NOVEMBER 2018 / CHESHVAN – KISLEV 5779 VOL. 59, NO. 10
Gratitude
Counting Our Blessings as We Approach Thanksgiving
NOVEMBER 2018 VOL. 59, NO. 10
Washington Hebrew Congregation Clergy
M. Bruce Lustig, Senior Rabbi Susan N. Shankman, Rabbi Aaron Miller, Associate Rabbi Eliana Fischel, Assistant Rabbi Mikhail Manevich, Cantor Susan R.A. Bortnick, Cantor
Senior Staff – Education
SUPPORTED BY AN ENDOWMENT FROM LIBBY AND MELVIN MANDEL
DJ Schneider Jensen Head of Schools, Early Childhood Education Ira Miller, Director of Informal Education Stephanie Tankel, Director of Religious Education
Senior Staff – Administration
In This Issue Rabbi’s Reflection................................................................................3 Extending a Hand and Giving Back Through Yad B’Yad........................4 Celebrating a Major Milestone With the WHC Hunger Project.............5 Sunday Stuffing: Ensuring Hearts and Bellies Can be Full on Thanksgiving................................................................6 Thankful — Spend Part of Your Thanksgiving Day With Your WHC Family....................................................................... 7 “Academy Goes Conversational” Mondays in December at Temple.......8 Defiance, Courage, and Hope — Enduring Hitler’s Horrors Through Verdi’s “Requiem”................................................................ 10 “Lest We Forget” — Photo Exhibition Opens in Kreeger Lobby.............11 Former Ambassador Norman Eisen to Speak at Amram Scholar Series...................................................... 12 Photo Retrospective: Rabbi Fischel’s Installation Shabbat.................... 13 Photo Retrospective: Macomb St.Shabbat and District Shabbat........... 14 A Behind-the-Scenes WHC Treasure Retires, Saying Goodbye to Yuriy Melamed.................................................... 15 Calendar............................................................................................ 16 B’nei Mitzvah.................................................................................... 18 Life Cycle........................................................................................... 19 Contributions.....................................................................................20 WHC Programs & Events................................................................... 21 Shop, Bid, Dine! The Women of WHC’s Holiday Boutique and Silent Auction.............................................................................. 32
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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
Nell Shapiro, President Mark Director, First Vice President Janet Katz, Vice President Andrew Lazerow, Vice President Jeffrey Weiss, Vice President Kimberly Wachen, Treasurer Richard Newman, Assistant Treasurer Deborah Goldman, Secretary Dan Werner, Assistant Secretary Lewis Wiener, General Counsel
Board of Directors
Jami Axelrod Ellen R. Berlow Barry Chasen Sharon Jaffe Dan Beth Levin Dubin Betty Jane Eichberg Joseph Firschein Susan B. Gerson Edward P. Joseph Anne Lackritz Jeremy London Alejandro (Ali) Mayorkas
Past Presidents Leonard I. Abel David Astrove David R. Berz Stuart L. Bindeman Earl M. Colson Meg Jacobs Flax Jay W. Freedman
David Metzner William Miller Sandy Nesbit Ari Redbord Steven A. Robins Andrea Rubinfeld Lynn Sachs Melissa Schwartz Aaron W. Stopak Paula Tiedemann Philip Urofsky Kimberly Vogel
Susan J. Hanenbaum 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 Bluestein The Boomers: Jeanne Fleming 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: Ian Rosenthal
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 11 times a year by Washington Hebrew Congregation. Send address changes to 3935 Macomb Street NW, Washington, DC 20016.
Rabbi’s Reflection Rabbi Eliana Fischel
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n November, as the air crisps and we discard our iced coffees for pumpkin spice lattes, our minds turn toward Thanksgiving. Naturally, we think of turkeys, sweet potatoes, and stuffings (my favorite — vegetarian, of course!). We think of joining together with family — watching the parade or the game together on television, maybe even throwing around a football outside. With all of the preparations and excitement, even just with our daily lives and routines, it is easy to forget the main message of the holiday — to give thanks.
This Thanksgiving, as we sit around our decadent tables, let us give thanks. Give thanks for the food on our tables. Give thanks for good conversation and laughter. Give thanks for friends and family. Give thanks for those who have come before us, who may no longer be sitting at the table. Give thanks for holy communities that remind us we are never alone.
In Hebrew, one of the names for Thanksgiving is Yom Hodu — an example of Hebrew’s propensity toward wordplay. Most obviously, hodu comes from the verb, “to give thanks.” However, hodu also means “turkey.” Thus, Yom Hodu can mean both “Thanksgiving” and “Turkey Day”! Even in Israel, the meaning of this holiday has been intertwined to the actions we take to celebrate. And what good actions they are!
This Psalm is a reminder that we need not wait until Thanksgiving to relay our thanks. Rather, each week, we can recite a prayer of thanksgiving to the Holy One and words of thanksgiving to our loved ones. As the Psalm states, these words are “good,” not just because they make others feel good, but rather because they are good for us. We feel good, we can recognize good, and we can do good when we state our gratefulness.
However, I want to focus on the “thanks” side of hodu. Here, at Washington Hebrew Congregation, we have a lot for which we are thankful. October was a month of firsts. We celebrated Shabbat in new ways with our Macomb St. and District Shabbat experiences. We loved bringing in Shabbat with good food, thoughtful Torah Study, and spiritual services. Thank you for bringing your voices to those experiences, and we look forward to seeing you next time — they cannot happen without you!
As if that were not enough of a reminder, in our daily Amidah, we have a blessing for thanksgiving. If we so choose, we can recite each and every day, “Modim anachnu lach, we acknowledge with thanks…” Mishkan T’filah, our Reform prayer book, offers a creative understanding for this prayer. I invite you to use these words throughout the month of November and, perhaps, around your Thanksgiving tables:
“
Every Friday evening, as part of our Shabbat service, we recite Psalm 92, “How good is it to give thanks to the Eternal, to sing praises unto Your name, O Most High.”
This Thanksgiving, as we sit around our decadent tables, let us give thanks.”
I am also particularly grateful this month, as I am still beaming from my Installation Shabbat. I have felt welcomed in this community from the minute I walked through the doors. Now, I feel like family. Thank you to everyone who made that night magnificent. All the more so, thank you all for allowing me into your lives and for joining me in this covenantal relationship.
God of Goodness, we give thanks for the gift of life, wonder beyond words; for the awareness of soul, our light within; for the world around us, so filled with beauty; for the richness of the earth, which day by day sustains us; for all these and more, we offer thanks. Blessed are You, Adonai, Your Name is Goodness, and You are worthy of thanksgiving. And let us say: amen. WHC Journal – November 2018 | Page 3
WHC Journal
Extending a Hand and Giving Back Through Yad B’Yad By David Astrove
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hen WHC President Nell Shapiro graciously asked me to serve as Chair of the Development Committee, I enthusiastically agreed. Leading WHC’s development efforts builds on my love for WHC and all that it offers, as well as the important role that the values of Reform Judaism play in my life. For me, the future of Reform Judaism is inextricably tied to the future of Washington Hebrew Congregation. As Reform Jews, we are instilled with a sense of responsibility to care for our community and the world at large. We are not born with those instincts, however. We learn them from our families, teachers, and rabbis. Although each of us frequently provides generous support to efforts to assist those in need around the world, we may not often think that there are people right here at Washington Hebrew Congregation who need our help, but there are. Many, actually. There are people who are lonely and need the warm embrace of our community. There are people who have suffered a loss and don’t know where to turn or what to do. There are people who are in vulnerable financial circumstances and need assistance to maintain their membership or even to pay for their child’s religious education. We don’t often talk about this – the need that exists within
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our own community – and instead, focus our efforts to collect funds, clothing, and food for outside organizations. Washington Hebrew Congregation is a safe harbor for many, including my family and me. I garner strength from this community, and I am both comforted and proud to know that, regardless of life or financial circumstance, Washington Hebrew Congregation has been here for all of us to instill in our children the values of Reform Judaism and enable each of us as adults to live a life that is consistent with those values. So, I ask you to join my family and me now to ensure that this great congregation is able to continue to be that safe harbor for all by participating in Yad B’Yad, our Annual Fund. You can make your gift online today at whctemple.org/YBY or send a check payable to WHC to Washington Hebrew Congregation, Attention: Yad B’Yad, 3935 Macomb Street NW, Washington, DC 20016. I thank you in advance for joining my family and me in support of our WHC community. I know that together, we can truly make a difference in the lives of so many.
