IN THIS ISSUE
- High Holy Days: What You Need to Know
- Yizkor Book Back in Print
- Book Club
- Committee Update: Social Action
- Actions to Support the Uyghurs
- Nachas Notes
- Meet A Member
|
|
August 2021 Newsletter
Rabbi Elhanan "Sunny" Schnitzer
Av/Elul 5781
|
|
CLICK for the Complete BJC August Events Calendar
|
|
Kriat HaRav—The Rabbi’s Call
Rabbi Elhanan “Sunny” Schnitzer
|
|
The month of Elul, which begins on the secular date of August 9, is the time of return. A time where we try to sensitize ourselves to our mistakes and work on rectifying them. Elul is a time of preparation. Preparing for the day on which the whole world is to be judged—Rosh HaShanah.
A person cannot return to the path from which he has strayed unless he is prepared to search. That search has to start with an analysis of his own actions. This “soul searching” is reflected in the name of the month itself, for Elul means ”searching” in Aramaic.
Some say this month is a search for God. Others would say that Elul is more of a search for self.
A strong sense of self is a fleeting thing. It can be quite fragile. All it takes is one moment of invalidation from someone whom we respect or love to make it come crashing down.
There is a story about the great sage, Rav Saadia Gaon, who lived some 1100 years ago. Once, his students came to see him at night unexpectedly. They found their rebbe rolling in the snow! Dumbfounded and trembling, they asked “Rebbe, can it be that you, Heaven forbid, are in need of such suffering and affliction as this?”
Rav Saadia replied, “I have done no sin that requires such stringent measures, but I learned something from someone with whom I lodged, and I am following his example.”
The students were puzzled and silent as Rav Saadia continued, “Recently I stayed at the house of someone in a town far from here. The owner did not recognize me, but he paid me every customary courtesy and honor. Somewhat later, the word got around that I was in town, and everyone came to greet me and give me honor. When my host realized who I was, he also started to accord me great honor, to the utmost of his ability.
A few days later, just as I was leaving, my host fell to the ground in front of me. He begged my forgiveness. I asked him why he needed forgiveness from me, since he had treated me with the greatest honor and respect.
‘When you first arrived,’ he said, ‘I didn't realize who you were. Please forgive me!'
If this man wept at my feet until I forgave him and lifted him up—and I am no more than flesh and blood—how much more so should I humble and afflict myself the Holy One of Blessing. With each passing day, I realize how totally inadequate has been my behavior in days gone by!”
But that is not to say that we should only look at what is and berate ourselves for our shortcomings. Rather we should look at what is and what ought to be.
Rabbi Harold Shulweis teaches,
Think ought.
Not what am I, but rather what I ought to be.
Not what is a Jew, but what ought a Jew to be.
Not what prayer is, but what prayer ought to be.
Not what is a synagogue, but what ought a synagogue to be.
Focus from is to ought, and the mindset is affected. Is faces us toward the present; ought turns us to the future. Ought and is are complementary. Without an is, the genius of our past and present collective wisdom is forgotten. Without an ought, the great visions of tomorrow fade.
Is is a being, ought is a becoming.
Ought emancipates us from status quo thinking.
Ought is the freedom of spirit. Ought we not Ought?
Have a Cool Elul.
Rabbi Sunny Schnitzer
Ed note: not enough words of wisdom from Rabbi Sunny? Check out his recently published drash here.
|
President's Column—Looking Ahead
From Wynne Busman, Co-President
|
|
This month, Wynne shares some thoughts.... |
|
The High Holy Days are right around the corner, with Erev Rosh HaShanah on the evening of Labor Day! Harri Kramer and I wish each of you a Shana Tovah, may your days be filled with family and apples and honey.
The BJC Choir has been busy rehearsing, and we look forward to a joyful and contemplative Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur. We will hold services both in person and via Zoom to reach out to all of our congregants and others who would like to join us.
Our High Holy Days Volunteer Coordinator, Jim Korelitz, has been busy recruiting our cadre of volunteers to help our services run smoothly and safely. We need you! You’ll find a place to sign up and volunteer below. Many thanks to all of our volunteers!
Please remember that the order of events is a little different this year. As we have considered best practices in the era of Covid, we have decided to forego our traditional Oneg after Erev Rosh HaShanah. But, we are looking forward to sharing a sweet and treat with you at Tashlich outdoors, which will be immediately after the morning service, and then Children’s Service will follow.
