We are pleased to share the second issue of our reinvigorated Shofar newsletter. In general, it provides information on things that have happened in the life of Temple Shalom in the past three months (September, October, November), and on upcoming events for the next three months (January, February, March). This newsletter is for you, so please let us know any feedback or suggestions you may have.
Are you interested in . . .
• submitting feedback on the Shofar
• writing an article
• submitting idea(s) for future article(s)
• being on the staff of the Shofar?
Simply email us to let us know.
A huge thank you to all who contributed to this issue of the Shofar . . . it can only happen because of you!
Carol Jimenez, Editor
Michael Schwartz, Assistant Editor
Joan Kalin, Lynn Kanowith, Andrew Maayan, and Marty Shargel, Additional Shofar Staff
Whom do I contact at Temple Shalom about...?
• Building/Space Rental
• Calendar items
• Reserving meeting space/room set-up
• Accessibility
• Becoming a Member
• My account/statement or making a donation
• Religious School
• Scheduling a lifecycle event
• Scheduling a meeting with one of our clergy
• Other items
Suzy Burstein sburstein@templeshalom.net
Katie Heinzer kheinzer@templeshalom.net
Sharon Winick swinick@templeshalom.net
Katherine Schnorrenberg school@templeshalom.net
Katherine Schnorrenberg rabast@templeshalom.net
info@templeshalom.net
All Temple Shalom staff may also be reached by telephone, 301-587-2273.
Temple Shalom Committees & Contact Information
Belonging Committee
(Formerly Membership Committee)
Megan Parker and Dana Larkin membership@templeshalom.net
Book Club
Janice Zalen Bookclub@Templeshalom.net
Budget Committee
Lynn Mandell Treasurer@templeshalom.net
Capital Improvements Committee
Debbie Szyfer deborah.szyfer@gmail.com
Capital Campaign Committee
Debbie Szyfer & Mike Rubin TSBuilding@templeshalom.net
Generation to Generation Committee
Rachel Miller
GenerationtoGeneration@ templeshalom.net
House & Grounds Committee
Mike Gurevich mike.gurevich@gmail.com
Mitzvah Corps
Mary Jacobs mitzvahcorps@templeshalom.net
Religious Education Committee
Joanna Waldstreicher REC@TempleShalom.net
Renaissance Group
Paula Kahn & Sherry Doggett renaissance@templeshalom.net
Those of you who have engaged in study with me in the past know how much I love leaning into women’s stories in traditional Jewish texts. Women are void of most of the traditional forms of power in our sacred stories. Yet they often play pivotal roles in moving the narrative along, changing the trajectory of the story, and helping shift the plot toward the realization of God’s promises, even when it seems those promises will not come to fruition. Without access to the financial and political power afforded the men in ancient societies, the women in our sacred texts learned how to tap into their unique strengths—often in the form of wisdom, seduction, and secretly moving things around behind the scenes.
On Chanukah, it’s not just the Maccabees military success that we celebrate; we also have the more seldom told story of Judith. The Book of Judith is apocryphal, that is, it never made it to the TaNaKH (the Hebrew Bible), but remains a significant extracanonical text that the rabbis of the Talmud regularly referenced.
Judith was a young widow who lived in the second century BCE in the town of Bethulia. It was besieged by Holofernes, Nebuchadnezzar’s top general, and his army. The Israelites were running dangerously low on food and water, and the men who led Bethulia had decided it best to surrender in several days time. Judith, however, was not going to resign herself to defeat. She approached the elders, petitioning them to allow her to try something else before they gave up. Having convinced them that there was nothing to lose, she changed out of her widow’s garb, prayed, packed up some belongings, and, along with her maid, entered Holofernes camp. Struck by Judith’s beauty at a party, Holofernes invited her into his tent.
She fed him wine and cheese that she had brought from Bethulia, luring him into a deep sleep. Then, with Holofernes own sword, Judith decapitated Holofernes. She then packed up his head and returned with it to Bethulia. The Assyrians were caught completely off-guard. The Israelites, feeling renewed strength by this unexpected twist, were able to attack and emerge victorious. The Jewish people were saved. A Chanukah miracle.
During a time of immense darkness for the Jewish people, a time when hope was all but lost, an unlikely heroine decided to try something different. When the traditional modes of power proved insufficient, Judith forged a radically different path. Collective weapons and war were ineffective, so she creatively utilized her individual strengths, and courageously walked right into enemy territory. In doing so, she completely disrupted the narrative.
As we enter the darkest time of the year, we can almost feel the heaviness of the darkness of our world. Sometimes this darkness settles on us so profoundly that it leads to a sense of despair, if not hopelessness. When we’ve worked tirelessly to create a world of justice, peace, and light, and tools that we used for so long now prove insufficient, we can turn to Judith. Judith reminds us of the power of creativity and innovation, of not giving into despair, and that when it seems we have been stripped of our power we can find a different source of strength if we dig deep enough. If we center ourselves around these truths, if we commit to putting down our old tools and utilizing new ones, we can add another chapter to a story that seems to be coming to a close, and we can bring about great miracles here and now.
Sermons given by Rabbi Ackerman and our other clergy are on Temple Shalom’s website.
Choirs at Temple Shalom
by Cantor Ze’evi Tovlev
Nearly every Wednesday evening of the school year, our sanctuary is full of music. The lights above the bimah illuminate a semicircle of adult choir singers from different walks of life and with varied levels of music experience who have gathered to sing and learn together.
During one of these Wednesday evening choir rehearsals, I asked how each of our choir singers hopes to grow this year in choir. They told me they want to dive deeper into the meanings of our prayers, to improve their vocal technique and range, to understand more about music theory, to learn more repertoire, to build their confidence, to feel a part of a community of singers, and to connect with joy.
I share all these hopes too. I want us to sing the music with a deep understanding of its liturgical meaning, especially when we are singing in Hebrew, a language which most of us don’t fully understand. I want us to explore parts of our voices and methods of singing that are new and enriching. I want to build into our learning an understanding of the composer’s musical choices, which evoke certain emotions and interpretations of the liturgical text. I want us to discover new music together, renewing familiar words with new melodies. I want us to feel confident enough to sing with our full voices, even if we do not get all the notes right every time. I want us to lean on and support each other as a choir community, knowing that we each bring strengths to the table. I want our rehearsals to be a space of rejuvenation and joy.
For me, choir exists on the principle that we are greater than the sum of our parts. Many voices in harmony together are able to create beauty and meaning far beyond what we could create as individual singers.
Nearly every Sunday morning of the school year, my office is full of music. Youth choir singers gather in a circle facing the piano, using every available seat and the floor. The kids range from preschool through the later years of elementary school. Each has a love of singing and learning new music together.
At the end of every youth choir rehearsal, I ask for suggestions for our last song. “The shofar blast!” has been the overwhelmingly popular choice recently, even though we are many weeks past the High Holy Day season. We still sing it, raising up our imaginary shofars and holding our t’kiah g’dolah as long as we possibly can. With each new song we learn, I make sure to talk a little about its meaning. “How can we create peace in the world?” I asked the youth choir singers when we learned Oseh Shalom. They responded that we can be nice to each other, to take care of people when they’re feeling sad, to give tz’dakah, and to make sure we find ways to feel our anger without hurting other people. All our choir singers, even the three year olds, help us interpret our ancient words of prayer through their singing.
When our choirs are invited to participate in Shabbat services, I always frame these moments by telling them that they are leaders of prayer. This intention holds true from our youngest choir singers to our adult choir members. We at Temple Shalom →
(continued from previous page) believe strongly in participatory, as opposed to performative, prayer. When our choirs step up to sing during services, they are doing so not as performers but as prayer leaders, as interpreters of prayer, inviting everyone to join them in song.
