B'nai Israel Congregation

A new year, a new director of youth engagement, a new opportunity to meet up with B’nai Israel friends!

B’nai Israel will be providing a dinner for the 35 residents of the Crabbs Branch Interfaith Works Women’s Shelter. We need your help in supplying various parts of the meal. The items can be purchased or prepared in your home. They should serve 6 to 8 people and be in disposable pans. There will be various opportunities for drop off of your items.

Most people would agree that there is no empirical evidence for the existence of God. Some would suggest that this lack of empirical evidence is a barrier to religiosity, while others would assert that this is precisely one of the challenges that faith presents to its adherents: to believe in something without complete knowledge or understanding. A person of faith does not need evidence, facts, or data to affirm belief in a greater power. For centuries, theologians from Rambam to those of today have tried to bridge the divide between our religious beliefs and our empirical knowledge of the physical world. In this kick-off community conversation, a panel of B’nai Israel’s very own clergy and scientists will address the core issues at the heart of this discussion about science and religion. Panelists include Dr. Fredric Messing, Dr. Marni Hall, Rabbi Michael Safra, and Rabbi Cheryl Stone. Moderated by Rabbi Mitchell Berkowitz. Dr. Marni Hall is a biomedical research scientist, professor, and former regulator that lives with a chronic and degenerative illness. Being Jewish helped her to become an innovative researcher. Dr. Fredric Messing is a former Associate Professor of Physics at Carnegie Mellon University. Dr. Messing serves as a congregational gabbai, reads Torah, leads services, and has pursued extensive independent study in Jewish text.

Kol Nidre, the most well-known prayer at the most well-attended service of the year, is really a very odd piece of liturgy that doesn’t seem to fit at all with the rest of the service. In fact, some progressive Jews in the 19th century tried to get rid of it entirely. Where did Kol Nidre come from, why is it (still) here, and how can we make it meaningful today?

Sarit Scott is a retired law enforcement officer with the Montgomery County Police Department who now works as a fraud compliance specialist for M&T Bank.

Come socialize and schmooze!

Havdallah at 9:15 PM Program at 9:30 PM Selihot Service at 10:45 PM Enter into the High Holiday season with inspiring arrangements of traditional Jewish tunes for virtuoso solo violin, bringing together the rich Jewish musical tradition together with the virtuosic violin tradition of Niccolo Paganini and others. Between the works you will hear stories, words of Torah, and other thoughts pertaining to the music. Dr. Yonatan Grinberg’s artistic integrity, passionate delivery, and unabashed idealism coupled with vast musical knowledge make Grinberg a favorite of both frequent and first-time concert goers. For eight years Grinberg toured and performed with the Arab-Jewish Youth Orchestra in Israel and Europe. The experience of seeing first-hand how the music acted as a healing power has affected him deeply as a musician and as human being, devoting himself to using music to mend hearts and make the world a better place. Since 2015 Grinberg has been the founder and musical director of the Chamber Encounters concert series. Dr. Grinberg earned a Doctorate of Music degree in the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore with Violaine Melancon and a Master of Music from the Chicago College of Performing Arts.