Director Lindsay Fry Feldman, Director of Member Services Naomi Abelson Gohn Director of Temple Programs & TOV Mohan Mistry, Director of Engineering & Maintenance Eliza Prince, Director of Development Stephen Stoupa, Director of Finance Susan J. Hanenbaum, Executive Director Emerita
Officers
David Astrove, President Nell Shapiro, First Vice President Mark Director, Vice President Richard Newman, Vice President Jeffrey Weiss, Vice President Andrew H. Marks, Treasurer Carrie Coonin, Assistant Treasurer Janet Katz, Secretary Deborah Goldman, Assistant Secretary Lewis Wiener, General Counsel
Board of Directors Jami Axelrod Ellen R. Berlow Sharon Jaffe Dan Beth Levin Dubin Betty Jane Eichberg Brian D. Friedman Susan B. Gerson Jessica Pearlman Isen Edward P. Joseph Anne Lackritz Andrew Lazerow Jeremy London
Past Presidents
Leonard I. Abel David R. Berz Stuart L. Bindeman Earl M. Colson Meg Jacobs Flax Jay W. Freedman Susan J. Hanenbaum
David Metzner William Miller Sandy Nesbit David Oblon Steven A. Robins Lynn Sachs Cathy Zeman Scheineson Melissa Schwartz Aaron W. Stopak Paula Tiedemann Kimberly Wachen Dan Werner
Sherry Bindeman Kahn Richard D. Kaufmann Hank D. Levine Kenneth L. Marks Paul J. Mason John M. Nannes
Lauren S. Racoosin Froma Sandler Bob M. Shapiro David A. Vise Richard M. Young Peter L. Winik
Auxiliary Presidents & Contacts
2239: Valerie Hillman The Boomers: Jeanne Flemming Brotherhood: Alan Singer Couples Club: Kim & Brian Cooper, Chris McCannell & Ven Neralla EmptyNesters: Joan Adoff, Ruth Seif, Marcia Weinberg Prime Timers: Phyllis Belford, Sandy Grant Sisterhood: Ellen M. Miller WHECTY: Lily Schoonover
We Can Be Reached
Temple Office ........................................ 202-362-7100 (M-Th: 9:00 am – 5:30 pm; F: 8:30 am – 4:00 pm) Weekends/After Hours ...........................202-895-6341 Temple Fax ..............................................202-537-1091 Julia Bindeman Suburban Center ............ 301-279-7505 Julia Bindeman Suburban Center Fax ..... 301-354-3200 Listen In .................................................202-895-6333 Live Streaming of Services......streaming.whctemple.org Website .................................................whctemple.org Jennifer Millstone, Editor, jmillstone@whctemple.org The Washington Hebrew Congregation Journal (Permit No. 4240) is published monthly by Washington Hebrew Congregation. Send address changes to 3935 Macomb Street NW, Washington, DC 20016.
Cantor’s Reflection Cantor Susan Bortnick Pop Quiz: 1. Name the five books in the Torah. 2. Name the subject of each book of the Torah. 3. What is at the very heart of the Torah? I’m sure you passed with flying colors, but the answers are worth repeating in print.
Genesis (B’reishit), the first book of the Torah, tells of the creation of the world and the stories of our Matriarchs and Patriarchs. It ends with Jacob and his family traveling down into Egypt to survive a famine.
Exodus (Sh’mot), the second book, begins a few hundred years after Genesis with the Israelites as slaves. It tells of the Exodus
from Egypt, the receiving of the 10 Commandments, and the blueprints for and creation of the Mishkan (the Tent of Meeting that contains the altar for sacrificing and its furnishings) and the Priestly clothing.
Leviticus (Vayikra), the third book, is by far the most unpleasant book in the Torah. It contains hundreds of laws, many of which discuss how to sacrifice an animal properly and how one shall treat diseases on the skin and on the house. As you can imagine, this book is dreaded by B’nei Mitzvah students!
Numbers (Bamidbar), the fourth book, resumes the story of the Israelites’ travels to the promised land and all that happens along the way, including curses and blessings, rebellions, the Israelites complaining that it was better in Egypt, and women gaining the right to inherit.
Deuteronomy (D’varim), the final book, finds the Israelites on the cusp of the Promised Land. Moses is in his final days and
uses his last moments of breath to impart as much knowledge to the Israelites as he possibly can. In three speeches he reminds the Israelites of their history, of the laws and statutes that God has commanded, and that repentance is always available for those who lose their way. After passing the mantle of leadership to Joshua, Moses dies. A fascinating read, no? This month we will be reading from the Book of Leviticus. As you see above, this book is different from the others in that the story of the Israelites seemingly comes to a halt. Their traveling to the promised land has been put on hold, and through Moses, God is sharing the laws and rituals they must follow. But does the journey really halt? What is the true purpose of the laws and rituals that are being passed on in so much detail? Much of our Torah focuses on journeying from place to place. Each of the patriarchs and matriarchs traveled from land to land. The Israelites have journeyed from Egypt through the sea to Sinai to the wilderness. We know there is more traveling yet to come. In spite of all this traveling, the physical and emotional journey begins not through movement but as the Israelites accept God’s laws and rituals. At Sinai when they recited, “All that God has spoken we will do!” the Israelites’ transformation truly began. The Book of Leviticus then is essential to the story and marks the start of the full transformation. The laws and rituals found in Leviticus taught our ancestors and remind us that we are holy beings – that all human beings are holy beings. Thus, we have an obligation to continue to work to better ourselves, our community, and the world in which we live. Continued on page 14. WHC Journal – April 2018 | Page 3
Rabbi’s Reflection Rabbi M. Bruce Lustig
From Generation to Generation, Actions Speak Louder Than Words
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used to laugh at the old joke that my grandfather would tell about Moshe who got up every morning and railed against God, mimicking the traditional morning prayer. “Eternal Master of the Universe, who makes morning light, creator of all things … would it be such a burden on you, ‘creator of all things,’ to have this poor old suffering Jew win the lottery? You, maker of heaven and earth, would it be so hard to make little old me rich?” After years of saying the same thing every morning, expressing his dismay at the injustice of the world and God’s indifference to his plight, Moshe hears the Bat Kol, the voice of God, “Moshe would it be so hard for you to meet me halfway and at least buy a ticket?”
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Deuteronomy tells us, “Know the God of your father…,” implying that our relationship to God is intellectual and comes through knowledge. By studying God’s law — the Torah — we can build our relationship with God, and by following God’s law, we can build a perfect world. In contrast, the Book of Psalms tells us that we find God by “tasting and seeing God in the joys of life.” Through the work of our hands, we can become partners in building God’s world. As Reform Jews, we have always taken the approach that there is no real belief unless it is coupled with action — you can’t just talk the talk, you have to walk the walk! In Psalms, we see that we cannot affect change unless we are willing to work for that change in a substantive way.
As Reform Jews, we have always taken the approach that there is no real belief unless it is coupled with action — you can’t just talk the talk, you have to walk the walk!”
There is much to say about this story, but if you knew my grandfather Henry Lustig, who was a regular at the places social and political activists gathered to build support for their causes — including the Russian Tea Room in New York City — the story had a specific intent. He used the joke to point out the gap between our desires for a better world and our actions to make the world better. He felt that you had no right to complain about the state of the world unless you were willing to do something to change that which you felt was unjust. My grandfather was well-read and understood the tensions rabbis struggled with as they interpreted contrasting views in Deuteronomy and the Book of Psalms about our relationship to God.
We have just experienced this teaching at our Passover seder. As we lifted the shank bone, we were reminded that the exodus from Egypt came with great risk. When our ancestors marked their doorposts with the blood of the Pascal lamb, an animal that was sacred to the Egyptians, there was no waiting on the sidelines to see what would happen. Liberation came because our forebears were willing to step forward and act in accordance with their desires and beliefs. Washington Hebrew Congregation has embraced this rich tradition of Judaism for more than 165 years. Standing up for what we believe is at the core of who we are and whom we want our children to be. So, it should come as no surprise that we not only supported our children in the March for Our Lives, but we did so through action. Continued on page 24.