Over the past year, I have been proud to help our choirs grow, not just in number and in musical excellence, but as joyful and supportive singing communities. My hope for the future of our Temple Shalom choirs is to continue to
Shalom From Your Rabbi Emeritus
Dear Members of the Temple Shalom Family,
On page 14 of “Everyday Holiness: The Path of Musar” Alan Morinis writes: “Achieving our potential for wholeness -- sh’lei’mut -- is not so much a reward as it is the fulfillment of the purpose of our lives.” I believe that is indeed the purpose of our lives, of religion and of my rabbinate. Aiding others in the pursuit of sh’lei’mut unifies every good thing I have attempted to do each day from ordination right to this moment, my 45th year with Temple Shalom.
Most types of ministry I provided as Temple Shalom’s senior rabbi continue now. This includes pastoral work, preaching, studying, advising, teaching, service conducting, life cycle participation, project/committee involvement, counseling, writing, community foci, and managing the Rabbi Kahn Mitzvah Fund. There are two major differences. First, the constant and weighty leadership responsibilities that attach specifically to the post of senior rabbi are now borne by our utterly outstanding senior rabbi, Rachel Ackerman. Thank you, Rabbi Ackerman! Second, while I serve Temple Shalom daily, the time commitment now does
cultivate spaces where kids and adults alike can experience joy, learning, and growth in a supportive community full of people who love to sing together.
If you or your child would like to join choir, please click here to reach out to me. The only requirement to join is a love of singing together. Adult choir meets Wednesday evenings from 7:00 - 8:30pm in the sanctuary. Youth choir meets Sundays after Religious School from 11:30-noon in my office.
not approach what was needed when I was “in the saddle.”
Here are some recent examples from my life as Rabbi Emeritus.
• B’Yachad is a two section support group I started and lead monthly for folks who are caregivers of loved ones with dementia. (My beloved wife Toby is well into her tenth year of decline from Alzheimer’s.) A few openings are available if you or a member of your family wish to join this group.
• In November, I co-officiated our Veterans Day Shabbat and preached at that service. My remarks focused on the existential dangers of Trump and Trumpism from my vantage point as a naval officer for the past 54 years. The title was “Against All Enemies Foreign and Domestic.”
• On Yom Kippur I presented my take on the unforgivable evil of Hamas and their Shoah ambitions demonstrated on October 7th, as well as the incredibly misguided and morally deficient response by the Israeli coalition, portions of the IDF, and the settlers.
• I serve on Temple Shalom’s “Generation to Generation” committee and have assisted other committees - such as Sacred Spaces –in recent years. I was interviewed at length by the team advising us with regard to our capital campaign, “Opening The Gates.” →
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• Every spring I participate rabbinically in the terrific Brotherhood retreat.
• Much of my pastoral ministry concerns helping folks through illness and grief. I respond each year to hundreds of calls and even more emails and texts from members and former members of the congregation. These contacts cover a very wide range of concerns, needs, interests.
• It is not rare for a Temple Shalom leader to inquire of me about a piece of our history of current import. I am pleased, humbled and honored to be, in some ways, our synagogue’s “corporate memory.”
• In the larger community my engagement remains vigorous, also not as varied and intense as it once was. For instance:
• Every Friday morning I participate in a Zoom meeting with a group of Reform rabbis living in the greater DC area who are emeriti Some served local congregations while others retired from pulpits across America and moved here to live near their children and grandchildren. It is the most wonderful professional chavurah I could possibly imagine.
• For many years I have provided essential, significant financial and pastoral support to first one family and then another. They would be homeless and unable to remain together without this multi-phased assistance, so much of which relies on the Rabbi Kahn Mitzvah Fund.
• I remain engaged with civil rights and involved with projects run by the Equal Rights Center and the Washington Lawyers’
Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs.
• I am chair of a project of considerable size that pertains to Camp Airy’s 100th anniversary, a project that will continue in this world far longer than I.
• I seem to be the perpetual chair of my high school reunions and I serve on the Baltimore City College High School Foundation Board.
• Lots of special projects keep entering my life, some very unexpected, such as when I was requested to go to Catholic University and be interviewed for a film about the former Cardinal of New York, J. J. O’Connor. Before he became ‘his eminence’, he served for decades as a Navy chaplain. I remain in contact with many of my Navy shipmates.
This is not an exhaustive list but it does give you a sense of my emeritus way of life. Of course, most importantly, I am taking the time to be attentive to Toby, my children, grandchildren and extended family. That is a mechiyah to be sure.
My rabbinate has always focused on helping individuals and groups move towards wholeness of being. That has not changed and I don’t expect it will. At Temple Shalom it is such a great privilege to pursue that essence assisting the extraordinary team led so magnificently by Senior Rabbi Rachel Ackerman, Cantor Ze’evi Tovlev, Rabbi Educator Josh Gischner, Executive Director Andrew Maayan, and President Peter Howard.
Just show up, as Rabbi Ackerman urged us on Yom Kippur. Ushering at Friday night and other services is a very easy way to just show up. By doing so, you get to greet people you already know, meet more members, make people feel welcome, help keep our Temple safe, and feel more connected with the Temple Shalom community.
Ushering also plays a critical part of many things for Temple Shalom. We all depend on our ushers, whether or not we are aware of it, and we depend on all of our members to usher. Welcoming others is everyone’s honor and responsibility.
In addition to greeting members they already know, ushers are the warm and welcoming people first encountered by newcomers, inviting them with a smile into our congregational family. We hand them service materials, direct them to the restroom, show them to the sanctuary, and make them feel at home. At the oneg or other opportunities, we introduce them to the clergy
A Message From Our President Peter Howard
During the High Holy Days, I noted how our membership has been growing over the past few years. This is a remarkable testament to the power of this special community to continue to welcome new members. As we grow, our discussion in recent Board meetings has addressed ways we can ensure our Congregation continues to thrive. We’ve focused on three priorities; each is discussed below.
First is ensuring that we continue to offer meaningful experiences that keep members engaged. As Rabbi Ackerman reminded us, showing up for each other is the bedrock of
and other congregants. We have had numerous people whose joining our congregation was sparked by the warm welcome they received the first time they attended a service.
Ushers are also part of our security program. They keep an eye on the front door (which can be seen from their seat in the sanctuary) and guide latecomers to seats. Ushers keep a watchful eye on the congregation during the service. It may be that someone is in distress and may need help or comforting, or even a call to 911 may be necessary. They also hold a button to push for immediate police response in an emergency in which there is no time to make a phone call. Fortunately, we have never had the need to use it, but having it is a safeguard.
Everyone can and should usher. It is what we as Jews and as Temple Shalom members do; we welcome each other, we welcome the stranger, and we care for our community and family. All it takes is for you to show up! Click here to see available dates and sign up.
community. We’re working to ensure there are more meaningful services, learning opportunities, and programs to attend. We’re supporting our Clergy and staff as they innovate and expand opportunities for you to engage. But this also needs engaged lay leaders and volunteers to sustain our efforts. We rely on your willingness to help, for example, usher at services, the Sisterhood run game night, or join the Religious Education Committee offering coffee and snacks for parents on Sunday mornings.
Second, we are working to align our abundance mindset with our resources. We ask a lot of our Clergy and staff, and we look to support them in every way possible. The Temple’s biggest expenses are salaries, and our primary source of income is your dues. Our fair share dues system reflects our values by asking each →
(continued from previous page) member to contribute at the level they are able – finances should never be a barrier to participation in the Congregation’s Jewish communal life or religious education for our children. But this value-based revenue model only works if we honor the other side of the equation and contribute at the level we are able. Our potential to do more is directly linked to our shared commitment to support the Temple in a way that reflects its importance in our lives.
Third and finally, we’ve set a long term goal to bring our facilities in line with our values through our Opening the Gates capital
Message From Our Executive Director Andrew Maayan
Hello everyone! Welcome to the second issue of the newly designed Shofar newsletter!
