IN THIS ISSUE
- Search Update
- Shabbat & Hanukkah Lights
- Congregational Meeting
- Book Club Double Header
- Latke Cook Off!
- More Mahjonng
- Babka Bake
- ICYMI: Uyghur Protest
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We Need You
- Social Action: Gun Violence
- Meet a Member
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December 2021 Newsletter
Rabbi Elhanan "Sunny" Schnitzer
Kislev/Tevet 5782
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CLICK for the Complete BJC December Events Calendar
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Kriat HaRav—The Rabbi’s Call
Rabbi Elhanan “Sunny” Schnitzer
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“If you want to know the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.“
– Nikola Tesla.
Modern scientists are just now beginning to understand this quote from Tesla. Current theory is that not only are light and sound vibrations rippling through space, but matter also vibrates at various frequencies. A change in frequency changes the state of matter. Think of H2O which can be gas, liquid, or solid depending on its temperature, which is a result in the change of vibrational frequency.
Most religious traditions around the world have long known the power of sound, frequency, and vibration. The Levites sang the Psalms in the Temple of Jerusalem on a daily basis, but it is Judaism’s daughter religions who brought sound as worship to full flower through Gregorian chant and Sufi Zhikir, mantras for Hindus and Buddhists, and chants for the Shamanic traditions. All of this shows us how words and vibrations have an immense power, which the ancients often utilized and used for many purposes.
The seven tones of the modern musical scale resound through the entire universe. Author and Gnostic Samael Aun Weor taught,
Wherever there is motion, there is sound. At every level of the universe, creation is movement, sound, a vibration of energy. That is why all the ancient scriptures exclaim that creation begins with a sound, symbolized by God that says, "Let there be Light." Spiritual light-insight, understanding, and personal experience of the Divine-is also created by means of sound, by the motion of energy within us. Spiritual elevation depends upon laws of nature that humanity ignores. Learn how the forces of creation flow in all of nature, especially within us. By conscious use of the energy that pulses within us, we can open our spiritual eyes and ears to the creative power of sound. This leads us to personal experience of the truth: genuine spiritual experience.
In Jewish mystical thought, this personal experience of the God-field is through the Divine emanations called Sefirot. There are seven emanations, seven Sefirot, accessible to the human being. These correspond to the aforementioned seven tones. It is important that the tones be pure and true. When we gather together the experience of “davening” —the drone of traditional worship or the music of modern worship is a core part of the prayer experience. Without it, our communal prayers are mere words on a page, dry, and lifeless.
One of the biggest frustrations of the last 21 months is that listening to the sounds of our worship through the technologies of the internet distorts the purity of tones. If you accept the theories outlined above, the hurdles to a meaningful online spiritual experience are high. Add to that the challenges of a balky and unreliable sound system and they are insurmountable.
Many of our members have tuned in to our online services to find that the distortion of our online sound via Zoom and You Tube made our services unlistenable. Many tuned out and have not returned. But this is a problem with a solution. The solution is better sound equipment and up to date technology.
Thanks to gifts from our members, Ken & Dionne Fine, and Wynne & Bruce Busman, BJC has purchased new state-of-the-art, sound processing and mixing equipment. This promises to deliver to viewers cleaner, more authentic, sound and to reduce, if not eliminate, the latency and lag time between sound and video.
Our new system is scheduled to go online in early December. If you have stopped attending services online because the sound has been less than stellar, give it a try.
We don’t know what this winter will hold in regard to our ability to meet in person in Covenant Hall, but BJC worship services will be online every Friday night and most Saturday mornings.
Ta Sh’ma – Come and Hear.
Rabbi Sunny Schnitzer
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On another note, I will be on winter break December 12–January 18. During my time away, other prayer leaders will lead services on Friday and Saturday. On Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, there will be no services livestreamed by BJC.
Here are some links to synagogue services for those days.
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President's Column—BJC Can Be Your Light
From Wynne Busman, Co-President
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It’s that time of year again. We are in the midst of an early Hanukkah coming right after Thanksgiving! Jewish families around the world are gathering to light the candles of the hanukkiah, and communities are gathering for communal candle lightings, bringing the light of Judaism to every corner of the globe.