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Culture & the Arts
WHC’s Spring Concert
Sunday, April 8 at 3:00 pm at the Julia Bindeman Suburban Center
“The Life and Poetry of Oscar Hammerstein Through Song and Story”
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rom The Sound of Music to Showboat to The King and I, South Pacific, and more, Oscar Hammerstein’s music is timeless and instantly recognizable. We invite you to join us at the Julia Bindeman Suburban Center on Sunday, April 8 at 3:00 pm for a special spring concert featuring some of Oscar Hammerstein’s best-loved songs performed by WHC’s incredibly talented cantors, Cantor Mikhail Manevich and Cantor Susan Bortnick. Their music will be layered with insights from Rabbi Kenneth A. Kanter, the Associate Dean and Rabbinical School Director for the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, Ohio. Rabbi Kanter, whose research interests include American-Jewish cultural history, with special focus in American Jewish popular culture, is an engaging lecturer and has written extensively about the Jewish contribution to American popular music from the 1840s to the 1940s. His books include The Jews on Tin Pan Alley, Jewish-American History and Culture, and The Encyclopedia of Jewish American Popular Culture. A festive reception will follow the concert. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.
Cantor Mikhail Manevich
Cantor Susan Bortnick
Rabbi Kenneth Kantor
We are also pleased to offer complimentary round-trip bus transportation from Temple to the Julia Bindeman Suburban Center for this event. The bus will leave Temple at 2:00 pm and return following the reception. You can purchase concert tickets and make bus reservations online at whctemple.org/SpringConcert. The “Life of Oscar Hammerstein Through Song and Story” is sponsored by David Hirshfeld in memory of his wife, Sonny Hirshfeld.
WHC Journal – April 2018 | Page 5
Mitzvah Day
Give the Gift of Life on Mitzvah Day
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etting your cheek swabbed for the Gift of Life Marrow Registry takes only a few moments of your time. WHC congregant Ian Band discovered the power of joining the registry when he was called to be a bone marrow donor. In 1989 in our metro area, Allison Atlas was looking for a bone marrow donor. Only 30 percent of people seeking a transplant will match with a donor in their family. The other 70 percent must turn to the central Bone Marrow Donors Worldwide database, where potential matches are often found among people who share an ethnic background. Ian Band and his mother went to the Rockville JCC to sign up for testing to see if they could be Allison’s match. On the registration form, Ian also checked the national registry box. Two years later, Ian was notified that he was someone’s match. In October 1991, Ian went to Georgetown University Hospital for the marrow procedure. As he was undergoing the procedure in the hospital, a then-unnamed recipient was waiting for his life-saving bone marrow in California. Ultimately, the transplant was a success. One year later, Ian shared his information with the recipient, Louie Hammel. In an emotional letter, Louie shared with Ian what his marrow meant to him: “My parents were responsible for my first birthday in 1958. You are responsible for the second one of that October day. … You have given my wife, Valerie, her husband and life companion back to her; my four-year-old son, Evan, a father; and to me, a reason to someday travel to the east
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coast to shake hands with you and personally thank you.” Ian and Louie eventually met and stayed in touch. On Sunday, April 22, you too can make a difference. Cheek swabbers will be at Temple and the Julia Bindeman Suburban Center registering volunteers for the Gift of Life Marrow Registry. Today, Ian still encourages others to get on the registry, “Every additional person is another chance for those looking for matches. I learned that it only takes one to make a difference.”
GET SWABBED! Mitzvah Day Sunday, April 22 at Temple & JBSC
A simple swab of the cheek is all it takes to join the Gift of Life marrow registry. If you’re between 18 and 45, join us and get swabbed! whctemple.org/MitzvahDay
Mitzvah Day
Mitzvah Day
Make an Impact Sunday, April 22 – Our Biggest Volunteer Day Mitzvah Day is just one day, but our dozens of projects make a lasting difference in the lives of people in need throughout the metro area. What should you sign up for this year? A few of our many projects are highlighted below.
One Moment to Change a Life
This year, we’re working hard to register as many people as possible for the Gift of Life Marrow registry. Getting your cheek swabbed takes only a few moments of your time, and being included in the registry means that someday you could be called to save a life. Trained cheek swabbers will be at Temple and the Julia Bindeman Suburban Center. You can sign up to get swabbed in advance at whctemple.org/MitzvahDay or just walk in. Adults between the ages of 18 and 45 are invited to get their cheeks swabbed. It’s a painless, easy, and fast way to make a difference.
Calling All Animal Lovers
Do you love dogs? The Montgomery County Animal Shelter is need of toys to keep their dogs happy while they wait to find their forever homes. We will make rope toys from T-shirt scraps that will give the dogs hours of playtime fun! This project is available at Temple and the Julia Bindeman Suburban Center and is appropriate for all ages.
Jeans for Men, Women, and Children
New this year, we’re collecting jeans to benefit Central Union Mission and Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless. Jeans are one of the clothing items most requested by shelters, due to their warmth and durability. All sizes — including plus sizes — are needed. Drop off your gently used (but still useful!) jeans in the bins at Temple and the Julia Bindeman Suburban Center. During Mitzvah Day, we will sort the jeans according to size and pack them into boxes.
Adding a Personal Touch
A warm blanket, packaged with a handmade card can brighten one person’s day. A plant, accompanied by a card made by a child and decorated with love, is a cheerful gift for the recipient. Personalized cards are needed for many of the projects that we put together during Mitzvah Day. This is a great activity for all ages and will be held at Temple and the Julia Bindeman Suburban Center.
Tackle a Project “Off-Campus”
We have many projects that take place outside of Temple and the Julia Bindeman Suburban Center. Consider going “off-campus” and into the D.C. metro area to help local organizations like the Hebrew Home. You can play bingo and enjoy punch and cookies at either the Smith-Kogod Building or the Wasserman Building. Another fun way to reach out is to bring your well-mannered dog to visit with seniors at Sunrise Fox Hill in Bethesda, where saying “hello” is easy with a furry friend to lead the way. If you know a tech-savvy teen ages 13+, they may be interested in heading out to Sunrise Fox Hill to teach seniors how to text, send emails, and search for information on their cell phones. This brand-new Mitzvah Day project is sure to bring smiles as seniors are empowered to use technology by our young volunteers. With projects for every age group, we hope that you and your loved ones will join with us for this special day of volunteering. Learn more and sign up now at whctemple.org/MitzvahDay. WHC Journal – April 2018 | Page 7
WHC Journal
Report of the Nominating Committee For the 166th Annual Meeting
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he WHC Nominating Committee, appointed by the President in accordance with the Congregation’s Constitution and By-Laws, has met and selected nominees for the Temple’s Board of Directors. The Committee has complied with all applicable By-Laws concerning notice to the Congregation and has also published a request in the Journal and Life@WHC, inviting suggestions for nominees from members of the Temple. Washington Hebrew Congregation has an incredibly rich reservoir of talent and, as might be expected, the suggestions included many more deserving names by far than the number of available positions. In formulating the slate, the Committee was guided by a desire to bring to the Board a balance that is representative of the entire Congregation and to achieve an appropriate blend of experienced and new leadership. The Committee believes that this slate, along with the members whose terms are continuing, achieves such a balance. It also believes that each nominee has demonstrated his or her devotion to Judaism and the Congregation and will help our Temple go from strength to strength. The Nominating Committee is pleased to nominate the following slate of Temple officers for the 2018 – 2020 term of office: President: First Vice President: Vice President: Vice President Vice President: Treasurer: Assistant Treasurer. Secretary: Assistant Secretary: General Counsel:
Nell Shapiro Mark Director Janet Katz Andrew Lazerow Jeff Weiss Kimberly Wachen Richard Newman Deborah Goldman Dan Werner Lew Weiner
The Nominating Committee is also pleased to re-nominate current Board members Ellen Berlow, Susan Gerson, and Jeremy London to serve three-year terms, from 2018 to 2021; to nominate the following to serve three-year terms from 2018 to 2021: Joseph Firschein, Alejandro Mayorkas, Ari Redbord, Andrea Rubinfeld, and Kimberly Walker-Vogel; and to nominate Philip Urofsky to serve a one-year term from 2018-19. All terms will begin and end with the Annual Meeting of the Congregation in the years noted. These names will be voted upon by members of the Congregation at its 166th Annual Meeting, which will be held on Sunday, June 3, 2018. The Nominating Committee chair, Meg Flax, thanks the members of the Committee, who approached the task with great care, consideration, and wisdom: Todd Deckelbaum, Lisa Diamond, David Dorros, Lani Inlander, Bill Miller, and Lauren Racoosin. Page 8 | WHC Journal – April 2018
WHC Journal
Welcome to Washington H ebrew New Staff Join Leadership and Youth Teams Eliza Prince, Director of Development We are delighted to share that Eliza Prince has joined WHC as Director of Development. A successful development professional who specializes in capital campaigns, annual giving, enhanced giving levels, stewardship, and large-scale event management, Eliza comes to Washington Hebrew Congregation from Boca Raton, Florida, where for the past five years she served as Director of Development for Temple Beth El, that area’s largest Reform congregation. At Temple Beth El, Eliza led a capital campaign that raised $18 million; established a new platform for their annual giving appeal, which resulted in a 13% increase in gifts; and introduced several successful programs. Prior to her tenure at Temple Beth El, Eliza worked as a development executive at American Friends of the Hebrew University and the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County. You can reach Eliza at eprince@whctemple.org or 202-895-6312.
