BJC Newsletter: May

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IN THIS ISSUE

Yom HaShoah
BJC/BHPC Pulpit Swap
A Day of Friendship with BHPC
Tribute to Mindy Silverstein
Women of the Wall
Book Club
ICYMI: Purim Spiel
ICYMI: Seder
Perspectives
Social Action Wants You to Know
Meet A Member

May 2019 Newsletter

Rabbi Elhanan ‘Sunny’ Schnitzer

Nisan/Iyar 5779

CLICK for the Complete BJC May Events Calendars

Kriat HaRav—The Rabbi’s Call

Rabbi Elhanan “Sunny” Schnitzer

The horrific shooting at the Poway California Chabad synagogue, once again arouses within us emotions of sadness, anger, and even fear.

We mourn our losses. The loss of life, as well as the loss of a sense of security in our houses of worship.

We ask: what can we do, and what will it take, to remove the scourge of white supremacist terror.

It is no longer an aberration or simply the work of a disturbed individual.

While evil knows no boundaries of religion, race, or nationality, as evidenced by recent bombings of the innocent in Sri Lanka, we must acknowledge that these attacks targeting communities of faith are rooted in white nationalism.

At the Sikh Gurdwara in Oak Creek
At the Mother Emanuel Church in Charleston
At the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh
At the Quebec Islamic Cultural Center
At the Christchurch Mosque
At the Chabad synagogue in Poway.

The perpetrators were all motivated by a belief that murder would restore a culture of white supremacy by terrorizing the “other.”

To this evil, thoughts and prayers are an inadequate response.

After these events, we must acknowledge that Pittsburgh while the first and worst, was not the last attack on the Jewish people in the United States. We must also open our eyes and see clearly that what is happening in France, Poland, Hungary, and other Western countries is a pattern that leads only to more death. We must put a halt to it. The survival of the remnant of the Jewish people in the diaspora depends on it. It is a time not only for vigilance but also for activism.

This week we will observe Yom HaShoah, the day of remembrance of the Holocaust.

A day marked by the intonation of the words, “Never Again.”

After too many genocides and hate crimes it should be apparent that we have failed to make those words a reality.

The Holocaust began, not with gas chambers, but with words followed by individual acts of terror.

It is not enough to merely remember. We must act.

As we have ended our Pesach, the “Season of our Liberation,” we must recommit ourselves to stand against white supremacy and racism in all its forms. It is the only meaningful way I can think of to honor the memory of our martyrs, including Lori Kaye, who died in an attempt to defend her rabbi in San Diego.

We must change a social media culture and a “Bill of Rights” culture that confuses free speech with hate speech and the right to defense with the right to obtain a gun.

We must change a society where weapons of mass destruction can to easily fall into the hands of a nineteen-year-old young man with a heart filled with hate.

Hate Speech is Not Free Speech.

There is nothing free about it. There is nothing free in speech that marginalizes or denigrates people who are different. There is nothing free in speech that fosters and motivates murder.

We do not yet know what will be the shape of a national, and even an international, movement that pushes hate speech and bigotry back into the shadows, where it belongs. We only know that it must happen.

I hope that over the coming months and years, as much as any other social issue surrounding income inequality, or medical care, or market reform, we insist that the most important discussion is how to take concrete steps to eliminate hate crime and hate speech. We must now unite and bring this discussion to the forefront of the national dialogue, because without it, all others are meaningless.

Dedicated to the victims of the Poway Chabad Synagogue Shooting:

Lori Kaye ( z”l ), Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, Almog Peretz, Noya Dahan

And the victims of the Pittsburgh Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting:

Joyce Fienberg ( z”l ), Richard Gottfried ( z”l ), Rose Mallinger ( z”l ), Jerry Rabinowitz ( z”l ), Cecil Rosenthal ( z”l ), David Rosenthal ( z”l ), Bernice Simon ( z”l ), Sylvan Simon ( z”l ), Daniel Stein ( z”l ), Melvin Wax ( z”l ), Irving Younger ( z”l ), Andrea Wender, Daniel Leger, Officer Timothy Matson, Officer Michael Smidga

Hamakom Yinacham Etchem B’toch Sha’ar Aveilei Tsiyon V’Yerushalayim

May you be comforted in the midst of the mourners in the gate of Zion and Jerusalem

Rabbi Sunny Schnitzer

From the President—Shoshanah Drake

Pick Up the Call

May is always an important month for BJC. Last year, I sent out my call to ask each one of you to do two things. The first was to show up. The second was to grab a friend and bring them with you. I’m once again asking you to do both of those things.

