Safety and Respect: Creating Harassment-Free Jewish Spaces in the Wake of the #MeToo Movement
Monday, November 18 | 7:30 PM
Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School – Annette M. and Theodore N. Lerner Family Upper School Campus
11710 Hunters Lane | Rockville, MD 20852
Please RSVP: cesjds.org/safetyandrespect
There is no cost to attend.
Capital Camps Fall 2019 Tour Dates!
December 8
It’s never too early to begin your summer adventure. Our Fall tour dates are set for Sundays at 2:00 pm: October 6, November 3, and December 8. Click here for more details and join us at camp to see what the magic is all about!. You can also visit www.capitalcamps.org for more information about camp. Please reach out: info@capitalcamps.org or 301-468-2267 – we’d love to connect with you! Can’t wait to see you at camp!
Shoresh Hebrew High School Open Houses
Sunday, December 8 | 5:30 PM
Join us to learn about a unique Judaic Studies Program for teens in grades 8-12 attending
secular schools in the Washington D.C. area.
Open Houses begin at 5:30 PM
Please RSVP to Shoreshhebrewhigh@gmail.com OR 301-828-1912
Shoresh Hebrew High School Shoresh builds a strong
foundation for students to become critical
thinkers about our Jewish heritage, to find a sense of
shared community and destiny among all Jews, and to
meet the challenges of American Jewish life.
Special Pop Up Event
The Jew in the Lotus: A 25th Anniversary Retrospective
Sunday, December 8, 2 – 3:30 PM
Oseh Shalom, 7515 Olive Branch Way, Laurel, MD 20707
Register here.
Retired scholar, Rodger Kamenetz shares what he learned about Judaism from the Dalai Lama. His book, The Jew in the Lotus describes the historic dialogue between rabbis and the XIV Dalai Lama as a lively, funny and profound exchange. The Jews came to help a people in exile with wisdom about survival, in exchange they saw their own tradition as illuminated in the eyes of an acknowledged Buddhist master. What endures for Kamenetz after all these years are certain moments of sacred encounter, of holy dialogue, and which has now led him to look for the sacred in dreams, in Jewish practice, and in the teachings of Rebbe Nachman. Rodger will give the big picture of the dialogue and his personal wrestling with its implications and will invite the audience to share their own questions– and answers.
This program is free and open to the public. Advance registration is requested. Visit our website at www.HabermanInstitute.org or call 301.770.4787 to learn more or to register.
Fiddler on the Roof
Tuesday, Dec. 10 – Sunday, Dec. 15
National Theatre
http://thenationaldc.com/events/category/series/fiddler-on-the-roof/
Tony-winning director Bartlett Sher and the team behind South Pacific, The King and I, and 2017 Tony-winning Best Play Oslo, bring a fresh and authentic vision to beloved theatrical masterpiece FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, from Tony winner Joseph Stein and Pulitzer winners Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick. The original production won ten Tony Awards, including a special Tony for becoming the longest-running Broadway musical of all time. You’ll be there when the sun rises on this new production, with stunning movement and dance from acclaimed Israeli choreographer Hofesh Shechter, based on the original staging by Jerome Robbins. A wonderful cast and lavish orchestra tell this heartwarming story of fathers and daughters, husbands and wives, and the timeless traditions that define faith and family. Featuring the Broadway classics “Tradition,” “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Sunrise, Sunset,” “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” and “To Life,” FIDDLER ON THE ROOF will introduce a new generation to this uplifting celebration that raises its cup to joy! To love! To life!
Recommended for ages 8 and up.
Run time: Approximately 2 hours, 55 minutes including one intermission
Jews in America: Insiders and Outsiders
Melton Scholars Course
Mondays, 7:15 – 8:45 PM, Oseh Shalom, Laurel MD
10-week session beings October 28
This course provides students with the opportunity to consider the challenges of Jewish acculturation to American life, and the sacrifices as well as the contributions that have been made over the past 200 years. Lessons will explore education, the Three Generation Hypothesis, Anti-Semitism and the Holocaust, Zionism and the State of Israel, the Civil Rights Movement, and other issues that address American and Jewish culture and identity.
Instructor: Rabbi Gary Fink
Learn more and register here.
Bible for Skeptics: Ancient Texts, New Perspectives, Session #2
Haberman Institute Course
Tuesdays, 7 – 8:30 PM, Bender JCC
4-week session begins Nov. 5; Prior enrollment is not a pre-requisite
Many of the classic Biblical stories can be viewed through both a traditional lens and a modern scholarly lens. We will compare these varying perspectives on select stories and see what new meanings we can discover. Where applicable, we will also see how other religions view the same story and text.