Faith in Action
1,000,000 MEALS Celebrating a Major Milestone With the WHC Hunger Project
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t started as one of dozens of Mitzvah Day project options back in 2006, and now, the WHC Hunger Project will pack its 1,000,000th meal on Sunday, November 18 at the Julia Bindeman Suburban Center. To commemorate this momentous accomplishment, a special Shabbat service and celebratory oneg to honor the Hunger Project will be held at Temple on Friday, November 30 at 6:00 pm.
“The Hunger Project is tikkun olam at its finest,“ Hunger Project Coordinator Jeff Bergman explains. “We get people of all ages, from all different walks of life at our packings, working toward the same goal — to help feed the hungry.” Each hunger packing event produces approximately 15,000 meals. Those meals are donated to local organizations including the Capital Area Food Bank, the Maryland Food Bank, and Bread for the City. From there, the organizations distribute the meals to churches, soup kitchens, and other groups that help feed those in need. “The food we assemble at a packing, with our own hands, ends up getting eaten by the end of the week, Bergman explains. “It is instant tikkun olam.”
In moments of crisis and disaster, the Hunger Project can also be mobilized quickly to help people outside of the D.C. metropolitan area. Last year, Hunger Project organizers held a “flash pack,” which created 10,000 meals that were transported to Texas on a truck headed to help the relief efforts following Hurricane Harvey. “We feed people and provide food for the hungry,” Bergman explains. “But we’ve also managed to bring families together to do tikkun olam. We have kids as young as 5 and adults as old as 90 at our packing events, and many times, an entire family will come and volunteer together.” To learn more about the WHC Hunger Project and to join us for the special 1,000,000th Meal Shabbat on Friday, November 30, please go to whctemple.org/HungerProject.
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Thanksgiving Week at WHC — Tikkun Olam and Community
Sunday Stuffing Ensuring Hearts and Bellies Can be Full on Thanksgiving Take a break from your Thanksgiving preparations and spend an hour or two with us at Temple from 1:00 – 4:00 pm on Sunday, November 18 for some tikkun olam. We will have several projects available, perfect for kids and adults, that will make the start of the winter holiday season warmer and fuller for people in need throughout the D.C. area. Register to volunteer at whctemple.org/SundayStuffing.
All the Fixin’s
“Shop” the aisles of Edlavitch Hall and help us fill 450 grocery bags with “all the fixin’s” needed to create a complete Thanksgiving dinner. These bags full of fixins’ will go to Abram Simon Elementary School families, N Street Village, Friendship Place, and Carrie Simon House. All ages are welcome.
Blanket Making
Help us bring warmth to men and women on cold winter nights by tying no-sew blankets for Friendship Place, a non-profit dedicated to developing solutions to homelessness. All ages are welcome.
WHC Hunger Project
Join the EmptyNesters to help package thousands of meals for the hungry. Appropriate for ages 8+.
Casserole Making
We need your assistance to prepare 250 green bean casseroles to donate to Nourish Now, a non-profit dedicated to eradicating hunger in Montgomery County. Led by our 2239 young professionals auxiliary, all ages are welcome. Page 6 | WHC Journal – November 2018
Schlepper Team
Lend a hand to make boxes, pack them up, and move them to our holding area so that everything can reach their intended destinations more quickly. Appropriate for ages 12+.
Come Early for Lunch!
We are offering a pizza lunch at 12:15 pm for students staying after Religious School or anyone who would like to join us for a nosh before Sunday Stuffing starts.
Calling All Bakers! Can’t Volunteer at Sunday Stuffing? You can help by baking 4-6 loaves of pumpkin bread or 4-6 dozen cookies at home. Drop them off at JBSC by Friday, November 16 or at Temple by Sunday, November 18, and we will make sure they end up in our bags of “All the Fixin’s”!
Thanksgiving Week at WHC — Tikkun Olam and Community
Spend Part of Thanksgiving Day With Your WHC Family Enjoy a Festive, Traditional Meal Every year, about 150 people enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving meal thoughtfully prepared and served by volunteers from WHC, Annunciation Catholic Church, and St. Alban’s Episcopal Church. It’s a decades-old tradition for our three congregations in partnership with the Interreligious Council. If you would like to celebrate this holiday in the company of a warm community, please join us at Temple on Thursday, November 22 at noon. All are welcome! There is no charge, but donations are graciously accepted. To RSVP, go to whctemple.org/Thanksgiving. For further information, please contact Layne Weiss, lweiss@whctemple.org or 202-895-6307.
Volunteer on Thanksgiving Shifts from 9:00 am – Noon Will you be in town on Thanksgiving? Before you sit down for your own dinner, please consider spending a couple of hours with us at Temple to help provide a festive Thanksgiving meal for others. Bring the family — there is something for everyone to do: cook or carve; set up or clean up; greet guests or serve the meal. Shifts begin as early as 9:00 am, and everything is finished by around 1:30 pm. WHC Brotherhood coordinates our cadre of volunteers, and you can learn more about what’s involved on our website at whctemple.org/Brotherhood.
Donate Ingredients for the Meal Part of our role in the Community Thanksgiving Dinner is to provide the ingredients below to ensure there is enough food to serve 150 people. Please deliver items to Temple by Tuesday, November 20 at 5:00 pm.* Butter pats Cranberry sauce (canned) Celery (cleaned and cut into serving-size pieces) Dinner rolls Disposable containers for leftovers Gravy Green beans (frozen, French-style)
Mashed potatoes (instant), plus milk and margarine Olives (jarred) Pies (mince, pumpkin, or apple) Paper napkins Prepared stuffing Sweet potatoes (canned) Turkeys*
*Deliver turkeys to Temple on Thanksgiving morning. Uncooked turkeys must arrive by 8:30 am; cooked turkeys by 9:30 am. WHC Journal – November 2018 | Page 7
Lifelong Learning
“Academy Goes Conversational” Mondays in December at Temple
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HC Academy and the Amram Scholar Series are partnering this December to present three lectures at Temple that will bring us together as a community for an open dialogue about current issues and historical events. You will have access to exceptional speakers as we dive deep into the topics they present. Following each lecture, we will gather for a Q&A with the evening’s speaker, as well as dinner and facilitated dialogue at each table. Preregistration is required, and there are several ticket options available. We invite you to learn more about the options and register at whctemple.org/WHCAcademy. Presented in cooperation with the Jewish Book Council.
Monday, December 3, 7:00 pm — Stuart E. Eizenstat
“President Carter: The White House Years” Stuart E. Eizenstat was at Jimmy Carter’s side from his political rise in Georgia through four years in the White House, where he served as Chief Domestic Policy Advisor and was directly involved in all domestic and economic decisions and many foreign policy decisions as well. Famous for the legal pads he took to every meeting, Mr. Eizenstat has drawn on more than 5,000 pages of notes he took and 350 interviews he conducted with major figures of the time to write a comprehensive history of an underappreciated president — and to give an intimate view into how the presidency works. In his book, President Carter: The White House Years, Mr. Eizenstat reveals the grueling negotiations behind the peace talks between Israel and Egypt, what led to the return of the Panama Canal, and how President Carter made human rights a presidential imperative. He follows Carter’s passing of America’s first comprehensive energy policy and his deregulation of the oil, gas, transportation, Page 8 | WHC Journal – November 2018
and communications industries. Mr. Eizenstat also discusses President Carter’s many missteps, including the Iranian Hostage Crisis, where his desire to do the right thing, not the political thing, often hurt him and alienated Congress. Carter’s willingness to tackle intractable problems, however, led to major, long-lasting accomplishments. Mr. Eizenstat also served in President Clinton’s administration in several high-level roles, including Ambassador to the European Union and in President Obama’s administration as Special Representative of the Secretary of State on Holocaust Issues.
Lifelong Learning
Monday, December 10, 7:00 pm — Steven A. Cook
“False Dawn: Protest, Democracy, and Violence in the New Middle East” More than half a decade after Arabs across the Middle East poured into the streets to demand change, hopes for democracy have disappeared in a maelstrom of violence and renewed state repression. Middle East expert Steven A. Cook looks at the trajectory of events across the region, from the initial uprising in Tunisia to the failed coup attempt in Turkey, to explain why the Arab Spring uprisings did not succeed. Despite appearances, there were no true revolutions in the Middle East seven years ago: none of the affected societies underwent social revolutions, and the old structures of power were never eliminated. Even supposed successes like Tunisia still face significant barriers to democracy because of the continued strength of old regime players. Libya, the state that came closest to revolution, has fragmented into chaos, and Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has undertaken a widespread crackdown on his opponents, reinforcing the Turkish leader’s personal power.