On May 9th, we will hold our annual meeting at 7:30 PM. This is the opportunity for you actively participate in the important decisions affecting the congregation. There are a lot of changes coming to BJC this upcoming year. Come hear about all we have done this past year and where we are going. Come take the opportunity to vote on the budget and the new slate of officers for the BJC Board of Trustees. Come ask questions, see friends, make new friends, and be involved in your community. Come show up and bring a fellow congregant. Know you are valued and important to BJC’s future.

On May 19th, we will celebrate A Day of Friendship and Fellowship with Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church , our spiritual siblings. This event, starting at 11:30 AM, will feature the installation of a dedicatory plaque next to the commemorative tree we planted last year to cap off our celebrations of BJC and BHPC’s 50-year partnership. There will be food trucks and a social action activity in which you can participate. Let’s show that we truly value our partnership with BHPC by being present and involved in this special event.

So once again, I’m sending out my call. How many times does your phone ring and you let it go to voicemail? How often do you ignore a call from a number you don’t recognize? In 2019, it is so easy to miss the call or choose not to take it. PLEASE, pick up. Please answer the call and please show up. We need you and want you here. I can’t wait to see you!

From the Director of Congressional Education—Mindy Silverstein

A Super Power: Creating Positive Connections

While driving in my car I stumbled across the radio show, “The Adventures of Superman.” As I so thoroughly enjoyed watching “Superman” on TV as a child, I was immediately hooked. I remembered how Clark Kent always looked around the newsroom before heading into the storage closet to change into his alter ego, Superman. I remember so much, particularly thinking how cool it would be to fly.

The more I thought about why I had this connection with Superman, the more I realized that it really wasn’t about Superman per se, but it was about the positive associations I had with it. My brother and I would watch and imagine we were Superman or discuss the validity of how Superman came to be. I thoroughly enjoyed spending this time with my older brother. Superman provided the means for this interaction to occur.

As I think about the Religious School families, I think about the means BJC creates to provide for positive interactions. For example, during the course of this year we:

used Light Brites to reinforce Hebrew words and holidays
made Hamantashen as a tool to discuss Purim
had several Israeli dancing sessions
had a Sukkah build
continued to learn about Passover by playing an Escape from Egypt game
and had Carnivals, full School Shabbat celebrations, and discussions.

These, of course, are in addition to what the synagogue provided.

But thinking about ways to foster those positive connection takes a team. Tamar Dworkin , Glenn Siegal , Malka Ostchega , Marina Milbert , and Rebecca Gold consistently amaze me with their level of devotion and their sincere desire to impact each and every student in a positive way. Our weekly Hebrew volunteer Burt Bachrach has assisted the 4th-6th graders in ways that could not have occurred without his loving commitment to our students.

We just completed celebrating Passover. Think about how the Seder was a tool to connect with our history and traditions. What tools will you be using for your future connections and interactions?

Rabbi's Message

Please be in touch with me in times of joy, sadness, or illness in your life or in the lives of a loved one or another member of the congregation. This is particularly necessary now that HIPAA regulations have made getting information from hospitals extremely difficult. I greatly appreciate your help keeping me informed of the health needs of our congregation. Please call: 301-469-8636 #3.

EVENTS

Click for the complete BJC May Events Calendars

Yom HaShoah Observed

Wednesday, May 1 at 6:30 PM

Covenant Hall

Yom HaShoah—the day where we remember the sacrifice of the Six Million Jews who perished under Nazi tyranny. It is a day of memorial, but also a day to pledge ourselves to renewed vigilance. In the wake of attacks on Jews in our synagogues in Pittsburgh and now in Poway California, we must develop a robust response to push back against those who would murder Jews. This year, Yom HaShoah takes on new meaning.