Erica Barish, Assistant Director of Youth Programs We are also excited to welcome Erica Barish to our Youth department. Erica graduated from Indiana University in May 2017 with a degree in youth development, and for the past several years has spent her summers working as a counselor and educator at Camp Harlam and NFTY in Israel. Erica was also a Harlam camper, participated in NFTY in Israel, and spent a high school semester at NFTY EIE (now URJ Heller High) in Israel. She is passionate about Israel education, interfaith connections, and social justice. As Assistant Director of Youth Programs, Erica will work with Ira Miller, WHC’s Director of Informal Education, to create fun and meaningful programs for children and teens. She will help plan youth group events, lead Upper School programs, and staff retreats. You can reach Erica at ebarish@whctemple.org or 301-354-3217.
WHC Journal – April 2018 | Page 9
WHC Journal
Celebrating Rabbi Skloot With Well Wishes and in Worship On Friday, May 4, the WHC community will come together to celebrate Rabbi Joseph Skloot’s tenure at WHC and wish him well as he heads to HUC. We invite you and your family to join us for this special occasion. If you wish to share a memory, well wish, picture, or thank you to Rabbi Skloot, please send these to Nikki Salzman, nsalzman@whctemple.org, by Monday, April 16. We will be compiling a special thank you book and we look forward to widespread participation from our Congregation.
Financial Expert Advises on the “Money Talk”
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any of us think we can wait to have the “money talk” until our kids are older, but research shows that even preschoolers can understand basic money concepts. And a study from Cambridge University confirmed that basic money habits are formed by the age of seven. Clearly, we can’t afford to wait. Beth Kobliner, author of the New York Times best seller Make Your Kid a Money Genius (Even if You’re Not), joins us at Temple on Sunday, April 29 at 9:45 am with guidance and insight that will help you pass along enduring financial principles to your children. One of the nation’s leading authorities on personal finance for young people, Ms. Kobliner is also the author of Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties. In 2010, she was selected by President Barack Obama to be a member of the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability, where she created MoneyAsYouGrow.org. Ms. Kobliner has written for numerous publications including Money magazine, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal and has appeared on Today and Good Morning America. Learn more and RSVP for this free program at whctemple.org/MoneyGenius. Ms. Kobliner’s lecture is presented in cooperation with the Jewish Book Council and the Edlavitch-Tyser Family Relations Forum.
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Spring 2018
CARRIE SIMON HOUSE HELPING HOMELESS MOTHERS AND THEIR CHILDREN BUILD BETTER LIVES
“I am no longer a victim.”
Board of Directors
“Carrie Simon House has been a foundation in my life over the past year that has fueled a new sense of responsibility, ambition and independence in me. I was a shell of victimization coming into the program, unsure of what card life would deal me next. Since the Carrie Simon House I have cultivated work experience which prompted my belief to not settle for climbing up the work ladder. I entered college after being out of school for two years while I raised my daughter. I am now finishing up my last of semesters at Montgomery College with a 3.0 GPA, and well on my way to Howard University where I will double major in Business Marketing and Computer Information Systems. Through the skills I’ve learned by being in the Carrie Simon House I am a better woman, mother, student, and most importantly, I am no longer a victim.” - Current resident of Carrie Simon House
Deborah G. Astrove Addie Adelekan Jamie Hanenbaum Groban Melinda Halpert Nicole Johnson Janet Katz Mia Kogan, MD Lissa Levin James Smith Cortney Weinbaum
Join Us for Tea in Georgetown Celebrate the resilient women of Carrie Simon House and learn more about our program at a
Spring Tea Fundraiser with special guest Robert White Jr., D.C. Councilmember on Sunday, May 6 3pm – 5pm at Boulangerie Christophe 1422 Wisconsin Ave. NW
Photo by Morgan Sessions on Unsplash
Tickets begin at $50 • $50 for one regular ticket • $100 for Friends of Carrie Simon House • $150 for Mother's Helpers • Or “Hold the Tea” to contribute if you are unable to attend
Tickets available at CarrieSimonHouse.org Personal or corporate sponsorships available, email info@carriesimonhouse.org to inquire.
Our Strategic Priorities
Our Board of Directors focuses on ensuring Carrie Simon House provides resident families with skills and resources necessary for independent lives of dignity. Our strategic priorities include: Providing a safe, well-maintained, nurturing home; Ensuring our residents receive consistent, high quality professional counseling, daily guidance and motivational mentorship; Developing multiple sources of funding to meet immediate needs and sustain long-term program viability.
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Ways to Help Make a tax-deductible donation: Donations are accepted through our website or via mail. If your company matches charitable donations, you can double your impact.
Spring 2018
House Manager Aujanae Provides Daily Lessons in “Adulting”
Aujanae wonders if she was destined to work at Carrie Simon House. “My grandmother was a single mother who had to leave home and school when she became pregnant during her senior year of high school,” Aujanae explained. “I think her life might have been very different if she had had something like Carrie Simon House. She stressed the importance of education, especially for young women. That’s why this work is so meaningful to me.”
Contribute to the Amazon Wish List. Our mothers have specific requests that would make the holidays brighter for their children and themselves. Share your special skill or interest. Our moms want to learn healthy cooking and nutrition, child development, resume and interview skills, and more. Enjoy researching grants and writing applications? We have an ongoing need for volunteers with these specialized skills. Engage children in community service projects. Children love getting involved and feeling the rewards of helping others. Engage a school or student group of any age in a service event. Plan a fundraising event. Do you enjoy planning parties or community events? We’d love your ideas. Plan an event of your own or help us do more! To get involved, email info@carriesimonhouse.org or visit our website at carriesimonhouse.org.
The newest member of the Carrie Simon House team, Aujanae says that her job “is a little bit like being an RA in a Photo by Cortney Weinbaum college dorm, except that these young mothers face different challenges from those in traditional college settings.” She provides daily guidance to our residents as they pursue their goals. She helps them develop sound planning and problem-solving skills, and she reminds them of the importance of following through on their responsibilities. This is all part of what she calls “adulting”—the life management skills that successful adults need. This is not an easy role, yet Aujanae’s bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work, combined with her deep compassion for our families, helps create a positive, ordered, nurturing environment. It helps that Aujanae loves children. She grew up in Buffalo, New York, and got her start working at local summer camps and after-school programs at 15. She attended a performing arts high school, and she is pursuing her own career path that combines her commitment to social justice with her passion for visual arts. “While our residents are working on their education, I’m working on my portfolio.” She said, “I tell the mothers that people care about you and your child. And with this structure and support, they can go so far.”
Thank You
Thanks to your generosity this recent holiday season, we provided our residents and their children with new coats, new clothes, new kitchen appliances, new toys, new household appliances, and gift cards to defray their living expenses. Thank you for support and for showing these young families that you are invested in their success.
Help Us Do Even More in 2018
Together we can meet these goals: Build a transportation fund to help defray the rising costs of public transportation for our young mothers who rely on Metro and buses to get to school, work, daycare, doctors appointments and more. Shore up the house foundation to guard against water erosion and minimize risk of mice and insects. Establish a fund for gift cards to provide more professional clothes for mothers who arrive with only a few pairs of jeans and tops. We know how much the right clothes can build confidence in school and on the job. Carrie Simon House is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax-deductible. Donate online at carriesimonhouse.org or send a donation to Carrie Simon House, c/o WHC, 3935 Macomb St., NW, Washington DC 20016 2
Lifelong WHC Journal Learning
The Life of Golda Meir — Israel’s “Lioness”
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olda Meir, Israel’s fourth prime minister — the iron-willed leader, chain-smoking political operative, and tea- and cake-serving grandmother — comes to life in Lioness: Golda Meir and the Nation of Israel, a vibrant new biography by Francine Klagsbrun. In honor of Israel’s Independence Day, the Amram Scholar Series has invited Ms. Klagsbrun to discuss this extraordinary woman and world figure at Temple on Sunday, April 15 at 10:30 am. Meir was born in czarist Russia in 1898, grew up in Milwaukee as a passionate socialist and committed Zionist, and moved to Palestine in 1921. In 1969, when she became prime minister of Israel, only two other women in the world held such high political rank (in India and Ceylon), and both of them had gained authority by succeeding male family members who had died. Lacking higher education and eschewing both feminism and femininity, Meir won popularity with fiery oratory, plainspoken appeals, and shrewd deal-making. Her mentor David BenGurion, Israel’s first prime minister, described Meir as “the only man in the (Israeli) cabinet.”