Although Hanukkah is considered a “minor” holiday, today it ranks as one of the most beloved Jewish family holidays. It is no coincidence that the world over, cultures and the religions that come from them have created festivals of light during the cold winter months.
Judaism is no exception—Hanukkah will always happen in the winter when we have the darkest months of the year and the darkest days in those months. That is when we light our Hanukkah candles. In our darkest time, we bring the light, slowly, candle by candle. We light a candle to find a way to ease the loneliness that many of us feel at this time. We light a candle for hope and to see our way out of systemic racism. We light a candle to find a way to bring peace to us all. May this holiday of Hanukkah be filled with light for us all!
Harri and I thoroughly enjoyed being back in person for our November Simcha B’Shabbat service. It was a joyful experience, and we are glad so many were in attendance both in person and on Zoom! Join us again this month on December 10. Our Thanksgiving Interfaith program on November 14 was well attended and well received. Many thanks to Marty Ganzglass and the ICPC team for another great event!
Other great recent events included the Movie Night, the Authors Among Us program, Havdalah Hanukkah Happening, and the engaging Donald Davis Story Teller event, which was a fundraiser for BJC. Thank you to all of our members and guests for participating in our BJC activities and to Joan Kaufman, Diane Horn, Amy Kertesz, and Elizabeth Kirkpatrick for organizing these events. And keep watching BJC Now for the terrific events all throughout December.
On another note, the Board of Trustees has been busy updating the BJC bylaws. We have not amended the bylaws since 2005, so it is definitely time! The entire congregation has received a special BJC Now with the current bylaws and the suggested amendments together with a side-by-side explanation of the changes. We encourage all of you to attend this important special meeting via Zoom on Wednesday, December 15 at 7:30 PM. Check BJC Now for the Zoom link for this important meeting.
Speaking of the Board, please see Jeremy Pelter’s thoughtful commentary below about volunteering.
Happy Hanukkah to All!
B’Shalom,
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UPDATES FROM THE SPIRITUAL LEADER SEARCH TEAM
You Spoke--We Listened
By Rachel Mosher-Williams and Shoshanah Drake, Search Team Co-Chairs
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The Search Team would like to thank all of you who participated in our Congregational Conversations. We had over 75 people sharing their thoughts and ideas with the team. In addition, we spoke to our Tichon class, (our 7th-10th grade students), our 3rd-6th grade students, parents of students in our educational program, and our staff. All together, we collected a lot of valuable information that will help us as we move forward with placing the job ad—which will go out after Thanksgiving—creating interview questions, and ultimately selecting our next Spiritual Leader.
Some of the main ideas that were gathered are (in no particular order) are the attributes of our next Spiritual Leader:
- Musical
- Inclusive
- Empathetic, warm, welcoming, easy to talk to
- Knowledgeable, but not judgmental
- Collaborative
- Innovative
- Engaging
- Flexible in personality and with worship services, including B’nai Mitzvot
- Relatable
- Learns, accepts, and grows the unique BJC culture
You told us to look for a Spiritual Leader who is a strong worship leader, pastor, visionary leader/community builder, social activist, scholar/teacher, and an interfaith community personage.
We loved hearing your thoughts and being together as a community to gain insight and information about BJC and how we continue to move forward as a congregation. Our youngest members had so many interesting ideas to share with us, and we are so happy we were able to have the opportunity to speak with them as well as our adult members.
We will continue to update you monthly, and if you have any thoughts or questions, please use search@BethesdaJewish.org to contact us.
Happy Hanukkah!
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Education Updates: Having Fun While Putting our Values into Action
By Maran Gluckstein, School Coordinator
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November saw a lot of activity. On both Shabbatot when we were at BJC, the students helped to sort the donations for the Thanksgiving Baskets put together following the Interfaith Service on November 14. We also focused on the month’s values of protecting nature, repairing the world, and not destroying. On November 20, we put those values into action as the students and many of their parents participated in our cleanup of a portion of the Cabin John Trail. One of the students was impressed when they found eight beer bottles! Following our clean up, we enjoyed s’mores and socializing at Cabin John Local Park.
The value of the month for December is L’dor Vador—Connecting the Generations. The related values are Z’chor—Remember, and Kavod Z’kanim—Honor the Elders of the Community. As part of the month’s learning, we will be offering our first adult education session of the year on December 11 from 10:30 – 12:00. “Jewish Grandparenting” is an opportunity to come together to discuss the joys and challenges of occupying that place in the family constellation. I will be leading a conversation where we will share ideas and learn about resources.