Much has changed since we last regularly published in 2019. There are new faces among the Clergy, an almost entirely new administrative staff, a new ELC Director, and of course many many new members! With all the changes that have gone on, I’d like to take a moment to introduce myself and share some of what has been going on at Temple Shalom behind the scenes these past few years.
To begin with, for those I have not yet met, my name is Andrew Maayan and I have been the Executive Director since July 2022. I was very excited to step into the role and become part of Temple Shalom when Susan Zemsky, our long time director, retired, and I continue to try to fill her very large shoes. A huge thank you to Susan for all she did for the Temple and to make my transition go so smoothly. If you have not yet met me, or if there is anything I
campaign. The Opening the Gates campaign is more than just an effort to update our building. It is a way for us to deepen our connection and commitment to our Temple Shalom family as we come together to raise the funds needed. It will take several years to raise the money we need and then build the new structure. My goal is to ensure that we continue to have the thriving community to fill the new entryway and gathering spaces we plan to build.
Throughout the year, we will continue to focus on these priorities for our Temple Shalom family.
can be of help with, please always feel free to get in touch or even just stop by.
In my time here, I have made an effort to focus on systemizing many of the tasks that keep our ship afloat. We now utilize a new professional payroll service, HR firm, grant writer, employee handbook, have updated our accounts payable/ receivable system, and we have this year engaged a graphic design firm. In fact, they helped enable the creation of the Shofar!
Regarding our building, if you have not been here in awhile, some very exciting updates have happened. We have renovated classroom five to become a welcoming and useful meeting space with multimedia. We have added all new furniture to our sanctuary lobby and we have updated a number of the staff offices. We have refreshed our downstairs restrooms and fully renovated the ones outside of the sanctuary. In addition to these cosmetic enhancements, we have also installed a number of important security safeguards. We have added many new cameras and door keypads, and we have now securely fenced in our backyard playground space. These are just a few of the more noticeable security updates we have madelargely thanks to very significant grant →
(continued from previous page) awards that we have received these past two years. We continue to be able to have increased police presence and proceed with other security enhancements thanks in part to the security fee that the Board of Trustees voted to add to membership statements this fiscal year. Thank you to all of you for contributing to our collective safety!
Beyond administrative items, there is also much to report about Temple Shalom’s growing membership. Since 2019, we have grown from roughly 340 to more than 500 households! That is a huge and wonderful increase. As many of you may know, we offer a Gift of Membership program, which enables new members to join the Temple as full members with all rights and privileges, absolutely free for the first year. This year alone (since July 1), we have retained 62% of our prior year Gift of Membership members, and already more than 60 new Gift of Membership families have
joined! It is clearly our welcoming community that has attracted so many new members, and I thank you all for welcoming me as well!
Security at Temple Shalom
We all have taken note of a new security fee which was added to congregants’ membership statements this Temple fiscal year (July 2024 –June 2025). Everyone is aware of the rising rate of hate crimes and we want to feel protected and safe. Although there have not been specific threats to Temple Shalom or other area synagogues, precautions have been taken. The security fee helps pay for these safeguards, many of which involve recurring costs.
The Secure Community Network (SCN), a nonprofit organization, is the official safety and security organization of the Jewish community in North America. SCN has inspected, trained and advised Temple Shalom. We have implemented many of its recommendations and continue to work on implementing others. For example, doors are more secure, the playground has been fenced, more monitors have been installed, and safety policies defined. The alarm system, created in bits and now antiquated, will be replaced.
We have been fortunate to receive some funds in security grants, but there is no assurance whether more will be available, and our security costs continue. As a result of the rise in hate crimes, you may also see more police presence during religious services and a variety of activities. The cost of this has increased tenfold in the last two years.
Temple Shalom’s leadership works continuously to improve our security and all of us are safer for it. Thank you to all of our members for contributing to the overall safety and security of our congregation.
WELCOME
New Members
September - November
David & Robin Alpher
Child age 3
Philadelphia, PA
Dina Anchin & Austin Wray
Child age 2
Silver Spring
Emily Andelman
Chevy Chase
Zohra & Anthony Benesch Silver Spring
Rebecca Berman Silver Spring
Megan Carraco
Child age 5
Chevy Chase
Monique Christian
College Park
David & Lindsay Elin
Children ages 5 & 10
Chevy Chase
Aaron & Meira Ellias
Children ages 5 & 9
Chevy Chase
Danilo Feliciano
Washington DC
Melissa Goutos
Child age 8
Silver Spring
Allison Graber
Alexandria
Benjamin Hecht
Bethesda
Mary Jacobik
Child age 12
Chevy Chase
Gary Kaushansky
Silver Spring
Lois Kimmel Gaithersburg
Maya Lerman & Todd Harvey
Children ages 1, 14 & 17
Silver Spring
Ella Lipin & Victoria Fleischer Washington DC
Joan Lipnick
Chevy Chase
Bethany Nelson & Jonathan Bader
Child, age less than 1
Laurel
Shana Sabbath
Takoma Park
Matthew Sadler
Silver Spring
Hilary Schenker & Damian Da Costa
Children ages 11 & 11
Takoma Park
Raymond Schleien
Washington DC
Ethan Schwartz
Washington DC
Mark & Rebecca Schwartz
Children ages 4 & 9
Silver Spring
Rachel Sier & Zachary Mancher
Child age 1
Silver Spring
Ruth Stuart Frederick
Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux & Sam Taxy
Silver Spring
Joshua & Megan Weiner Mansfield
Children ages 1 & 3
Hyattsville
Marc Weinstein & Allison McFall
Children ages 3 & 5
Silver Spring
David & Sandra West Silver Spring
Faith Williams Washington DC
Mazal Tov to...
September - November
Nicole Berner on her investiture as a Judge for the United States Federal Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit.
Linda & Mike Gurevich and Joan & Norman Gurevich on the birth of their granddaughter and great-granddaughter Nina Alice Townsend.
Simon Heil, Katie Heinzer, & Emet Marwell on being selected for the Jewish Ideas Fellowship from the Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion, which supports emerging post-college Jewish leaders by deepening their Jewish learning and strengthening their leadership skills.
Fran Paver & Karl Held on the naming of their three granddaughters, Layla Danielle Singer, Sydney Eva Singer, Jenna Mel Singer.
Jennifer & David Tyler on the birth of Noa Joyce Tyler.
Shoshanna Weinstein & Stephen McGinn on their wedding.
Upcoming Board of Trustees Meetings
All members of Temple Shalom are welcome to attend meetings of the Board of Trustees. Board of Trustees meetings generally are the fourth Tuesday of the month at 7:30pm at the Temple. (Occasionally the meeting will be by Zoom only.) The Board of Trustees regular monthly meetings for the first three months of 2025 are scheduled for: January 28; February 25; and March 25. If you plan to attend a Board meeting (and are not a Trustee), as a courtesy please contact our Temple President in advance.
Havdalah
by Michael Schwartz
The ritual of Havdalah has deep roots in the Jewish tradition. The earliest words of the first chapter of the Torah state that “God separated/ distinguished between light and darkness” using the Hebrew word lehavdil, from which the name havdalah is derived. Havdalah is performed most commonly at the end of Shabbat and is also ancient. It is mentioned in the Mishna from around 100 CE and discussed in the Talmud (Pesahim 104a, Berakhot 33a).
The notion of separation/distinguishing the pure from the impure, the sacred from the profane, Shabbat from the other days of the week, light from darkness, Israel and the other nations of the world is embedded in much of Jewish tradition. The Jewish idea of being able to make distinctions is highly regarded and the Sages considered it a key to wisdom by the Sages.