Instructor: Gideon Amir
Learn more and register here.
Justice for All? Ethics from Our Bible
(Sessions in both Arlington, VA and Potomac, MD) Wednesday, November 5 | 7:30 – 9 PM | Etz Hayim Synagogue, Arlington, VA
Tuesday, November 5 | 7:30 – 9 PM | Etz Hayim Synagogue, Arlington VA
Wednesday, November 6 | 7:30 – 9 PM | Har Shalom, Potomac, MD
The Hebrew Bible radically changed the course of ethical thought and came to exercise enormous influence on Jewish thought and law while also providing the basis for Christian ethics and the broader development of ethical thought in modern Western civilization.
Join us as Professor Jeremiah Unterman discusses how the ethics of the Hebrew Bible represent a significant moral advance over Ancient Near East cultures. He will elucidate how the Bible’s unique conception of ethical monotheism, innovative understanding of covenantal law, and revolutionary messages from the prophets form the foundation of many Western civilization ideals. Discover how these timeless biblical texts connect to the persistent themes of our times: immigration policy, care for the less privileged and attaining hope for the future despite destruction and exile. This program is free and open to the public. Advance registration is requested. Learn more and register here.
Learning on Wheels: The “Notorious RBG” and the Supreme Court’s Jewish Justices
Monday, November 11 | 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM | The National Museum of American Jewish History, Philadelphia, PA
Join us as we visit the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia. From Brandeis to Kagan, there have been eight Jewish Supreme Court Justices – so far. In addition to its regular collection, we will view the new “Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg” exhibition. On the ride there, local scholar and attorney, David Epstein, will share the stories and influences of all eight Jewish justices.
Registration includes morning coffee, museum ticket, a private tour of the “Notorious RBG” exhibit, a kosher lunch, the charter bus, and driver’s gratuity.
The bus will depart from and return to Ohr Kodesh Congregation.
Spaces are limited! Learn more and register online here.
Gap Year Fair Tour
November 13 | 6:30 – 8:30 PM | Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School – Annette M. and Theodore N. Lerner Family Upper School Campus
Join Masa Israel Journey as we go on tour! One of our Gap Year Fair stops this year is Rockville – we’re excited to bring you an evening of food, raffles, and a chance to learn about your opportunities to get to Israel!
For more information contact Stephanie Aseraph, Mid-Atlantic Regional Manager & Gap Year Segment Manager, at StephanieA@MasaIsrael.org
40th Annual Interfaith Concert
Thursday, November 14 | 7:30 – 9:00 PM
Washington Hebrew Congregation
3936 Macomb St, NW, Washington DC
Honoring Dr. Siva Subramanian, Physician Leader, Medstar Georgetown University Hospital and Georgetown University Medical Center and Hindu Faith Leader
FEATURING PERFORMANCES BY
MUVVA KUCHIPUDI DANCE SCHOOL (UNITED HINDU-JAIN TEMPLES)
SHRINE OF THE SACRED HEART CHOIR (ROMAN CATHOLIC)
HERITAGE SIGNATURE CHORALE (PROTESTANT)
SOULFIRE (CHRISTIAN PRAISE BAND)
KOLOT HALEV (JEWISH)
SIKH KIRTANI JATHA OF GURU GOBIND SINGH FOUNDATION (SIKH)
COMBINED CHOIR DIRECTOR: CANTOR RAMÓN TASAT
Tickets: https://www.ifcmw.org/programs/concert
Annual Fall Tea
Sunday, November 17 | 3:00 – 5:00 PM
Beth El Congregation, 8215 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda, MD
Forgotten Transports
Testimonials of Bystanders to Deportations
Lukas Pribyl, Czech Embassy Counsel, and Filmmaker
Lukas Pribyl, grandson of Holocaust survivors, will discuss his award-winning series of documentaries, Forgotten Transports. Through interviews and testimonies of the “bystanders,” he describes the history of deportations of Jews to the little-known camps and ghettos the Nazis established in occupied Baltic states, Belarus, and Poland. These films received numerous prizes, including the Czech Academy Award (Lion).
Lukas Pribyl has published widely on Jewish history and was a scriptwriter and advisor for Czech TV. Former Director of the Czech Centre in Tel Aviv, he is currently head of the Public Diplomacy Department at the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Washington, D.C.