Our Mashehu M’yuchad activity will be a family event from 4–6 PM at BJC on December 18. Each family will work together to create a family crest that reflects the values that are important to the members of that family and then design and paint it.
B’Shalom,
Maran
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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. If you have a pastoral need, please call the BJC Office at (301) 469-8636 or email me at rabbi@bethesdajewish.org.
When I am away, please contact Elizabeth Kirkpatrick in the BJC office at (301)469-8636, admin@bethesdajewish.org. She will know how to contact me or my substitute.
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SNAP SHOTS: Getting Together for Worship, Meaning, & Fun |
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Click for the complete BJC December Calendar
Zoom links will also be provided in BJC Now.
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WORSHIP SCHEDULE UPDATE
BJC continues our Friday night worship at 7:30 PM and Shabbat Morning Services at 10:30 AM. Services in Covenant Hall are only on the first two weeks of the month. Those services will also be streamed.
Consult BJC Now for the link to services if you prefer to worship with us virtually.
We've recently installed a new, improved sound system to enhance the Zoom experience. Try us out!
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Shabbat & Hanukkah Lights
Friday, December 3, 7:30 PM
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Celebrate the Festival of Lights at BJC!
Join us when we light candles as a community for the 6th night of Hanukkah on Dec 3rd at 7:30 PM. Rabbi Sunny will lead the Friday night service and we'll share some gelt.
Don't forget your Chanukiyot, and if you don't have one to bring to BJC, let us know. We have extras!
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The Great Latke Cook Off!
Saturday, December 4, 12:30 PM
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Think your latkes are the best? Bring them into BJC for our taste test event: The Great Latke Cook Off!
Many may enter, but only one will win the coveted Silver Spatula Award! If you're not a chef, come just to eat!
Vote for your favorites, have some sufganiyot, and play a little dreidel. Register to attend at this link.
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MAHJONGG!
Thursday, December 9, 7 PM
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You asked, we answered! We had such a great time the first time, we’re bringing Mahjongg back to BJC on December 9th from 7-9 pm!
This is just for fun and bragging rights. All experience levels welcome! And yes, we have more amazing mahjongg items to raffle off.
Friends, fun, and mahjongg—what could be better? Click here to register.
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Simcha B'Shabbat
Friday, December 10, 7:30 PM
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The BJC Simcha Band will be back in Covenant Hall at 7:30 PM! Get ready for a rockin' Shabbat. Come and celebrate the joy of Shabbat with some amazing music and ruach. We’ll be here!
This service will be limited to 50 in-person attendees. Please reserve your socially distant seat by registering here.
Check BJC Now for the link to attend virtually.
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Grandparenting!
Saturday, December 11, 10:30 AM
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The December value of the Youth Education Program is L’dor Vador—Connecting the Generations.
Join Maran Gluckstein, BJC's School Coordinator, for an adult education session on the topic of Jewish Grandparenting.
From 10:30 AM to noon, be a part of this opportunity to discuss the joys and challenges of occupying that special place in the family constellation.
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BABKA! BABKA! BABKA!
Sunday, December 12, 3 PM via live stream
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Mmmm Babka. Chocolate and Cake—what could be better?! It's easier to make than you think!
Join us online for a Zoom demonstration on how to make your chocolate filling, then roll and shape your babka.
See BJC Now for the Zoom link.
The recipe will be posted a week before the event.
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CONGREGATIONAL MEETING ON PROPOSED BYLAWS
Wednesday, December 15, 7:30 PM via Zoom
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As we’ve been sharing, over the summer the Board of Trustees undertook a thoughtful review of our congregation’s bylaws for the first time since they were last enacted in May 2005. Now, it’s your turn to make this official. We’re having a Zoom meeting for members to ratify this important document.
We hope you’ll review the materials sent to you in special editions of BJC Now on November 14 and November 29, and join us by Zoom for a quick vote on this very important document.
Check your BJC Now for the Zoom link for this meeting.
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Book Club
Wednesday, December 1, 8 PM &
Wednesday, December 22, 8 PM
Come every month or drop in when you like! Generally, it’s the 4th Wednesday. We meet via Zoom.
