News
Tikkun Leil Shavuot
Saturday, June 4th, 8:00 PM – Midnight. In-person. One of the most famous traditions of Shavuot is to dedicate a night of study to prepare ourselves to receive Torah again. This is called a Tikkun, an enhancement, an upgrade on our spiritual software to be better partners with God in creating a better world. Amazing speakers, teachers, musicians, and food! Stay tuned for more information about it soon.
Walking and Biking Groups
Join us for our new walking and biking groups on Sunday mornings. We travel to a local coffee shop for snacks and shmoozing; check the CEH calendar page for times.
Last Day of Religious School and Congregational Party
Sunday, May 22nd, 12:30 PM. In-person. The entire congregation is invited to celebrate the last day of Religious School. Join us for Family Minyan at 11:45 AM. Stay for make-your-own ice cream sundaes and shmoozing.
Sisterhood Meeting
Sunday, May 22nd, 11:00 AM. In-person and online. Join us to discuss the future of the sisterhood! More than 30 people recently responded to our survey about potential interest in the Etz Hayim Sisterhood, with ideas on its future name and scope. Come to a kick off meeting in the library upstairs to help select events and begin planning its future. Please register to get the Zoom link if you prefer to attend remotely.
Family Shabbat Service Celebrating Yom Haatzmaut
Friday, May 20th, 5:15 PM. In-person. Congregation Etz Hayim invites you to a family Shabbat service celebrating Yom Haatzmaut (Israel Independence Day) for families with young children (age 6 and younger). Don’t forget to RSVP. Masks are required for this event due to multiple recent COVID cases in the CEH Preschool. Sponsored by the David Schwartz Fund.
Omer Learning: Day 33: About Shemitah
The Count Tonight we count the following day of the Omer: Today is 33 days, which is 4 weeks and 5 days of the Omer See: The blessings and procedure for counting the Omer. Today’s Learning The…
Torah Study with Rabbi Bash – May 17th
Tuesday, May 17th, 2022, 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM. Online. Join CEH Rabbi Emeritus Marvin Bash for an ongoing series. Future sessions may meet in person.
Omer Learning: Day 32: A More Restful Shabbat
The Count Tonight we count the following day of the Omer: Today is 32 days, which is 4 weeks and 4 days of the Omer See: The blessings and procedure for counting the Omer. Today’s Learning The…
Omer Learning: Day 31: Assisting Animals
The Count Tonight we count the following day of the Omer: Today is 31 days, which is 4 weeks and 3 days of the Omer See: The blessings and procedure for counting the Omer. Today’s Learning The…
Omer Learning: Day 30: Improving our Environment
The Count Tonight we count the following day of the Omer: Today is 30 days, which is 4 weeks and 2 days of the Omer See: The blessings and procedure for counting the Omer. Today’s Learning The…
Omer Learning: Day 29: Assisting Animals
The Count Tonight we count the following day of the Omer: Today is 29 days, which is 4 weeks and 1 day of the Omer See: The blessings and procedure for counting the Omer. Today’s Learning The…
Spring Membership Meeting
Sunday, May 15th, 10:15 AM. In-person and online. Get updates. Get involved. Join us for our state of the congregation meeting to hear from synagogue leadership and committees. There will be plenty of time for Q&A. It is time for the election of our Board of Directors for 2022-2023. Pre-registration is required in order to vote, whether you are coming in-person or joining online. Each member participating must sign up to vote with an individual email address. The registration deadline is Friday, May 13th at 12:00pm. Zoom information is provided upon registration.
The Jews of Tin Pan Alley
Saturday, May 14th, 2022, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM. In-person. An exploration of the lives and music of celebrated Jewish songwriters, whose achievements would come to dominate that body of work known as the "Great American Songbook.” We’ll discuss the lives, careers, and music of such luminaries as the Brothers Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin, Harold Arlen, and more. Live performances from Seth Kibel will make this program as exciting as the music itself.
Omer Learning: Day 28: A More Restful Shabbat
The Count Tonight we count the following day of the Omer: Today is 28 days, which is 4 weeks of the Omer See: The blessings and procedure for counting the Omer. Today’s Learning The topic of today’s…
Omer Learning: Day 27: Striving for Equity
The Count Tonight we count the following day of the Omer: Today is 27 days, which is 3 weeks and 6 days of the Omer See: The blessings and procedure for counting the Omer. Today’s Learning The…
Omer Learning: Day 26: Assisting Animals
The Count Tonight we count the following day of the Omer: Today is 26 days, which is 3 weeks and 5 days of the Omer See: The blessings and procedure for counting the Omer. Today’s Learning The…
Omer Learning: Day 25: Striving for Equity
The Count Tonight we count the following day of the Omer: Today is 25 days, which is 3 weeks and 4 days of the Omer See: The blessings and procedure for counting the Omer. Today’s Learning The…
Omer Learning: Day 24: Assisting Animals
The Count Tonight we count the following day of the Omer: Today is 24 days, which is 3 weeks and 3 days of the Omer See: The blessings and procedure for counting the Omer. Today’s Learning The…
Tenement Museum Virtual Tour
Monday, May 9, 2022, 6:30 - 7:30 PM. Online. Step back in time with a tour of the Tenement Museum on New York’s Lower East Side. Learn the story of the Rogarschevsky family, a Lithuanian Jewish family who lived in the Museum’s building in the early 1910s. This is the final event in this year's Book Club, which focused on the Jewish immigrant experience in New York City’s Lower East Side.
