IN THIS ISSUE
- Welcome to Insights!
- Event Snap Shots: Tu B'sh'vat Seder
- Book Club
- ICYMI: Havdalah Happenings
- A Special Candle Lighting
- Get Involved: Tutoring
- Food to Eat: 7 Species Muffins
- Nachas Notes
- Meet A Member
- ShulCloud Tips
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January 2021 Newsletter
Rabbi Elhanan "Sunny" Schnitzer
Tevet/Shevat 5781
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CLICK for the Complete BJC January Events Calendar
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A Note to Our Readers,
We heard you! Quite a few of you have mentioned that you’re confused about the difference between this newsletter and the various BJC Nows that come your way. We’ve decided that with the new year upon us, we’d make it easier for you to distinguish what is coming to your inbox from BJC.
Starting with this issue, this publication will now be known as Insights. Think of it as a magazine, filled with interesting features: commentary from the Rabbi, updates from the staff and the Board, catching up on what you missed, recipes, perspectives, ideas on how to get involved, Nachas Notes, meeting a member, acknowledgments of yahrzeits and those who donate generously, and hints of what's to come.
We’ll continue to publish the calendar as a look ahead to the entire month. But we’re going to leave out are the longer descriptions of upcoming events and the links to those Zoom rooms.
BJC Now will be more like your newspaper, coming a few times a week and providing you with time-sensitive information and links. Generally, on Tuesdays you’ll get a look at the week ahead through “Current Events.” Fridays will bring you a “Shabbat Edition,” with links to services. And we’ll have a third type of BJC Now, “Updates” for important information or announcements. Each will have a slightly different look. You’ll always find the Zoom links in BJC Now.
So now, instead of thinking, “I’ve already read that,” you should open up that message and see what’s new! Let us know what you think about these modest changes. Get in touch with either of us by clicking on our names.
Happy New Year!!
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Kriat HaRav—The Rabbi’s Call
Rabbi Elhanan “Sunny” Schnitzer
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Thou Shalt Rest
“And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof: But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still.” Exodus 23:10
OK, so it took 19 years, not 7 … big deal.
Everyone needs to take a big break occasionally. Torah recognizes the need for the land to be given time to refresh and renew, to become fertile again. Kol Vachomer—All the More So, human beings. Unfortunately, most workers and professionals outside of academia and religious life don’t get that break.
That’s too bad, for it is truly remarkable. Even in the midst of pandemic lockdowns, travel advisories, and restrictions, it is a tonic for the soul. And while our current situation once again ruined plans to travel, there have been opportunities to write music, improve Spanish language skills, and deepen work with interfaith groups and, of course, the Cuban Jewish community.
I will return on January 11, refreshed, renewed, and brimming with ideas.
But one of the wonders of having time to open oneself to new ideas and new possibilities, to journey into unknown territory with no agenda, is you never know what will unexpectedly happen along the way.
I share with you a story.
In the spring of 2020, about the time we went into the first Coronavirus lockdown, there were floods due to unusually heavy rain in East Africa affecting at least 700,000 people. The floods began when excessive rains began falling in March, leading to massive flooding and landslides. More than 430 died. Severely affected were the Jewish communities of the Abayudaya in Uganda. Homes, mostly mud-walled, thatched-roof buildings, were flooded out and farms were destroyed. Since that disaster, the people have suffered through hunger, dysentery from a lack of clean drinking water, as well as typhoid, and malaria.
The Abayudaya (Abayudaya is Luganda language for "People of Judah") are a community practicing Judaism in eastern Uganda. They live in a of group of 9 different villages surrounding the town of Mbale. They are devout in their practice, keeping kashrut, and observing Shabbat. Most of these Jews are recognized by the Reform and Conservative movements of Judaism. Some have had Orthodox conversions.