Ms. Klagsbrun is the author of more than a dozen books, is a regular columnist for The Jewish Week, and is on the editorial board of Hadassah magazine. She comes to the Amram Scholar Series in cooperation with the Jewish Book Council.
Lioness, the winner of the 2017 National Jewish Book Award/Everett Family Foundation Book of the Year, is based on deep research and access to newly declassified files. The Washington Post hailed it as “a major achievement,” and The New York Times wrote, “Lioness wrests Meir from the shadow of the Yom Kippur War and presents her life and career as a lens to examine Israel’s challenges — borders, settlements, occupation, terror, and the social and ethnic divide between Jews of European origin and those of Middle Eastern origin.” WHC Journal – April 2018 | Page 13
Lifelong Learning
The Soul of Jewish Humor in Season Finale
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omic archetypes take center stage at Temple on Sunday, May 6 at 5:00 pm when the Amram Scholar Series concludes its year with an analysis of the special nature of the Jewish sense of humor through the ages and a celebratory reception. Jeremy Dauber, Professor of Yiddish language and culture at Columbia University, and Michael Krasny, literature scholar and National Public Radio host, come together to discuss their latest books, which both explore the range of Jewish comedy — a genre fueled by persecution, suffering, and self-awareness. From biblical times to the age of Twitter, Professor Dauber explores such popular figures as the Jewish mother, the
JAP, the schlemiel (who spills soup), and the schlimazel (on whom soup is spilled). He also revels in the genius of Jewish comics ranging from Sholem Aleichem to the Marx Brothers, Woody Allen, and Jon Stewart. Mr. Krasny, the award-winning host of Forum with Michael Krasny on KQED Radio in San Francisco, presents a brimming treasure trove of Jewish jokes from the shtetl to modern times. Please join us at Temple on Sunday, May 6 for drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and some good laughs. There is no charge, but to help us plan, we ask that you RSVP online at whctemple.org/Amram.
Cantor's Reflection (continued from page 3) On the last Shabbat of April, we will read the parsha in the ‑middle of Leviticus known as the Holiness Code. In fact, this Code is literally, at the very center— the very heart— of the Torah. “Speak to the whole Israelite community and say to them: You shall be holy, for I, your God, am holy.” The Code then continues with a list of seemingly unrelated laws. These laws touch on various aspects of our everyday life, suggesting that Page 14 | WHC Journal – April 2018
it is through our everyday behavior that we honor God and bring holiness to our world. In particular, we are to care for the disenfranchised and those who are not able to care for themselves. We are to leave the edges of our fields and vineyards for the poor and the stranger. We are to pay wages owed to laborers on the day the wages are earned. We are to make sure our decisions are unbiased, and not take advantage of strangers in
our communities. We are to revere our mother and father, and show deference to the aged. We are also commanded to “love your fellow as yourself.” The commandments found in the Holiness Code help guide us as we seek to better ourselves on our journey through life. Continued on page 24.
In April …
WHC Programs & Events Featured Programs
Featured Programs
Freedom Seder
Mitzvah Day
We mark the end of Passover and the celebration of freedom with a special seder dinner at Temple for all WHC members, their family and friends, and our interfaith neighbors.
Mitzvah Day represents the culmination of our year-long focus on community service and our longstanding commitment to helping the homeless, sick, hungry, and underprivileged in the D.C. metro area. Can we count on you to help social service agencies working to improve the lives of people in need?
An Interfaith Seder for All Generations Wednesday, April 4, 6:00 pm at Temple
Registration required ($): whctemple.org/Passover Layne Weiss: lweiss@whctemple.org, 202-895-6307
WHC’s Spring Concert: “The Life and Poetry of Oscar Hammerstein” A Pollin Music Program for All Generations Sunday, April 8, 3:00 pm at JBSC
From The Sound of Music to Showboat to The King and I, South Pacific, and more, Oscar Hammerstein’s music is timeless and instantly recognizable. Our beloved Cantors, Mikhail Manevich and Susan Bortnick, will perform a concert that features Hammerstein’s music layered with insights from Rabbi Kenneth Kanter, a popular lecturer and author of books and articles about the Jewish contribution to American popular music from the 1840s to the 1940s. Registration required ($): whctemple.org/SpringConcert Beth Donaldson: bdonaldson@whctemple.org, 202-895-6309
“Lest We Forget”
A Holocaust Memorial Commemoration Tuesday, April 10, 3:00 pm on the National Mall
Join us for the opening of this unique remembrance project by German-Italian photographer and filmmaker, Luigi Toscano that profiles the personal stories of over 200 Holocaust survivors. Rabbi Lustig will speak at this memorial ceremony where he will be joined by representatives from the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Through solemn remembrance, this ceremony will reflect on the past and remind us to take responsibility to prevent tragedies like the Holocaust from occurring again. Naomi Abelson Gohn: ngohn@whctemple.org, 202-895-6328
An Evening With Mona Golabek: “The Children of Willesden Lane“
Presented by the Irene & Abe Pollin Music Program Initiative Thursday, April 12, 7:00 pm at Temple
WHC brings The Children of Willesden Lane to Temple for one night only. Set in Vienna in 1938 and London during the Blitzkrieg, this concert tells the true story of Lisa Jura, a young Jewish pianist who dreams of a concert debut at the storied Musikverein hall. When Lisa is swept up in the Kindertransport to protect her from the Nazi regime, everything about her life is upended except her love of music and her pursuit of that dream. Featuring some of the world’s most beloved piano music performed live by Lisa’s daughter, concert pianist Mona Golabek, The Children of Willesden Lane is the story Meryl Streep calls, “an inspiring tribute to the power of a mother’s love.” Join us and experience an evening of music, survival, and hope.
An Annual Day of Tikkun Olam for All Generations Sunday, April 22, 9:30 am at Temple, JBSC, and the D.C. Area
Registration required (free): whctemple.org/MitzvahDay Anne Friedman: annefriedman@aol.com
Special Worship Experiences Passover Festival and Yizkor Service
A Worship Experience for All Generations Friday, April 6, 10:30 am at Temple
This service concludes the Passover holiday and gives us another opportunity to come together in prayer as we remember those whose memories live on in our hearts. whctemple.org/Passover Layne Weiss: lweiss@whctemple.org, 202-895-6307
Tot Shabbat
A Shabbat Experience for Families With Young Children Friday, April 13, 5:30 pm at JBSC Friday, April 27, 5:00 pm at Temple
Our clergy make going to Friday night services a fun, fulfilling event for families with young children (or grandchildren). Join us for Tot Shabbat, a half-hour service — open to the community — that teaches Jewish prayers, traditions, and rituals through songs, stories, and art projects. Continue that feeling of community and stay for a family-style (and family-friendly) dinner and craft project that relates to an upcoming holiday or Jewish value taught in the service. Registration required for dinner only (free): whctemple.org/TotShabbat JBSC — Alexis Tinsley: atinsley@whctemple.org, 301-354-3208 Temple — DJ Jensen: djensen@whctemple.org, 202-895-6360
Cantors and Kol Rinah: Yom HaShoah and Yom HaAtzmaut
A Pollin Music Shabbat for All Generations Friday, April 13, 6:00 pm at Temple
From the ashes of the Holocaust, Israel was born. With their iconic voices, Cantor Mikhail Manevich, Cantor Susan Bortnick, and Kol Rinah, will help us honor Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), a time of pain and suffering, and Yom HaAtzmaut (Israeli Independence Day), a celebration of a new day and the promise of tomorrow. whctemple.org/Pollin Beth Donaldson: bdonaldson@whctemple.org, 202-895-6309
Continued on page 20.