Harri and I have continued to work closely together with Rabbi Sunny, staff, and the board over the summer. We welcomed our new Program and Social Media Coordinator, Amy Kertesz, and her family to BJC. We have been reaching out to our committee chairpersons to learn more about their work and to provide support as needed. The committees and our staff are busy planning for great activities, events, and youth and adult education programs for the upcoming year including Back to Shul Night on Friday, August 27 and Selichot on the evening of Saturday, August 28. We hope to see you there and look forward to meeting you in person.
L’shanah tovah tikateivu v’teichateimu!
|
|
BJC is Now in the Twitterverse
By Amy Kertesz, Program and Social Media Coordinator
|
|
Our social media accounts are up and running. Many thanks to those in the BJC community who took the time to follow and share our posts! You've made a huge difference in our social media engagement stats. Instagram started from zero, so to get to 54 followers in a month is a solid start. We reached over 1100 people on Facebook! If you're not following BJC on social media, please use these links to check it out.
Watch for Social Media 101 class information in upcoming issues of BJC Now.
|
|
Education Driven by Our Values
By Maran Gluckstein, School Coordinator
|
|
Plans are well underway for an exciting year of Jewish learning at BJC in 5782. Starting on Saturday, October 9, our in-person classes will resume! Our students will be dealing with different Jewish values each month through academic and cultural experiences and schoolwide culminating events. Those values include pursue justice, protect nature, connect generations, be generous, build friendships, be content, protect your body, and love of Israel—the people and the land. Many other related values will be integrated into the curriculum. Please reach out to me with any questions by clicking here.
B’ruchim Haba-im – Welcome all!
|
|
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.
|
|
SNAP SHOTS: Getting Together for Worship & Fun |
|
Click for the complete BJC August Calendar
Zoom links will also be provided weekly in BJC Now.
|
|
SCHEDULE REMINDER
BJC continues our Friday night worship live and streamed throughout the summer. Consult BJC Now for the link to services if you prefer to worship with us virtually.
SHABBAT MORNING SERVICES RETURN TO COVENANT HALL,
SATURDAY, AUGUST 28, AT 10 AM
(Note: the starting time is 30 minutes earlier than last year’s Zoom services.)
|
Back to Shul
Friday, August 27, Celebration starts at 5:30 PM, Services at 7:30 PM
|
It may be the end of summer, but the fun is just starting at BJC! Mark your calendars for this year’s “Back to Shul” celebration on August 27, featuring the Crush Funk Brass. Crush Funk Brass is a group of young musicians from the DC area, producing amazing sounds that'll be sure to get you dancing.
Dinner from Shouk will be available for preorder the week before Back to Shul. Bring the kids for the ice cream truck, and stay for the Simcha Band and service starting at 7:30 PM.
Please register here so we can get an accurate head count.
Start off the fall season with BJC! We can't wait to see you. AND, please bring school supplies for NCCF when you come. See below for what supplies are needed.
|
|
Book Club
Wednesday, August 25, 8 PM
Come every month or drop in when you like! Generally, it’s the 4th Wednesday. We meet via Zoom.
August 25: The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett explores the practice of “passing” in 1950s America with the story of identical twins, Stella and Desiree, whose lives follow decidedly different trajectories.
September 22: The Night Watchman by Louise Edrich. This novel is based on the extraordinary life of the National Book Award-winning author’s grandfather, who worked as a night watchman at the jewel bearing plant, the first factory located near the Turtle Mountain Reservation in rural North Dakota. He carried the fight against Native dispossession from rural North Dakota all the way to Washington, D.C. The book explores themes of love and death with lightness and gravity and unfolds with the elegant prose, sly humor, and depth of feeling of a master craftsman.
October 27: Klara and the Sun by Nobel laureate Kazuo Ishiguro
Click here to get the Zoom link for the meeting or to join the Book Club.