The group owes its origin to a man named Semei Kakungulu. Originally, Kakungulu, a regional tribal military leader, was converted to Christianity by British missionaries around 1880. Through study of the Bible, Kakungulu came to believe that the customs and laws described in the 5 Books of Moses (Torah) were the true religion of the bible. In 1919, he circumcised his sons and himself and declared that his community was Jewish. Many other converts soon followed. From this unusual beginning, the Abayudaya now number around 2,500 people in this region.
When the flood happened there was a Facebook campaign to raise funds to purchase home water purifiers and supply other relief to the community. I made a modest donation and forgot about it.
Immediately before Rosh HaShanah, a young man from the village of Nasenyi, Uganda, Phincas Ziraba, reached out on Facebook to say thank you and we became Facebook friends. Over the course of our conversations, he told me that there are many people in his village who would like to study Torah with a rabbi. We began to study on Zoom together every Tuesday morning with others from his village and the region. We now have 9 of us who meet regularly every week for 90 minutes.
The dedication of these students is wonderful as most of them must travel many kilometers to reach a place with a decent internet signal. There are three sub-villages of Nasenyi. Most homes, as well as the synagogue in Phincas village, have no running water and no electricity. I have received videos of beautiful Kabbalat Shabbat services and Chanukah celebrations all observed by only candle and gas lantern light. We have also received videos of the weekly Hebrew school.
Click here to see the first video. Click here to see the second.
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We invite all members of BJC to join us on Tuesday mornings at 10 AM EST (6 PM Uganda Time) each week. Our Ugandan friends are very excited by the idea of studying Torah with BJC members. The questions that are shared each week are wonderful, and many of those questions reflect the culture and reality of their lives. The Zoom link is the usual link for BJC study and events and will be in BJC Now.
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For more information about the Abayudaya, click here. To find this community on a map, click here.
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So Great Getting to Know You
Alicia DePaolo, Program & Worship Coordinator
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Dear Friends,
It has been such a pleasure getting to know you during Shabbat services and Hanukkah candle lighting. I want to thank you for continuing to extend such a warm welcome to me. I can’t wait until we can all be together in person!
I also hope that you will continue to share your ideas for programs as we enter the new year. Starting on January 6, I will be hosting a monthly Zoom lunch hour, and I invite you to drop by and share your thoughts—or just to chat!
I also hope you will join us for one or all of our January programs. Our next movie night will be a social justice-themed film in honor of Martin Luther King Day on Sunday, January 17th. We are also planning a Havdalah and game night on Saturday, January 23rd! Please save these dates and stay tuned for more details in BJC Now. Wishing you a healthy and joyous New Year!
B’Shalom,
Alicia
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President's Column—Sandra Walter
New Year — New You
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Daylight is increasing every day. Minutes that will turn into hours that will turn into spring and then summer. The timing is perfect—aligning with a fresh new calendar for 2021, and promises for the year ahead that are brighter and more hopeful than the year behind in so many ways.
As Jews in America, we benefit twice yearly from the opportunity to make a fresh start and reframe the future while letting go of the past—Rosh Hashanah for the lunar calendar, and New Year's Day for the solar calendar. I know we all need that breath of fresh air, a chance to look forward to better days ahead—time with and love of family and friends, adventures that stir the soul, greater spiritual and physical health, generosity of heart and deed, to name a few.
Take 6 minutes now to chart 6 ways you will create a satisfying journey for yourself in 2021—what you can do now, what you will do later, where you want to go, what you will learn, who you will see, how you will make the world better? That's 6-6-01 (as in 6601 Bradley Blvd, BJC's address—whether on Zoom or in person, we want to be your Jewish community and spiritual home.)
Now consider ways your involvement with BJC can help you get there—whether on Zoom or in person, one on one or in a small group or with the larger community. Try new programs like the Book Club. Be part of discussions with Torah Today. Set your calendar for Saturday morning Shabbat and be part of the minyan. Volunteer for Membership or Fundraising or PR/Communications projects. Gather for a movie and discussion. And so much more!
What's the saying, “new year, new you”? Use your time in 2021 to let BJC bring even more light into your life, reflecting the brightness and energy you bring as part of our community. As we say, BJC— more than a synagogue.