Join Rabbi Schnitzer for a viewing of classic anti-Semitic films and a discussion followed by brief service to honor our martyrs.

BJC/BHPC Pulpit Swap

Friday, May 2 at 8 PM

Pastor Chris Foster of Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church swaps pulpits with Rabbi Schnitzer in this annual event between our spiritual communities. Rev. Foster will give us her take on the Psalms, Jewish devotional poetry, and the profound effect it has on Christians.

Rabbi Schnitzer will speak at BHPC on Sunday June 2 at 10 am.

BJC Annual Meeting

Thursday, May 9 at 7:30 PM

Come to the BJC Annual Meeting and learn about what’s we’ve accomplished in the past year and, more importantly, about the changes on the horizon for the upcoming year. This is your opportunity to be heard, to vote on the fantastic slate of officers, and to vote on the budget. It’s important. Please come.

Chant Circle

Saturday, May 11 at 4:30 PM

Chanting is a form of meditation that can open the doors of the heart. Repetition of a sacred phrase can clear the mind of clutter and connect us to each other and the divine. We chant on the second Shabbat of the month. Mark your calendars now for June 8.

A Day of Friendship & Fellowship with BHPC

Sunday,May 19 at 11:30 AM

To cap off our celebrations of Bethesda Jewish Congregation’s 50-year partnership with Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church, last year we planted a commemorative tree.

This year we will install a dedicatory plaque followed by a picnic. The “Saffron Gourmet” and “The Frenchman” food trucks will be on hand with gourmet offerings for lunch. We will provide drinks and desserts. Families with children are encouraged to come and the playgrounds will be available for young children’s activities.

As a social action activity, we will be making T-shirts inscribed with names of gun violence victims from the DMV. This will take place in the Lounge and bring together members of BHPC and BJC. At a date to be determined, the T-shirts will be displayed outdoors on the grounds.

Women of the Wall Parlor Meeting

Sunday, May 19, at 3 - 5 PM

Women of the Wall (WOW) is a leading voice in Israel for women's rights and religious pluralism. WOW’s supporters come from a wide range of religious observance with a singular goal of empowering and encouraging freedom of religious expression and gender equality in Israel. WOW advocates for social and legal recognition of the right for women to wear prayer shawls, pray, and read from the Torah, collectively and aloud, at the Western Wall.

While WOW’s visibility is advocating for freedom of women and girls to pray at Judaism's holiest site, the Kotel , the organization’s work encompasses a wider vision of inclusion for Jewish women and girls of all denominations in Israel to live and pray safely and as they choose.

BJC Members Sana Shtasel and Jim Kretz invite you to support WOW’s efforts ensuring gender equality and religious pluralism in Israel. Join us for an afternoon of advocacy and inspiration with Lesley Sachs, immediate past executive director, director of international relations.

For more information, please e-mail or call Sana: sfshtasel@gmail.com or 301-320-3367.

Book Club

Wednesday, May 22, at 8 PM

The BJC Open Book Club meets in the Lounge at 8 PM usually on the 4th Wednesday of every month. Anyone is welcome to join or just drop in for a particular book discussion. For more information, please contact Evelyn Ganzglass eganzglass@gmail.com .

The following are upcoming selections:

May 22: Go, Gone, Went by Jenny Erpenbeck is a touching portrait of Richard, a retired classics professor who lives in Berlin, who finds that he has more in common with African refugees than he first realizes. It is also a scathing indictment of Western policy toward the European refugee crisis.

June 26: Red Notice : A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man's Fight for Justice is a memoir by Bill Browder, an American hedge fund manager working in Russia, about the culture of corruption and impunity in Putin's Russia today. It tells the story of the events leading up to the 2008 murder of his Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky after he uncovered a $230 million fraud committed by Russian government officials. Since 2016, the Magnitsky Act authorizes the U.S. government to sanction those, whom it sees as human rights offenders worldwide, by freezing their assets and banning them from entering the United States.

