B'nai Israel Congregation

A new year and a new tractate of Talmud! Join us to study Tractate Berakhot which includes a comprehensive discussion of the Shema and Amidah, the essential components of the prayer service. Newcomers are more than welcome to join us. No prior knowledge is necessary.

As part of our work with AIM we are hosting listening sessions through the end of February with members whose interests and engagement span the congregation. SEA Change members are being trained to facilitate these conversations which last 30-45 minutes based on the size of the group. During the sessions we break into small groups and each group will have a trained Facilitator leading the session to hear each other’s stories and listen for the issues and problems that keep us from being our best selves. Every member of the group will be asked to answer the following two questions: What is keeping you and your family from thriving Jewishly? What is keeping you and your family from thriving? These sessions are happening across all AIM member congregations and Montgomery County and so by the end of this campaign in February, we will have engaged over 3,000 people that will set our institution and AIM’s agenda for the coming years. More information and direction will be provided at the time of the session. When participating, it is important that we hear everyone’s voice via this campaign so it is helpful to think about our two questions in advance of participating in a session.

Presented by Benjamin Sommer Professor of Bible, Jewish Theological Seminary, Senior Fellow Kogod Center for Contemporary Jewish Thought of the Shalom Hartman Institute The most important event in the history of the Jewish people is the exodus from Egypt. According to biblical and liturgical texts, this event shaped the nation more than any other; it formed the foundation of Jewish identity in the ancient world and continues to do so today. But did this crucial event actually happen? Many voices in recent decades have claimed that the story of the exodus is a fiction and that the events it portrays did not in fact occur. In the popular press and other media, one often hears the claim that archaeological evidence disproves the exodus story. In this lecture Professor Sommer will address these questions, showing, first of all, that people who make these claims are unaware of the nature of archaeological evidence and what it can and cannot prove. Second, people who make these claims seem to be largely unfamiliar with the actual archaeological evidence from Egypt in the second-millennium BCE. Professor Sommer will review some of that evidence, which shows that the biblical traditions about the exodus preserve facts about Egypt at that era. In light of the mass of much earlier information found in biblical portrayals of the exodus, it is overwhelmingly likely that the biblical texts preserve genuine historical data about an event in which ancestors of the Israelites escaped slavery in Egypt. Cosponsored by The Haberman Institute for Jewish Studies. Arnold and Mary Hammer are proud to sponsor this program in loving memory of Rabbi Reuven Hammer.

Although the text of the Bible was fully “standardized” only in the 8th–9th century CE, the books of the Bible have been written down more or less in their final form much earlier and were known already by 200–100 BCE. Therefore, it is fascinating to look at other authors who re-tell the biblical stories (in particular the Torah stories) that we are all familiar with. In this course we will look at two such re-tellers who are not connected and are at least 500 years apart. On one hand we will look at the way the historian Josephus Flavius re-tells the biblical stories in his book The Antiquities of the Jews, written around 93–94 CE. We will compare it with the way the Quran (told and written down around 609–650 CE) re-tells these stories. As we will see, while by the time of Josephus, the Jewish Midrash was not yet fully developed and therefore has little influence on his writings, by the time Muhammad re-tells the stories and tailors them to his theology, the impact of Jewish Midrash on these stories is substantial.

You’re invited to join us for discussion and reflection about the search process and our vision for the education department. This discussion will not be recorded or available via Zoom.

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!

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.

Celebrate our congregation’s commitment to inclusion of all community members, and hear from Rabbi Lauren Tuchman about the importance of this work both within our own community and beyond. 9:00 AM – Shabbat Morning Services with D’var Torah by Rabbi Tuchman 12:30 PM – Lunch and Learn: The Torah of Human Dignity and Disability with Rabbi Tuchman In this session, we will explore two texts from the Babylonian Talmud that feature individuals with disabilities exercising personal autonomy and agency after their dignity has been violated. Come draw parallels between these stories and the lived experiences of people with disabilities today. Ancient texts can lend us tremendous tools for navigating these difficult, yet all-too-common interpersonal situations. Rabbi Lauren Tuchman is a sought after speaker, spiritual leader and educator. Ordained by The Jewish Theological Seminary in 2018, she is, as far as she is aware, the first blind woman in the world to enter the rabbinate. She provides consulting to individuals and organizations across the Jewish community on a variety of matters pertinent to disability access and inclusion. She has taught in numerous synagogues and other organizations across North America. She was named to the Jewish Week’s 36 under 36 for her innovative leadership concerning inclusion of Jews with disabilities in all aspects of Jewish life. In 2017, she delivered an ELI Talk entitled We All Were At Sinai: The Transformative Power of Inclusive Torah. She is a participant in the Institute for Jewish Spirituality’s Clergy Leadership Program. In 2020, she was honored by the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance (JOFA).

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.

Exact Time & Location TBD