After taking stock of how and why the uprisings failed to produce lasting change, Mr. Cook considers the role of the United States in the region. What Washington cannot do, he argues, is shape the politics of the Middle East going forward. While many in the policymaking community believe that the United States must “get the Middle East right,” he believes that American influence is actually quite limited, and the future of the region lies in the hands of the people who live there. An expert on Arab and Turkish politics and U.S.-Middle East policy, Steven A. Cook is the Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.
Monday, December 17, 7:00 pm — Wendy R. Sherman
“Not for the Faint of Heart: Lessons in Courage, Power, and Persistence” Few people have sat across from the Iranians and the North Koreans at the negotiating table. Wendy R. Sherman has done both in her long and distinguished career. Best known as the United States’ lead negotiator on the 2015 multilateral Iran nuclear deal, her career as a diplomat began when she joined the State Department in 1993. During the Clinton administration, Ms. Sherman served as Special Advisor to President Clinton and Policy Coordinator on North Korea and worked as a close advisor to then-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright on every major foreign policy and national security issue, including negotiations with Pyongyang on nuclear nonproliferation.
Iran while overseeing the bureaus for Africa, East Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Eurasia, the Near East, South and Central Asia, the Western Hemisphere, and international organizations. In recognition of her many diplomatic accomplishments, Ms. Sherman was awarded the National Security Medal by President Obama.
With Madeleine Albright, Wendy R. Sherman co-founded the Albright Stonebridge Group, an advisory firm in D.C., before returning to the State Department as undersecretary for political affairs in 2011. Ms. Sherman spent the following four years pursuing the nuclear agreement with
In Not for the Faint of Heart, Wendy R. Sherman takes us inside the world of international diplomacy and into the mind of a most effective negotiator — who was often the only woman in the room.
Advance registration is required for “Academy Goes Conversational” evenings. Visit whctemple.org/WHCAcademy to learn more and register. WHC Journal – November 2018 | Page 9
WHC Journal
Defiance, Courage, and Hope — Enduring Hitler’s Horrors Through Verdi’s “Requiem”
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ashington Hebrew Congregation commemorates Kristallnacht each year with a program and interfaith service in memory of the lives lost during the Holocaust and honoring those who survived. It is an annual interfaith partnership between Washington Hebrew, Annunciation Catholic Church, and St. Alban’s Episcopal Church. We invite you to join us at Temple on Wednesday, November 7 at 7:00 pm for this year’s remembrance to honor local survivors, some of whom were photographed for Luigi Toscano’s “Lest We Forget” project (see page 11). The program will feature a screening of Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezín, a documentary film that tells the extraordinary story of Jewish prisoners at Theresienstadt (Terezín) during World War II. We will begin with music from WHC’s Kol Rinah and the choirs of our partner congregations, followed by the screening and a discussion with composer Murry Sidlin, founder of the Defiant Requiem Foundation. Rafael Schächter was a brilliant, young Czech conductor who was arrested and sent to Terezín in 1941. Demonstrating moral leadership under the most brutal
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circumstances, he sustained courage and hope among his fellow prisoners by enriching their souls through great music. His most extraordinary act was to recruit 150 prisoners and teach them Verdi’s “Requiem” by rote in a dank cellar using a single score, over multiple rehearsals, and after grueling days of forced labor. The “Requiem” was performed on 16 occasions for fellow prisoners. The last, most infamous performance occurred on June 23, 1944, before high-ranking SS officers from Berlin and the International Red Cross to support the charade that the prisoners were treated well and flourishing. With testimony provided by surviving members of Schächter’s choir, soaring concert footage, cinematic dramatizations, and evocative animation, this unique film explores the singers’ view of the “Requiem” as a work of defiance and resistance against the Nazis. The text of the Requiem Mass enabled them, as Schächter told the chorus, to “sing to the Nazis what they could not say to them.” In 2014, Defiant Requiem was nominated for two News and Documentary Emmy Awards – Outstanding Historical Documentary and Outstanding Writing. The film is the recipient of numerous awards and has been broadcast on PBS, BBC4, French TV, and Globostat in Brazil.
WHC Journal
“Lest We Forget” Photo Exhibition Opens in WHC’s Kreeger Lobby An exhibit of larger-than-life photographs of Holocaust survivors will be on display in Kreeger Lobby from Friday, November 2 — Tuesday, November 20. German-Italian artist Luigi Toscano spent a year traveling and meeting Holocaust survivors in Germany, the United States, Ukraine, Israel and Russia, giving them the opportunity to share their personal stories, possibly for the last time. The result was more than 200 largescale portrait photographs, which have been exhibited internationally — including on the National Mall this past April, where Rabbi Lustig spoke at the opening ceremony. Some of the portraits included in the exhibit at Temple are of local survivors, and we are honored that they will join us on Wednesday, November 7 for our Kristallnacht commemoration. You can learn more about this program on page 10 of this issue.
WHC Journal – November 2018 | Page 11
Lifelong Learning
Former Ambassador Norman Eisen to Speak at Amram Scholar Series
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orman Eisen, former Ambassador to the Czech Republic and White House ethics czar under President Obama, will discuss his acclaimed new book, The Last Palace: Europe’s Turbulent Century Through Five Lives and One Legendary House, in an Amram Scholar Series lecture at Temple on Sunday, November 4 at 10:30 am. His engrossing narrative brings to life the last hundred years of European history as told through the story of an ornate mansion in Prague and the lives of those who called it home. This mansion was the extraordinary residence that Mr. Eisen personally came to occupy in 2011, when President Obama appointed him ambassador to the country his mother had fled in the Holocaust. Moving in, he was startled to discover swastikas hidden beneath the furniture, and from that discovery unspooled the twisting tale of the four remarkable people who had previously called the castle home. Mr. Eisen saw their story as Europe’s story, chronicling the upheavals that transformed the continent. First was the optimistic Jewish financial baron, Otto Petschek, who built the palace after World War I as a statement of his faith in democracy, only to have that faith shattered. The second, Rudolf Toussaint, was a cultured, compromised German general who occupied the palace during World War II, ultimately putting his life at risk to save the house and Prague itself from destruction. The third was Laurence Steinhardt, the first postwar United States ambassador, whose quixotic struggle to keep the palace out of Communist hands was paired with his
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pitched efforts to rescue the country from Soviet domination. Shirley Temple Black, the fourth, had witnessed Soviet tanks crush the 1968 Prague Spring and returned there as U.S. Ambassador in 1989, helping to bring an end to totalitarianism. Additionally, Mr. Eisen weaves his mother’s life into the saga to demonstrate how those without power and privilege moved through history. Prior to his post in Prague, Mr. Eisen served in the White House as special counsel and President Obama’s special assistant for ethics and government reform. The press dubbed him “Mr. No” and the “Ethics Czar” for his tough anti-corruption stance. He advised President Obama on lobbying regulation, campaign finance law, and open government issues, helping to ensure the most scandal-free White House in modern history. A senior fellow at Brookings and a regular CNN commentator on current controversies involving the Trump administration, Mr. Eisen chairs the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and other publications. Norman Eisen comes to Washington Hebrew Congregation through a partnership with the Jewish Book Council. A book sale and signing will follow his lecture, and Mr. Eisen will be on hand to meet with congregants who attend the WHC Books lunch in honor of Jewish Book Month. For more information about the WHC Books luncheon, please visit whctemple.org/WHCBooks.
WHC Journal
Rabbi Eliana Fischel’s Installation Shabbat With blessings, laughter, joy, ceremony, and well wishes from hundreds of congregants, we officially welcomed Rabbi Eliana Fischel to Washington Hebrew Congregation on Friday, October 12. Our clergy team — and our WHC family — feel complete.
WHC Journal – November 2018 | Page 13
WHC Journal
Soulful, Musical, Joyful in the
of D.C.