The Havdalah ceremony uses wine, sweet spices and a multi-wicked candle. Each element highlights Shabbat as a sacred day separate from the rest of the week. Wine symbolizes the joy of Shabbat, the pleasant smell of spices carries us into the workweek, and the light of the multi-wicked candle illuminates our fingers and hands to remind us of the need to distinguish between light and darkness. It is the first fire lit in the new week. It signals that we can begin to create again after we have refrained from work week activities during Shabbat. Just as we usher Shabbat in with the ritual of Kiddush, we escort Shabbat out with Havdalah to honor the uniqueness and sanctity of Shabbat.
The ceremony unfolds with the reciting or singing of the blessings. Usually the lights are dimmed. As each blessing is said, the relevant item is shown to those in attendance. The Kiddush cup is held up for all to see. The spices are passed around to smell. The candle
is held up and each person puts a hand up into the candle’s light, turning the hands over with palms in and bending the fingers. As the blessings are concluded each person takes a sip of wine, then the wine is used to extinguish the candle.
Following the blessings, songs are often sung; Shavua Tov (a good week) and Eliyahu HaNavi are the most common. Havdalah is often done at home; it does not have to be done in the synagogue.
Here at Temple Shalom, the Havdalah service may be followed by some activity or program for the congregation or for Religious School students. Recently, a new members’ Havdalah was followed by a social gathering to welcome them. These are wonderful opportunities to take part in this beautiful ceremony and enjoy the Temple Shalom community. Keep a lookout for these activities in the Shofar and the weekly emails.
This is the first of occasional articles related to Jewish rituals, history and practices.
Temple Shalom Adult Education
January-May At A Glance
Adult education offerings are grouped into three categories – regularly scheduled sessions/topics to which you may just drop in; multi-session courses for which registration is required; and “pop up” one-time sessions. Within the first two categories, sessions are listed by the day of the week. For “pop up” sessions, they are listed chronologically by date. All in-person sessions are at Temple Shalom.
Ongoing Regular Study/Discussion - Just Drop In!
Shabbat Morning Worship & Torah Study
Saturdays, 10:00am (In person & Zoom)
Experience the joy of Shabbat Torah Study! Join us for Shabbat morning services at 10:00am, followed by a stimulating community Torah study at 11:00am. Deepen your understanding of the weekly Torah portion and connections with your community. Register here to receive the Zoom link.
Book Club
Sundays, January 5, March 23 & May 18, 9:30-11:30am (In person)
Dive deeper into Jewish literature! Temple Shalom’s Book Club explores a variety of fiction and non-fiction with lively discussions and friendly faces. Join us for stimulating conversation and new perspectives. Email for more information.
Lunch n’ Learn
Wednesdays, 12:00pm (In person & Zoom)
Come learn with Temple Shalom clergy. Each week we explore Jewish texts, history, and/or philosophy. Email to participate by Zoom.
News and Views
Thursdays, 10:30-11:30am (Zoom only)
Join this lay-led group discussion of current news issues, providing an opportunity for thoughtful reflection on the world around us. Email to register.
Sisterhood Book Club
The 3rd Thursday of each month, 8:15pm (Zoom only)
To get the link for the meeting: sign into your Temple account; click this link; and follow the prompts to have the Zoom link sent to your email. Email for more information.
Multi-Session Classes Requiring Registration
Hebrew 1: Introduction to the Aleph Bet
Sundays, 7:00-8:00pm (Zoom)
Learn to read the Hebrew alphabet - the names and sounds of the Aleph Bet. Begin to read the Hebrew words you know and add new ones. Email Rabbi Potts for more information.
Hebrew 2: Hebrew Prayer Fluency
Sundays, 8:15-9:15pm (Zoom)
Sitting in services and enjoying the music is an important aspect to experiencing the spirituality of the service. Add another important aspectthe ability to read and understand the Hebrew of the prayers. Email Rabbi Potts for more information.
Adult B’not/B’nai Simchat Mitzvah Class
It’s never too late! Deepen your Jewish journey through Temple Shalom’s Adult B’not/ B’nai Simchat Mitzvah program. Embark on a transformative two-year journey of Torah study and spiritual growth. Whether you are new to Judaism or seeking a deeper connection, experience the joy of becoming a leader in your community and celebrating your heritage with a meaningful ceremony. Email Rabbi Potts for more information. The class dates and times will be set after enrollment.
Tovanot: Generating Insight and Understanding, Building Community
Resilience
Date TBD, early 2025
This class will utilize a dual-narrative approach to help participants understand the historical and political environment in Israel and build empathy for Israelis and Palestinians. Tovanot encourages a rigorous understanding of Israel and its significance to Jews and Israelis, alongside a concern for Palestinian lives and narratives and connections to their homeland. Participants will use critical thinking and creative reasoning to articulate a vision that realizes the promise of a democratic homeland for the Jewish people, living in peace with itself and its neighbors. Email Rabbi Josh for more information.
Pop-Up Adult Education
Kehillat Shalom - Lifecycle & Rituals
January 26, 9:30-11:30am
Reform Judaism & Ritual Part 2 with Jack Lowe.
Sukkat Shalom - Revival and Ordeal: Polish Jews and Judaism Since the Fall of Communism
February 2, 11:00am
An expert panel will discuss the revival of the Polish Jewish community since 1989, including the community’s revival, opportunities and challenges they face, community members reconnecting with their roots, and contemporary
anti-Semitism. Presented jointly by the Temple Shalom Brotherhood and the Sukkat Shalom Committee.
Beit Midrash: Learning & Dinner
February 5, 6:00-9:00pm
Join the clergy for an evening of thoughtful discussion and dinner. Explore Jewish texts and ideas in a welcoming community setting. Theme to be announced soon.
Kehillat Shalom - Lifecycle & Rituals
February 23, 9:30-11:30am
Save the date! Topic to be announced soon, led by Sarah Leavitt.
Kehillat Shalom - Lifecycle & Rituals
March 23, 9:30-11:30am
Queering Jewish Ritual with Simon Heil.
Beit Midrash: Learning & Dinner
May 7, 6:00-9:00pm
Join the clergy for an evening of thoughtful discussion and dinner. Explore Jewish texts and ideas in a welcoming community setting.
Cantor Evan Kent - Scholar in Residence Weekend
May 16-18
More details to be announced soon. Cantor Kent is a professor at the Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion, and has taught Rabbi Ackerman, Rabbi Gischner, and Cantor Tovlev.
Katie Heinzer January 11
Katie, Temple Shalom’s Engagement & Family Education Director, has been part of our staff for three years. Katie was not involved in Jewish life until college, and thus did not become a bat mitzvah as a teen. Outside of Temple, Katie enjoys long walks in nature, going to museums, watching the Toronto Maple Leafs, playing board games, and learning how to make pottery. Katie is grateful to every single person at Temple Shalom - clergy, staff, lay leaders, teachers, parents, children, and other congregants - for making her feel like a cherished member of our community. She is thrilled to mark this special moment with our Temple Shalom family.
B’Not/B’nai Simchat Mitzvah
January - March
Aden Fogel March 1
Aden is a student at Takoma Park Middle School’s STEM program. He is a competitive year-round swimmer with Nation’s Capital Swim Club and Daleview. When he is not swimming, he enjoys funny memes, jokes, rock climbing, biking, reading, puzzles, his cats Ruthie and Ollie, and spending time with his friends. For his mitzvah project, he wants to raise awareness for stomach cancer and fundraise for cancer research.
He is grateful for his mentors during his Bar Mitzvah journey - Andy Mark and Adam Issenberg.
Adam Horowitz March 22, 2025
Adam is a 7th grader at Silver Creek Middle School. He enjoys playing the piano and the trombone and being part of the school band. His favorite bands/artists are U2, Bruce Springsteen, Queen, and Billy Joel. He loves playing video games with his friends and riding his bike around the neighborhood, and he recently rejoined his elementary school soccer team. He also enjoys spending time with his big brother Nate and his feline brother Lewis. Adam is excited for his Bar Mitzvah and is grateful to Emily Meyer and Marty Shargel for helping him prepare for it.
