B'nai Israel Congregation

B’nai Israel clergy teach our 6th grade students about the mitzvah of tefillin, including how to properly wear them. Tefillin will be available for purchase at a generous discount thanks to the generosity of the Dollye and I. Wolford Berman Educational Initiative Grant. These workshops are open to all B’nai Israel 6th graders.

An opportunity for parents to meet with Rabbi Cheryl Stone to discuss parenting joy and frustration, concerns and aspirations all within a Jewish context. Open to all parents regardless of their child(ren)’s school enrollment.

Jamie will share her story navigating grief, and how creating beautiful art helped her to heal. She will then lead us in an art workshop, where each participant will design an original piece on paper with ink employing Jamie’s creative method of using sterile IVF needles to create the art. JAMIE BLICHER is a self-taught artist who began her creative journey in high school and continued at New York City’s Fashion Institute of Technology. Her primary medium is ink on paper, which she applies using sterile IVF needles—tools often associated with hope for families. This innovative technique allows her to create vibrant, abstract pieces. Since 2016, Jamie has focused on supporting those navigating infertility, using her art to bring comfort and joy. Her work was featured in the 2017 exhibition by The ART of Infertility. She lives in Bethesda, MD, with her husband, twin boys, and their playful labradoodle, Gem. This program is made possible by the generosity of the Dr. Wayne I. Bernstein Minyan and Healing Endowment, which is dedicated to creating initiatives and enhancing opportunities for healing and support services.

$35/person (transportation included) Laser tag, arcades, roller coasters, and more! Join Machar for an amazing trip to Adventure Park USA.

$25/person Come and splash around with your friends in the pool at the Bender JCC!

*Every Monday when B’nai Israel offices are open.

B’nai Israel’s Hineini Annual Campaign sustains us. To celebrate and honor our community’s commitment, all supporters of our 2024–2025 Hineini Annual Campaign are invited to a special Hineini Campaign THANK YOU Reception in advance of the B’nai Israel Annual Meeting. www.bnaiisraelcong.org/hineini

Join us to hear the Annual Report on the state of the Congregation and to elect the Slate of Officers and Governors for 2025–2026. All members are encouraged to attend this important meeting.

Join us as we continue our study of 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.

$36/member; $50/nonmember The Degenerate Art exhibit (Entartete Kunst) opened on July 19, 1937 in Munich. Showcasing what the Nazis considered to be the ‘art of decay’, it featured over 650 pieces from a collection of nearly 20,000 works confiscated from German museums. Most artists represented were masters of modern art, including figures like Marc Chagall, Paul Klee, Pablo Picasso and Oskar Kokoschka, as well as German artists like Max Beckmann, Georg Grosz, and even Emil Nolde, who was himself a Nazi Party member. This course will examine the antisemitic history and ideology behind the exhibit while exploring the art and artists at its heart. NAOMI DAREMBLUM, originally from Costa Rica, is a specialist in Latin American and European history. She has held teaching appointments at New York University and the New School. She is currently teaching courses on history, art and politics at Montgomery College’s Life Learning Institute and Johns Hopkins Osher program.

Wednesday, February 5 (continuing 14 more weeks, concluding May 28) 7:00–8:30 PM at Ohr Kodesh Congregation $150/person (includes textbook) Whether you want to learn more about your heritage, are considering converting, or are eager to incorporate more Judaism into your life, this course is for you. Throughout this 15-week course, students of all ages and backgrounds explore significant topics: rituals, holidays, Torah and values. Each cohort is guided by a multi-denominational team of rabbis who bring the past, present, and future together—including B’nai Israel’s own Rabbi Michael Safra, Rabbi Mitchell Berkowitz, and Rabbi Cheryl Stone. Presented by The Haberman Institute for Jewish Studies.

Join fellow Men’s Club members over drinks and discussions. B’nai Israel’s Kashrut policy requires that food served in non-kosher restaurants must be dairy or parve.

Designed for the youngest members of our congregational family, Tot Shabbat meets weekly to sing, learn, and pray together with Tot Shabbat leaders, Morah Juliann Goldman and Lily Pollack. Beginning July 1, this service is followed by a Family Kiddush.