We introduced two new Shabbat experiences last month — Macomb St. Shabbat at Temple and District Shabbat (with District Shabbat for Tots) at the Southwest Waterfront. Learn about what makes them so special and join us! whctemple.org/MacombStShabbat whctemple.org/DistrictShabbat
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WHC Journal
A Behind-the-Scenes WHC Treasure Retires Saying Goodbye to Yuriy Melamed
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t’s been 17 years since Yuriy Melamed first entered Washington Hebrew Congregation’s doors. Since then, he’s nurtured those doors — and nearly every inch of our building — inside and out as a treasured member of our facilities staff. On October 31, Yuriy walked out of those well-cared-for doors to begin his retirement. Yuriy, his wife, and daughter immigrated from St. Petersburg, Russia in 1997. After coming to WHC, he and Cantor Manevich made the connection that they were not only from the same city, but that they lived just one block away from each other in St. Petersburg. They didn’t know one another then, “It’s a city of 5 million people,” Yuriy said. “But I believe we probably passed each other on the street more than one time. We were destined to meet.” For Yuriy, Washington Hebrew was not just a place to come for work, it was part of his life. Mohan Mistry, Yuriy’s manager for the past 13 years, reflected, “(He’s) a true soldier, so dependable. He has never missed a day of work. Yuriy cares so much about our (building on Macomb Street).” Before every storm, Yuriy was known to go onto our roof to ensure everything was in order. His efforts prevented many leaks throughout the years. He was a true partner for Mohan, finding creative and lasting solutions for many maintenance issues. Though we won’t be seeing Yuriy and his bright blue eyes at WHC every day, he has left us a lasting legacy in Kaufmann Sanctuary that we can appreciate every time we sit down: the wooden prayer book boxes mounted on the backs of the seats were built and installed by Yuriy. Thank you, Yuriy, for your years of service and care.
WHC Journal – November 2018 | Page 15
November 2018 Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
No Religious School (M&B)
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9:30am Mah Jongg Tournament (B) 10:30am Amram Scholar Series Lecture: Norman Eisen (M) 12:00pm Jewish Book Month Luncheon & Discussion (M) 4:30pm “Heading Home: The Tale of Team Israel” Baseball Film and Dinner (B) Holiday Boutique & Silent Auction 9:30 am – 7:00 pm (B)
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9:30am Religious School (M&B) 12:00pm Jr. ETY (M)
9:30am Religious School (M&B) 12:15pm Sunday Stuffing Pre-Stuffing Lunch 1:00pm Sunday Stuffing
No Religious School (M&B)
18
25
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10:00am Women of WHC’s Tour of Strathmore (OUT) 10:00am Conversational Hebrew: Intermediate (M) 7:00pm 12 Jewish Questions (M) 7:00pm WHC Academy
Holiday Boutique & Silent Auction (B) 9:30 am – 8:00 pm (B)
5
12
9:30am Early Childhood Ctr. Tour (M) 10:00am Conv. Hebrew: Int. (M) 12:30pm Prime Timers’ Lunch & Film (M) 6:30pm Upper School & Confirmation (M) 7:00pm 12 Jewish Questions (M) 7:00pm WHC Academy (M)
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10:00am Conv. Hebrew: Intermediate (M) 7:00pm 12 Jewish Questions (M) 7:00pm Project Rozana: Building Bridges of Peace Through Healthcare (OUT)
7:00pm 12 Jewish Questions (M) 7:00pm WHC Academy (M)
26
6
Election Day 4:30pm Hebrew School (B) 6:30pm WHECTY 7 Days/7 Dinners (OUT)
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10:00am Cantors’ Culture Club with Mark Jaster (M) 4:30pm Hebrew School (B) 6:00pm Conversational Hebrew: Beginner (M) 6:30pm Upper School & Confirmation (M) 7:00pm Back to Basics (M) 7:00pm Israel Trip Interest Meeting (M) 7:00pm From Holocaust to Hope (M) No Hebrew School (B)
20
“Lest We Forget” Photo Exhibition Closes (M) 7:00pm Back to Basics (M)
4:30pm Hebrew School (B) 6:30pm Upper School & Confirmation (M)
14
10:00am Cantors’ Culture Club with Mark Jaster (B) 10:00am Back to Basics (B) 1:00pm Wednesday Study Group(M) 4:30pm Hebrew School (M) 6:00pm JAM Rehearsal (M) 6:00pm Conv. Hebrew: Beginner (B) 7:00pm Attorneys’ Study Group (OUT) 7:00pm Back to Basics (B) 7:30pm Community Issues/Social Action Meeting (M) No Hebrew School (M) ECC Early Dismissal (M&B)
21
10:00am Back to Basics (B) 1:00pm Wednesday Study Group(M) 7:00pm Back to Basics (B)
27
B: Julia Bindeman Suburban Center
7
11:00am Women of WHC Art Tour (M) 1:00pm Wednesday Study Group (M) 4:30pm Hebrew School (M) 6:00pm JAM Rehearsal (M) 6:00pm Confirmation Dinner (M) 7:00pm Kristallnacht Commemoration “Defiant Requiem” (M)
1:00pm Wednesday Study Group (M) 4:30pm Hebrew School (M) 6:00pm JAM Rehearsal (M) 7:00pm “Into the Kitchen” at Sur La Table (OUT)
M: Temple
28
OUT: Not at a WHC location
CHeshvan – Kislev 5779 Thursday
Friday
1
10:00am Conversational Hebrew: Intermediate/ Advanced (B) 11:15am Conversational Hebrew: Beginning (B)
Saturday
2
“Lest We Forget” Photo Exhibition Opens (M) 8th-Grade Retreat (OUT through Sunday) 10:30am Women of WHC Mah Jongg (B) 6:00pm Tot Shabbat Family Dinner (B) 7:00pm 12 Jewish Questions Dinner (M)
8
9:30am Early Childhood Center Tour (B)
15
9
10:30am Women of WHC Mah Jongg (B)
Services: 5:30pm Lay Led Service (M) 6:00pm Pollin Music/Veterans Shabbat Service with the Children’s Chorus of Washington (M) 6:00pm Teen Sensory Shabbat (M) 6th-Grade Retreat (OUT through Saturday) NFTY-MAR Fall Kallah (OUT through Sunday) 10:30am Women of WHC Mah Jongg (B) 6:15pm Couples Club Goes to District Shabbat (M)
22
10:00am Preparations for Community Thanksgiving Meal (M) 12:00pm Community Thanksgiving Meal (M)
7:30pm InterFaith Concert (M)
Offices and ECCs Closed (M&B)
9th-Grade Retreat (OUT through Sunday) 10:00am Women of WHC Literary Group (M) 10:30am Women of WHC Mah Jongg (B) 5:30pm Tot Shabbat Family Dinner (M)
Services: 9:00am Early Torah (M) 10:30am Shabbat Service (M) 5:30pm Afternoon Service and Havdalah (M) Bat Mitzvah of Samantha Topf
17 Services: 9:00am Early Torah (M) 10:30am Shabbat Service (M) Bat Mitzvah of Amanda Simensky 5:30pm Afternoon Service and Havdalah (M) B’not Mitzvah of Kendyl Groisser and Abrianna Iaquinto
23
Services: 5:30pm Lay Led Service (M) 6:00pm Shabbat Service (M)
29
10
16
Services: 5:30pm Lay Led Service (M) 5:30 pm District Shabbat for Tots (OUT) 6:00pm Shabbat Service (M) 6:15pm District Shabbat (OUT) Thanksgiving Offices and ECCs Closed (M&B)
3
Services: 9:00am Early Torah (M) 10:30am Shabbat Service (M) B’nei Mitzvah of Luke Bookoff and Hannah Segal 5:30pm Afternoon Service and Havdalah (M) Bar Mitzvah of Alec Rogers
Services: 5:30pm Lay Led Service (M) 5:30pm Tot Shabbat (B) 6:00pm Macomb St. Shabbat (M) 10:00am Conversational Hebrew: Intermediate/ Advanced (B) 11:15am Conversational Hebrew: Beginning (B)
7:00 pm Boomers’ and Couples Club’s “Rock Around the Ages” Party (OUT)
24 Services: 9:00am Early Torah (M) 10:30am Shabbat Service (M)
30
Services: 5:00pm Tot Shabbat (M) 5:30pm Lay Led Service (M) 6:00pm Shirei Shabbat – Celebrating the Hunger Project’s 1,000,000th Meal (M) 6:15pm 2239’s Metro Minyan (OUT) WHC Journal – November 2018 | Page 17
Mazel Tov to WHC’s November B'nei Mitzvah Luke Jackson Bookoff November 3, Morning Luke is a seventh-grade student at the Bullis School. He is the son of Jennifer & Les Bookoff, the brother of Emma, and the grandson of Susan & Myron Myers and Bobbie & Allen Bookoff.