SNEAK PEAK: July 24 , The Tin Drum by Gunther Grass is considered by many reviewers the defining novel of the 20th century. The novel is the first book of Grass' Danzig Trilogy and winner of the Nobel Prize in literature. Oskar, a hunchback detained in a mental hospital and convicted of a murder he did not commit, tells the story of his extraordinary life from the long nightmare of the Nazi era to his anarchic adventures in post-war Germany.

A Special Edition of Shabbat Under the Stars: A Tribute to Mindy Silverstein

Friday, May 31 at 7 PM

Join us for a one-hour multimedia service with musicians, food, and friendship as we honor our Director of Education, Mindy Silverstein, for her many years of service to BJC.

The Saffron Gourmet Food truck will begin serving at 5 PM. Free Pizza for the Kids. Bring your friends. Please RSVP to https://bethesdajewish.org/event/mindys-farewell/

In Case You Missed It:

BJC's Seder-- A Surprise Twist

By Ruth Magin

For those who joined together to observe and celebrate Pesach 2019 at BJC, it was a Seder with a big surprise and one we will not likely forget! One hundred and twenty of us gathered as a community on the first night Seder for a wonderful and enjoyable evening of celebration and storytelling. However, as we read, chanted, dipped, and drank our way to a beautifully catered Seder led by Rabbi Sunny, we were blissfully unaware of the threatening forces of nature just outside the building. This, even after opening the door for Elijah!

For just as we were settling down after dessert for Birkat HaMazon , the National Weather Service warned those of us with automated phone alerts of a tornado fast approaching, with BJC in its path. (The blessing of an active cell phone at the Seder duly noted!) As we huddled in the basement corridor for shelter, and when emerged safe after the storm had passed, we were all tremendously grateful that the Angel of Death had indeed “passed over” BJC just as it had “passed over” the houses of the Israelites before they fled the Pharaoh in Egypt!

No doubt, tornado and all, it was a meaningful and enjoyable Seder, where BJC members, friends and family gathered as a community to strengthen our spiritual bonds to each other, to ourselves and to our Jewish tradition. Next year, we hope you will join us!

COMMITTEE NEWS

Social Action Wants You to Know

HIAS Helps In Our Back Yard

The Social Action Committee would like you to know that HIAS not only works on broader refugee and immigration issues, it also supports individuals and communities.

HIAS has just launched a new system where you can tangibly and immediately support families and individuals seeking asylum in the Greater Washington, DC area. View each Amazon wish list by clicking the links below. Your item will be sent directly to the client’s address. Please email erin.beiner@hias.org a copy of your receipt for record keeping, and so that HIAS can send you a tax receipt. Thank you in advance for supporting our clients.

Please click here to send pantry items to a teenage Salvadoran asylum-seeker and his mother as they wait for their work authorization.
Please click here to send pantry food items, cleaning supplies, some basic household items, or children’s toys to a Salvadoran asylum seeking single mother and her three children.
Please click here to support a Syrian family with two babies. The family's food stamps (for which they are eligible because the children are U.S citizens) were cut due to a clerical error, and the husband recently lost his employment. As HIAS helps them sort out these issues, please consider purchasing some pantry foods for them, in addition to some other household items that will help them offset their cost of living.

Interested in Social Action? We always could use more volunteers. Our monthly meetings are open and you are most welcome. The next meeting is May 21.

Social Action Wants You to Know: About Volunteering

Serve The Homeless -- Literally at Bethesda Cares

By Josh Silver

Y ou don’t typically think of the homeless when you think of Bethesda, MD, a middle- and upper-middle income suburb. Yet, the homeless are in our midst. It also seems that if any jurisdiction can marshal resources to reduce, if not eliminate homelessness, it should be Bethesda with its connections to leaders in the corporate and public sectors.

