Winter Wrap Up 2023

We had six Batei Midrash with Rav Natan this past winter. Each session was dedicated to learning about a unique topic in depth. Rav Natan loves to teach about a diverse range of topics, making Judaism relevant to our lives. Participation is always highly encouraged, with additional time given on providing a space that allows us to hear everyone’s voices during these deep conversations. (Scroll to the bottom of the page for links to recordings of the Batei Midrash.)

20s and 30s – Rav Natan has been meeting individually with multiple members and potential members in our community who are in their 20s and 30s. As we see more and more people moving to Arlington, we are working hard to build a solid group of this demographic and welcome them into our community. Rav Natan and Morah Miriam have worked together on offering meaningful, fun programs for this demographic, including home-hosted Shabbat dinners, and a Pesach Seder, with even more on the way.

In January, we had a book discussion about the book Tough Jews: Fathers, Sons, and Gangster Dreams by Rich Cohen led by a member of the congregation. It was fascinating to learn about Jews in organized crime – how they got into it, what they did, and the impact years later.

Many of us enjoyed a game night geared towards adults, playing a team game, a funny game, and learning how to play Ticket to Ride. It was an evening of fun and laughter hanging out with CEH friends – and was especially great for us board game enthusiasts.

Brett Drucker from Own Your Palate presented an incredible evening of Kosher for Passover wine tasting. We improved our wine tasting skills and learned about what makes a wine Kosher for Passover. Brett also provided delicious wine pairing suggestions to enhance our Passover seder experiences.  

Thank you to everyone who came out for our Annual Casino Night Fundraiser. While there were many winners at the tables, we think it’s safe to say the biggest win was the support that our community provided to ensure CEH’s continuity in the years to come. 

 

Creatures, humans, and friends of all sorts, including  wizards, Mario & Luigi, a couple Pikachus, superheroes, and more, came together for games, an ice cream sundae bar and lots of fun! Thank you to the Ainspan Family for making our annual Purim Shpiel and Carnival so magical! 

Additional Programs From This Past Winter Included: 

  • Lunch & Learns
  • Community walks & bike rides
  • Friday night Shabbat services for Families with Young Children
  • Monthly Minyan Tzair (formerly Jr. Congregation for 3rd-6th graders)
  • A visit to National Museum of American Jewish Military History
  • Young adult Shabbat dinners
  • Home-hosted Havdalah
  • Hanukkah Parties (in-person and virtual)
  • Torah discussions with Rabbi Emeritus Marvin Bash
  • Book Club with Sharon Beth Bronheim – Tough Jews: Fathers, Sons, and Gangster Dreams
  • A class with Ken Ackerman: Fathers and Sons, Politics and Scandal: the Jewish Experience in 1800s NYC

Click the links below for access to the Beit Midrash recordings:

 

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2920 Arlington Blvd, Arlington, VA 22204

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