More about BJC's Open Book Club is our website. Click here.
|
|
|
SCHEDULE
Monday, September 6
Erev Rosh HaShanah 8:00 PM
Tuesday, September 7
Rosh HaShanah 10:00 AM
Tashlich 1:00 PM, includes food
Family Service 3:00 PM
Wednesday, September 15
Kol Nidre 8:00 PM
Thursday, September 16
Yom Kippur 10:00 AM
Family Service 1:30 PM
Riffin’ with the Rabbi 2:30 PM
Chant Circle 3:30 PM (in person only)
Music Interlude 3:30 PM
Reading of the Book of Jonah 5:00 PM
Yizkor & Neilah 5:30 PM
|
|
Selichot
Saturday, August 28, 8 PM
|
The Selichot theme of longing for deep connection runs through not only the High Holy Days, but through popular music as well. “Ta Sh’ma” (as the rabbis of the Talmud say)—“come and listen,” for an evening of entertainment and inspiration that will make you laugh and cry as we explore the affairs of the heart as preparation for the High Holy Days season.
The program will be followed by a nosh on the Covenant Hall patio (weather permitting) and a Selichot service at a new earlier starting time. The final hour of the Shabbat before Rosh HaShanah was deemed by our rabbis to be a time of special power with special prayers and songs. Ta Sh’ma —Come and Hear.
Watch your BJC Now for details about the evening and the entertainment.
|
|
High Holy Days Volunteers Needed
By Jim Korelitz, High Holy Days Coordinator
|
One thing that makes BJC so special is the active participation of our membership in our services and events. This is especially true now that we’ll be back to seeing each other in person during the High Holy Days.
We need our volunteers to help guarantee that everything runs smoothly for our members and guests. Volunteers will help with our usual tasks of ushering, parking, removing/returning books, setting up and cleaning up for the Rosh Hashanah Kiddush and Tashlich, etc. We’ll also need volunteers to help with the online broadcast of our High Holy Days services.
Please volunteer for one or more tasks by going to SignUpGenius by clicking here. (Note: You do not need a SignUpGenius account to sign up).
If you have any questions or need help signing up, please contact me, High Holy Days Volunteer Coordinator, jjkore@msn.com or 301-385-3015.
|
|
During the High Holy Days we take time to remember and celebrate our loved ones—family and friends—during the Yom Kippur Yizkor Service. Again this year, BJC will publish a Yizkor Book of Remembrance in video and printed formats filled with the names, stories, photos, poems, and memorial tributes that you provide about your family and friends
Deadline for submissions is August 27. The mitzvah of making a memorial donation is appreciated. Learn more, see samples, and make your submission here.
For more information, contact Yizkor Book Editor Sandra Walter by clicking here.
|
|
Writers and Readers Wanted and Needed |
One of the unique High Holy Days traditions at Bethesda Jewish Congregation is the inclusion in the service of members’ selections of prose and poetry. These can be either inspirational writings you have come across and would like to share with the congregation or your own original work.
Please send your submissions for the High Holy Days Supplement to the BJC office by August 22.
Readers must be willing to read their submissions in person, not pre-recorded or on Zoom.
Send your submission to rabbi@bethesdajewish.org. If you’d like to read from the bimah, call Rabbi Sunny or send him an email.
|
|
Staying Safe at Our High Holy Days |
To keep everyone safe and healthy this High Holy Day season, the staff needs your input to determine appropriate seating arrangements.
Please check your twice weekly BJC Now and respond to the BJC High Holy Day survey at your earliest possible opportunity.
|
|
Tips on Your High Holy Days Tickets |
BJC’s custom is to mail High Holy Days tickets in advance to those members who have paid their synagogue support in full or made at least two payments. We realize that with summer vacations upon us and an “early” High Holy Days this year, sending in that synagogue support may not be at the top of your to do list.
Please avoid the last-minute rush and panicked questions to the office by getting that second payment in soon.
We will have a hospitality table in the Gathering Space before services to help with last-minute problems with tickets and books....Be a part of the solution and not the problem by making your second payment soon.
|
|
Social Action Wants You to Know: The SAC Plugs In and Recharges
By Helen Dalton & Robin Sorkin, Co-chairs
|
The Social Action Committee is fully engaged with plans to reboot our “Show You Care. Do Your Share” initiative launched pre-pandemic. What better way is there to show we care about what is important to you than linking hearts and minds and pooling energies to further empower your social action passions? In essence, that is our new “team-centric” approach to doing your share.
On behalf of our BJC family, and all that you do in supporting causes that rattle your moral code and tug at your heartstrings, the SAC will seek to pair you with like-minded members who share your social action pursuits. We will help facilitate your efforts and form “all-Pro” teams.