Hannah Elizabeth Segal November 3, Morning Hannah is a seventh-grade student at Herbert Hoover Middle School. She is the daughter of Gretchen & Michael Segal, the sister of Samuel and Emily, and the granddaughter of Nell & Lawrence Jacobs, Robert & Barbara Lechtenberg, and Earl & Susan Segal.
Alec Jason Rogers November 3, Havdalah AJ is a seventh-grade student at Cabin John Middle School. He is the son of Jamie Pond and Jeffrey Rogers; the brother of Elisa and Lexi, and the grandson of Carol Staitman, Jay & Sharon Rogers, and Nancy & Eric Johnson.
Samantha Abigail Topf November 10, Havdalah Samantha is a seventh-grade student at Cabin John Middle School. She is the daughter of Lauren & Daniel Topf, the sister of Jordan and Ella, and the granddaughter of Kathy & Steven Joss, Linda Topf, and the late Bernard Topf.
Page 18 | WHC Journal – November 2018
Amanda Bryn Simensky November 17, Morning Amanda is a seventh-grade student at North Bethesda Middle School. She is the daughter of Sondra Albert & Alan Simensky, the sister of Jake, and the granddaughter of Elaine & Peter Albert and Anita & Irwin Simensky.
Kendyl Alyssa Groisser November 17, Havdalah Kendyl is a seventh-grade student at Herbert Hoover Middle School. She is the daughter of Patricia & Gordon Groisser, the sister of Kailyn and Kara, and the granddaughter of Dr. William Groisser and the late Lenore Groisser, J. Robert Ellner, and Judith Ellner.
Abrianna Frances Iaquinto November 17, Havdalah Abri is a seventh-grade student at the Holton-Arms School. She is the daughter of Alla & Kevin Iaquinto; the sister of Zoe, and the granddaughter of Jane & Naum Ziselson, Elizabeth Iaquinto and the late Francis Iaquinto.
Congratulations to…
Life Cycle
Susan & Ken Annis, on the marriage of their daughter, Michelle, to Mitchell Towbin. Lisa & Lee Baydush, on the marriage of their son, Stephen, to Maxine David, the daughter of E’dde & the late Frank David. Stephen is the grandson of Linda & Marshall Ackerman and Marilyn & Bill Lane. Merrick Garb & Ryan Holliway, on their marriage. Merrick is the son of Flora & Howard Garb, Ryan is the son of Marcia Holliway and Mark Holliway. Richard Woler & Ryan Isaacson, on their marriage. Nancy & David Katz, on the naming of their granddaughter Sadie Irene Mauro (Sarah Simcha); and to Sadie’s parents, Allie & Max Mauro. Jessica Matis & Jason Rosenthal, on their marriage. Jessica is the daughter of Lyn & Louis Mattis, Jason is the son of Karen & Alan Rosenthal. Cathy & Marc Scheineson, on the marriage of their daughter, Sara, to Ryan Karerat, the son of Shemeem Sainudin & Jamal Karerat. Zuzana Jurisova & Aaron Schulman, on their marriage. Zuzana is the daughter of Alicia Jurisova and Andrej Juris; Aaron is the son of Sharon & Richard Schulman. Judy & John Starrels, on the marriage of their son, David, to Rosalyn Pierce, daughter of Eileen & the late Dr. Leslie Pierce. Limor Zoher & David Wadsworth, on their marriage. Limor is the daughter of Shimshon & Tamar Zoher, David is the son of Beth Beddingfield and the late Roy Wadsworth.
Our Sincerest Condolences… Howard Bartner, husband of Elayne Bartner; father of Scott Bartner (Marianne) and the late Reid Bartner; grandfather of Eva. Larry Board, husband of Francine Board; father of Dr. Susan Board; grandfather of Jacob and Corey Berk. Vincent Demma, husband of Stephanie Demma; father of Sarah Klein (Philip), Matthew Demma (Rachel), and Rachel Demma; grandfather of four. Robert Goldberg, husband of Deborah Goldberg; father of Faith Ezrailson (Zachary), Blake Goldberg, and Ricki Weinstein. Neil Landres, father of Claudia Helmig (Tim) and Timothy Landres; brother of Eleanor Landres Wilheim; grandfather of six. Nancy Legum, mother of Tony Kurtz (Angel); sister of Robert Legum; cousin of Ken Luchs (Suzy) and Joan LaBauer (Sam); grandmother of three, great-grandmother of eight. Ganya Nemirovskaya, mother of Dr. Paul Nemirovsky (Sophie) and Natalie Vinokur; grandmother of Dr. Dima Nemirof, Julie Nemirovsky, Alex Vinokur, and Misha Vinokur; great-grandmother of three. Edythe B. Oppenheim, mother of Carl Oppenheim (Gwendolyn) and Jeffrey Oppenheim (Susan); grandmother of five and great-grandmother of eight. Howard Schweitzer, husband of Eleanor Schweitzer; father of Paul Schweitzer (Randi), Lisa Wangler (Sheridan), and Debbie Schweitzer; grandfather of Glenn Schweitzer (Megan), Kevin Schweitzer, and Brett Schweitzer; great-grandfather of Zack Schweitzer. Adele Siegel, wife of Stanley Siegel, aunt of Alisa Wiener (Lew). Robert Silverman, husband of Karen Silverman; father of Scott Silverman (Rebecca) and Wendy Feldman (Brian); grandfather of five. Rita Specter, mother of Joanne Peck (Stephen) and Richard Specter (Bambi); grandmother of five and great-grandmother of 13. William H. Stone, brother of Sidney Stone. Julius Tessler, father of Ronni Farber (Ted) and Nancy Tessler Alibrando; grandfather of Dena Schoenfeld (David), Jared Farber (Reyna), and Alaina Rodrigues; great-grandfather of five. Dr. Robert Wagner, husband of Sylvia Wagner; father of Lesley Wagner and David Wagner (Rhonda). Dr. Henry Wise, husband of Norma Wise; father of Alfred Wise (Hilary), Susan Weinstein (Ken), and Deborah Wise (Damian); grandfather of seven.
…may their memory be a blessing.