Asher Spencer
March 22
Asher is a 7th grader at Silver Spring International Middle School. He plays soccer and basketball and enjoys playing trumpet in his school’s jazz band. He’s a devoted Minnesota Vikings fan, and NEVER misses watching a game. He loves playing with his pup, Rhody, and traveling with his parents and his sister, Ruby. He’s looking forward to celebrating with his extended family and friends after his Bar Mitzvah. He would like to thank Andy Mark and Jill Greenstein for helping him prepare for his ceremony.
Leah Davis
March 29, 2025
Leah is a 7th grader at Takoma Park Middle School. She loves fencing, playing softball, and watching the Office. Leah always looks forward to the summertime so that she can go to Capital Camps (Think Camp!). She also spends a lot of time with her dog, Roxie, and her two cats, Chessie and Incavelius. Leah thanks Emily Meyer, Scott Kravetz, and Rabbi Ackerman for helping her to prepare for her Bat Mitzvah.
Leona Goldberg
March 29, 2025
Leona is a 7th grader at Silver Spring International Middle School. She is excited for her Bat Mitzvah. When she is not studying her Torah portion, she is playing softball with Montgomery County Little League and her school team. Leona also loves art and jewelry making. She enjoys spending time with her two cats, Dragon fruit and Peaches. Leona thanks her parents and her brother Reid for helping her prepare for her Bat Mitzvah.
Non-Worship Events
January - March
Worship Services and Adult Education opportunities are listed elsewhere in this newsletter. For more information, please click here for the Temple Shalom calendar. If you would like us to list your April, May or June Temple Shalom event, please email us the information.
Introducing the Belonging Committee
by Co-Chairs Megan Parker and Dana Larkin
2 College Students Alumni Lunch, 12:00pm 6 Shepherd’s Table Volunteers, 5:00pm 20 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Sisterhood Game Night, 6:00pm February 2 Brotherhood & Sukkat Shalom Brunch/ Speaker, 9:00am 3 Shepherd’s Table Volunteers, 5:00pm
Brotherhood Monthly Dinner Meeting, 6:30pm 9 Mitzvah Day - Congregational Climate Day of Learning, 9:00am
21 Trans+ Chavurah Meeting, 5:00pm 23 Blood Drive, 9:00am Book Group, 9:30am Sisterhood Game Night, 6:00pm
Our Temple Shalom family continues to grow. As it does so, our members’ needs and our support for them evolves. For years, we have had a Membership Committee, whose focus included recruiting new members, providing information/welcoming prospective and new members, and connecting them with our clergy and staff. In partnership with our clergy and staff, we are building a new framework to help all of our members feel like they truly belong to our community. Our new Belonging Committee has evolved from and replaces the former Membership Committee.
Rabbi Ackerman, in her Yom Kippur morning sermon, reminded us of the value of showing up (as Andy Mark will tell you, it could quite literally save your life!). “Show up,” she said, “and let someone know what is on your neshama (your soul), and ask them what is on theirs. We need each other. We are not meant to journey alone.”
Congregant Simon Heil affirmed this value in his message, telling us that if not for two warm and welcoming members who enthusiastically greeted him, not only might he not be a member here, but he might not even be Jewish. As a sacred community we know the value of belonging—and we find it in our relationships with each other: a friend or friendly face to sit with at services; the parent of a student in your child’s religious school class; people with whom we play Mah Jongg or discuss a book or volunteer at Shepherd’s Table. Being involved is the way we form our sense of belonging.
This fundamental value of belonging is at the core of the Belonging Committee. The committee’s efforts to support and strengthen the sense of belonging will include: • planning events to help connect members with resources, various groups and events, and meet new people;
(continued from previous page)
• helping create new affinity groups and chavurot;
• creating a list of folks who will show up in small ways, like being a greeter at services and events, or offering to attend a service, event, or meeting with a new member; and
• other ideas you may have.
As Rabbi Ackerman urged, we make these things happen by showing up. If you have ever felt a sense of belonging at Temple Shalom, whether
Temple Shalom Softball Team
by Jim Goldstein
Perhaps unknown to many of our members, Temple Shalom - in combination with the nearby Ohr Kodesh Congregation - fields a team in the 14-team Suburban Maryland Synagogue Men’s Softball League. Most recently, the team played Spring/Summer 2024. While we finished in last place this season, we were competitive in numerous games and were a tough out in the playoffs. This was our 10th season in the league.
Our Temple team members include Peter Howard, Will Hochman (and son Izaac), Heath Winter, Jeff Feuer, Sam Molar, Stephan Sylvan, Jason Spencer, Shawn Sullivan, Matthew Breman, Dharshan Neravanda, Lionel Lourenco, Matt Andelman, Jeff Seldin, Andrew Davis, Mitch Kramer and Mike Gurevich. This year we added new members including Zachary Segal (aka “new Zack”) and Zachary Drescher (aka “Shortstop Zach”).
New players (over 18 only) are welcome and strongly encouraged to join us next season, including parents from the Early Learning Center. We play doubleheaders against other synagogues in our area on Sunday mornings from April through late-June. Players at all
through being involved with a committee, chavurah or affinity group, attending services or events, or just forming friendships with other members, please consider giving back by joining the work of this newly repurposed Belonging Committee. Click here to get involved or simply for more information!
We look forward to you joining our efforts and supporting the Belonging Committee by being a friendly face at Temple Shalom.
levels of experience are welcome. We have equipment and extra gloves, and our team motto is “No one gets hurt!”
Please contact Team Manager Jim Goldstein for more details or to be added to our roster for next season. We hope to see some new faces on the field this coming Spring.
Check Out a Buried Treasure!
by Vivan Kramer, Temple Shalom Librarian
Below the main sanctuary of Temple Shalom lies a treasure that belongs to all of us—Temple Shalom’s library, home to around 6000 books. All are available to our congregants and may be checked out!
There is a large selection of reference materials for study of Jewish texts, commentary and scholarly works related to Torah, Biblical writings and later rabbinic luminaries, as well as books on all branches of Judaism in its many forms. It includes adult fiction and nonfiction titles. There are books on the Jewish holidays, cookbooks, biographies, classic Jewish titles, books donated by congregants and books written by current and former members of Temple Shalom. The selections of our Temple book club through the years are
also on the shelves. Children’s interests are also fully represented, including board books for toddlers, picture books, chapter books and non -fiction.
Books are selected through a variety of sources and donations. Suggestions from Rabbi Ackerman, Rabbi Josh, Rabbi Potts, and our wonderful teachers appear on the shelves. Did you know that Rabbi Ackerman’s sister, Sara Holly Ackerman, an author/librarian in Brooklyn, has recently written a lovely children’s book - Challah for Shabbat Tonight? Of course we have it. We also purchase many of the Association of Jewish Libraries Sydney Taylor Book Award books and many books reviewed in Hadassah Magazine.
Please check out our library. Offer suggestions of specific titles and subject areas that interest you, donate books, or click here to ask questions. Come by and enjoy reading!
Tikkun Olam Committee
by Betsy Kingery and Fran Paver, Co-chairs
Two climate-related activities that we are focusing on this year are Sacred Grounds and Temple Shalom’s Food Policy.
Sacred Grounds is an interfaith program sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation. Its goal is to offer a practical way to put our Jewish values into action by caring for our world through native plant gardening, both here on Temple grounds and at our homes. By planting native plants, we help sustain our declining populations of beneficial insects such as birds, bees and butterflies. Naomi Edelson, Senior Director of Wildlife Partnerships at the National Wildlife Federation and Director of the Sacred Grounds program, will be speaking at Temple Shalom’s Climate Day of Learning on February 9. To learn more and to get involved, click here to email us.