December 1 (Postponed from November 17): Homeland Elegies by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ayad Akhtar. blends fact and fiction in a deeply personal work about identity and belonging in a nation coming apart at the seams. Part family drama, part social essay, part picaresque novel, at its heart this is the story of a father, a son, and the country they both call home
December 22: The Tunnel by A.B. Yehoshua. From the award-winning, internationally acclaimed Israeli author a suspenseful and poignant story of a family coping with the sudden mental decline of their beloved husband and father, an engineer who they discover is involved in an ominous secret military project.
January 26: The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles. Spanning just 10 days and told from multiple points of view, this novel is about 18-year-old Emmett Watson, who is returning from 15 months at a juvenile work farm, and two friends who head from Nebraska to New York.
Evelyn Ganzglass will send out the Zoom link prior to each meeting. If you are not already on the book club’s email list and would like to join us for any or all of our meetings, please let Evelyn know and she will add you to the list.
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In Case You Missed It: NEVER AGAIN: The Uyghur Demonstration
By Marty Ganzglass, Co-chair, ICPC
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On Tuesday, November 9th, Rabbi Sunny Schnitzer led a group of BJC and Adas Israel congregants in prayer in front of the White House to support the Uyghurs and oppose Chinese genocide.
The demonstration, sponsored by Jewish World Watch, marked the anniversary of Kristalnacht, the beginning of Nazi terror against German Jews. Similar demonstrations were held across the United States and in western Europe.
The Rabbi called for all Americans to speak out against the imprisonment and forced labor of Uyghurs and the Chinese attempts to eradicate their religion, culture and heritage. A spokesperson for the Uyghur Association of America told of the suffering of Uyghurs in the United States, not knowing the
fate of their relatives in China, and fear of Chinese threats against them in the Washington D.C. area.
Here is Rabbi Sunny’s Invocation:
70 years ago at the end of WW II, the world, its conscience stirred and stunned by the results of its silence after Kristallnacht, November 9 1938, when they witnessed the piles of dead and the squalor of the concentration camps, joined the Jewish people and shouted NEVER AGAIN. Today we call on a near silent world, standing idly by while the Uyghur of XINXIANG are herded into concentration camps, to join together and shout as loud as we can NEVER AGAIN. NEVER AGAIN, NEVER AGAIN, NEVER AGAIN.
In the 20th century, the Jewish culture of Europe, its language—Yiddish, its schools, houses of worship, and countless communities, were wiped out and the region cleansed of a people who had lived there for nearly 2000 years.
In our Torah, the Bible, we read at this season the story of the conflict between twin brothers Jacob and Esau. For the rabbis of the Jewish tradition, Esau was the personification of Evil. In the Bible, he is known by two names, Esau and Edom, the Hebrew word for "red." Adom which became associated with the murderous legions of the Roman Empire and their red robes and flags.
Red again has risen, this time in the East, and again we are confronted by a new evil attempting to destroy a culture, a language, a religion—a people.
Today, we look out on the BLUE of our banners and t-shirts and join together to rouse the world with our cry NEVER AGAIN, NEVER AGAIN, NEVER AGAIN, NEVER AGAIN.
We must not give up, we must not tire, we must not surrender. We must get louder!!
Let us raise our voices, summon our strength, and focus our efforts beginning with this prayer to the common God we worship in many languages and with myriad rituals.
Master of the Universe, You who have so many names, Allah, Adonai, Jesus, Zoaraster, Ganesha, so many names for the One! The one who IS unity, who arouses mercy and compassion in humanity...
Adonai Oz L'amo Yitein
Adonai Y'vareich et Amo Vashalom
God will give strength to the people who perfect creation—and they will be blessed, ALL will be blessed, with peace.
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The U.S. Holocaust Museum, in a report issued on November 9th concluded, “Chinese policies of forced sterilization and abortions] raise "legitimate questions about the existence of the intent to biologically destroy the group, in whole or in substantial part," which is an important part of the definition of genocide."
You can help by urging your member of Congress to support H.R. 1155, the Uyghur Forced Labor Act. Congressman Jamie Raskin has agreed to sign onto the bill.