WHC Journal – November 2018 | Page 19
Contributions
We gratefully acknowledge the following contributions, received through September 30. To make a contribution to any of Washington Hebrew Congregation’s funds, please visit whctemple.org/donate. H. Max & Jodie and Stephen Ammerman Interfaith Fund
Donor In Honor of Andrew R. Ammerman Joyce Levine’s Birthday Dr. Richard Ammerman’s Birthday Craig Collin’s Birthday Freddy Felt’s Birthday Rabbi Lustig’s Speedy Recovery Donor In Memory of Andrew R. Ammerman Sheldon Cohen H. Max Ammerman
Julia & Jack Bindeman Fund
Donor Stuart L. Bindeman
Florence & Norman Brody Archives Endowment Fund Donor Beverly Baker
In Memory of Isaac Bindeman
In Memory of Dora Brody
Jane Burka Sisterhood Leadership Fund
Donor Kathy & Jody Dreyfuss
Cantorial & Concert Fund
Donor Ruth Orenstein Payne Beverly Rosenblatt The Stekler-Weinstein Families
EmptyNesters Fund
Donor Joan & Stanley Adoff
General Fund
In Memory of Neil Sherman In Memory of Rose Paul Phyllis Cullen Herman Stekler In Memory of David Cook
Donor Elizabeth Dubin Daniel Freedman Eileen & Ron Orleans & Family Andrea & Mike Rubinfeld Dr. Raymond Scalettar Donor In Honor of Lou & Dottie Kornhauser Sherry Sundick May Lynn Mansbach Stephen & Sally Herman’s Wedding Anniversary Nancy & John Harris Jane & David Good’s 25th Wedding Anniversary P. Casey Hennessy WHC’s 2018 High Holy Day Services Rabbi Jonathan & Judith Miller Rabbi Lustig Arnold & Maureen Binderman John Nannes Jamie & Ryan Hotchkiss Bar Mitzvah of Spencer Hotchkiss Helen Yanowitz Lindsay Feldman & WHC Administrative Staff Sherry & Bruce Goodman Rabbi Lustig’s Speedy Recovery Donor In Memory of Frayda & Sydney Abel Leah Abel Helene Abel Eileen Abramson Robert Wise Faith, Kolman, & Nora Apt Rose & Israel A. Schindler Diane & Howard Benson Howard H. Leiner Robert Berman Rose Burman Stuart Bernstein Leo Bernstein Lisa Brotman Martin Montag Walt Burger Harold Evans Lyn, Barry, Brandon, Ben & Blake Chasen Joseph Chasen Linda & Steve Cohen Lee Cohen Sheldon Ezring Irene Ezring Susan & Alan Gold Gwendoline Gold Sharyn & Bob Goldman Clara Burns Page 20 | WHC Journal – November 2018
General Fund
Donor In Memory of Linda & Arnold Gordon Jack Gordon Sue & Lenny Gordon Robert Friedman Albert Pever Nancy & John Harris Milton Harris Barry & Suzanne Helfand Joseph Cohen Sally Helfand Michael & Judith Herman Samuel D. Gordon Gail D. Himmelfarb Arthur & Mavis Himmelfarb Sonya Taubin & Hinda Kahn Ruth Gordon Dr. Bruce Kellner & Family Isadore Kellner Alan & Leslie Kerxton Eva & Jack Kerxton Mary Lynn Kotz Jerry H. Booth Doris & Ken Kraemer Nathan Malkin Howard Lehrer Roberta Lehrer Jil Levick Robert Levick Jay Levin Nancy Levin Pat & Willy Lin Esther Hurston Mr. Norman A. Luban Lillian Luban Estate of Evelyn (Lyn) Meyer Maurice (Maury) Meyer Evelyn (Lyn) Meyer Philip C. Meyer Rose Gerstenfeld Iris & Larry Miller Bernard Ress Mrs. Jesse Miller Ethel Goldsmith Amy Bronrott Munaker & Alan Munaker Nathan Bragman Sylvia Bragman Benjamin Bragman Frances Kaye Karen & Richard Perkins Eva Gail Bernstein The Pinson/Vine Family Harry Pinson Irene S. Pollin Herman Kerchek Susan & Arnold Quint Ellis L. Arenson Jeremy Reiskin Leon Reiskin Richard & Eve Robins Leroy Robins Joan K. Rosenbach Rose Kurcias & Samuel Kurcias Beverly Dietz Rosenblatt Neil Sherman Shirley Caplan Sally H. Rudoy Betty B. Ross Froma Sandler Jerome (Jerry) Sandler Neil Sherman Mark, Lynne, Adam & Evan Schaffer Irving Fogelman Dr. J. Schantz Marvin Moore Leslie C. Shapiro Julian Cohen Gary & Laura Siegel Janet Siegel-Liebowitz Ellen & Gerald Sigal Rachel Sigal Debra & David Silverman Laurence Guren Alan & Frances Singer Sam Singer Beth & Leonard Sloan Doris Sloan Lisa Stark, Rachel & Ethan Dan Dr. Bruce B. Dan Beth & Joanne Stekler Gisela Stekler John & Helene Ver Standig Helen Ver Standig & Lottie Silverberg Mr. & Mrs. Robert Warsaw Esther Warsaw Ms. Marcia E. Weinberg Harry Ellis Alfred Weinberg Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin Weiner Rose Kitsman Weiner Dr. & Mrs. Bernard Yanowitz Bertha Yanowitz Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin Zelenko Freda Saltz
Carol Kellner ECC Memorial Fund
Donor Dr. Bruce Kellner
In Honor of Rabbi Lustig’s Speedy Recovery
Harriet M. Kriesberg Fund for the Study of Torah
Donor Ada Adler
In Honor of Bat Mitzvah of Shoshanah Kriesberg
Rabbi M. Bruce Lustig Scholarship Fund
Donor In Honor of Ellen Miller & Bob Kelly Rabbi Lustig Sara & Stephen Kraskin Birth of Calder Kraskin Women of WHC Rabbi Lustig Max & Sheri Zweig Rabbi Lustig’s Speedy Recovery Donor In Memory of Lisa DeMarco and Leonard Goldman Anthony DeMarco
Zena Mason Education Fund Meng Cai Donor Rita Sollod
In Memory of Ralph M. Sollod
Albert & Scott Pelmoter Youth Scholarship Fund
Donor Stephanie & Andrew Pelmoter
In Memory of Jeffrey Rothman
Sylvia & Saul Ritzenberg Humanitarian Fund
Donor Andrew R. Ammerman & Rosa
In Honor of Flood Victims
Sheldon & Judy Sadugor Memorial Fund of the ECC
Donor Marsha Pinson
In Honor of Rabbi Lustig’s Speedy Recovery
Abram Simon Elementary School Camp Fund Donor Neal & Beth Cutler
In Honor of Mitch Berliner’s 70th Birthday
Carrie Simon House
Donor Della & Michael Budow
In Memory of Nathan Jaret
Tikkun Olam Values (TOV) Fund
Donor In Honor of Lilo Breuer Faye Levin Sara & Stephen Kraskin Rabbi Lustig’s Speedy Recovery Helen Yanowitz Rabbi Lustig’s Speedy Recovery Donor In Memory of Tina & Albert Small Jr. & Family Lillian Small Women of WHC Dorothy Duckstein
Rabbi Joseph Weinberg Young Leadership Community Service Fund
Donor In Honor of The Slotsky Family Marcia Weinberg’s 80th Birthday Donor In Memory of Joan & Marshall Cutler Norman Abramson David Cutler
Worship & Music Fund
Donor In Honor of Phyllida Alcantar WHC’s 2018 High Holiday Services Ann Krieger Birns Sara London Marsha Pinson WHC Clergy WHC Staff & Joyce Isaacson Linda & Ronald Recht Rabbi Lustig’s Speedy Recovery Lisa & Mark Rosenblatt Rabbi Miller Linda Singer Rabbi Lustig’s Speedy Recovery Jeanne & Marvin Spivak Rabbi Lustig’s Speedy Recovery
Young Professionals (22-39) Fund Donor Alice Y. Lachin
In Honor of Rabbi Miller
Ivy Zola’s Help-a-Friend Fund
Donor The Greenspan Family Karen & Richard Perkins
In Memory of Ivy Zola Edward M. Perkins
In November …
WHC Programs & Events Featured Programs
Featured Programs
“Lest We Forget” Photo Exhibition
Holiday Boutique and Silent Auction
A Project by Luigi Toscano Thursday, November 2 – Tuesday, November 20 at Temple
The Women of WHC’s Biggest Fundraiser Sunday, November 11, from 9:30 am – 7:00 pm, and Monday, November 12, from 9:30 am – 8:00 pm at JBSC
Several of Luigi Toscano’s larger-than-life photographs of Holocaust survivors will be on display in Kreeger Lobby in the weeks surrounding Kristallnacht. Mr. Toscano spent a year traveling and meeting Holocaust survivors in Germany, the United States, Ukraine, Israel and Russia, giving them the opportunity to share their personal stories, possibly for the last time. The result was more than 200 portrait photos, which have been exhibited internationally – including on the National Mall this past April, where Rabbi Lustig spoke at the opening ceremony.
whctemple.org/LestWeForget Naomi Gohn: ngohn@whctemple.org, 202-895-6328
Celebrating Baseball in Israel and Softball at WHC Movie and Dinner for All Generations Sunday, November 4, 4:30 pm at Temple
Heading Home is an award-winning film that tells the story of Team Israel’s journey through the 2017 World Baseball Classic. A classic underdog story, it is a tale about Jewish identity, Israel, and the love of baseball. Following the movie, we will have a family-friendly, ballpark-style dinner catered by Ben’s Chili Bowl along with an autograph session with two members of Team Israel who are current professional baseball players in the U.S. During the event, we will also celebrate the Washington Hebrew Nationals, WHC’s Brotherhood softball team, for their many championships and many years of success. Open to the entire community, the movie is appropriate for ages 10 and up. This screening is made possible through the support of the Edlavitch-Tyser Family Relations Forum.