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Education Insights
Hanukkah Happenings
By Maran Gluckstein, School Coordinator
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Hanukkah provided the material for most of our recent Religious School and Hebrew lessons. The students talked about what makes a hero and enjoyed making sufganiyot.
Morah Malka and I put on the BJC Preschool Hanukkah Happening, which was attended by both members and non-members, and got a lovely write up in the Washington Jewish Week.
Adult Hebrew and Tichon have also continued to meet on Zoom. After the winter break, we hope to organize another socially-distanced activity so our students can see and enjoy each other’s company.
Please be in touch if you have any ideas for ways to engage our students and the larger community. Happy, healthy, and safe 2021!
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LET THE RABBI PROVIDE PASTORAL SUPPORT |
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. 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. While I'm away, if you have a pastoral need, please call my cell (703) 362-2679 or the BJC Office at (301) 469-8636. |
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Click for the complete BJC JANUARY Calendar
Zoom links will also be provided weekly in BJC Now.
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Zoom Lunch Hour with Alicia, Joan, and Diane
Wednesday, January 6, 12:30-1:30 PM
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Join the program committee for a Zoom lunch hour! Bring your lunch and your ideas for programs you would like to see. |
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MLK Day Film & Discussion
Sunday, January 17, 4:30-6:30 PM
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Join us on Zoom for a social justice-themed film and discussion in honor of Martin Luther King Day.
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Havdalah & Trivia Night
Saturday, January 23, 4-5 PM
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Bring your candles, wine, spices, and your game face!
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Tu B'sh'vat Seder
Sunday, January 17, 4:30-6:30 PM
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A message from Rabbi Sunny:
Believe it or not, in the Jewish Calendar there are four New Years.
- The first day of Nissan, in the early spring is the new year for ordering the Jewish holidays and festivals. In ancient times, it was also for counting the reigns of the kings in Israel.
- The first day of Elul in late summer was for calculating animal tithes to the ancient priestly class, similar to how we use April 15th as tax day.
- The first day of Tishrei is Rosh Hashanah.
- And the 15th day of Shevat in late winter is Tu B'sh'vat, the new year of the trees. In biblical time the middle of the month of Shevat also marked the traditional turning point between the winter rainy season and the beginning of spring.
It is a small holiday—but a wonderful one that has grown and expanded through the ages. Many Jews today celebrate Tu B'sh'vat by eating new fruits, donating money to environmental organizations. and to the planting of trees. In the 16th century, Jewish kabbalists in the city of Safed developed a seder in Tu B'sh'vat to share fruits, nuts, wines and juices that symbolized the four worlds of mystic Jewish thought.
Join us from your home with your own fruits, nuts and wine or juice for the seder for our celebration of the "New Year of the Trees" with song, meditation, and mindful eating.
Here are some suggestions on what to have ready:
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For mindfulness meditation: small piece of chocolate or raisins
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For the physical world: fruit that require protection, whose peel or shell cannot be eaten (almonds, walnuts, oranges, coconuts, Brazil nuts, pomegranates, pineapples)
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For the emotional world: fruit whose pits or seeds cannot be eaten (peaches, plums, dates, avocados, cherries, apricots, olives)
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For the world of creation: fruit that need no protective coverings or protected centers (figs, grapes, pears, apples)
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For the world of spirit: nothing to eat, but perhaps smells such as spices
- Bottles of dark and light wine/juices
In the cold of winter, let’s get ready for spring and renewal.
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Book Club
Wednesday, January 27 & February 24, 8 PM
Come every month or drop in when you like! Generally, it’s the 4th Wednesday.
January 27: The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz by Erik Larson details Churchill's first year as Prime Minister during WWII and captures the challenges, the bravery, the destruction, and the beauty of London during this period.
February 24: Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson considers the social divisions in American society, many of them unacknowledged, using comparisons with India and Nazi Germany
Click here to get the Zoom link for the meeting or to join the Book Club.