Registration required (free): whctemple.org/Willesden Naomi Abelson Gohn: ngohn@whctemple.org, 202-895-6328
WHC Journal – April 2018 | Page 15
April 2018 Sunday
Monday
1
Passover Religious School Spring Break (M&B)
Tuesday
Passover RJWECC Spring Break (B)
2
9:15am Melody Makers (M) 7:00pm 12 Jewish Questions (M) 7:15pm WHC Academy (M)
8
9:30am Religious School (M&B) 9:30am 6th-Grade B’nei Mitzvah Learning Day (M) 12:30pm WHECTY Brunch (OUT) 3:00pm WHC Spring Concert (B) 5:00pm Couples Club PostPassover Pizza Party (OUT)
15
9:30am Mah Jongg Tourn. (B) 9:30am Religious School (M&B) 9:30am Taste of Religious School (M&B) 10:30am Amram Scholar Series Lecture with Francine Klagsbrun (M) 10:30am Prime Timers’ Lecture & Lunch (M) 12:00pm Israel Adventure for 2nd–4th Grades 5:30pm Post Confirmation Dinner (OUT)
22 Mitzvah Day! (M, B & OUT)
9:15am Melody Makers (M) 10:00am Sisterhood Brunch & Learn with Rabbi Shankman (B) 7:00pm 12JQ (M) 7:15pm WHC Academy (M)
9:15am Melody Makers (M) 7:00pm 12JQ (M) 7:15pm WHC Academy (M)
9:15am Melody Makers (M) 7:00pm 12JQ (M) 7:15pm WHC Academy (M)
29
Page 16 | WHC Journal – April 2018
7:00pm 12JQ (M) 7:15pm WHC Academy (M)
3
Passover Hebrew School Spring Break (B) 9:15am Toddler Time (M)
9
16
23
No Religious School (M&B)
9:00am Boomers’ Bike & Brunch (OUT) 9:30am Religious School (M&B) 9:45am Beth Kobliner – “Make Your Kid a Money Genius” (M)
Wednesday
4
1:00pm Wednesday Study Group(M) 6:00pm Freedom Seder (M)
10
9:15am Toddler Time (M) 4:30pm Hebrew School (B) 6:00pm JAM Rehearsal (B) 6:30pm Upper School (B) 7:00pm WHC Books Program (M)
9:15am Toddler Time (M) 4:30pm Hebrew School (B) 6:00pm JAM Rehearsal (B) 6:30pm Upper School (B)
Passover Hebrew School Spring Break (M)
17
24
9:15am Toddler Time (M) 4:30pm Hebrew School (B) 6:00pm JAM Rehearsal (B) 6:30pm Upper School (B) 7:00pm Bereavement Support Group (M)
11
1:00pm Wednesday Study Group(M) 4:30pm Hebrew School (M) 6:00pm JAM Rehearsal (M) 7:00pm WHC Attorney’s Study Group (OUT) 7:30pm Community Issues/Social Action Meeting (M)
Yom HaZikaron 1:00pm Wednesday Study Group(M) 4:30pm Hebrew School (M) 6:00pm JAM Rehearsal (M)
1:00pm Wednesday Study Group(M) 4:30pm Hebrew School (M) 6:00pm JAM Rehearsal (M)
18
25
30
B: Julia Bindeman Suburban Center
M: Temple
OUT: Not at a WHC location
Nissan–Iyyar 5778 Thursday
Friday
5
Passover
Saturday
6
Passover 10:30am Sisterhood Mah Jongg (B)
Services: 9:00am Early Torah (M) 10:30am Shabbat Service (M) Bat Mitzvah of Rachel Rubin 5:30pm Afternoon Service and Havdalah (M) B’nei Mitzvah of Wyatt Dunn and Margaret Hutt
Services: 10:30am Passover Festival and Yizkor Service (M) 5:30pm Lay Led Service (M) 6:00pm Shabbat Service (M)
12
7:00pm An Evening With Mona Golabek: The Children of Willesden Lane (M)
10:00am Sisterhood Literary Group (B) 10:30am Sisterhood Mah Jongg (B) 6:00pm Tot Shabbat Family Dinner (B)
13
Services: 5:30pm Tot Shabbat (B) 5:30pm Lay Led Service (M) 6:00pm Pollin Music Shabbat Service “Cantors & Kol Rinah: A Service for Yom HaShoah and Yom HaAtzmaut (M) Yom HaAtzmaut
19
NFTY-MAR Spring Kallah (OUT Through Sunday) 10:30am Sisterhood Mah Jongg (B)
20
14 Services: 9:00am Early Torah (M) 10:30am Shabbat Service (M) Bat Mitzvah of Jansyn Levin 5:30pm Afternoon Service and Havdalah (M) Bat Mitzvah of Zoe Rosenstock
21 Services: 9:00am Early Torah (M) 10:30am Shabbat Service (M) B’nei Mitzvah of Ava Levin and Jacob Schneiderman 5:30pm Afternoon Service and Havdalah (M) Bar Mitzvah of Jack Gans
Services: 5:30pm Lay Led Service (M) 6:00pm Shabbat Service (M)
26
7
27
10:30am Sisterhood Mah Jongg (B) 5:30pm Tot Shabbat Family Dinner (M) 6:00pm WHECTY Shabbat Dinner and Town Hall (B) 7:00pm Dinner With Debbie & David Astrove (OUT) Services: 5:00pm Tot Shabbat & E-T ECC Pre-K Shabbat Celebration (M) 5:30pm Lay Led Service (M) 6:00pm Shirei Shabbat (M) 6:15pm 2239’s Metro Minyan (OUT)
28 Services: 9:00am Early Torah (M) 10:30am Shabbat Service (M) B’nei Mitzvah of William Kay and Jonah Plotkin 5:30pm Afternoon Service and Havdalah (M) B’not Mitzvah of Jordan Pashkoff and Dylan Rosen
WHC Journal – April 2018 | Page 17
Mazel Tov to WHC’s April B'nei Mitzvah Rachel Leah Rubin April 7, Morning Rachel is a seventh-grade student at the Norwood School. She is the daughter of Michelle & Paul Rubin; the sister of Jake and Sam; and the granddaughter of Joyce & Morton Press and Jane & the late Harvey Rubin.
Zoe Elizabeth Rosenstock April 14, Havdalah Zoe is a seventh-grade student at Cabin John Middle School. She is the daughter of Summer & Matt Rosenstock; the sister of Daniel; and the granddaughter of Cynthia Hauser, Brad Buxer, the late Carol August, and the late Jerome Rosenstock.
Wyatt Smith Dunn April 7, Havdalah Wyatt is a seventh-grade student at Cabin John Middle School. He is the son of Hilari & Tim Dunn; the brother of Connor; and the grandson of Melvin & Marsha Goldfine, Lorraine & Dan Strickland, and Bevo Dunn.
Ava Minnow Levin April 21, Morning Ava is a seventh-grade student at Cabin John Middle School. She is the daughter of Taya & Michael Levin; the sister of Lex; and the granddaughter of Jan & the late Ann Sarsten, Karen & Charlie Wolff, and David & the late Molly Levin.
Margaret Raymer Hutt April 7, Havdalah Margaret is a seventh-grade student at the National Cathedral School. She is the daughter of Maria O’Donnell & Jason Hutt; the sister of Sam and Ryan; and the granddaughter of Isabelle & James O’Donnell and Adrienne & Philip Hutt.
Jacob Henry Schneiderman April 21, Morning Jacob is a seventh-grade student at Thomas W. Pyle Middle School. He is the son of Lisa & Daniel Schneiderman; the brother of Emma; and the grandson of Deborah & Stan Klein and Lenore & Martin Schneiderman.
Jansyn Skye Levin April 14, Morning Jansyn is a seventh-grade student at Herbert Hoover Middle School. She is the daughter of Lissa & Mark Levin; the sister of Brenner and Danya; the granddaughter of Lori & Arnie Horwitz and Elaine & the late Meyer Levin; and the greatgranddaughter of Sonia Raport.
Jack Maxwell Gans April 21, Havdalah Jack is a seventh-grade student at Cabin John Middle School. He is the son of Kelly & Bob Gans; the brother of Ryan and Samantha; and the grandson of Gail Stackman, Linda Gans, Lanny Gans, and the late Jerome Stackman.
Page 18 | WHC Journal – April 2018
William Gouldin Kay April 28, Morning Will is an eighth-grade student at the Norwood School. He is the son of Ann & Andrew Kay; the brother of Charlie; and the grandson of Fairfax & Frederick Gouldin and Lynn & Richard Kay.
Jonah Leonard Plotkin April 28, Morning Jonah is a seventh-grade student at Thomas W. Pyle Middle School. He is the son of Laura & David Plotkin; the brother of Oliver; and the grandson of Gail & Winston Gaum and the late Harriette & Leonard Plotkin.
