B'nai Israel Congregation

Start this special day of tikkun olam (repairing the world) with morning minyan at 9:00 AM and special projects beginning at 10:00 AM. There will be grade-specific projects for our Talmud Torah and Day School students, as well as projects for community members of all ages. More information will follow in the Scroll and the Community Connections publications. Contact our chairs if you would like to organize a special project for Mitzvah Day. Online registration begins in October at www.bnaiisraelcong.org/mitzvahday.]

For an ancient text intended to set boundaries and impart values, the Torah contains many narratives which include episodes of, let us say, less than exemplary behaviors. During this class we will explore family narratives and relationships in the Book of Bereshit. We’re pretty sure your religious school didn’t focus your attention on these stories. Please bring a copy of the Torah with an English translation.

To attend this service, please contact Allison to reserve your space.

with Steven Ortiz, Director of the Lanier Center for Archaeology at Lipscomb University and Co-Director of the Tel Gezer Excavation Project Wednesday, December 15 8:00 PM Eastern via Zoom Add to Calendar Zoom Event The rather recent discovery of a fortress at Khirbet Qeiyafa and the possibility that it was built by King David has reignited the debate on the United Monarchy and state development in Judah. This presentation will coalesce recent archaeological research in the south of ancient Israel, with emphasis placed on the results of recent excavations at Tel Gezer. Archaeological findings and a re-reading of the biblical text demonstrate that the northern Shephelah was a key region in the expansion of Judah toward the coastal plain during the Iron Age IIA (circa 100-800 BCE). In addition, archaeological research in the Shephelah is now expanding our knowledge of the contested border between Philistia and Judah and the various boundary shifts throughout the Iron Age. The emerging archaeological record, along with several biblical accounts such as David and Goliath, King David’s defeat of the Philistines at the Battle at Baal-Perazim, and Solomon’s many border fortifications, show evidence of a planned westward expansion. How to Access the BAF/BASONOVA Zoom Lecture Series If you wish to subscribe to the lecture series, please access the BASONOVA PayPal portal and use a credit card for an annual subscription ($35 per family). Go to: http://www.basonova.org/ membership-form.html It is also possible to access the series one lecture at a time, for $7 per lecture. To reserve your single-lecture Zoom spot for this event, go to: http://www.basonova.org/ next-lecture-reservation.html

The Answers to Your Questions and Then a Whole New Set of Questions A multi-denominational journey into the heart of Judaism taught by seven Metro DC-area rabbis representing the Reform, Conservative and Orthodox movements. No matter your background, the Miller Intro to Judaism Program, developed by American Jewish University, is here to guide you on your Jewish journey. Whether you’re soul-searching or seeking your community, the Intro Program will walk you through Judaism’s big ideas and the nuts and bolts of daily Jewish living. We know you have questions—so do we—and we can’t wait to discuss them all with you. Join us in person or participate online!

The Jewish people are no strangers to exile. This course will explore key moments in the history of the Jewish diaspora, beginning with the Jews of Sepharad in 1492. This class will take you on a journey into the lives of Jewish communities and families in the various cosmopolitan societies of the diaspora. What brought the Jews to situate themselves in these particular regions? What were the circumstances that led to our storied past as a people who flourished and struggled in the diaspora? Participants will receive a copy of Allen Levine’s Scattered Among the Peoples, which will be the “textbook” for the course. To enrich each class and ensure a lively discussion, participants are asked to read one chapter each week. Questions for discussion and reflection will be sent in advance of each class. Fred Jacobs is Professor Emeritus of Education at American University where he was a faculty member and administrator for over thirty years, serving as University Dean of Faculties, Dean of the School of Education, and Director of the Doctoral Program.in Education. Previously, he taught at Denison University, the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and the City University of New York. He has a B.A. from Dickinson College, and M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, and was a Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard University. In 2007, he was a Fulbright Scholar in Romania where he had an opportunity to explore his maternal ancestry in the Carpathian Mountains of Romania. He and his family are long-time members of Congregation Bnai Tzedek. Ira Lieberman Ph.D., who has been President and Chief Executive Officer of LIPAM International, Inc., since October 2004. In this capacity he has advised governments, not-for-profit institutions, and private companies. Much of his advisory work has been focused on the microfinance sector. Ira worked for the World Bank in Washington DC from 1993-2004 and from 1985–1987 in several positions. Ira has a BA from Lehigh University an MBA from Columbia University and a Ph.D. (D.Phil.) from Oxford University.

Each grade leads significant components of our Shabbat Morning Youth & Family Services, demonstrating their mastery of the prayers and offering insights on the weekly Torah portion.

Join us on selected Saturday mornings for discussions about the weekly Torah parsha. Interested in leading a session? Contact Wendy Fanaroff (wfanaroff@gmail.com).

Now offered almost every week, Family Minyan includes spirited prayer, an engaging Torah reading, and lively conversation about the weekly Torah portion. This service is organized by our shlicha, Netta Asner-Minster, who leads it alongside Rabbi Mitchell Berkowitz, and Moshe Ben-Lev, Educational Director.