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In Case You Missed It: Our Interfaith Thanksgiving Celebration |
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This year’s Annual Thanksgiving Interfaith Service looked a little different, but the spirit remained.
Thanks to everyone who joined us, whether you were in person, on Zoom, or watching the livestream.
Thank you as well to Reverend David Gray and Reverend Eunice Yang at Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church, Rabbi Sunny Schnitzer from here at BJC, Tasmea Noor from Maqaame Ibrahim Islamic Center and Imam Refai Arafin from Islamic Community Center of Potomac.
If you missed this wonderful event, you can view the Climate Change Adult Education program on the BJC YouTube channel, and the live livestream service can be found from the Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church website.
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In Case You Missed It: Authors Among Us
By Karen Levi
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A lovely and informative program was presented by the Interfaith Congregation Partnership Committee (ICPC), on November 18, 2021, the first, in what hopes to be, a series of panel discussions among authors who belong to Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church and Bethesda Jewish Congregation.
Eclectic and enthusiastic would describe the writers who were on the panel. Each of them elucidated their thoughts and purposes for writing. There was a lively question and answer period. The program provided an opportunity to discover writers and their works, some previously unknown to the viewers. The following authors volunteered their time and energy—Gregg Easterbrook, Marty Ganzglass, Diane Horn, Karl Klontz, Karen Levi, and Andrew Wolvin.
Stay tuned for the next installment—we have more writers, among them a poet and a children’s book author!
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CALLING ALL CONGREGANTS!
By Jeremy Pelter, Vice President
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The Jewish community has a long history of standing up, with pride, to be counted for volunteerism. A very, very long history! In Torah, in the book of Numbers (Bamidbar), Chapter 1, Adonai tells Moses to bring together the heads of all the Jewish tribes in Sinai and count all of those fit for duty. More precisely, Adonai asks the Congregation to summon them. Every tribe and family reported both to announce their presence and their numbers. Now, in this case it was for ancient military duty and was designated for healthy males over the age of 20.
With the recent celebration of Veteran’s Day, this passage came back to my mind, especially because my Bar Mitzvah parshah was a set of these verses. But, its connection to our congregation today struck me even more so.
This spirit of volunteerism or hitnadvoot (התנדבות) in modern times still asks all able of body and mind to volunteer, fortunately with no limitations on military purposes, age, or gender.
It is in this spirit that I call on our congregation to volunteer for your BJC community. Each and every year BJC runs a nominating process where the Board of Trustees and our Spiritual Leader, reach out asking you to stand for leadership roles in your community. Too many years this call is answered by a small dedicated few who are willing to repeatedly stand up for BJC. This year we need our congregation, our community, of able minds, to stand and be counted, just as the Jewish tribes did in Sinai.
Please think about the skills and talents you may have that can support your congregation by participating on the Board. Many hands make light work, and we have been innovating how we tackle our most critical roles, most notably with co-chairs, sharing the responsibility and bringing a “tag-team” approach to our most critical Board functions.
Honestly, a willing spirit, sensibility, and energy are the key characteristics we need. If you don’t stand up and be counted for BJC’s future, who will? Our annual meeting in the spring will be here before we know it. Let’s talk now about how you can stand up for your congregation today, or for next year’s 2022-2023 program year.
Are you a CPA or financial professional who can help with our treasury? Are you in media or marketing and you can help tell BJC’s story? Do you have professional human resources skills to support our personnel processes? Are you a lawyer, have you ever worked on contract law? Do you have great ideas on engaging potential members or families for our school? Are you a student now who would like to shape your congregation as a youth member of the Board?
Your congregation is summoning you. Please stand up and be counted.
If you are interested in standing up for your BJC, please reach out to me by clicking here. We can discuss opportunities, you can observe a Board meeting, or even get connected to a Board member!
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Gun Violence--An Ongoing Crisis
By Barbara Faigin
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Gun violence takes an enormous toll on our country.
• Over 100,000 Americans are shot every year – over one million in the past decade.
• In 2020, nearly 44,000 were killed by guns and firearm homicides rose an estimated 30 percent over 2019, to 21,570.
• Seventy-five percent of the nearly 22,000 homicides were firearm suicides (nearly 17,000). Firearm suicides are typically two-thirds of total firearm deaths.