Prepare your holiday shopping lists — WWHC’s Holiday Boutique and Silent Auction has something for everyone. They offer a carefully curated group of artisans and boutique retailers from across the country who bring jewelry, Judaica, clothing, home gifts, accessories, toys, food, and so much more. At the Silent Auction, you’ll find exciting one-of-a-kind experiences, vacations, spa days, tickets to sporting events and theater, gift certificates to restaurants, children’s programs, and more! Need to recharge? Stop by the Café for a meal, snack, or drink. whctemple.org/WomenofWHC Sandy Nesbit: sandyn@portaltech.com
Special Worship Experiences
Tot Shabbat & Family Dinner
A Shabbat Experience for Families With Young Children Friday, November 2, 5:30 pm at JBSC Friday, November 30, 5:00 pm at Temple
Our clergy make going to Friday night services a fun, fulfilling event for families with young children (or grandchildren). We begin with an engaging, interactive Tot Shabbat service, which lasts about a half hour and teaches Jewish prayers, traditions, and rituals through songs, stories, and art projects. A family-style (and family-friendly) dinner follows the service.
RSVP required for dinner only (free): whctemple.org/TotShabbat DJ Jensen: djensen@whctemple.org, 202-895-6361, 301-354-3208
RSVP preferred ($): whctemple.org/HeadingHome Ira Miller: imiller@whctemple.org, 301-354-3209
“Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezín” Resisting the Nazis with Music, Art, Courage, and Hope Wednesday, November 7, 7:00 pm at Temple
In commemoration of Kristallnacht, please join us for a screening of Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezín followed by a panel discussion. This documentary film shares the story of Czech conductor Rafael Schächter, a prisoner at Thereisenstadt (Terezín), who taught 150 other prisoners Verdi’s “Requiem” in a dank cellar at the end of grueling days of forced labor. Performed on 16 occasions for fellow prisoners, the last was on June 23, 1944, for high-ranking SS officers and the International Red Cross to support the charade that the prisoners were treated well. whctemple.org/Kristallnacht Layne Weiss: lweiss@whctemple.org, 202-895-6307
WHC Journal – November 2018 | Page 21
In November …
WHC Programs & Events Special Worship Experiences New! Macomb St. Shabbat
Part of the Irene & Abe Pollin Music Program Initiative Friday, November 2 at Temple 6:00 pm – Chevruta; 6:30 pm – Service
Macomb St. Shabbat is a soulful Shabbat evening with joy and connection at its center. Come at 6:00 pm for Chevruta — a deep and engaging Torah discussion for adults with our clergy, a Shabbat art project for children, and hot hors d’oeuvres and drinks for everyone. Our service begins at 6:30 pm, has live musical accompaniment, and encourages participation, interaction, and connection. We’ll celebrate simchas, offer support through Mi Shebeirach and Kaddish prayers, and bless all our children. Afterward, eat, drink, and connect with clergy, or head off to begin your weekend. It’s all up to you!
whctemple.org/MacombStShabbat Marsha Humphries: mhumphries@whctemple.org, 202-895-6303
Veterans Shabbat and the Children’s Chorus of Washington Part of the Irene & Abe Pollin Music Program Initiative Friday, November 9, 6:00 pm at Temple
This year’s Veterans Day Shabbat coincides with the 100th Anniversary of Armistice Day — November 11, 1918 — the day on which the First World War ended. We dedicate this special Shabbat service to the men and women of WHC who contributed to the war effort, who fought and died in World War One as well as to the bravery, service, and sacrifice of all those who currently serve or have served our country. In lieu of a sermon, the Children’s Chorus of Washington will perform a celebratory, patriotic concert immediately after the worship service that features songs from every branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. whctemple.org/Pollin Beth Donaldson: bdonaldson@whctemple.org, 202-895-6309
New! District Shabbat for Tots
A Shabbat Experience for Families With Young Children Part of the Irene & Abe Pollin Music Program Initiative Friday, November 16, 5:30 pm at St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church, 555 Water Street SW, Washington, DC 20024
This fun, engaging, musical service led by WHC’s clergy and musicians Dan Nichols and Alan Goodis at the Southwest Waterfront will have the young ones — and their favorite grown-ups — one their feet. It’s followed by a free family-friendly dinner, so both tummies and hearts will be full at the end of your evening.
RSVP required (free) whctemple.org/DistrictShabbat Marsha Humphries: mhumphries@whctemple.org, 202-895-6303
Page 22 | WHC Journal – November 2018
Special Worship Experiences New! District Shabbat
Part of the Irene & Abe Pollin Music Program Initiative Friday, November 16 at St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church 555 Water Street SW, Washington, DC 20024 6:15 pm – Shot of Torah; 7:00 pm – Service; Dinner Follows
Much more than a Shabbat service, this Shabbat experience led by WHC clergy and folk-rock musicians Dan Nichols and Alan Goodis is a Friday evening that builds community through joyful, musical worship, learning, food, and drinks. It’s engaging and participatory and in the heart of D.C. vibrant Southwest Waterfront.
RSVP required ($ for dinner only): whctemple.org/DistrictShabbat Marsha Humphries: mhumphries@whctemple.org, 202-895-6303
“The 1,000,000th Meal” A WHC Hunger Project Shirei Shabbat Friday, November 30, 6:00 pm at Temple
Join us to celebrate an amazing accomplishment — the WHC Hunger Project will pack its one millionth meal this fall. We will honor the individuals who helped start the project and celebrate those who have kept it going to help us reach this impressive milestone. A festive oneg will follow the service.
RSVP preferred (free): whctemple.org/Shabbat Jeff Bergman: hungerproject@whctemple.org
In November …
WHC Programs & Events Lifelong Learning
Faith in Action
The Last Palace: Europe’s Turbulent Century Through Five Lives and One Legendary House Sunday, November 4, 10:30 am at Temple
Building Bridges of Peace Through Healthcare Monday, November 19, 7:00 pm in McLean, Virginia
Amram Scholar Series Presents: Norman L. Eisen
Norman Eisen is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, a CNN commentator, and chairman of the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. He served as U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic from 2011 to 2014, and as President Obama’s ethics czar from 2009 to 2011. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic among others. The Last Palace, about the American ambassador’s residence in Czechoslovakia — the country his mother fled in the Holocaust, chronicles the upheavals that transformed the European continent over the past century. RSVP preferred (free): whctemple.org/Amram Layne Weiss: lweiss@whctemple.org, 202-895-6307
Jewish Book Month Lunch & Discussion Sponsored by WHC Books Sunday, November 4, following the 10:30 am Amram Lecture at Temple
To celebrate Jewish Book Month, WHC Books invites you for a light lunch and informal discussion following Norman L. Eisen’s Amram Scholar Series lecture. No need to have read Mr. Eisen’s book, The Last Palace: Europe’s Turbulent Century Through Five Lives and One Legendary House to attend, just come with your thoughts from his talk. RSVP required (free): whctemple.org/WHCBooks Ellen Share: eshare@whctemple.org, 301-354-3212
“Lenin, Hitler & Me” by Boris J. Kochanowsky A Women of WHC Literary Group Discusssion Friday, November 30, 10:00 am at Temple
All are welcome to join the Women of WHC to discuss this book about the youngest son of a Siberian industrial tycoon, Boris J. Kochanowsky, who was born into a life of privilege before the Russian Revolution swept it all away. Relying on wits, optimism, and luck, he made his way to Germany, where he became a successful engineer before the rise of the Nazi regime sent him on the run through Holland, Belgium, and France, trying desperately to reach America. RSVP preferred (free): whctemple.org/WomenofWHC Mara Brick: mgbrickslp@gmail.com, 301-980-8897
Faith in Action Sunday Stuffing
Sunday, November 18, 1:00 pm at Temple
Give thanks this holiday season by taking a few hours for some tikkun olam. We will pack Thanksgiving holiday meal baskets, package thousands of meals with the WHC Hunger Project, and prepare casseroles for local shelters and agencies.
RSVP required (free): whctemple.org/SundayStuffing Naomi Gohn: ngohn@whctemple.org, 202-895-6328
Project Rozana
Islam, Judaism, and Christianity all uphold the sacredness of every human life. Let us come together as Americans of diverse faith backgrounds to save the lives of seriously ill Palestinian children and improve the quality of health care in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem. WHC is proud to co-sponsor this event that will help raise money to support the life-saving work of Project Rozana.
RSVP required (donation requested): usaoffice@projectrozana.org ProjectRozana.org
Volunteer! — Community Thanksgiving Meal
Thursday, November 22, 9:00 am at Temple
Give your time on Thanksgiving to prepare, serve, or clean up at our interfaith community Thanksgiving dinner, held for those at WHC and our ne8ighboring houses of worship who need a place to celebrate this holiday.