Jordan Leah Pashkoff April 28, Havdalah Jordan is a seventh-grade student at Cabin John Middle School. She is the daughter of Dana & Paul Pashkoff; the sister of Abby; and the granddaughter of Linda & Steve Cohen and Annette & Lionel Pashkoff.
Dylan Reese Rosen April 28, Havdalah Dylan is a seventh-grade student at Herbert Hoover Middle School. She is the daughter of Janine & Stephen Rosen; the sister of Jake; and the granddaughter of Sally & Rob Levitt and Lois & David Rosen.
Congratulations to… Shelley & Michael Brody, on the birth of their grandson, Ethan Stone Brody; and to Ethan’s parents, Abby & Jonathan Brody; and maternal grandparents, Shelly & Paul Brazina. Neil Kishter, who is the 2018 recipient of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society James L. Eichberg Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to advancing cures and providing hope to blood cancer patients. Robin & David Lightman, on the birth and naming of their grandson, Eli Gabriel Lightman (Eliav Gavriel); and to Eli’s parents, Margo & Eric Lightman; big brother, Max; maternal grandparents, Martha Rafelson and Norman Rafelson; and great-grandmother, Eunice Dubin. Rebecca C. Shankman, on the birth and naming of her son, Judah Benjamin Shankman (Micah Dov Baer); and to Judah’s grandparents, Phyllis & Michael Shankman. Maria Thompson, on the birth of her grandson, Noah Peter Wassef; and to Noah’s parents, Gabrielle Thompson & Peter Wassef; big sister, Liliana; and additional grandparents, Ronald & Doris Thompson and Angil & Sobhi Wassef.
Life Cycle
Our Sincerest Condolences… Florence Brody, mother of Sherry Brodner (Bonnie) and Bill Brody (Susan); grandmother of Deidre, David, Curtis, and Eli. Armand Checker, father of Alison McWilliams (Byron), Melissa Checker, and Jill Checker. Marjorie Lampe, mother of Marcia Westcott (Allan), Jane Jackson (Buddy), Mark Lampe, and John Lampe Jr. (Sue); sister of Eileen Offit; grandmother of five and great-grandmother of six. The Honorable Mark Marks, husband of Jane Marks; father of Leslie Kirstein (Gary), Trisha Ritzenberg (James), and Marilyn Feldman; grandfather of five and great-grandfather of one. Ruth Maser, mother of Karen Maser and Peter Maser (Beth); grandmother of Jordan and Maxwell Maser. Doris Schwartzreich, mother of Steven Wasser (Audrey); grandmother of Lisa Galipeau (Gregory) and Naomi Samuels (Marc) Alan Stone, husband of Joan Stone; father of Christie Weiss (Jeff), Joshua Stone, Sandra Friedman, Sharon Jacobson (Steve), and Gary Friedman; grandfather of six.
…may their memory be a blessing. WHC Journal – April 2018 | Page 19
Contributions
We gratefully acknowledge the following contributions, received through February 28. To make a contribution to any of Washington Hebrew Congregation’s funds, please visit whctemple.org/donate. Amram Sunday Scholar Series Endowment Fund Donor Elisabeth Posner Schouten
Lillian & Alfred Bennett Fine Arts Endowment Fund
Donor Yvette Kraft
General Fund
In Memory of: Stanley Posner
In Memory of: Bruce Kraft
Julia & Jack Bindeman Fund
Donor Carol K. Bindeman
In Memory of: Emilie R. Katzenberg Lucien Katzenberg, Jr.
Florence & Norman Brody Archives Endowment Fund Donor Beverly Baker
In Memory of: David Baker
Shelley & Michael Brody Teacher Training Institute Endowment
Donor The Brody Family
In Memory of: Frank Brody
Jane Burka Sisterhood Leadership Fund
Donor Mildred Amer & Family
In Memory of: Robert Lehmann
Dr. Edward A. & Mildred B. Cafritz Prayer Book Fund
Donor Linda & James Cafritz
In Memory of: Edward A. Cafritz
Cantorial & Concert Fund
Donor In Memory of: Jil Levick Dorothy Rosenblatt Sherry & Robert Gratz Evelyn Zweig Ken & Doris Kraemer Estelle Kraemer Simeon M. Kriesberg & Martha L. Kahn Rashel Manevich Pauline & Irwin Kurtzack David Solovey Veda Levy Rashel Manevich Marshal Cole Dr. Irving “Bud” Rothstein Lola & Elchanan Peres Chaya Peres Karen & Richard Perkins Rashel Manevich Barbara Polansky Rhea Abrams Bev Rosenblatt Helen Speyer Traci Solovey & Family Adelaine Solovey Karen & Sherman Telis Laura Bleiweiss
EmptyNesters Fund
Donor Mr. & Mrs. Stanley Adoff Joan Rosenbach
In Memory of: Dr. George Gottlieb Louis Levy Hans J. Rosenbach Walter Clifton Julie Gluck Kuzminsky
Lois & Richard England Children’s Library Endowment Fund
Donor Joyce B. Isaacson
In Memory of: Lois Hechinger England
Lois & Richard England Special Needs Endowment Fund
Donor Florence Rubenstein Hart Suzy Hirsch Linda & Al Neuman Marsha S. Pinson Sherry Sundick
Page 20 | WHC Journal – April 2018
In Memory of: Hyman Rubenstein Lois Hechinger England Lois Hechinger England Lois Hechinger England Lois Hechinger England
Donor In Honor of: Ruthjoy Leventhal Bernice Oringher’s Birthday Lissa & Mark Levin Bat Mitzvah of Jansyn Skye Levin Dana & Paul Pashkoff Bat Mitzvah of Jordan Leah Pashkoff Michelle & Paul Rubin Bat Mitzvah of Rachel Leah Rubin Donor In Memory of: Janet & Jeff Abramson, Gloria Sterling, Rick Sterling Harold Sterling Mr. & Mrs. Laurence Abramson Nathan Abramson Eliezer & Miriam Benbassat Ameli Benbassat Haim Benbassat Gordon Berg Sofia Berg Marjorie & Harold Bingham Daniel N. Levy Francis Chucker, MD Edward Chucker Sadie R. Chucker Sandra & Neal Cohen Sidney H. Cohen John G. Decker Elaine Rosensweig Samuel Decker Sam Dodek, II Oscar Dodek, Jr. Wilma & Raymond Dorris Marlene R. Shuman Jackie & Ken Duberstein Seymour Fain Aaron Duberstein Elizabeth & Richard Dubin Harry Myerberg Sherry & Bruce Feldman Irvin Feldman, MD Carol B. Fischer S. Greenhoot Fischer Marilyn & Michael Glosserman Sam J. Glosserman Archie Gold Esther Gold Clara S. Heffess, M.D. David Szczupak Gabriele & Gilbert Herer Hans Schlamme Gail D. Himmelfarb Mavis Himmelfarb Beth & Steve Jacober Sam Frumer Robert & Ronnie Jersky Sidney Aronchick Hinda & Donald Kahn Beth R. Kahn Paige Korb Henry “Beau” Mims Nick & Mary Lynn Kotz Morris Kallison Dr. Jacob Kotz Ann & Bruce Lane Sol Steinberg Daniel Lederberg Linda Lederberg Alan Levine Rose Sayne Norman & Susan Oblon Nathan J. Oblon Charlotte Pearlman Aaron Frank Irene Pollin Kenneth J. Pollin Dr. Herbert Rabin Ida Rabin Herbert Rabin Irving Rabin Joan & George Schonholtz Harriet Schonholtz Debra & David Silverman Rashel Manevich Nancy G. Simon Dr. Allan Weingold Sandy & Heidi Sinick Evelyn Kraushar Robert Sitrick Gertrude Lieberstein Doris Slavin Augusta Purlson Beth & Leonard Sloan & Family Evelyn Cousins Richard Sugarman Reve S. Shapiro The Turshen Family Ethan Turshen Mr. & Mrs. Robert Warsaw William Warsaw Grace Weissman Abraham Korzec Bernard & Helen Yanowitz Paul Yanowitz Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin Zelenko Hylda Zelenko
Hurston Library
Donor In Memory of: Ellie Palmer Dr. Allan Weingold Marsha Stiefel Pinson & Family Erwin Stiefel
Andrew Kaplan Youth Endowment Fund
Donor In Memory of: Margery Shrinsky, Jeffrey Shrinsky, Steven Shrinsky & Stacy Ezra Andrew Kaplan
MLK Day of Service
Donor Joan Greenbaum
In Honor of: WHC Staff for MLK weekend
Kol Rinah Choir
Donor Adrienne Elman Robert Gratz Dr. Anita O. Solomon
In Memory of: Sada H. Stern David Solovey Arthur Ostrin
Rabbi M. Bruce Lustig Scholarship Fund
Donor In Memory of: Ellen & Bruce Winston & Family “Nana” Dorothy Winston
Zena Mason Education Fund Donor Ira & Lynne Bluestein Joan & Norman Smith
Mitzvah Day
Donor Betsy Grossman
In Memory of: Frances Bluestein Peggy Katz In Memory of: Leslie Frankfort
Stephanie Morris Prime Timers Programming Fund
Donor Suzy & Al Morris Lillian Smuckler
In Memory of: Sidney Morris Dorothy Ganz
Albert & Scott Pelmoter Youth Scholarship Fund Donor Eleanor Feigenbaum
In Memory of: Biddie Ginsburg
Naomi & LeRoy Robins Medical Emergency Fund
Donor Justin Ginsburg & Family Suzanne & Jonathan Slade
In Memory of: Jacob Soleimanzadeh Dr. Arnold Baskin
Selinger (Childrens) Library
Donor Veda Levy & Family
In Memory of: Lorraine H. Alper
Carrie Simon House
Donor Catherine A. Green Donor In Memory of: Michael & Rosalie Fishman Murray Fishman Harvey Grossinger & Susan Edlavitch Sidney Grossinger Ann & Neil Kerwin Gail Tate Daniel Kerwin
C. Haskell & Ruth Behrend Small Music Fund
Donor Sherry Sundick
In Memory of: David Solovey Sarah Nordlinger Rudolph B. Behrend
Sisterhood Youth, Education & Enrichment Fund Donor Elaine Goldstein
In Memory of: Mildred Greenwald
Tikkun Olam Values (TOV) Fund
Donor In Honor of: Dan & Carol Fybush Bar Mitzvah of Jacob Sherbacow Continued on page 24.