There are an estimated 350-400 million guns in the United States, more than one per person. There is no exact count because there is no required federal or state registry of guns. The United States has more guns per capita than any other country in the world and the U.S. gun homicide rate is 25 times higher than other high-income countries.
Annual gun sales in 2020 reached a record level of 23 million, an increase of 65% over the estimated 13.9 million guns sold in 2019. Assault rifles used by civilians are mostly semi-automatic. Automatic assault rifles are strictly regulated, but are in widespread circulation. Alarmingly, it is not difficult to buy accessories like bump stocks to turn a semi-automatic weapon into an automatic weapon. So-called “ghost gun” kits (having no serial numbers for tracing) can also be turned into automatic weapons relatively easily, and they are starting to turn up at crime scenes.
Guns do not make America safe. Due to restrictions previously imposed by Congress and pressure from the gun lobby, research on gun injuries have been difficult to study and are often ignored by the media. They typically exceed gun deaths by more than two to three times; in 2020, it is estimated that 88,000-132,000 people were injured by guns.
Gun injuries inflict terrible damage with long-term health consequences for many. There are an estimated 45,000 Americans who have been paralyzed by gunfire. In the Las Vegas mass shooting in 2017 (the worst mass shooting in U.S. modern history), 61 people were killed, 867 were wounded (by gunfire and in the ensuing stampede), and more than 22,000 people experienced this traumatic event.
In March 2018, following the school shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas (Parkland) High School in Florida, a contingent from BJC and BHPC participated in the March for Our Lives in downtown DC. Since then, the BJC Social Action Committee has identified gun violence prevention an important social action issue. Prior to Parkland, we had joined the DC Area Interfaith Network for Gun Violence Prevention and with information from them and other advocacy groups, co-leaders Karen Levi and I work to get the word out about local area actions and events. We will reach out to you if opt in to receive information on programs and events.
We have sponsored/co-sponsored with BHPC:
- an outdoor t-shirt display at 6601 Bradley Blvd. (identifying by name all those killed by guns in the DMV in 2019)
- a student speaker
- a DC survivor/community action speaker
- a virtual film
- contacted political representatives about proposed laws in DC, MD, and VA and about GVP issues
But much remains to be done. We are focusing more specifically on the components of the problem. For upcoming legislative sessions, there is emphasis on laws that will affect suicide and accidental shootings, including protecting the state ERPO (Extreme Risk Protection Orders) laws, safe storage, and penalties for parents of up to 18-year-olds, who allow access to guns. Through bi-partisan efforts and in conjunction with advocacy groups such as Moms Demand Action, Brady, and Everytown, gun violence prevention advocates in DC, Maryland and Virginia, (including our BJC GVP interest group) have achieved election of gun sense candidates and passage of laws such as ERPO. Other current priorities of GVP advocacy groups are:
- repeal of PLACAA, (which gives the gun industry blanket immunity)
- require guns to be subject to the Consumer Protection Act
- require all guns to be licensed in every state with a mandatory background check and safety training
- ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines
- require mandatory safe locked storage of guns
- fund Community Violence Intervention program
Won’t you join us? Click to get in touch with Barbara or Karen to add your name to the list.
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Update on The Interfaith Refugee Family Initiative Activities
By Evelyn Ganzglass, Co-chair, Interfaith Refugee Family Initiative
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With thousands of Afghan refugee families needing to be resettled, the current need is greater than ever. The Interfaith Refugee Family Project team thanks those of you who made your financial contribution to the project in conjunction with our Interfaith Thanksgiving Service.
If you have not already done so, please consider supporting our efforts with a tax-deductible contribution. Please make your checks payable to Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church, which is managing our shared account, and designate the contribution for the Interfaith Refugee Family Project.
We are trying to raise an additional $30,000 so that we can sponsor a family through Lutheran Social Services much as we did in previous years for the Karimi and Yousufi families. This sponsorship would entail subsidizing the family’s rent on a declining basis for a 9-12 month period, as well as providing a full initial apartment set-up and a range of on-going transportation, education, mentoring, and other supports that will be tailored to the needs of the family with whom we would be matched.
In addition, to this longer-term commitment, we plan to continue providing short-term assistance by setting up apartments for families using donated furniture and furnishings. Here is the Sign-up Genius link for donations that are needed for two more apartments. We update the list periodically so check back if specific requests have already been met.