Bethesda Cares, founded in 1988, provides a comprehensive array of services to end homelessness. They help households who are teetering at the edge of financial or housing distress devise plans or secure assistance to maintain their housing. When people are homeless, social workers approach them at near Metro stations or other locations, develop a rapport with them, and help them secure housing.

Bethesda Cares also operates a lunch service that I have been volunteering at for a little over a year. Once a month, I go to the The Church in Bethesda on Wilson Boulevard and help serve lunch for about 90 minutes. I consider this a spiritual exercise that helps me as much as it helps the homeless. During the rest of the month, I walk around Bethesda or the District and pass countless homeless people in the streets. I am saddened and overwhelmed by these interactions with a sense of helplessness. I have talked to Rabbi Sunny who says he walks around with socks, which are appreciated in particular by homeless men. Perhaps I don’t have the generosity of the Rabbi or perhaps it is logistically more difficult for me to do this since I bike to work and try to keep my backpack light.

What I can do is to volunteer once a month where I am a servant to the homeless. It is a simple human gesture of smiling at them and saying enjoy your lunch. The clients at The Church in Bethesda appreciate this work. One has even made it a point to come back regularly to the kitchen after finishing his meal to thank myself and a fellow volunteer.

It is about human dignity. Robert Robinson, the Assistant Lunch Coordinator for the past five years, says that the work “Makes you feel good inside. It lifts spirits of the clients.” Robert himself experienced a bout of homelessness for about a year. He says that the soup kitchen he visited had inferior food.

The food at The Church in Bethesda is made by Lawrence Blake, who has served as the lunch coordinator for 24 years. Prior to that, Blake as he is known, was a chef in the Navy and knows how to make delicious food for large groups of people.

The experience makes you remember but for the grace of God go I. You learn not to judge. Some of clients work as landscapers. Some of them cannot work and struggle against illnesses that we cannot comprehend and that make daily life a fierce struggle. But what I have cherished in my time as a volunteer is that in my little way, I hope I am contributing to a nurturing community for folks that are thankful that you are there. I am thankful for them…they have much to teach me.

If you are interested in volunteer with Bethesda Cares, start by completing their Volunteer Intake here :

and e-mail any questions to volunteer@bethesdacares.org

You can also view Bethesda Cares' up-to-date donation needs here and learn more about the organization on their website: www.bethesdacares.org

PERSPECTIVES

Editor's Note: What's on your mind? BJC members are not known for being without opinions Why not share yours now? We welcome them! Youth of all ages are encouraged to share. Please send your thoughts to: hjk.obx@verizon.net

Remembering

By Karen Levi

Stolpersteine

Gunter Deming is changing the sidewalks and doorways in cities throughout Europe. Citing the Talmud, the German artist said, “A person is only forgotten when his or her name is forgotten." Deming started the Stolpersteine Project for this reason. His organization installs bronze plaques for the victims of the Nazi atrocities in front of the building where they last resided.

Stolperstein literally means "stumbling stone" in German. The intent is for people to stumble over the stones. When one looks down at the cause of the near tumble, one sees a square bronze plaque, with the words, Hier wohnt .... (Here lived) One stone, one name, one person, one life. These stones are being laid all over Germany, the Netherlands, France, and Belgium. More recently, the project has extended to Poland, Austria, the Ukraine, Hungary, Argentina, and Mallorca. The plaques are visual reminders of what transpired at a specific location.

This is another example of reparations—recall, remembrance, responsibility—by a German organization to the victims, and their families, of the genocide perpetrated by the Nazis. Few Americans seem to know about the program, which is a mystery to me. The plaques are everywhere Americans travel, but one has to look down occasionally.

During the first week of this month, my sister and I will set a Stolperstein in Frankfurt am Main, in memory of our paternal great grandmother, who was deported to Theresienstadt and then Treblinka, where she was exterminated.

To quote Inge Rhein, an American citizen born in Germany and a friend of mine, “Recently I thought if there were one such stone for every person (Jews, Roma, homosexuals, people with disabilities, political adversaries, journalists) Germany's streets would be paved with gold.”

