B'nai Israel Congregation

Following the trail of an unexpected family connection, acclaimed journalist Pam Fessler has unearthed the lost world of the patients, nurses, doctors, and researchers at Carville who struggled for over a century to eradicate Hansen’s disease, the modern name for leprosy. Amid widespread public anxiety about foreign contamination and contagion, patients were deprived of basic rights―restricted from leaving Carville, and often forbidden from contact with their own parents or children. Neighbors fretted over their presence and newspapers warned of their dangerous condition, which was seen as a biblical “curse” rather than a medical diagnosis. One particular patient, Stanley Stein, helped improve so many people’s lives around the world within the confines of Carville. Carville’s Cure demonstrates the necessity of combating misinformation and stigma if we hope to control the spread of illness without demonizing victims and needlessly destroying lives. A light breakfast will be served. Hosted by Sisterhood and the Blumberg-Zalis Family Library.

$10/person Join us for pizza and ice cream galore, as we say see you next year to Bonim and Machar!

Join a Powerful Conversation Across Oceans American & Israeli Women Together on One Screen In the midst of Israel’s ongoing conflict, Israeli women, both active-duty and reserve, are carrying an extraordinary burden. They serve on the frontlines and the home front, balancing military duty, motherhood, careers, and a deep sense of mission. We invite you to a meaningful Zoom conversation with these inspiring women. Hear firsthand stories of resilience, sacrifice, and purpose. Understand the emotional and physical challenges they face, and connect with their strength, determination, and hope. This is more than a dialogue, it’s a bridge between communities. Your presence matters. Your support matters.

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

The Other Story (1 hr. 52 min.; subtitles) A suspenseful, poignant, and humorous story told through the eyes of two rebellious young women from two troubled families that tangle in the most unexpected ways in Jerusalem. As the characters warring personal convictions and intimate anxieties clash, the secular and religious world views they hold dear also come to embody the struggle for identity reflecting present-day Israel.

Songs for the Brokenhearted by Ayelet Tsabari 1950, thousands of Yemeni Jews have immigrated to Israel in search of a better life. In an overcrowded immigrant camp, amid chaos and uncertainty, Yaqub and Saida fall in love, however, Saida is married and has a child. In 1995, thirty-something Zohara, Saida’s daughter, has been living in New York City and has little contact with her family until her sister calls and tells her their mother has died. She returns to Israel and learns of her mother’s secret romance in a dramatic journey through lost family stories, revealing the unbreakable bond between a mother and a daughter. “A gorgeous, gripping novel filled with unforgettable characters.”

Oregon Book Award-winning playwright Andrea Stolowitz opens the pages of her great-grandfather’s journal to discover a previously unknown genealogy. How do you find home when a family history is scattered like the torn pages of a journal entry released to the wind? Stolowitz searches for clues that propel her forward and backward in time, pursuing a family history formerly lost to war. In a breathtaking journey around the world, what will remain lost and what will be found at the intersection of national history and private lives? For questions or to purchase tickets, contact Nancy Eig (eignancy@gmail.com).

Join us at B’nai Israel for a post-show discussion of The Berlin Diaries, led by Eric Luftman, B’nai Israel member.

Join together with other like-minded individuals for a morning of crafting and schmoozing. Bring whatever project you are currently working on (knitting, crocheting, needlepointing, drawing, scrapbooking, origami, or other creative technique). We meet in the library, which has comfy chairs and ample table space, on the second Thursday of the month. For more information and to RSVP, contact Melissa Menschik (mblochmen@gmail.com).

12:00 PM BYO Dairy Lunch 12:30–1:30 PM Program Join the end-of-year celebration with Cantor Josh and accompanist Pablo Duchovny. They will entertain with a wonderful combination of Jewish, Israeli, and Broadway songs.

6:15 PM Shabbat Services 7:00 PM Dinner 8:00 PM Guest Speaker Josh Maxey Joshua Maxey is the Executive Director of Bet Mishpachah, DC’s LGBTQ+ Synagogue. Building communities of inclusivity and belonging is Josh’s passion. Josh is a member of Washington Hebrew Congregation where he sits on the SEA Change Racial Equity Committee, Co-Chair of the Internal Audit Committee, co-leader of the Jews of Color Cohort, and the Board of Directors. Josh is also a member of the Board of Directors for the National Bell Festival, an organization that works to restore bells and towers throughout the Washington, DC area, the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, and the Edlavitch DCJCC.

Join us on selected Saturday mornings at 9:00 AM for discussions about the weekly Torah parsha. Interested in leading a session? Contact Wendy Fanaroff. September 9 – Nitzavim/Vayeilech with Eric Luftman September 23 – Ha'azinu with Wendy Fanaroff October 14 – Breshit with Alan Siegel October 28 – Lech Lecha with Fonda Lowe November 4 – Vayera with Matt Lowe November 11 – Chaye Sarah with Adrienne Rulnick December 2 – Vayishlach with Rabbi Stone December 16 – Miketz with Judy Saks January 6 – Shemot with Rabbi Safra January 20 – Bo with Larry Kravitz

These services are for the post-b’nai mitzvah teens of B’nai Israel. Our teens help to organize the service and lead it, often including tefillah and discussion, with support from staff and clergy.

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.