It is not too late to volunteer your time. Please contact me or Brigitte Burgett to let us know of your interest. The photo above is part of our team (left to right), me, Brigitte, Suraiya, and Tasmeea.
Thank you for your support. It takes a village….
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NACHAS NOTES
Editor’s Note: Dark days are brightened with good news. Share the joys in your life. Send to: hjk.obx@verizon.net
Mazel Tov to:
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Rebbetzin Yaffah Schnitzer who celebrated her birthday.
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Sana Shastel who celebrated a special birthday.
Kudos to:
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Barry Dwork, whose Letter to the Editor regarding Zionist Jews on the left was published in Washington Jewish Week on November 10.
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MEET A MEMBER: Wendy Shay & David Wall
In Her Own Words
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We have been members of BJC for more than 20 years. We were previously members of Temple Emanuel where our older daughter, Nina, became Bat Mitzvah.
We joined BJC when our younger daughter, Hillary, was 10. To be completely honest, the original motivation for switching congregations was location, location, location. BJC is five minutes from our house and getting Hillary to religious school was a breeze.
Happily, we found a warm, welcoming, and comfortable home that allowed us to practice in a way that feels authentic and right. And, we particularly appreciate BJC’s special relationship with Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church. Sharing such a strong and enduring connection enhances our appreciation of just how significant Bethesda Jewish Congregation is.
I retired in June 2017 after 38 years as an audiovisual archivist at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and the National Museum of American History. Not a big fan of retirement, I recently returned to work as the part-time archivist for the American Public Health Association. This allows me to enjoy the aspects of working life I missed, while remaining active in Quicksilver, an improvisational dance company of senior dancers, Pilates, modern dance, biking with David, and hiking with our dogs, Neville and Trevor.
David continues to work as an attorney and executive for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), where he has been for almost three decades, following stints at several other financial regulators. After 40 years with the federal government, retirement is imminent, but the actual end date appears to be fluid. One reason is that a commute of 10 steps to the basement makes the actual logistics of working very appealing.
Another reason for delayed retirement is the Covid-induced limits on travel. Like many others, we are focused on spending time travelling. Recent travel has included forays to our beloved Hilton Head, the Gulf Coast of Florida, and numerous treks to Nashville, but our yearly trips to Canada and Denmark have been on hold as have planned expeditions to places we’ve never been.
Nashville is a frequent destination because Nina and her family live there. Nina and Daniel have one son, Max, and a daughter due as we write. Needless to say, our blue station wagon will be heading to Nashville once again quite soon.
We look forward to participating more in the life of BJC now that we are able to gather once again in person. The music and energy of what’s known in our house as “the singing service,” the annual interfaith service, and High Holy Day services provide particularly meaningful moments in our BJC experience.
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REMEMBRANCES
Yahrzeits: December 2021
Henry Barak, father of Diane Horn
Robert Blaney, father of Maureen Pelter
Herbert Abraham Blumenthal, father of Diane Blumenthal
James Brenits, brother of Don Brenits
Frederick Brucker, father of Anita Farb
Sara Dash, mother of Judi Dash
Helen Davis, grandmother of Wynne Busman
Hyman Dubrow, father of Laurie Dubrow
Elizabeth Eig, mother of Jonathan Eig
Jack Fagen, grandfather of Karen Jerome
Sidney Fink, father of Lisa Savitt
Phyllis Frank, mother of Stuart Frank
Reba Frankford, mother of Norma Stern
David Friedman, father of Hannah Friedman-Elson
Harry Goldstein, grandfather of Laurie Mabile
Sol Goodman, grandfather of Rabbi Sunny Schnitzer
Rose Gordesky, grandmother of Joan Kaufman
Roman Poogach, grandfather of Robert Poogach
Joseph Schnitzer, grandfather of Rabbi Sunny Schnitzer
Lou Slifman, father of Larry Slifman
Cookie Solomon, aunt of Burton Bachrach
Jerden Stepper, father of Shirley Altschuler
Lisa Sternfeld, sister of Eliot Sternfeld
Yetta Sternfeld, mother of Eliot Sternfeld
Joseph Sugarman, father of Elsa Weinstein
Jacob Taylor, father of Lyne Taylor-Genser
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Tips from your Treasurer
By Terri Reicher
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December 31 is fast approaching, and with it, end-of-year statements, which we will email and send by regular mail in January. Unless you have an accommodation, your synagogue support (dues) payments should be completed by December 31.