At the request of Temple Shalom’s President, the Tikkun Olam Committee is working to develop a draft food policy for the Board of Trustees’ consideration. Our long-standing
policy is simply that food served at Temple functions must be Kosher-style (no pork or shellfish). The Tikkun Olam Committee would like to recommend a food policy that reflects our Jewish values and our commitment to preserve the planet. Should the Board adopt a vegetarian or pescatarian policy, or any other restrictions, for functions sponsored by and held at the Temple? This effort will be a process including reaching out to multiple corners of the congregation for your input, suggestions, and concerns. If you want to share your thoughts before then, please email us. Note that any proposed policy will not include changes to rental arrangements with either outside parties or Temple members.
To keep informed about our monthly meetings, advocacy work and other activities, read our monthly newsletter, which is emailed to all Temple Shalom members, typically on the third Monday of each month.
January
1
Mary Hubbard
Adam Kahn
Mendelsohn
Alex Ruda
Max Ruda
Gabriel Ruda
Ella Sherr
Deborah Sitrin
2
Raymond Budd
Caroline Coillberg
Alma Doggett
Victoria Fleischer
Jonas Forman
Samuel Kulp
Janet Meyers
Isabel Miller
Erin Schmeltz
Evan Steinberg
Dianne Tencer
Jay Varon
3
Sarani Neravanda
Jade Palosky
4
Sarah Altschuller
Claudia Blumenstock
Edward Feinberg
Adeline Kahn
5
Amanda Armstrong
Ari Joshi
Andrew Kulp
Jessica Kulp
Julia Miller
Jessica Rath
Alexis Schwartz
Sarah Segal
BIRTHDAYS
January - March
Sam Segal 6
Juliet Mellow 7
Jennifer Alexander
Eliza Bevington
Gabriela Cohen
Linzi Greenfield
Nate Harvey
Alexandra Slade 8
Maxwell Dennis
Catherine Graham
Max Hutton 9
Audrey Korvin
Rachel Miller 10
Adam Hansell
Adam Secunda
Gordon Shaw
Solomon S Silver 11
Jacob Farley 12
Jesse Glickstein
Sandra Kagen
Sela Nesin
Jud Nirenberg
Ethan Schwartz
Ethan Schwartz
Henry S. L. Shapiro 13
Rebecca Bennett
Jayrel Goldberg
Claire Guzman
Ryan J Mulhovo
Rory Schloss
Robin Small
14
Ellison Beasley
Todd Christiansen
John Jones
Adrienne Lohe
Max Rogers
15
Alan Braun
Charles Fleet
Adam Germaine
Todd Harvey
Ruth Jernigan-Goldberg
Beatrice Letnes
Andrew Leventis
Carol Milwit
Gabriel Udell
Josh Weinstein
Robert Yetvin
17
Ada Ahuja-VanTassel
Brian Altman
Jack Lowe
Simon Prager
Philip Slade
Daniel Slade
Diane Wechsler 18
Steven Meyers
Rabbi JoHanna Potts
Jonathan Reeves
Cheryl Terwilliger 19
Devlin Coillberg
Sabrina D’Aubermont
Alan Field
Daphne Goldberg
Ron Hershkowitz
Lena Lourenco
Jordan Reimer
20
Jesse Kirsch
Ilana Rocke
Kim Solomon
Scott Solomon
Elan Strait
Susan Walsh
Peter Wolk 21
Samuel Molar
Remy Schachter 22
David Bortz
Amelia Letnes
Sophie Weinstein 23
Jonathan Akman
Karen Green
Will Yetvin 24
Jonah Elinoff
Rachel Jones
Temma Kanowith
Rachel MacKnight Jones
Jerry Milwit
Peter Sarasohn 25
Benjamin Dunn
Joshua Haselkorn
Sharon McGowan
Amaya Neravanda
Elizabeth Ruby
Mimi Segal
Doreen Sterling 26
David Naimon
Emily Pickren
Izak Safir
Meredith Santora 27
Richard Reeves
Michael Schwartz
28
Julie Frager
Niko Kehler
Justin Polin
Abigail Rose
Shana Young
29
Danielle Bennett
Steven Schleien
30
Jenna Bushnell
David Fogel
John Landesman
Janet Max
Marc Weinstein
Carrie Wright
31
Alisa Abadinsky
Stephanie Frankel
Rebecca Rehr
Rebecca Reznek
February
1
Kathryn Campana-Scherer
Berinna Doggett
Andrew George
Leela Joshi
Betsy Mendelsohn
Barbara Rosenblatt
2
Benjamin Auerbach
Peter Vaena
3
Daren Ansher
Stephen Carraco
Madeline Choe
Allison Haselkorn
Benjamin Polin
Elijah Reeves
BIRTHDAYS
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4
Oliver-Ray Solomon
5
Rabbi Joshua Gischner
Randall Luttenberg
Margot Patton
Jamie Sullivan
Richard Weitzner
6
Julia Goldberg
Kieran Liftik
Risa Shargel
7
Benjamin Beraha
Rose Hanlon
Jeff Lidz
Micah Rose
8
Dana Bederson
Lev Gerber
Stephen Horowitz
Sopan Joshi
Myles R. Levin
Liev Mitchell
Beryl Tretter
9
Gregory Koblentz
Daniel Prager
Julie Shargel
Noah Wexler
10
Jude Campana-Scherer
Laura Dennis
Harrison Dennis
Greg Doggett
Rebecca Kaufman
Ethan Wexler
11
Elia Safir
Andrew Schwartz
Alexa Spencer
12
David Bernstein
David Kornbluth
Miriam Noyce
Naomi Noyce
13
Lewis Clayman
Melvin Eck
Mackenzie Efrom
Leona Goldberg
Karl Held
Laura Jacobs
Anya Mayer
Jacob S. L. Shapiro 14
Adam Horowitz
Eloise M Joselow
Reed Leventis
Florence Margolis
Jennifer Stoy 15
Todd Frankel
Stephanie Fried
Tamara Hayford
Jocelyn O’Rourke
Jeffrey Steger
Gregg Trilling 16
Robyn Schulhof
Ruth Stuart
Mira Sylvan
Ella H Sznajder
Jerry Taylor 17
Jasper Armstrong
Eric Tencer 18
Maria Franco
Glenn Germaine
Daniel Hutton
19
Mikaela Greenwald
David Levine
Bina Maayan
Maxwell Schleien
Mark Secunda
Valerie Segal
Ruby Spencer
Jason Wexler 20
Rafael Davis
Linda Frager
Jessica Safier
Grace Wolgamont 21
Amy Nelson
Beverly Potter 22
Barbara Saragovitz
Felicia Widmann 23
Iris Campana-Scherer
Isabelle Fannon
Maria Hegstad
Jeremy Kanthor
Karen Reznek
Clifford Schwartz
Jacob Wolgamont 24
Juliette Bravin
Ashir Coillberg
Amanda Eisen
Dana Fisher
Lena R Griffith
Rachel F Griffith
Joshua Milton
Sophia Morse
Rhoda Schulzinger
Nathaniel Seale
Leah Sullivan
25
Maurice Axelrad
Howard Berger
Rebecca Davis
Logan Kramer
26
Noah Dalbey
Hillary Goldman
Kira Jaramillo
Adam Nadelhaft
Juliette Poulin-Ramsdell
Marilyn Ripin
27
Leo Gitterman
Allen Robinson
Louisa Schwartz
Katherine Walsh
28
Cara Ansher
Phoebe Arbogast
Elias Cohen
Iftach Pearlman
Gabriel Schaner
Ethan Seldin
Joel Singer
Jonathan Wanicur
March
1
Dorothy Feiock-Golden
Gregory Fenves
Ruti Kadish
Carol Kahn
Susan Lott
Jeffrey Max
2
Sarah Goldman
Sami Kanthor
Amir Nasser
Stacey Palosky
Melanie Shumate
Loree Trilling
Lindsay Wise
BIRTHDAYS
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3
Sherry Ansher
Michael Forman
Steven Goldfarb
Dawn Reeves
4
Bernadette Altman
Aaron Gordon
Rochelle Granat