RSVP required (free): whctemple.org/Thanksgiving Layne Weiss: lweiss@whctemple.org, 202-895-6307
Opportunities for Adults to Engage Rock Around the Ages
Saturday, November 3, 7:00 pm in Rockville
The Boomers and Couples Club are coming together for a night filled with music from the ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s. Come dressed as you like or in an outfit from your favorite decade. We’ll have food from Hot Shoppes, signature drinks at the bar, awesome music, and everything you need to have a good time! RSVP required ($): whctemple.org/Boomers Beth Donaldson: bdonaldson@whctemple.org, 202-895-6309
Continued on page 24.
Winter Warmth Service Project Sunday, December 2 2:30 pm at Temple
We’re hosting a one-day “Winter Warmth Store” where homeless men and women can “shop” for warm winter clothing and enjoy a hot meal. Volunteer to help sort and display donated clothing and help our customers at the Winter Warmth Store. Can’t volunteer? Please donate long underwear — especially XXL, 3XL, and 4XL — for men and women. Bins are available at Temple and JBSC.
Learn more at whctemple.org/WinterWarmth Hosted in partnership with Friendship Place WHC Journal – November 2018 | Page 23
In November …
WHC Programs & Events Opportunities for Adults to Engage Mah Jongg Tournament
Sunday, November 4, 10:00 am at JBSC
With three options — a Regular Tournament, a Junior Tournament, and a Learning Session — our “day of mahj” will offer something for players at every level, from “mah jongg mavens” to those who have never touched a tile. RSVP required ($): whctemple.org/MJTournament Helaine Groeger: hgroeger@whctemple.org, 301-354-3203
Go Behind the Scenes at Strathmore Music Center Organized by the Women of WHC Monday, November 5, 10:00 am in North Bethesda
Join us for a tour of Strathmore’s rehearsal areas and dressing rooms, walk onto its magnificent stage, and learn about the Music Center’s design, construction, and its state-of-the-art acoustical system. The one-hour tour will be followed by an optional lunch at your own expense in the on-site Allegro Kitchen restaurant. Accessible via covered walkway from the Grosvenor-Strathmore Metro Station or park for free at the Strathmore Mansion.
RSVP required (free admission, lunch is self-pay): whctemple.org/ WomenofWHC Linda Adler: linda.adler628@gmail.com
Tour WHC’s Art Collection Organized by the Women of WHC Wednesday, November 7, 11:00 am at Temple
You’ve been through the myriad galleries and museums in D.C., but did you know that Washington Hebrew is home to an incredible art collection? Meet us in Kreeger Lobby for a tour of WHC’s art and artifacts led by Sherry Berz, chairperson of WHC’s Fine Arts Committee. An optional, on-site lunch will follow. RSVP required (no charge for the tour, lunch is self-pay): whctemple.org/WomenofWHC Linda Adler: linda.adler628@gmail.com
Prime Timers’ Movie & Lunch GI Jews: Jewish Americans in WWII Monday, November 12, 12:30 pm at Temple
Join us for this powerful movie about the Jews who fought in WWII followed by lunch.
RSVP required ($): whctemple.org/PrimeTimers Marsha Humphries: mhumphries@whctemple.org, 202-895-6303
“Shores Beyond Shores: From Holocaust to Hope” With Holocaust Survivor Irene Butter Tuesday, November 13, 7:00 pm at Temple
Irene Butter’s personal story of survival during the Holocaust speaks to what we must strive to uphold. It is about the importance of family, of never being a bystander to violence, and about the strength of the human spirit.
RSVP preferred: whctemple.org/BeyondShores Ira Miller: imiller@whctemple.org, 301-354-3209
Page 24 | WHC Journal – November 2018
Opportunities for Adults to Engage Couples Club Goes to District Shabbat
Friday, November 16, 6:15 pm at the Southwest Waterfront
Join us at the Southwest Waterfront for WHC’s newest Shabbat experience. It’s a soulful, musical, and joyful way to welcome the weekend! We’ll have a “Shot of Torah,” be inspired and energized at the Shabbat service, and connect with each other at the dinner that follows.
RSVP required ($ for dinner only): whctemple.org/DistrictShabbat Marsha Humphries: mhumphries@whctemple.org, 202-895-6303
Community Thanksgiving Dinner
Thursday, November 22, 12:00 pm at Temple
Don’t have plans for Thanksgiving this year? We invite you to come to our Community Thanksgiving Dinner. Sponsored by the Interreligious Council in partnership with WHC, Annunciation Catholic Church, and St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, we offer companionship and community. RSVP required (free): whctemple.org/Thanksgiving Layne Weiss: lweiss@whctemple.org, 202-895-6307
Into the Kitchen at Sur La Table Latkes From Around the World Wednesday, November 28, 7:00 pm in North Bethesda
Kick your culinary skills up a notch and go “Into the Kitchen at Sur La Table.” To get you ready for Hanukkah, you’ll prepare (and eat!) latkes from around the world, including Indian-spiced latkes with cilantro chutney, Italian-style latkes with ricotta cheese, American “everything bagel” latkes with dill cream cheese and lox, and a dessert featuring Middle Eastern apple-potato latkes with tahini-silan (date honey) sauce.
RSVP required ($): whctemple.org/Cooking Naomi Gohn: ngohn@whctemple.org, 202-895-6328
Annual InterFaith Concert
Thursday, November 29, 7:00 pm at Temple
Join us for a special concert to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the InterFaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington. Choirs, dancers, and musicians from many faiths will perform. Former U.S. Senator Gordon Smith will be honored with the Interfaith Leadership Award. The concert will be followed by a “Taste of Heaven” reception that includes desserts reflecting world-wide faith traditions.
RSVP required ($): ifcmw.org/InterfaithConcert 202-234-6300
In November …
WHC Programs & Events Families With Young Children
Cantor’s Culture Club Presents: Mark Jaster
Tuesday, November 13, 10:00 am at Temple and Wednesday, November 14, 10:00 am at JBSC
Mark Jaster presents wildly popular shows for children and grown-ups of all ages. He is a mime, a comedian, a magician, and family entertainer, and we are delighted to have him perform at both of our Early Childhood Centers. Parents and grandparents are invited to bring their young children and grandchildren to this exciting, interactive show you will all long remember. Families need not be enrolled in our schools to join us.
RSVP Not necessary (free): whctemple.org/CantorsCultureClub DJ Jensen: djensen@whctemple.org, 202-895-6361, 301-354-3208
Youth
8th-Grade Retreat
Friday, 11/2 – Sunday, 11/4, at an outside location
Participating in their first full weekend retreat, our 8th-grade students will strengthen their sense of community and gain a better understanding of the personal and Jewish identities each of them brings to their class. The programs will be interactive and give everyone plenty of time to be social and enjoy the retreat experience.
Movie & Lunch with
Monday, November 12 12:30 pm at Temple Join us for the movie GI Jews: Jewish Americans in WWII Followed by Lunch COST: $12 for WHC Members, $15 for Guests Contact Marsha Humphries to Register and with Questions 202-895-6303
RSVP required (free): whctemple.org/PreConfirmation Ira Miller: imiller@whctemple.org, 301-354-3209
6th-Grade Retreat
Friday, 11/16 – Sunday, 11/18, at an outside location
Sixth-grade students from both Religious School campuses will celebrate Shabbat at their first off-site overnight retreat. Throughout the retreat, students will engage in camp-style activities that solidify their bond as the WHC Confirmation Class of 2021. Emphasis is placed on what it means to be a kehillah kedoshah — a holy community. The retreat will culminate with the celebration of Havdalah at JBSC. RSVP required (free): whctemple.org/ReligiousSchool Jonathan Honigman: jhonigman@whctemple.org, 301-354-3223
NFTY-MAR Fall Kallah
Friday, 11/16 – Sunday, 11/18, an outside location
Spend a great weekend with Jewish teens from the entire Mid-Atlantic area.
RSVP required ($): whctemple.org/WHECTY Ira Miller: imiller@whctemple.org, 301-354-3209
9th-Grade Retreat
Friday, 11/30 – Sunday, 12/2, at an outside location
Our 9th-grade Self-Esteem Retreat is one of the most powerful and important programs we offer our teens. With the support of licensed professionals, our activities allow each individual to understand their own unique qualities and provide a safe environment to learn about and discuss how low self-esteem affects not only teenagers but people of all ages.
RSVP required (free): whctemple.org/PreConfirmation Ira Miller: imiller@whctemple.org, 301-354-3209
WHC Journal – November 2018 | Page 25
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