As always, you can pay by check mailed to BJC’s offices or online through ShulCloud. And if you can, please consider additional support for BJC in our annual As Good As We Give campaign. Our budget and operations depend on meeting our membership dues budget targets, and upon on your contributions above and beyond dues payments. We are adding Simcha Shabbat services and other in-person events as we emerge from COVID, but we have also invested in new video, audio, and other equipment to improve your online experience.
If you’ve participated in our any offerings, we hope we’re providing value. If you have not yet joined us in person or online, please give us a try before year end, and see what BJC has to offer.
And to everyone who has paid their synagogue support and gone above and beyond, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. If you have questions, please contact me by clicking here.
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AMAZON SMILES
Why not take a minute and sign up for Amazon Smiles? As a result of qualifying purchases our members have made through Amazon, those pennies, nickels, dimes, and sheckles have added up.
With holidays upon us, as you do your Amazon shopping through the Smiles program, BJC will get 0.5% of your purchase. Sign up now and designate BJC. It never costs you anything, and it's very easy to do. Just click below.
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Good As We Give Annual Tzedakah Campaign is Underway--Join Us!
By Sandra Walter, Immediate Past President and Fundraising Chair
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WHOEVER PRACTICES CHARITY AND JUSTICE FILLS THE WORLD WITH LOVING KINDNESS. ~ Talmud
December is the annual launch of our Good As We Give fundraising campaign. It's the size of the heart in the gift that counts; please give generously. Consider how BJC reflects your values, your spirit, and how much you believe in BJC as a community of caring that you want to see continue to grow and flourish.
As you are considering your charitable giving for the rest of 2021, and the start of 2022, please consider giving a generous gift to BJC. Start by considering how much BJC means to you, and then talk with your financial advisor about tax-saving strategies that might help you make a bigger impact with your gift through gifts of stock, IRA, donor advised fund, or monthly pledge that could add up to the gift amount you want to give.
Gifts for NOW
- Tax Deductible—CARES Act extended to 2021
- Pledge now—pay monthly by credit card
- Consider tax benefits for donation of stocks
- Age 70.5+— give directly from your IRA for added benefits
Gifts for the FUTURE
- Consider writing BJC into your estate/legacy plan or will
To talk about making a meaningful gift or for help with stock, IRA, or language for your will:
Thank You!
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THANK YOUS
GENERAL FUND/AS GOOD AS WE GIVE
Wynne & Bruce Busman for the upgraded sound equipment
Wynne& Busman in honor of Phyllis Cassell
Ken & Dionne Fine for the upgraded sound equipment
The Fooksman Family In loving memory of Michael Fooksman and in great appreciation for Rabbi Schnitzer
Harri j. Kramer, in honor of Lorrie Van Akkeren and all that she does for BJC
Alan Lichter in memory of Rosalie Lichter
Lorrie Van Akkeren
INTERFAITH OFFERING FOR THANKSGIVING
Lauren & Sam Kline
Liz Sloss & Jim Korelitz
Terri Reicher
Lorrie Van Akkeren
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 7/1/2021)
Co-Presidents Wynne Busman & Harri Kramer
Vice-President Jeremy Pelter
Treasurer Terri Reicher
Secretary Lorrie Van Akkeren
Trustees
Shoshanah Drake
Ken Fine
Karen Levi
Karen Levy
David Slacter
Steve Turow
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Board Members & Committee Chairs
Chesed Society Lorrie Van Akkeren
Education Amy Rubenstein
Financial Advisor Steve Turow
Fundraising Sandra Walter
High Holy Days Jim Korelitz
Intercongregational Partnership Liaison
Marty Ganzglass
Membership
Past President Sandra Walter
Programs Diane Horn & Joan Kaufman
Social Action Helen Dalton & Robin Sorkin
Student Representative Rebecca McMillen
BJC Administration
BJC News
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DEADLINE FOR THE NEXT ISSUE: December 27, 2021
Bethesda Jewish Congregation
6601 Bradley Boulevard
Bethesda, MD 20817-3042
Tel: 301-469-8636
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