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In Case You Missed It: Havdalah Happening
By Issie Resti, Chair, Education Committee
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The Religious School gathered for a Havdalah Happening on November 21. A brief service was followed by a game of nighttime Capture the Flag and ended with the families making s'mores over a fire pit. Mom Lauren Kline noted, “It was great to be outside and see the kids interacting.”
The students and parents alike immediately fell into animated conversations with the friends they hadn't seen in person for so long. It reminded how important the BJC community is to each of us.
Everyone left with sticky cheeks and stuffed tummies, but also big smiles.
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A Special Hanukkah Candle Lighting
By Diane Blumenthal
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One of the pleasures of Hanukkah this year was lighting candles with the BJC community. As part of a new “tradition,” 12 of BJC’s adult Hebrew students (and 2 spouses), led by our very skilled and patient teacher, Maran Gluckstein, met virtually to share our candle lighting after the congregation-wide event.
Before the pandemic, the majority of us had been meeting at BJC almost every Shabbat morning to study, working in groups of similar ability from novice to advanced. Alas, we haven’t been together since Purim! Now our lessons are virtual, some in small groups and some individually. As we celebrated together, we also shared distinctive and meaningful Hanukkah memories and stories:
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Judy Welles brought an oil burning Hanukkiah she used when her children were young. A gift from her mother, it probably came from her grandfather’s shtetl in the Ukraine.
Maran entertained us by recounting that while BJC Executive Director, she got a call asking what materials could be used to build a Hanukkiah. When she responded, “Just about anything,” the person asked if a set of eight-point antlers would be OK! She gently suggested they might not be completely appropriate as Judaism doesn’t really endorse hunting for sport.
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Helen Dalton revealed that her Hanukkiah depicted synagogues that were destroyed during World War II in Germany, and was purchased in the gift shop of Old St. Mary’s, a historic Catholic Church in San Francisco’s Chinatown. It is a fitting symbol of her interfaith marriage and growing up in China!
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Mark and Cordelia Dreisonstok lit a Hanukkiah that was given to Mark by his uncle when he was 10. Mark’s uncle passed when Mark was 15, making the gift even more meaningful. The Hanukkiah features a crown, two lions, and the Ten Commandments, as well as a Hebrew inscription at the base that says: הנרות הללו קודש הם (Hanerote halalu Kodesh haim) These lights are holy meaning they are not for practical use such as reading.
Nancy Glassman later told us that her Hanukkiah was purchased using green stamps. Burt Bachrach remembered that there was a time candles were only orange, and Ellen Liberman recommended using beeswax candles because they are flexible and can fit into almost any Hanukkiah.
While learning Hebrew as an adult can be intimidating, it also enriches your life. At BJC, it connects you not only to the Biblical language, but to other members with very diverse life stories who are drawn together at BJC by their shared quest to deepen their relationship to Judaism.
Intrigued? To learn more about BJC’s Adult Hebrew Program, which is free to members, get in touch with Maran by clicking here.
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BJC has had a wonderful relationship with Lutheran Social Services (LSS), the organization we worked with to support our refugee family. They have helped resettle refugees in Northern Virginia, DC, and southern Maryland.
LSS is now seeking 15-20 mentors in the metro area. The program requires virtual mentoring (for now) about once a week, or minimally every other week for 30 minutes to an hour. The mentoring assignment is generally for a year, although some refugee youth only need 6 months. Mentors play a critical role in the well-being of refugee youth. This mentoring can explore a host of diverse topics. For example, mentoring can explore: future career or professional paths, financial planning, goal setting, civic engagement and leadership skills, or practicing English.
If you are interested or have questions, please contact, Debi Kant at drk2424@gmail.com or mentoring@lssnca.org and let her know. Debi is the Refugee Youth Mentoring Program Coordinator & Coach for LSSNCA. You can also go to www.lssnca.org for more information. Here is the link to the volunteering page, and click here for the application to be a youth mentor.