Denk mal am ort —Think on the Place

Jani Pietsch and Marie Rolshoven, two German, non-Jewish artists, have organized an annual event in Berlin called, Denk Mal Am Ort (Think on the Place). A mother/daughter team, Jani and Marie, encourage Berliners to research previous occupants of their houses, flats, and apartments. If Jews lived in their residences, Jani and Marie are interested. The women ask if the present residents would open their homes during one weekend in May, so Berliners can see firsthand where and how Jewish people lived. Persecution becomes real and likely to decrease when one identifies with the "hated" other and observes common humanity.

On our trip to Berlin, my sister and I will participate in Denk Mal Am Ort. The current occupants will open the flat, my mother lived in as a child, to the public. I will read from the book I wrote about my mother. Jani and Marie will be coordinating the event all over Berlin. My sister and I are fortunate to be invited to a unique event, which serves as a form of repentance, remembrance, healing, and forgiveness. We will meet other second-generation “survivors” from all over the world.

Nachas Notes

Editor’s Note: We all need a little good news. Here's a space to let your BJC family know about the great news in yours. Share! Send to: hjk.obx@verizon.net

Mazel Tov to Cindy & Len Bogorad, who welcomed their first grandchild, Maya Mintz, daughter of Sarah and Dan Mintz, on November 25, 2018.

Mazel Tov to Lucas Dwork and his family on his Bar Mitzvah on April 13, 2019.

Mazel Tov to Maureen & Lance Pelter, who welcomed their grandson, Dane Alexander Reiter on April 4, 2019, son of Michael and Shana Reiter. Dane was also welcomed by siblings Cameron, 5, and Lena, 3.

Meet a Member: Barbara Faigin

In Her Own Words

My connection to BJC goes back to 1968 when my husband Marty and I were married by BJC's first Rabbi, Ed Friedman. I was a senior at George Washington University and Marty was working at the IRS. I joined the U.S. Department of Transportation in 1969, where I spent my government career, first as an economist in the Federal Highway Administration and then 30 years as an analyst and Office Director for new vehicle safety standards at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). During my career at NHTSA, I developed and published the first costs of motor vehicle injuries in 1976, which were used in calculating the benefits and costs of requirements for safety belts, air bags, rollover crash protection, and other safety standards.

Family, volunteerism, and Judaism are at the core of my values. I converted at the Washington Hebrew Congregation in 1970, and Marty and I attended BJC coffee houses and services at BJC and other congregations in the early 1970s. We joined BJC in 1978 when our daughter Jennifer was 4 years old. I served on the BJC Board, as Education Chair, two years as BJC President in the 1990s, and as rabbinic liaison. I was President when the first BJC/BHPC Covenant was signed by the two congregations in the 25th anniversary year.

During the 1980s and 1990s, I was also very active in Montgomery County Public Schools, when I served as volunteer coordinator and PTA President at Jen and David's elementary and middle schools, and as Einstein Cluster Coordinator. During my tenures as PTA President and Cluster Coordinator, major renovation/expansion projects were done at all three schools that required her to testify before the Montgomery County School Board and the County Council numerous times. As I like to say, “timing is everything.”

BJC highlights for Barb were Jen and David's Bat and Bar Mitzvahs , and my own Bat Mitzvah in 1994 with 11 other women. We are still studying Torah together every two weeks. Since 2017, I have been the lead for gun violence prevention on the BJC Social Action Committee and a member of the core group of the DC Area Interfaith Gun Violence Prevention Network. I am a member of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America chapters in Montgomery County and Durango, Colorado.

Sunny gave us blessings when Marty and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary in 2018. We have lived in Silver Spring since 1971, in 3 homes, but all in the 20910 zip code, where we are active in the Silver Spring Village. We visit our son David and his family (including grandson # 3, Westley) in Hallowell, Maine, and are enjoying the many lakes up there. We spend each summer at our other home, in Durango, where Jen and her family live (including Lukas and Micah). We are members of Har Shalom Congregation in Durango, and where Jen teaches the Yeladim class. But BJC has always been, and continues to be, my spiritual home.