Omer Learning: Day 23: A More Restful Shabbat
The Count Tonight we count the following day of the Omer: Today is 23 days, which is 3 weeks and 2 days of the Omer See: The blessings and procedure for counting the Omer. Today’s Learning The…
Omer Learning: Day 22: Assisting Animals
The Count Tonight we count the following day of the Omer: Today is 22 days, which is 3 weeks and 1 day of the Omer See: The blessings and procedure for counting the Omer. Today’s Learning The…
Omer Learning: Day 21: Striving for Equity
The Count Tonight we count the following day of the Omer: Today is 21 days, which is 3 weeks of the Omer See: The blessings and procedure for counting the Omer. Today’s Learning The topic of today’s…
Lunch & Learn with Mike Stein: Facing Holocaust Deniers
Saturday, May 7th, 12:00 – 1:00 PM. In-person. Michael Stein traveled as a volunteer to Auschwitz-Birkenau to gather evidence to be used in a trial to discredit Holocaust deniers. Mike will describe his trip, what he found, and what resulted from his participation.
Spirits Tasting Recap
We learned the difference between “whiskey” (used in the US and Ireland) and “whisky” (used in Canada and Scotland) as 21 of us joined Brett Drucker on Sunday, April 24th to gain some knowledge about whisk(e)y and taste a bourbon, a rye, a malted scotch, and a peated scotch. It was a great inauguration of the bar cart donated by Jeanne and John Howard (see it going forward after Shabbat services).
Omer Learning: Day 20: Improving our Environment
The Count Tonight we count the following day of the Omer: Today is 20 days, which is 2 weeks and 6 days of the Omer See: The blessings and procedure for counting the Omer. Today’s Learning The…
Omer Learning: Day 19: A More Restful Shabbat
The Count Tonight we count the following day of the Omer: Today is 19 days, which is 2 weeks and 5 days of the Omer See: The blessings and procedure for counting the Omer. Today’s Learning The…
Omer Learning: Day 18: Improving our Environment
The Count Tonight we count the following day of the Omer: Today is 18 days, which is 2 weeks and 4 days of the Omer See: The blessings and procedure for counting the Omer. Today’s Learning The…
Omer Learning: Day 17: A More Restful Shabbat
The Count Tonight we count the following day of the Omer: Today is 17 days, which is 2 weeks and 3 days of the Omer See: The blessings and procedure for counting the Omer. Today’s Learning The…
Omer Learning: Day 16: Striving for Equity
The Count Tonight we count the following day of the Omer: Today is 16 days, which is 2 weeks and 2 days of the Omer See: The blessings and procedure for counting the Omer. Today’s Learning The…
Yom Ha’Shoah Commemoration: Testimony from Peter Gorog
Sunday, May 1, 10:30 AM. Online. Yom Ha’Shoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) falls on April 28, 2022. The full name of the day commemorating the victims of the Holocaust is “Yom Ha’Shoah Ve-Hagevurah”— literally the “Day of (Remembrance of) the Holocaust and the Heroism.” Our students are fortunate to still have the opportunity to hear stories of survival directly from Holocaust survivors. This year we have two opportunities for them to participate. The second testimony will be given by Peter Gorog, who was born in Budapest, Hungary, in 1941. He survived the Budapest ghetto. This session will be attended by 5th through 7th graders in the Religious School, but all are welcome.
Adio Querida: A Celebration of Sephardic Music in Memory of Flory Jagoda
Sunday, May 1, 2022, 3:30 PM. In-person. Agudas Achim Congregation, 2908 Valley Drive, Alexandria, VA. A musical tribute to long-time CEH member Flory Jagoda, the “flame-keeper of Sephardic music.” $18/person ($20 at the door), $36/family. All tickets will include a link to a rebroadcast of the concert that can be viewed anytime between May 19 and June 2.
Torah Repair Event Recap
Last Sunday, we welcomed soferet Alexandra Casser into our Sanctuary where we joined her in the process of writing a Sefer Torah. It was a blast! “Thank you all for your generosity and for making Sunday’s event a great success! For those of you who were able to come in person, I hope you enjoyed the experience of helping to repair our Torah while learning a bit about the process from our Soferet. It was great seeing so many of you there.” -Dan Rosman, VP of Fundraising
Community Torah Repair Fundraiser
Sunday, May 1, 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM. In-person. A Sefer Torah is delicate and precious. While we take care of it well, sometimes we need to fix a letter here and there. This is an opportunity to fulfill the Mitzvah (commandment) of writing a Sefer Torah, by writing one letter with a soferet (Torah scribe). We want to invite you and your family to this unique opportunity to help our community and engage in the experience of writing a Sefer Torah. Each family will have a dedicated time slot with the soferet to help her fix one letter.