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FOOD INSECURITY PERSISTS: Please Help |
MANNA
In the dark and chill of winter, too many are still food insecure. You've seen the food lines on the nightly news. Please continue to support Manna. Click here to donate.
To learn more about how MANNA is operating during the pandemic and how you can help, click here.
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BLACK LIVES MATTER
BJC still has Jewish-themed Black Lives Matter signs. For a recommended $18 donation, you, too, can have this important statement about the dignity of all people.
Contact the office if you'd like to order one.
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FOOD TO EAT!
Editor’s Note: Here's where we share recipes. Please submit your favorites! Send to hjk.obx@verizon.net.
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Seven Species Muffins for Tu B’sh’vat
Click here for a pdf of the recipe.
These scrumptious muffins include the Seven Species of the Torah: Wheat, Barley, Fig, Date, Pomegranate, Olive, Grape.
Prep Time: 10 minutes. Cook Time: 25 minutes
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Ingredients
- 3/4 cup golden raisins
- 1/2 cup dried figs
- 1/2 cup dates
- 1 1/4 cups unsweetened almond milk
- 1/4 cup applesauce
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup light olive oil
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (3/4 cup all purpose + 3/4 cup whole wheat flour will work too)
- 1/2 cup barley flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- Nonstick cooking spray or paper muffin tin liners
Topping Ingredients (optional)
- 2 tbsp turbinado sugar
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
NOTE: You will also need: Blender or food processor, large mixing bowl, medium mixing bowl, standard muffin tin, ice cream scoop or small ladle, cooling rack.
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Directions
1. If your raisins are particularly dry, cover them with water and bring to a boil. As soon as the water boils, turn off the heat and let the raisins sit in the water to plump for 10 minutes. Drain and pat dry with a paper towel.
2. Preheat oven to 400° F. If your figs have tough stems on them, remove them and discard.
Roughly chop dates and figs. Set aside.
3. Use a blender or food processor to blend together the following ingredients until very smooth: dates, figs, almond milk, applesauce, cinnamon, and allspice. (It may take a couple of minutes to blend all ingredients to a smooth consistency, depending on the power of your blender. The end result should be similar to the texture of apple butter or smooth fruit preserves.) Set mixture aside.
4. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, light olive oil, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract.
5. In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, barley flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
6. Gently mix the pomegranate seeds into the dry mixture, making sure the seeds are well coated with flour.
7. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Pour the fruit mixture from the blender into the well.
8. Add the egg mixture to the well.
9. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until the dry ingredients are just moistened and a lumpy batter forms. Do not overmix—if you do. your muffins will turn out heavy and dense.
10. Fold raisins and chopped walnuts into the muffin batter with a light-handed stir.
11. Prep your muffin pan by spraying a small amount of nonstick cooking spray into the bottom of each muffin tin (not the sides) or use paper muffin cup liners. Divide batter equally into muffin cups, filling each cup to the top and mounding the surface slightly. (An ice cream scoop makes filling the cups easy.) 12. If you’d like to top the muffins, mix the sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl using a fork. Sprinkle about a ½ tsp of cinnamon sugar mixture evenly across the surface of each muffin.
13. Place muffins in the oven and immediately turn heat down to 375° F. That extra heat blast at the beginning of the baking cycle will help to activate the baking powder and baking soda.
14. Bake for 25-27 minutes until the tops of the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
15. Let muffins cool for 10 minutes before removing from the tin and cooling on a rack. Do not let the muffins cool completely in the tin, they are quite moist and may stick to the tin if you leave them there too long. Serve warm.
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NACHAS NOTES
Kudos to Karen Levy, who is now a published author with the release of her first children’s book, Lulu Lamby. It's the perfect book for anyone who has ever had a special stuffed animal or “fluffy friend.” Lots of families will probably relate to the story. Check out Lulu Lamby here.