Member fee: $15
Non-Member fee: $20
First, email genafterevents@gmail.com
Then, pay online at https://www.genafterdc.com/donations or send a check to: Generations After, Inc. PO Box 2121, Rockville, MD 20847
Become a member of Generations After at https://www.genafterdc.com/membership
Israeli Social Transformation: What’s Next?
Tuesday, November 19 | 7:30 – 9 PM | American University Center for Israel Studies, Butler Board Room Dr. Calvin Goldscheider, one of the world’s leading demographers and sociologists focusing on Israeli society, will reflect on subjects he explores in his acclaimed 2015 book Israeli Society in the Twenty-first Century: Immigration, Inequality, and Religious Conflict. From the socio-economic inequalities affecting both the expanding ultra-Orthodox population and the Israeli Arab community (which now comprises over 21% of the nation’s citizens), to the massive impact of Soviet Jewish immigration, to the growth of its high-tech sector, Israel exemplifies the challenges of maintaining a pluralistic society in a region fraught with political and cultural tensions.
Dr. Strauss, a professor of modern Jewish history and literature, will engage Dr. Goldscheider in a wide-ranging conversation about how his findings illuminate many of Israel’s current issues. Going deeper than the usual political prescriptions, the discussion will demonstrate that such research-based analysis can help us to more fully understand – and hopefully ameliorate – some of the most profound challenges faced by the Jewish State.
This program is free and open to the public. Advance registration is requested. Learn more and register here.
Back to the Future: A New Look at Deuteronomy, Trimester #2
Haberman Institute Course
Sundays, 10:30 AM – Noon, Bender JCC
10-week trimester begins December 8; Prior enrollment is not a pre-requisite
The book of Deuteronomy is written primarily as three long speeches by Moses just before his death. There are two particularly fascinating aspects of this book. First, Moses retells the story of the Exodus and and the tribal wanderings in the desert in his words (with some interesting twists and changes). Then, Deuteronomy embarks on a shift in the theology of the earlier Torah books. As such, this book becomes the foundation of the biblical theology which emerges throughout the rest of the Hebrew Bible.
In this course, we will compare the biblical styles of the first four books of the Torah with Deuteronomy and later texts, as well as how both traditional and modern biblical scholars viewed them.
Instructor: Gideon Amir
Learn more and register here.
Strangers in Strange Places: Jewish Refugees from Central Europe in the Late 1930’s
Wednesday, December 11 | 7:30 – 9 PM | Kehilat Pardes, Rockville, MD
Noted historian Dr. Marsha Rozenblit will share her insights into the plight of Jews fleeing Nazi Germany and Austria in the late 1930’s who sought visas to any country that would accept them. While most hoped to go to the United States, Great Britain, or Palestine, many ended up in places that were indeed strange for people who had lived in Central Europe. In such havens as Bolivia or Shanghai, they sought to make new lives for themselves while coping with difficult climates, cultures that were profoundly foreign to them, and deep longing for home. Mostly, they recreated a German-speaking, Central European Jewish culture. While grateful that they had found a refuge from Nazism, they never integrated into the societies in which they lived. Dr. Rozenblit will explore how these immigrants coped and why they did not integrate into their new communities of refuge.
This program is free and open to the public. Advance registration is requested. Learn more and register here.
Tango Under Jewish Stars
Sunday, December 15 | 4 – 5:30 PM | Adat Shalom Congregation
Featuring Hazzan Dr. Ramón Tasat and guest artists
Did you know that the Argentine tango evolved out of the immigrant culture of the late 19th Century? It began in Buenos Aires and spread throughout the “Río de la Plata,” the geographic area that connects Argentina and Uruguay. Immigrants from Italy, Spain, Russia, Poland, and Germany (including individuals from Jewish origin) flooded the country and they brought with them their musical influences, fusing them together into this new, exciting genre.
Beginning in the 20th Century, the tango became increasingly more popular throughout the world. Jews embraced the genre as well, composing beautiful renditions in Yiddish, Russian, Ladino, and Hebrew. Join us for a musical travelogue of this enchanting dance of life.
Learn more and purchase tickets online here.
Seasons & Reasons: Hanukkah
Wednesday, December 18 | 7:30 – 9 PM | Bender JCC, Rockville
Casting Light Into Darkness: Hanukkah as a Jewish Response to Trying Times, with Rabbi Jack Luxenburg
Hanukkah is a powerful expression of Jewish values at times of difficulty and darkness. This is true whether in terms of the season, critical moments in Jewish history, or during trying times in our personal lives. It is also a popular holiday linked to a complicated narrative rife with unforeseen consequences. Who were the Maccabees and what did they stand for? What did they accomplish? How do Jewish sources respond to them? Why did our sages keep the Book of Maccabees out of the Bible? Learn how the Maccabees, their story, and “The Festival of Lights” can be relevant and meaningful to us today beyond the simple joys of candle lighting, latkes, “gelt” and gift-giving.