Omer Learning: Day 15: Improving our Environment
The Count Tonight we count the following day of the Omer: Today is 15 days, which is 2 weeks and 1 day of the Omer See: The blessings and procedure for counting the Omer. Today’s Learning The…
Omer Learning: Day 14: A More Restful Shabbat
The Count Tonight we count the following day of the Omer: Today is 14 days, which is 2 weeks of the Omer See: The blessings and procedure for counting the Omer. Today’s Learning The topic of today’s…
Omer Learning: Day 13: About Shemitah
The Count Tonight we count the following day of the Omer: Today is 13 days, which is 1 week and 6 days of the Omer See: The blessings and procedure for counting the Omer. Today’s Learning The…
Omer Learning: Day 12: Improving our Environment
The Count Tonight we count the following day of the Omer: Today is 12 days, which is 1 week and 5 days of the Omer See: The blessings and procedure for counting the Omer. Today’s Learning The…
Omer Learning: Day 11: A More Restful Shabbat
The Count Tonight we count the following day of the Omer: Today is 11 days, which is 1 week and 4 days of the Omer See: The blessings and procedure for counting the Omer. Today’s Learning The…
Yom Ha’Shoah Commemoration: Testimony from Ruth Cohen
Tuesday, April 26, 7:00 PM. Online. Yom Ha’Shoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) falls on April 28, 2022. The full name of the day commemorating the victims of the Holocaust is “Yom Ha’Shoah Ve-Hagevurah”— literally the “Day of (Remembrance of) the Holocaust and the Heroism.” Our students are fortunate to still have the opportunity to hear stories of survival directly from Holocaust survivors. This year we have two opportunities for them to participate. The first testimony will be given by Ruth Cohen, who was born in Mukacevo, Czechoslovakia, in 1930. She is a survivor of Auschwitz and other camps. This session will be attended by 8th and 9th graders in the Religious School, but all are welcome.
Tefillin Wrapping Workshop Recap
On April 24, Kitah Hey - Kitah Zayin students (5th - 7th Grades) learned about the mitzvah of tefillin. Rav Natan taught them about the values of coherency (alignment of actions, emotions and thoughts), tradition, and divine partnership. Morah CJ, Morah Amanda and Moreh Jacob led discussions and games to help the students learn and share their thoughts. Students also built jumbo tefillin and then learned to wrap their own. Yasher Koach to all!
Torah Study with Rabbi Bash
Tuesday, April 5, 2022, 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM. Online Join CEH Rabbi Emeritus Marvin Bash for a siyum (completion) of the Book of Exodus and begin studying the Holiness Code in Leviticus. This is an ongoing series. Future sessions may meet in person.
Omer Learning: Day 10: Striving for Equity
The Count Tonight we count the following day of the Omer: Today is 10 days, which is 1 week and 3 days of the Omer See: The blessings and procedure for counting the Omer. Today’s Learning The…
Omer Learning: Day 9: A More Restful Shabbat
The Count Tonight we count the following day of the Omer: Today is 9 days, which is 1 week and 2 days of the Omer See: The blessings and procedure for counting the Omer. Today’s Learning The…
Omer Learning: Day 8: Striving for Equity
The Count Tonight we count the following day of the Omer: Today is 8 days, which is 1 week and 1 day of the Omer See: The blessings and procedure for counting the Omer. Today’s Learning The…
Spirits Tasting and Bar Cart Dedication
Sunday, April 24, 7:00 PM. Help us inaugurate CEH's new bar cart by joining us for a spirits tasting with Brett Drucker (who led our successful wine tasting earlier this year). Taste several spirits, which may include scotch, bourbon & rye, and learn about the manufacturing processes. Thank you to John & Jeanne Howard for donating the bar cart!
Omer Learning: Day 7: About Shemitah
The Count Tonight we count the following day of the Omer: Today is 7 days, which is 1 week of the Omer See: The blessings and procedure for counting the Omer. Today’s Learning The topic of today’s…
Omer Learning: Day 6: Improving our Environment
The Count Tonight we count the following day of the Omer: Today is 6 days of the Omer See: The blessings and procedure for counting the Omer. Today’s Learning The topic of today’s learning is Improving our…
Omer Learning: Day 5: Assisting Animals
The Count Tonight we count the following day of the Omer: Today is 5 days of the Omer See: The blessings and procedure for counting the Omer. Today’s Learning The topic of today’s learning is Assisting Animals.…
Omer Learning: Day 4: Striving for Equity
The Count Tonight we count the following day of the Omer: Today is 4 days of the Omer See: The blessings and procedure for counting the Omer. Today’s Learning The topic of today’s learning is Striving for…
Omer Learning: Day 3: A More Restful Shabbat
The Count Tonight we count the following day of the Omer: Today is 3 days of the Omer See: The blessings and procedure for counting the Omer. Today’s Learning The topic of today’s learning is A More…