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MEET A MEMBER: Steve Turow
In his own words
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My wife, Linda Blumberg, and I joined BJC in 2002, shortly after moving to Bethesda from our former home in Cleveland Park. In the years prior to joining BJC, we were Temple Sinai members, and I used to say, half in jest, that we made the transition to BJC after moving to Bethesda because the agonizing, stop-and-go commute across town on an early Friday evening was no way to settle into the peace of Shabbat. Of course, having come to know BJC over the years, the truer statement is that I revel in the community, the spirit, the music, the intellect, the diversity, and the joy that is BJC.
Since becoming members, our children, Samantha and Jacob Blumberg, have graduated from religious school and celebrated their B’nai Mitzvot at BJC. Linda and I feel a close connection to the congregation through the spiritual, religious, and educational facets that connect us with our families (Mark Blumberg, Lisa Woll, and their sons Leo and Akiklu, and Susan Polan and her son, Lincoln), our many friends, and our Jewish community.
For the last number of years, Linda has read from the Torah on Rosh Hashanah, and she has enjoyed working with BJC and BHPC members to support the Afghan families who moved to the United States in 2017. She currently is teaching the BJC Tichon class, where she and the students collectively study Jewish concepts of tzedakah and tikkun olam in relation to contemporary events and movements.
I recently have returned to serve on the BJC Board, after serving a number of years ago, and I also enjoy participating in Social Action Committee activities, including preparing meals for residents at the Stepping Stones Shelter, and the BJC book club, with its wonderfully diverse selections and stimulating discussion.
Outside BJC, I am an attorney for the U.S. Department of Labor, where I represent the Mine Safety and Health Administration in its efforts to improve conditions for miners and to prevent discrimination against miners for taking actions to assure healthful and safe mining conditions. I also volunteer with Bethesda Help, delivering food to persons in need, and I serve on the Board of the Hebrew Free Loan Association of Greater Washington, which provides interest-free loans to members in our community for COVID-related and other needs.
In this time of COVID-forced separation, my connection to BJC and the opportunity to meet virtually as a community have been a particularly uplifting and vital parts of my life. I offer my sincere thanks to Rabbi Schnitzer, Alicia DePaolo, Sandra Walter, and so many congregants who have provided many meaningful and compelling worship, learning, and entertainment opportunities in this difficult time.
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REMEMBRANCES
Yahrzeits: January 2021
Helen Austin, grandmother of Laurie Mabile
Jacob Austin, grandfather of Laurie Mabile
Amy Barsky, sister of Lisa Strauss
Ida Benderson, mother of Eric Benderson
Jacob Benderson, father of Eric Benderson
Harold Bernard, brother of Cathy Bernard
Norma Bernard, mother of Cathy Bernard
Frederick Brucker, father of Anita Farb
Margaret Campiglia, mother of John Camp
Irving Cassell, father of Wynne Busman
Meyer Chabot, father of Herbert Chabot
Ed Cifarelli, brother of Mike Cifarelli
Herbert Clofine, grandfather of Elizabeth Clofine
Charles Coplan, father of Lois Rose
Hyman Dubrow, father of Laurie Dubrow
Elizabeth Eig, mother of Jonathan Eig
Billie Evey, mother of Bunny Roufa
Jack Fagen, grandfather of Karen Jerome
Sidney Fink, father of Lisa Savitt
Cecelia Folsom, mother of Al Folsom
Mordecai Frank, mother of Stuart Frank
Reba Frankford, mother of Norma Stern
Ida Goldstein, mother of Lorrie Van Akkeren
Sol Goodman, grandfather of Rabbi Sunny Schnitzer
Matilda Greenberg, mother of Carol Ann Greenberg
Jack Jacobson, brother of Annie Cifarelli
Martha Edelstein Jacobson, mother of Martin Blank
Nettie Jacobs, grandmother of Donna Goldberg
Ilse Judas, mother of Allen Grunes
Edward Kerwin, father of Aleen Chabot
Samuel Kirschner, father of Alan Kirschner
Stanley Klein, father of Abby Horwitz
Mary McCrensky, mother of Jay McCrensky
Roman Poogach, grandfather of Robert Poogach
Joseph Schnitzer, grandfather of Rabbi Sunny Schnitzer
Barbara Schwartz, mother of Melissa Schwartz Klein
Lou Slifman, father of Larry Slifman
William Sternfeld, father of Eliot Sternfeld
Jacob Taylor, father of Lyne Taylor-Genser
Stuart Travis, father of Mark Travis
Ann Umans, mother of Dorothy Umans
Maurice Umans, father of Dorothy Umans
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ShulCloud 101:
Tips from Treasurer Terri Reicher
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We have completed the transition to our new website hosted by ShulCloud, and I have sent everyone invitations to access your account. If you have not received an invitation or you can’t get in to set up your password, please email me, and I will either walk you through it or send you a temporary password for you to get in.