In April …
WHC Programs & Events (continued from page 15) Special Worship Experiences
Opportunities for Adults to Engage
A Shabbat Experience for Adults in Their 20s and 30s
Fun for experienced, junior, and new players! Sunday, April 15, 9:30 am at JBSC
2239’s Metro Minyan
Friday, April 27, 6:15 pm at Calvary Baptist Church This monthly Shabbat evening for young professionals starts with “A Shot of Torah,” an opportunity to study the weekly Torah portion and dive into a discussion. The guitar-led, come-as-you-are service starts at 7:00 pm and is followed by dinner.
Registration required for dinner only ($) for dinner only: whctemple.org/2239 Valerie Hillman Bluestein: vhillman@whctemple.org
Opportunities for Adults to Engage Post-Passover Pizza Party
A Couples Club Event for Adults and Families Sunday, April 8, 5:00 pm, location TBD
Mark the end of Passover with all things chametz at a post-Passover pizza party. Kids are welcome to join in on the fun as we dine on several delicious types of pizza.
Registration required ($): whctemple.org/CouplesClub Marsha Humphries: mhumphries@whctemple.org, 202-895-6303
Sisterhood: Bunch & Learn With Rabbi Shankman
Gun Violence in Our Society and Options for Involvement Monday, April 9, 10:00 am at JBSC
Young people – high school and middle school students – are walking out of their schools to bear witness to the fact that far too many lives are lost to gun violence in this country. Our Sanctuary was filled when we hosted hundreds from around the country on the Shabbat before the March for Our Lives. Rabbi Shankman, who for years has advocated for common sense gun legislation, will share the textual basis of Reform Judaism’s position on gun control and options for involvement on this issue.
Mah Jongg Tournament
Whether you are a “mah jongg maven” or have never touched a tile, the RJWECC Parents Committee invites you to join them for a “Maj Day” and lunch. Doors open at 9:30 am, all events begin at 10:00 am. Price includes a light breakfast, lunch, snacks, drinks, and prizes. Registration required ($): whctemple.org/MJTournament Tracy Weatherford: tracym921@yahoo.com
Prime Timers: Lecture & Lunch
A Program for Men and Women in Their Senior Years Sunday, April 15, 10:30 am at Temple
Join us for an Amram Scholar Series lecture featuring Francine Klagsbrun, author of Lioness: Golda Meir and the Nation of Israel, and afterward, we will enjoy a luncheon while we discuss the book.
Registration required ($): whctemple.org/PrimeTimers Marsha Humphries: mhumphries@whctemple.org, 202-895-6303
The Boomers’ Bike and Brunch
An Event for the “Baby Boom” Generation Sunday, April 29, 9:30 am, Garrett Park, MD
Join us to experience the Rock Creek Trail – ride, walk, or sketch – and we’ll meet up at Black Market Bistro for brunch at 11:30 am.
Registration required (free): whctemple.org/Boomers Gabrielle Grunau and Bill Groshandler: bill.gabrielle@gmail.com
Continued on page 21.
RSVP preferred (free): whctemple.org/Sisterhood Lisa Moss: mail@lisamoss.com
Sisterhood Literary Group: A Gentleman in Moscow A Book Discussion for the Women of WHC and Friends Friday, April 13, 10:00 am at JBSC
Linda Singer will facilitate this discussion of Amor Towles’ A Gentleman in Moscow. The story begins in 1922 when a Bolshevik tribunal sentences Count Alexander Rostov, an unrepentant aristocrat, to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin. Rostov, a man of erudition and wit, has never worked a day in his life and must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history unfold outside the hotel’s doors. Unexpectedly, his reduced circumstances provide him a doorway into a much larger world of emotional discovery. RSVP preferred (free): whctemple.org/Sisterhood Susan Adland: sfadland@gmail.com
B ike&B runch WITH THE BOOMERS
Sunday, April 29 Garrett Park MARC Train Station Gathering at 9:20 am Departing at 9:30 am
RIDE, WALK, OR SKETCH ROCK CREEK TRAIL Brunch to follow at 11:30 am at Black Market Bistro RSVP Gabrielle Grunau & Bill Grosshandler, bill.gabrielle@gmail.com Learn more at whctemple.org/Boomers
WHC Journal – April 2018 | Page 21
In April …
WHC Programs & Events Lifelong Learning
WHC Academy: The Big Jewish Questions, Part II Jewish Thought at the Turn of the 20th Century Mondays, April 9–30, 7:15 pm at Temple
In this class taught by Rabbi Joseph Skloot, we will read the works of major European Jewish philosophers and theologians from the late-19th and early-20th centuries as they consider the most important questions in Jewish life and thought, including those related to God, the Holocaust, Zionism, Jewish observance, social justice and Jewish-Christian relations. Students need not have taken last semester’s course to participate.
Registration required ($): whctemple.org/WHCAcademy Marsha Humphries: mhumphries@whctemple.org, 202-895-6303
WHC Books: “The Weight of Ink,” by Rachel Kadish Facilitated by Rabbi Joseph Skloot Tuesday, April 10, 7:00 pm at Temple
The inaugural winner of the Association of Jewish Libraries’ AJL Jewish Fiction Award, The Weight of Ink is an interwoven tale about two women in London from two different eras. Ester Velasquez is an immigrant from Amsterdam who scribes for a blind rabbi in the 1660s; and Helen Watt is a present-day ailing historian with a love of Jewish history. Electrifying and ambitious, sweeping in scope and intimate in tone, The Weight of Ink is a sophisticated work of historical fiction about women separated by centuries and the choices and sacrifices they must make to reconcile the life of the heart and mind. RSVP preferred (free): whctemple.org/WHCBooks Ellen Share: eshare@whctemple.org, 301-354-3212
Francine Klagsbrun — “Golda Meir, the Lioness” An Amram Scholar Series Lecture Sunday, April 15, 10:30 am at Temple
Author Francine Klagsbrun joins us to discuss Lioness: Golda Meir and the Nation of Israel, her biography of the fourth prime minister of Israel. Hailed by The New York Times Book Review as “a thorough and absorbing examination of the woman and her role in Zionism and Israel,” Lioness tells the remarkable story of Meir’s journey — from her birth in czarist Russia in 1906, to her life in Milwaukee, and her immigration as a passionate socialist to Palestine in 1921. Her personal story becomes a window onto Israel’s history and development, both domestically and in its often-violent conflicts with its neighbors. whctemple.org/Amram Layne Weiss: lweiss@whctemple.org, 202-895-6307
Gun Violence in Our Society and Options for Involvement Brunch & Learn With Rabbi Shankman Monday, April 9, 10:00 am at the Julia Bindeman Suburban Center More online at whctemple.org/Sisterhood
Lifelong Learning
“Make Your Kid a Money Genius” With Author Beth Kobliner A Program for Parents Sunday, April 29, 9:45 am at Temple
Many of us think we can have the “money talk” when our kids are old enough to get it … which won’t be for years, right? But research shows that even preschoolers can understand basic money concepts, and a study from Cambridge University confirmed that basic money habits are formed by the age of seven. Clearly, we can’t afford to wait. Beth Kobliner, author of The New York Times bestseller Make Your Kids a Money Genius (Even If You’re Not), joins us for a conversation on how to pass along enduring financial principles to your children.