This is not a “how to celebrate” class; rather, it frames rituals as responses to the human condition, which we benefit from by revisiting each year.
Spaces are limited! Learn more and register online here.
Join An NIH Study
on Anxiety and how to better understand it – learn more here
for Healthy Adults to explore how the brain and body work when people feel anxious – learn more here
Enjoy a summer of limitless fun, friends, memories, and more at Capital Camps! Don’t miss out on opportunities for children and/or the whole family at Capital Camps this summer. Experience Limitless Adventure: on our brand new static tower, the ropes course, our beautiful lake and aquatics center, sprawling sports fields, impressive arts offerings, and more. Get a taste of camp at Yotair (Rookie Camp) and Family Camp (August 16-18), or during traditional 2-4 week sessions. New camper grants are available! Learn more at 301-468-2267 or on an upcoming tour. Visit capitalcamps.org for more information or to RSVP for a tour.
2019 Dash Through the Dirt 5K, 10K, & Half!
We’re excited to help local Maryland Criminal Attorney Kush Arora in supporting the EOD Warrior Foundation through the 2019 Dash Through the Dirt 5K, 10K, & Half! The race proceeds will benefit the foundation as they help our military facing injuries and illnesses.
To register for the race, please click here.
Montgomery County Child Welfare
Montgomery County Child Welfare is always seeking new foster parents. Areas of greatest need are families that can take sibling groups and teenagers. Foster parents are people who are committed to the safety and well-being of all children in their community. If your family is interested in becoming a licensed foster home, please visit our website at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/fosterparent or contact our foster parent recruiters at 240-777-1664 or fprecruiter@montgomerycountymd.gov.
MentorPrize recruits mentors for various non-profit organizations in the Washington region that serve a broad range of constituencies — from at-risk-youth to immigrants struggling to gain a foothold in the job market. It is aggressively working to identify quality mentors for its partners, which is why it is reaching out to the Bender JCC community.
Research confirms that mentoring relationships have powerful positive effects on mentees in a variety of personal, academic and professionals situations. The benefits extend to the mentors as well — improving their morale, communication skills, and emotional well-being. But finding a meaningful mentoring opportunity can be daunting given the region’s dizzying array of programs. MentorPrize has taken the time to assess dozens of these programs. It is well-positioned to match you with a program that suits your interests and takes into account your time constraints and preferred location.
Go to www.mentorprize.org for more information or fill out a MentorPrize application. Are you ready to make a difference?
Disability Partnerships
Disability Partnerships is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Rockville, Maryland that seeks to improve the quality of life for persons living with physical disabilities. They created a survey on the health and wellness needs of the physically disabled in our area. Click here to take the survey.
IAC Eitanim
Innovate. Create. Lead. If you are a high school student and are interested in developing your leadership and professional skills while working with leading experts on tangible projects, you are IAC Eitanim! Learn from mentors in marketing, television news, and CEOs. Apply today by visiting www.israeliamerican.org/eitanim!
For more information, contact: washington@israeliamerican.org
Experiential Education & Jewish Cultural Arts Master’s Program
at George Washington University is Currently Accepting Applications!
This is the only master’s program of its kind in the United States. We offer an intensive 13-month, cross-disciplinary curriculum combining coursework in Jewish cultural arts, experiential education and museum education. Graduates will be prepared for careers in Jewish museums and arts institutions, JCCs, college campus organizations, summer camps, and other innovative educational and cultural settings.
Qualified applicants receive up to 85% tuition support, thanks to the generous support of the Jim Joseph Foundation and George Washington University.
Partnering theory with practice, and the classroom with fieldwork, the EE/JCA curriculum enables students to become competent, creative, and reflective professionals. The program:
- Inspires students to develop exciting and relevant programming for a range of audiences
- Offers a year-long series of internships at cultural arts and educational institutions
- Develops professional skills including budgeting, grant writing, workplace collaboration, and effective communication
*Applications need to be submitted by February 1 for funding consideration.
For more information visit: gsehd.gwu.edu/programs/masters-experiential-education-and-jewish-cultural-art
Jews United for Justice, a nonprofit in DC, is currently recruiting for an Executive Assistant. Would you be able to share this job opening with members of your community? Thank you!
JOB POSTING: https://jufj.org/executive-assistant/