Once you are in, you can go to “My Account” where you will see tabs for you to verify and add personal information, set up payment methods, add yahrzeits, and other options.
I will be creating a Zoom webinar about accessing your account and setting up payment methods. Look for those details later in January.
Please take a little time this week to try out ShulCloud—if you have questions, please email admin@bethesdajewish.org, and one of us will get back to you to walk you through.
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A note from our Treasurer, Terri Reicher
Thank you for your dues and donations in December. We appreciate your support more than we can say. If you have not received a statement from BJC, or if you have questions about the statement you did receive, please email me at treasurer@bethesdajewish.org. You can donate through ShulCloud or you can still send checks to the BJC office, where I am processing them at least weekly and usually more often.
Finally, if you didn’t get around to making that donation by year end, it’s definitely never too late to support BJC in the new year. Have a happy and healthy 2021, and I hope to see your smiling faces somewhere besides on a zoom screen!
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Using Those Holiday Gift Card?
Here’s an easy way to help BJC. By signing up for AmazonSmiles, BJC gets 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products—and it doesn’t cost you anything. AmazonSmiles is a website operated by Amazon with the same products, prices, and shopping features as Amazon.com.
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THANK YOUS
The following acknowledges those donations received by December 23. We’ll thank those who made end-of-year donations next month.
GENERAL FUND/AS GOOD AS WE GIVE
Karen Anderson & Ted Posner
Diane Blumenthal & Craig Winslow
Cheryl & Hal Bordy
Wynne & Bruce Busman, in memory of Sonia Gordon Hess
Shoshanah & Brian Drake
Liz & Jim Korelitz
Julie & Mitch Kraus
Susan Kraut & Eric Benderson
Amy & Bruce Mehlman
Rachel Mosher-Williams & David Williams
Lauren Rathmann & Howard Berkof
Judy & David Scott
Paul Segal
Robin & Stuart Sorkin
Sandra Walter
Shirley & Gerson Yalowitz
RABBI’S DISCRETIONARY FUND
Lorrie Van Akkeren
And to all of our members who “round up” their synagogue support and donate their time.
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Board of Trustees (as of 7/1/2020)
President Sandra Walter
Vice-President Jeremy Pelter
Treasurer Terri Reicher
Secretary Lorrie Van Akkeren
Trustees
Ken Fine
Karen Levi
Karen Levy
Alan Lichter
David Slacter
Steve Turow
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Committee Chairs
Communication
Education Issie Resti
Financial Advisor
High Holy Days Jim Korelitz
Student Representative Sammy Peterson Intercongregational Partnership Liaison
Marty Ganzglass
Membership Diane Blumenthal
Past President Shoshanah Drake
Programs Diane Horn & Joan Kaufman
Social Action Harri j. Kramer
BJC Administration
Spiritual Leader Rabbi Sunny Schnitzer
Program & Worship Coordinator Alicia DePaolo
Membership & Administrative Coordinator: we're hiring!
School Coordinator: Maran Gluckstein
BJC News
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DEADLINE FOR THE NEXT ISSUE: January 25, 2021
Bethesda Jewish Congregation
6601 Bradley Boulevard
Bethesda, MD 20817-3042
Tel: 301-469-8636
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