Joshua Klein
Sam Lidz
5
Allen Blackman
Laura Blumenthal
Samuel Field
Joshua D Lustig
Steven Wechsler
6
Ruby H Goldman
Izaac Hochman
Julie Knoll
Brian Price
Sophie Sherr
7
Katrina Goldman Young
8
Aviva Breman
Eli Frankel
Linda Gurevich
David Margolis
9
Miles Glickstein
Salome Thomson-Taxy
John Wilson
10
Frances Cook
Michael A Feinberg
Amy Harfeld
Maya Lerman
Seth Maiman
Kyra Schachter
Lorraine Silsbee
11
Segev Berner-Kadish
Jared Cohen
Nathan Horowitz
Madeline Howard
Lisa Varon 12
Tamara Galinsky
Oliver Howard
Kassandra
Poulin-Ramsdell 13
Stuart Core
Elise Kaplan
Susan Shanberg 14
Nicholas Ceresa
Ben Chandler
Franz Cleemann
Eliana Maia-Goldstein
15
Leah Davis
Connor Fannon
Leon Fogel
Mathew Green
Mathew Green
Margaret Liftik
Craig Palosky
Eugenie Parker
Megan Weiner Mansfield 16
Asher Frankel
Amit Nathan
Rosalie Weinstein
Robert Winokur 17
Susanna Arbogast
Elliot Fleischer
Nathan Gehl
Melissa Goutos
Elessar Issenberg
18
Madelynn Elin
Reed G Goldman
Barry Harris
Cyrus Kurs
Andrea Manchester
Gabrielle Matus
Walter Miller
Helen Rosenkrantz
Jase Schwartz
19
Robert Goodman
Jill Greenstein
Garrett Nada
Jacob Nadelhaft
Harry Schwirck
20
Michael Brownlie
Ilana Maiman
Jessica Smith
21
Guillermo Cintron
David Miller
Judith Pichler
22
Kinneret Ackerman-Singer
Laurie Faber
Shana Gerber
Allison Hicks
Jane Rosov
23
Barbara Jacobowitz
Lillie M Reisman
Randall Rubin
Rush Seale
24
Isaac Pajor
Ezra Schwartz
Lane Tapley
25
Hazel Dog
Rosalyn Leiderman
26
Jonah Cohen
Carol Fenves
Jacob Rains
BIRTHDAYS
(continued from previous page)
Rachel Steger
27
Craig Lustig
28
Olivia Elinoff
Bella Portillo
29
Zachary Segal
Noah Singer
30
Benjamin Cohen
Olivia Harvey
Sofia Maia-Goldstein
Daniel Nadelhaft
Albert Pajor
Vinnie Yankowski
31
Rebecca Schwartz
Stefanie Wanicur
TEMPLE SHALOM FUNDS
Tzedakah is a central mitzvah of Judaism. Donors benefit as much as, or more, from giving as does the recipient. Donating tzedakah can recognize a special event, honor an individual, memorialize a loved one or community member, or thank the Temple or an individual for something particular. All contributions made to Temple Shalom funds are fully eligible for a tax deduction, and all amounts are welcome.
TEMPLE SHALOM GENERAL FUND
These gifts have great impact due to their flexibility and help ensure that our Temple is open to all regardless of financial ability.
CAPITAL FUND
Capital projects to support ongoing long-term work to improve our building and grounds.
TEMPLE SHALOM ENDOWMENT FUND
HONORING RABBI
EMERITUS BRUCE E. KAHN
Supports the long-term financial health of Temple Shalom for generations to come.
CLERGY MITZVAH FUNDS
This is a traditional way to say thank you for support with a life-cycle event or other personal guidance, service, or inspiration. Clergy use them for tzedakah projects at the clergy’s discretion.
Senior Rabbi Rachel Ackerman
Cantor Ze’evi Tovlev
Rabbi Educator Joshua Gischner
Rabbi Emeritus Bruce E. Kahn
SPECIAL PURPOSE FUNDS
There are 12 Special Purpose
Funds, each uniquely dedicated to support specific projects and/or activities to supplement Temple funding.
David Mark Gildenhorn Fund
Scholarships for Temple youth to participate in programs in Israel.
Adele D. Lewis Memorial Teachers Fund
Professional development for religious school teachers and betterment of the religious school.
Burton Hoffman Memorial Fund
Special projects to support our Temple community related to worship, education, youth engagement, life cycle events, films/media presentations, and adult b’nai mitzvah program.
David Rivkind Memorial Flower Fund
Floral/other decorations for Temple Shalom’s services/ programs and general beautification of Temple and its grounds.
Eli Newberger Speakers Fund
Speaker programs for Temple Shalom including its Brotherhood.
Herman Rosenfeld Memorial Resettlement Fund
Funds or loans to Jewish immigrants resettling in the United States; support Temple’s pursuit of social justice (including Mitzvah Corps).
Levinsohn-Feinberg Youth Educational Program Fund
Scholarships for Temple members to attend Jewish summer camps and programs for Temple youth.
Oscar Felker Memorial Educational Enrichment Fund
Educational enrichment for adults and youth, including scholarships for college/ rabbinical/cantorial school, special projects for the religious school, purchase of books/reference materials, educational trips for members, and Scholars-in-Residence.
Sigmund Mayer Jr. Prayer Book Fund
For the purchase of prayer books, ritual items, and other ways to enable participation in religious services at Temple Shalom.
Phyllis and Stanley Nehmer Fund for Special Events
Temple programming/special events to expand Judaic knowledge, social interaction, continuing education, and arts enrichment.
The Tretter Family Music Fund
Support Temple music programming including Artistsin-Residence, scholarships for song leaders, shaliach tzibur, music training camps, musical community outreach, commissioning of music for Temple Shalom, musical education for Temple music groups, and audio-visual equipment not covered through other means.
Torat Shalom Fund
Torah-related education and programming including Shabbat morning Torah study.
To make a donation click here.
Donations may also be mailed to Accounting Manager, Temple Shalom, 8401 Grubb Rd., Chevy Chase, MD 20815. Please specify the occasion or person being honored or remembered, the fund for your donation, and the name and address for who should be informed of your contribution.
DONATIONS
September - November
Tzedakah humanizes both the giver and the recipient. It acknowledges an important occasion, thanks someone for a particular thing, or pays tribute in sympathy. Temple Shalom thanks all who have generously donated to our community. These acknowledgements do not include donations to our Capital Campaign, which will be acknowledged separately.