There is strength in numbers, and BJC is a congregation whose guiding light is coming together as a caring community devoted to social action. To jumpstart our team approach, we are introducing our current initiatives spearheaded by SAC members. Perhaps one or more might resonate with you! Watch for details on:
- Stepping Stones
- Manna
- Poor People’s Campaign
- Gun Violence Prevention
- Support for the Jews of Uganda
- National Center for Children and Families (NCCF)
- Protesting the Genocide against the Uyghurs
- Julius Rosenwald Schools National Park Campaign.
So, what are your social action deep dives? What has triggered your activist instincts? What is important to you is important to us and, who knows? Possibly members of your BJC family share your passion. To learn more about the Social Action Committee or to let us know what initiative you’d like to work on, get in touch with us by clicking here for Helen and here for Robin.
|
|
School Supply Drive For National Center for Children & Families |
For as many years as many of us can remember, we have supported the National Center for Children and Families (NCCF) with helping their students get ready for back to school. This family shelter has a large student population in all grades, and the families have limited resources for school supplies—which have only gotten more expensive.
Because school is starting early this year, we have a shorter window to amass the supplies needed. Please dig deep and purchase what you can and deliver them to the bins outside of the BJC Office. Our final day to collect donations is Friday, August 27. Come to Back to Shul and bring school supplies!
Here’s a list of what’s needed by grade level for each backpack:
|
|
If you can help deliver the goods to NCCF, please get in touch with Steve Chasin by clicking here.
Thanks for helping BJC continue its long-standing tradition with our backyard neighbors.
|
From the ICPC: Action to Support the Uyghurs--Stop the Genocide
By Marty Ganzglass, Co-Chair
|
The Senate unanimously passed The Uyghur Forced Labor Protection Act (S. 65). Now it's the House of Representatives' turn.
Write your members of Congress and urge them to :
1) quickly bring H.R. 1155 up for a vote by the full House; and
2) insist that the stronger terms of H.R. 1155 prevail over the weaker Senate Bill in conference.
You can find any Representative by clicking here.
Contact your friends and relatives and ask them to write or call their Representatives, as well.
In addition, continue to look for the label and refrain from buying goods made in China, join Jewish World Watch in its efforts to stop Chinese genocide, and join BJC and Adas Israel in demonstrations in front of the Chinese Embassy. Check BJC Now for notice of this event.
Every person can make a difference.
Do your part to stop the genocide. Do not stand idly by.
|
|
Stepping Stones—Always an Opportunity to Provide a Meal
By Terri Reicher
|
As we’ve explained before, once a month BJC members provide dinner to Stepping Stones. We still have openings on September 21 and October 5.
You can cook the meal yourself or provide a meal (think Costco); you can cook by yourself, with your kids, or with friends. Meals must have an entrée, a salad or other vegetable, and possibly a starch. Dessert is nice but not required. We usually feed about 20-25 people, mostly children, with generally about 7 adults or teens. The shelter requests we limit the pasta (they get a lot of pasta), but we’ve done lasagna and shells before. We’ve done BBQ chicken, enchiladas, tacos, meat loaf, and one memorable December we provided a brisket and kugel. We’ve done entrée salads and other cold entrees in summer, chili and cornbread, and anything else you can think of.
Meals are dropped off at the shelter’s main entrance before 5:30 (earlier if they need to be heated). It’s simple, fun, and it makes a big difference in the lives of people who have probably had a worse year than any of us. And students get 3 hours of SSL credit—contact me for details.
If you want to provide a meal, but can’t do any of these dates, you can go to Stepping Stones’ site on Signup Genius, and sign up as an individual on any of the open dates on their calendar. The same website will give you meal ideas, and an estimate of the number you are feeding. This is a great opportunity to give back in a contact-free environment, to parents and children who really need the help.
If there are questions, please contact me by clicking here.
|
|
Gun Violence Prevention: Planning for a Fall Program
By Barbara Faigin
|
In May of this year, BJC and BHPC hosted a documentary film showing and panel presentation on Zoom, sponsored by the DC Area Interfaith Network for Gun Violence Prevention. The short film was about a program in Chicago that trains inner-city youth in first aid for immediate treatment of gunshot victims.