Yahrzeits

May 2019

Edith Baum, mother of Bruce Baum

Jack Blagman, father of Diane Blagman

Rose Brucker, mother of Anita Farb

Tony DiStefano, husband of Helen Wolfe

Meyer Dubrow, father of Davi Walders

Pearl Dubrow, mother of Davi Walders

Wiliam Dwork, uncle of Barry Dwork

Michael Glassman, husband of Nancy Glassman

Gordon Goldstein, father of Lorrie Van Akkeren

Rose Krettmeyer, mother of Nancy Glassman

Max Levi, father of Karen Levi

Rose Kline Levine, grandmother of Bruce Baum

Dorothy Moyer, mother of Barbara Faigin

Vera Poogach, grandmother of Robert Poogach

Selma Saxe, grandmother of Gary Kotz

Rose Scott, mother of David Scott

Rose Wagman Sherman, grandmother of Harri j. Kramer

Felix Sinalevich, father of Boris Sinalevich

Dorothy Stein, mother of Helen Wolfe

Thank You

A Shout Out to our Oneg Hosts in March and April

March

Shirley & Gerson Yalowitz

Sandy & Michael Medlin

Audrey Tunick Soll & Richard Soll

Victoria & Byron & Bailer

Penny & Martin Blank

Elise Yousoufian & Jay Bratt

April

Kathy & Barry Cantor

Lauren & Sam Kline

Pam Gully & Brett Goldstein

Lorraine & Dale McMillen

To the General Fund

Barbara Kotz

Susan Kraut

Lorrie van Akkeren

Leonard & Cynthia Bogorad, in honor of their new granddaughter Maya Mintz

Wynne & Bruce Busman, in memory of Anne Pelosof, mother of Lorraine Pelosof ; Ann Schmalz, mother of Lorraine McMillen; and Bella Sarah Kretz, mother of Jim Kretz

Annie Cifarelli, in memory of Jim Kretz's mother, and in memory of Lorraine Pelosof's mother

Shoshanah Drake, in memory of Jim Kretz's mother, Lorraine McMillen's mother, & Lorraine Pelosof's mother

Marla Hewitt, in memory of her father's yahrzeit

Alan Lichter, in memory of George Lichter

Susan & Louis Tuzman,in memory of Jill Camp

To the Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund

Alan Kirshner

Lorrie van Akkeren

Harri Kramer & Russ Hogya, in memory of Jim Kretz's and Lorraine McMillen's mothers

PURIM

Lauren Kline, Hamentaschen

Song Dedications

Linda Blumberg & Stephen Turow

Shoshanah Drake

Daniel Goldberg

Harri Kramer

Karen Levy

Rachel Mosher-Williams

Barbara Silberman

Lorrie Van Akkeren

A Special Thank You

All who “round up” their Synagogue Support payments and to all who continuously donate their time to volunteer at BJC.

Board of Trustees

President Shoshanah Drake

Vice-President Sandra Walter

Treasurer Lance Pelter

Secretary Lorrie Van Akkeren

Trustees

Howard Berkof

Helen Dalton

Jason Engel

Alan Grunes

Ted Posner

David Slacter

Committee Chairs

Communication Helen Dalton

Financial Advisor [An Opportunity!]

High Holy Days Jim Korelitz

Student Representative Sammy Peterson Intercongregational Partnership Liaison

Marty Ganzglass

Membership Joan Wolf

Past President Rachel Mosher-Williams

Programs Ruth Magin

Social Action Harri j. Kramer

BJC Administration

Spiritual Leader Rabbi Sunny Schnitzer

Director of Education Mindy Silverstein

Synagogue Administrator Diana Abadi

BJC News

Interim Newsletter Editor Harri j. Kramer hjk.obx@verizon.net

Bethesda Jewish Congregation

6601 Bradley Boulevard

Bethesda, MD 20817-3042

Tel: 301-469-8636

admin@bethesdajewish.org

bethesdajewish.org

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