IN LOVING MEMORY
Harvey & Fran Berger & Family in memory of Norman Shulman, Murray Berger and Irving Borscher
Steve Berlin & Janet Paz-Berlin in memory of Arthur Berlin, father of Stephen Berlin
Bruce & Jeanne Bernard in memory of Joan Betty Michaels Bernard and Gida Michaels
Wilma Braun & Victor Schneider in memory of Jack Braun
Edith Caro in memory of Joseph Caro
Joy Chapper & Yolanda Ellis in memory of Adelaide R. Chapper
David & Sherry Doggett in memory of Mildred Doggett
Danilo Feliciano in memory of Erica Lynn Blouin and Sylvia Estrella Feliciano
Jeff Freedman in memory of Evelyn Aptaker
Gloria Blankenship in memory of Mildred Selsky
Robert & Alice Goodman
Stuart & Jeannette Gordon in memory of Felicia Sierra
Jill Greenstein & Russell R Wheeler in memory of Bill Barger and Miriam Wexler
Norman & Joan Gurevich in memory of Irving Sirota
Laurence & Jacqulyn Hefter in memory of Claire Zimand Miller
Karl Held & Fran Paver in memory of Louis Held
Joan Kalin in memory of Aaron Caplan, Esther Hamburger, Hannah Hamburger, Stanford Hamburger and Bessie Kalin
Lynn & Temma Kanowith in memory of Sally Kanowith
Fred & Marie Kaplowitz in memory of Benjamin Kaplowitz
Scott Kravetz in memory of Ian Goodrich, Mary Kravetz and Sidney Goldstein
Myles R. Levin in memory of Albert Levin and Hanna Sukiennik
Walter & Rachel Miller in memory of Emily Rapp
Barry Molar & Juliet Mellow in memory of Anita Mellow, Clara Molar Nathan, and Bruce Mellow
Jerry & Deborah Nedelman in memory of Sam Nedelman
Richard & Robin Payes in memory of Dottie Stevens and Leon Payes
Myra Posin in memory of Anne B. Platshon
Allen & Pauline Robinson in memory of Jerome Casper
Rachel Robinson in memory of Irving Robinson
Lydia & Peter Schlosser in memory of Leroy Lebowitz and Geraldine Lebowitz
Martin & Carolyn Shargel in memory of Lillian Small and Elliot Small
Benjamin Smith & Doreen Sterling in memory of Rose Trepel and Paul Sterling
David Stern in memory of Sara Stern
Lane Tapley in memory of Evelyn Al and Maria Munro
David Weissel in memory of Sam and Mildred Weissel
Richard Weitzner & Vickie Gaul in memory of Louis Weitzner
Rita Zucker in memory of her father Irving Kamenker and Jerome Kamenker
DONATIONS
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HIGH HOLY DAY APPEAL
Rabbis Rachel Ackerman & Jake SingerBeilin
Dina Anchin & Austin Wray
Matt & Jen Andelman
Melanie Aron
Marcy Baskin in honor of the Baskin and Clarke families
Harvey & Francine Berger
Kenneth & Sheila Berman
Ben & Mica Bevington
Emma Brownstein
Marly Camargo
Jeff Casper
Monique Christian
Glenda Cohen-Green & George Green
Micaela & Stuart Core
Phyllis & Thomas Dietz
David & Sherry Doggett
Paul B. Ellis
Michelle Ertischek
Marc & Anne Feinberg
Danilo Feliciano in memory of Erica Lynn
Blouin and Sylvia Estrella Feliciano
Ely & Sheila Fishlowitz
Harold Genkin
Glenn Germaine & Anita Andrade
Susan Gordon
Jimmy Harris
Simon Heil & Daniel Escavage
Ron & Lynda Honberg
Peter & Allison Howard
David & Sandra Kagen in memory of our parents Philip & Lillian Rubin and Ethel &
Benjamin Kagen
Joan Kalin
Harold & Anne Kanthor
Julie Kaplan & Dennis Auerbach
Fred & Marie Kaplowitz
Karen Karl & John Heidema
Carol Jimenez
Betsy & Bill Kingery
Rita Klein
Richard & Vivian Kramer
John Landesman & Linda Aldoory
Jonathan & Dana Larkin
Maya Lerman & Todd Harvey
Myles R. Levin
Jeff Lidz & Tonia Bleam
Maggie & Michael Liftik
Craig Lustic & Pete Carter
Randall Luttenberg & Heidi Lovett
Peggy MacKnight
Ellen Marcus & Andy Sfekas
Sharon McGown & Emily Hecht-McGowan
Walter & Rachel Miller
Joshua & Suzanne Milton
Jerry & Deborah Nedelman
Megan & Austin Parker
Eric Pianin & Laurie McGinley in honor of Larry & Irene Pianin
Justin Polin & Lisa Heiser-Polin
Beverly Potter
Victoria Rocha
Jonathan Rose & Sage Hulsebus
Howard & Katie Rosenberg
Jane Rosov
Lisa & Rudy Rudacil
Steven Schleien & Deborah Szyfer
Michael & Diane Schwartz
Alan & Amy Shaffer
Evan Sheppard
Brian & Robin Shiffrin
Troy & Jessica Smith
Francoise & Jefferson Stovall
Brian & Mickey Strum in honor of our daughter, Beth Strum, our grandson Myles Strum and our granddaughter Rayna Strum.
Carl & Beryl Tretter in honor of our great Rabbi & Cantor
Soching Tsai & David Kornbluth
Jay & Robin Varon
Joshua & Megan Weiner Mansfield
Lori Weinstein in memory of Lila & Richard Barth and Anita & Calvin Weinstein, beloved parents & grandparents
DONATIONS
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Ruth Weinstein
Michael Weiss
Laura Wides-Munoz & Carlos Munoz
Rachel Zimmerman
GENERAL FUND
David & Robin Alpher
Susan Raanan & Robert Fleischer
Juliana & Ethan Horowitz
Gary & Rosalind Houseknecht
Peter & Allison Howard
Gloria Kitay
Rita Klein
Jerry & Deborah Nedelman
Joan Oppenheimer
Vicki Rocha
Benjamin Smith & Doreen Sterling
For Religious School Support
Emily Berger & Adam Wolgamot
Ben & Mica Bevington
Eric d’Aubermont & Judith Pichler
Rachel & John Jones
Katie Kronick & Michael Wilson
Jonathan & Dana Larkin
Beile Lindner & Jorgen Cleemann
Victoria Rocha
Hilary Schenker & Damian Da Costa
Benjamin Smith & Doreen Sterling
Rachel Zimmerman
RABBI BRUCE E. KAHN ENDOWMENT FUND
Maurice & Pearl Axelrad
Marlene & David Trossman in honor of Rabbi Kahn
CLERGY DISCRETIONARY FUNDS
Rabbi Rachel Ackerman Mitzvah Fund
Marissa Brodney & Amir Meiri in honor of Simone Flora Brodney Meiri’s baby naming and our family’s entrance into the Temple Shalom community
Karl Held & Fran Paver to celebrate Phyllis Dietz’s birthday
Katherine & David Naimon with thanks for Rabbi Ackerman’s outstanding job officiating at Judith Sandberg Naimon’s graveside funeral service
Allen & Pauline Robinson in memory of Lillian Robinson
Bela Saxonov Moore in support of prayers for Irina and Bela
Lori Weinstein with thanks for Rabbi Ackerman’s wonderful officiating at Shoshanna & Stephen’s wedding
Cantor Ze’evi Tovlev Mitzvah Fund
Jerry & Deborah Nedelma in honor of Rabbi Ariel Tovlev’s Bet Midrash
Lori Weinstein in honor of Cantor Tovlev’s beautiful voice and presence at Shoshanna & Stephen’s wedding.
SPECIAL FUNDS
Adele D. Lewis Memorial Teachers Fund
Laurie Nada in honor of Shiran Grace Nada’s consecration
Oscar Felker Memorial Educational Enrichment Fund
Joan Kalin in honor of great-grandson Lior Nada
Sigmund Mayer, Jr. Prayer Book Fund
The Cyrus Katzen Foundation, Inc.
The Tretter Family Music Fund
Joan Kalin in memory of Judith Sandberg Naimon
CONDOLENCES
September-November
Family of Edwin Cohen
Former President of Temple Shalom
Michelle (Jared), Jonah & Elias Cohen
On the death of father and grandfather, L. Effman
Family of Carole Ruth Jason Founder of Temple Shalom
David (Kathy), Andrew & Rebecca Naimon on the death of mother and grandmother, Judith Sandberg Naimon
David (Carol Weiss) & Ella Peal on the death of mother and grandmother, Ethel Peal
Katie, Aaron, Daniel (Lanting Qin) & Chance Rosenberg on the death of husband, father, and grandfather, Howard Rosenberg
Aaron (Alexis), Lyla & Talia Schwartz on the death of mother and grandmother, Susan Schwartz
Susan, Brian (Karen) & Chuck (Sarah) Shanberg, & Sarah (Lane) Marquardt & Vincent, Danielle, Grace & Lily Shanberg on the death of husband, father and grandfather, Allan J. Shanberg