As we look to do a program on gun violence prevention this fall at BJC/BHPC, we are checking on whether there is such a program in DC and whether there are any other programs in DC we could highlight and support. WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR IDEAS FOR A FALL PROGRAM. Please submit them to me or Karen Levi.
|
|
NACHAS NOTES
Editor’s Note: Let us know share in your happiness. New job? New baby or grand? Got into that college? Engagements or weddings? Send to: hjk.obx@verizon.net
Mazel Tov
-
to Herb Chabot on his 90th birthday.
Kudos
-
to Rabbi Sunny, whose Torah commentary was published in Washington Jewish Week on July 21.
|
|
MEET A MEMBER: Amy Rubinstein
In her own words
|
My husband, Aaron Lion and child, Madeline Lion (now Lin) and I joined BJC in 2015. Aaron and I both come from mixed families and neither had much in the way of Jewish upbringing, and we wanted Lin to learn about Jewish culture.
Our first experience with BJC was the Back to Shul Night barbeque and we felt so welcomed that we decided on the spot to join. We have especially enjoyed the outdoors musical services.
Lin has been in religious school at BJC since third grade and became Bat Mitzvah in August 2020, in the middle of the pandemic. She has especially enjoyed discussions about Jewish values and philosophy and thus was excited to continue with the Tichon class following her Bat Mitzvah.
I joined the Education Committee in 2016 and recently took over as Chair. I am looking forward to helping the committee figure out new ways to approach Jewish education, while incorporating some of the things that we loved about BJC religious school over the past few years.
Outside of BJC, I work as a Scientific Review Officer/Chief of the Oncology Basic Research branch at the Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health. I graduated from Brandeis University in 1988 and received my PhD in biology from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill in 1995.
|
|
REMEMBRANCES
Yahrzeits: August 2021
Milton Austin, father of Laurie Mabile
Jack Barsky, brother of Lisa Strauss
Burton Bernard, father of Cathy Bernard
Len Bogorad, husband of Cynthia Bogorad
Noah Cohen, nephew of Nancy Glassman
Adrian Curtis, sister of Richard Fogel
Minnie Druckman, grandmother of Linda Blumberg
Skip Evey, brother of Wilma (Bunny) Roufa
Edward Goldstein, father of Dana Goldstein
Isadore Kornfield, father of Judy Folsom
Vanessa Mallory Kotz, wife of Gary Kotz
Warren Levy, father of Karen Levy
Kenneth Mandeville, son-in-law of Lorrie Van Akkeren
Phil Schneider, father of Cynthia Bogorad
Jack Silberman, father of Paul Silberman
Lillian Silbert, mother of Earl Silbert
Frieda Stepper, mother of Shirley Altschuler
Fanny Stern, mother of Edward Stern
Irving Turow, grandfather of Steve Turow
|
|
Tips from Treasurer Terri Reicher |
|
Thanks to all who have responded to the first billing statement. We appreciate those who have made full or partial payment. If you’re trying to pay online through ShulCloud and running into problems, first go to this tutorial.
But, if you’re stuck, just ask Elizabeth Kirkpatrick, our Membership and Administration Coordinator. You can email her by clicking here or call 301-469-8636. As always, if you have questions or need to discuss your statement, please email me.
|
|
AMAZON SMILES
Sign up now! It takes just a minute and BJC benefits every time you shop. A simple way to donate to BJC.
Signing up is quick and easy. It never costs you anything, and BJC will get 0.5% of your purchase.
|
|
THANK YOUS
GENERAL FUND/AS GOOD AS WE GIVE
Diane Blumenthal & Craig Winslow, in memory of the yahrzeit of Art Rubin
Wynne & Bruce Busman, for bimah furniture
Harri j. Kramer & Russ Hogya, for bimah furniture
Harri j. Kramer & Russ Hogya, in memory of the yahrzeit of Harri’s father, Bernard I.H. Kramer
Terri Reicher, for bimah furniture
RABBI’S DISCRETIONARY FUND
Judi Dash
Lorrie Van Akkeren
And to all of our members who “round up” their synagogue support and donate their time.
|
|
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
|
|
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
|
|
DEADLINE FOR THE NEXT ISSUE: August 27, 2021
Bethesda Jewish Congregation
6601 Bradley Boulevard
Bethesda, MD 20817-3042
Tel: 301-469-8636
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