RSVP preferred (free): whctemple.org/MoneyGenius Jonathan Honigman: jhonigman@whctemple.org, 301-354-3223
Faith in Action
Yom HaShoah Community Commemoration
Sunday, April 15, 2:30 pm at Temple Beth Ami in Rockville
The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Washington’s annual community Holocaust commemoration in Maryland includes an art and artifacts exhibit for teens, music by a community choir, original readings and prayers, and an intergenerational candle lighting and recitation of the Mourner’s Kaddish. This community-wide event is supported by more than 50 houses of worship as well as non-profit and government organizations. Each year hundreds of dignitaries, elected officials, interfaith clergy, Holocaust survivors, teens, and community members attend. jcouncil.org/Holocaust
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In April …
WHC Programs & Events Faith in Action
Bereavement Support Group
Tuesdays beginning April 24 at 7:00 pm at Temple
For those who have experienced a loss in the last 18 months, this six-week program, limited to eight participants, recognizes each person’s unique way of grieving and provides a confidential and respectful environment for the bereaved to explore their feelings, begin working through complex issues of loss, and start to heal.
2018-2019 Registration Now Open!
Registration required (free) Layne Weiss: lweiss@whctemple.org or 202-895-6307
Youth
WHECTY Brunch
For 8th- Through 12th-Grade Students Sunday, April 8, 12:30 pm, location TBD
Everyone loves brunch and nothing is better than brunch with WHECTY. Join us for a relaxing meal with good friends! RSVP preferred ($): whctemple.org/WHECTY Ira Miller: imiller@whctemple.org, 301-354-3209
TAsTe of
Religious school April 15 @ 9:30 am @ Temple And JBSC Meet the Senior Education Team and sample our programming.
whctemple.org/ReligiousSchool
Taste of Religious School
For Families With School-Age Children Sunday, April 15, 9:30 am at Temple and JBSC
Interested in experiencing the magic of WHC’s Religious School? Join us for our first-ever Taste of Religious School! We will hold classes for students in Kindergarten through 7th grade and will have opportunities for parents to speak with our Senior Education team members as their children sample the school culture and programming. This experience is open to WHC members and prospective members who are considering the potential of enrolling their child/ren in our Religious School.
Registration preferred (free): whctemple.org/ReligiousSchool Stephanie Tankel: stankel@whctemple.org, 202-895-6338
Mah Jongg Tournament Something for everyone! Experienced “mavens,” junior players, and those who have never touched a tile
Youth
Israel Adventure
For 2nd-, 3rd-, and 4th-Grade Students Sunday, April 15, 12:00 pm at Temple
Join us to celebrate Israel’s 70th birthday at this program, which will explore the country through fun and exciting activities. We’ll virtually climb a mountain and explore the sea. We’ll also discover what is so great about ice cream in Israel! Registration required ($): whctemple.org/ETY Ira Miller: imiller@whctemple.org, 301-354-3209
Post Confirmation Dinner
For 11th- and 12th-Grade Students Sunday, April 15, 5:30 pm, location TBD
Several times during the year, our Post Confirmation students will gather for a Sunday dinner and discussion at someone’s home. We hope you’ll join us for a great dinner and a relaxed evening.
Registration required (free): whctemple.org/PostConfirmation Ira Miller: imiller@whctemple.org, 301-354-3209
WHECTY Shabbat Dinner and Town Hall Meeting For 8th- Through 12th-Grade Students Friday, April 27, 6:00 pm at JBSC
Celebrate Shabbat with your friends in WHECTY. We’ll enjoy an awesome dinner together as we shape the future of the Board and the organization. Registration required ($): whctemple.org/WHECTY Ira Miller: imiller@whctemple.org, 301-354-3209
Sunday, April 15, doors open 9:30 am at the Julia Bindeman Suburban Center
Registration required: whctemple.org/MJTournament WHC Journal – April 2018 | Page 23
WHC Journal
Rabbi's Reflection (continued from page 4) On the weekend of the March for Our Lives, we fed and housed nearly 500 students from synagogues across the United States. Hundreds more came from all over the D.C. area on Friday night to join them in honoring the memory of those affected by gun violence at “Shabbat for Our Lives,” a service coordinated together by our teens, clergy, and staff. We also had dozens of adult members who volunteered to help. They packed breakfasts, greeted our young guests, served them dinner, and woke at daybreak to check-in hundreds more who registered for buses we arranged to transport them to the March. On Saturday, March 24, we stood side-by-side with our youth as they, stewards of the future, gathered with hundreds of thousands of their peers on the National Mall to stand up for what they believe is right and demand that our government be “a government of the people for the people.” Seeing this fire in the belly of our youth to demand change makes me justly proud. It tells me that every time we have pulled our children from their weekend sleep to come with us to pack food or box clothing on Mitzvah Day, we’ve taught them to care for and lift up those in need. We have shown them by example that to affect change we need to be willing to act — that doing justice brings justice. At Washington Hebrew Congregation, the mitzvah in Mitzvah Day has always translated as “good deeds.” Deeds, actions … these are our core Reform Jewish values. So, if you want a better world, remember what God said to Moshe, “Buy a ticket,” — act! And please register to join us on Mitzvah Day, Sunday, April 22, for it is only through action that we will teach our children to know God!
Lecture & Lunch With The Prime Timers Temple | Sunday, April 15 | 10:30 am Join us for an Amram Scholar Series lecture featuring Francine Klagsbrun, author of Lioness: Golda Meir and the Nation of Israel. After the lecture, we will enjoy a luncheon together while we discuss the book.
Tickets:
$12 WHC Prime Timers Members $15 non-members
Send your check, made payable to WHC Prime Timers, to Janice Ackerman, 5600 Wisconsin Avenue #1402, Chevy Chase, Maryland 20815-6503.
Cantor's Reflection (continued from page 14) By remembering that our actions impact others, sometimes directly, sometimes indirectly, we give ourselves the opportunity for personal growth. We also give ourselves the gift of engaging in sacred relationships with other people. From these sacred relationships, holiness is cultivated and enters our lives and the world. As we embark on a month that brings opportunities to better our community through Mitzvah Day, let us remember that each and every day is an opportunity to bring holiness into our lives and the lives of those around us. We are each on a journey that, if we let it, allows for personal growth and increased holiness. It is by engaging in relationships with our loved ones, friends, and strangers that we can find fulfillment and bring fulfillment to others. It is said that when two people are in a sacred relationship, God is present. Let us seek to bring God into our lives and the lives of those around us, and let us strive to be holy.
Contributions (continued from page 20) Tikkun Olam Values (TOV) Fund
Donor In Honor of: Michelle & Paul Rubin Bat Mitzvah of Rachel Leah Rubin Donor In Memory of: Tom Beauchamp & Ruth Faden David Rubin James & Mindy Brodsky Sylvia Kuperberg David Muenzer & Melissa Schwartz Sheldon Tankel
Wender Memorial Archives Fund
Donor William H. Davis Adrienne S. Elman
Page 24 | WHC Journal – April 2018
In Memory of: Lois Hechinger England Joseph Solomon Stern
WHC Hunger Project
Donor Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey Bergman
Worship & Music Fund
Donor Samuel Posnock Donor In Memory of: Betsy Grossman David Solovey Jim & Sandy Rosenberg Louis Levy Rae Hurwitz Mohr Jack Hurwitz Ruth W. Hurwitz Dr. Donald & Judith Polster Zauderer Gertrude Halpert Polster
Young Professionals (22-39) Fund Donor Ellie Palmer
In Memory of: Robert Dubinsky
Ivy Zola’s Help-a-Friend Fund
Donor In Memory of: Neal, Paula, Jennifer, Michael & Steven Bobys Harold J. Bobys Mr. & Mrs. Dudley Dworken Elayne Dworken Karen & Dudley Dworken Peggy Katz The Susan April Marshall Family Mildred April
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