1506 June 15 Scroll vWEb

Scroll
Congregation Beth El
June 2015 • Sivan-Tammuz 5775
Theme
Thank you,
Rabbi Rudolph • 1, 2, 6-14
Vol. 64 No. 10
Tour de RUDOLPH
Library Corner • 5
4U • 15
Departments
Sisterhood • 3
Men’s Club • 4
Contributions • 17
Bulletin Board • 20
Rabbi Rudolph receives a standing ovation at the May 17 tribute event.
More photos on page 2. Photo by Mitchell Solkowitz
Cycling Through a Rabbinic Career
By Janet Meyers
The Scroll is a recipient
of three Solomon Schechter Gold Awards from
the United Synagogue of
Conservative Judaism.
When Rabbi Bill Rudolph reflects on
his 32 years at Beth El, he thinks of Sully
Sullenberger, the US Airways pilot who
made a careful emergency landing in
the Hudson River, saving everyone on
board, and later modestly saying he’d
been making small deposits for years in
the “bank of experience, and today I
made a big withdrawal.”
“That is what I have been doing at
Beth El – not one big withdrawal but a
series of them,” said Rabbi Rudolph in
a recent interview. “I’ve had a lot of life
and professional experiences, and I’ve
tried to learn from them.” His success
as the leader of one of the most thriving Conservative congregations in the
United States can be attributed to that
ability to learn from a variety of experiences, from biblical studies to Hillel: The
Foundation for Jewish Campus Life.
Wealth of Ideas
Along the way, he also learned to deftly
adapt to Beth El the wealth of ideas he
picked up from synagogues, Hillel, universities, and other sources. Since Rabbi
Rudolph became senior rabbi in the
fall of 2001, he has energized Beth El
with strategic planning, Torah-writing
projects, fun programs like Megillah
Madness and the Latke-Hamantasch
Debate for minor holidays, annual
synagogue-wide themes, and his weekly
“It’s Wednesday” online column – just to
scratch the surface of the wealth of programming he put into place in a short
time. His enthusiasm and drive have
propelled those ideas into fresh, exciting
activities.
With unerring instinct, he has known
how to launch a program critical to the
continued on page 12
Scroll
8215 Old Georgetown Road
Bethesda, Maryland 20814-1451
Phone 301-652-2606 Fax 301-907-8559
Webwww.bethelmc.org
Affiliated with United Synagogue
of Conservative Judaism
Senior Rabbi
William D. Rudolph [email protected]
Rabbi
Gregory Harris [email protected]
Hazzan
Matthew Klein [email protected]
Executive Director
Sheila H. Bellack [email protected]
Education Director
Rabbi Mark Levine [email protected]
Associate Education Director
Elisha Frumkin [email protected]
Director of Community Engagement
Geryl Baer [email protected]
Preschool Director
Kim Lausin [email protected]
Youth Director
Adam Zeren [email protected]
Rabbi Emeritus
Samuel Scolnic, z”l
Hazzan Emeritus
Abraham Lubin [email protected]
President
Jerry Sorkin [email protected]
Executive Vice President
Larisa Avner Trainor [email protected]
Administrative Vice President
Carolyn Berger [email protected]
Communications and Tikkun Olam
Vice President
Larry Sidman [email protected]
Community Building Vice President
Ivy Fields [email protected]
Development and Finance Vice President
Mark C. Bronfman [email protected]
Education and Lifelong Learning
Vice President
Sara Gordon [email protected]
Worship and Spirituality Vice President
Rebecca Musher Gross [email protected]
Treasurer
Joseph B. Hoffman [email protected]
Secretary
Sue Emmer [email protected]
Scroll Committee [email protected]
Janet Meyers, Chair, Sharon Apfel, Judy Futterman,
Mara Greengrass, Susan Jerison, Davida Kales,
Marci Kanstoroom, Helen Popper, Marsha Rehns,
Walter Schimmerling, Larry Sidman, and
Jerry Sorkin. Graphic designer: Tiarra Joslyn
4U editor: Jennifer Katz
Tour de Rudolph
More than 600 congregants gathered in honor of Rabbi Bill Rudolph’s
retirement.The shul’s central hallway will be named the Rabbi William
D. Rudolph Gallery in recognition of his decades of service.
Photos by David Friedlander
Gail Fribush and Rabbi Rudolph enjoy the evening.
Singers regale the crowd with a humorous version of
Dayeinu.
Scroll, USPS Number 009813, is published monthly by Congregation
Beth El of Montgomery County, 8215 Old Georgetown Rd., Bethesda,
MD 20814. Periodical postage rate paid at Bethesda, Maryland and
additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to
Scroll, 8215 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda, MD 20814.
Tour cochairs Margie Hoffman, Joe Hoffman, and Carolyn Weinberg present Kiddush cup. (Not pictured: Paul
Weinberg)
2
More photos will appear in next month’s Scroll.
Sisterhood
hood members recounted as they displayed treasured family heirlooms at the “Wear and Share a Memory” April 19
event. This was no Antiques Road Show, where preciousness
is measured in dollars. Instead, the value of an item was meaBy Hanna Gutmann
sured by the memories it evoked of loved ones.
Several years ago, Danielle Sultan’s parents gave her a set of
Margi Kramer and Wynne Sitrin, event chairs, also set up
turquoise-and-gold earrings, necklace, and ring that they
a display to illustrate how cherished pieces can be mixed,
bought on one of their frequent trips to Lebanon. It meant
matched, and repurposed to blend the past with the present.
so much to her then, but it means so
Antique serving dishes, dinner plates,
much more now. After she received
cloth napkins, and goblets were paired
that jewelry, her parents’ home was
with candlesticks from HomeGoods
burglarized. Because these pieces were
and napkin rings and chargers from
not in her parents’ home, they are the
Pottery Barn to complete a table setonly ones that remain from all of her
ting for a special Shabbat or holiday.
parents’ trips.
Ways to bring memorable hand-meMarsha Liss is fortunate to have a
downs out of the closet and into the
beautiful Seder plate by Arnart. But
light were also discussed. Examples
the source of the plate is intriguing.
included a jewelry box that was conMarsha’s father worked in New York
verted to a tea box, candlesticks used
Danielle
Sultan
(right)
and
Susan
City as a shoe salesman, fitting those
to create a centerpiece, and a radio
who had trouble walking. One day in King
cabinet that was converted into an
the early 1970s, an elegant older lady came in to be fitted.
elegant side table when a broken top was replaced with a
She apparently was extremely satisfied, as her driver brought marble slab.
her back several days later, bearing the Seder plate as a gift
While encouraging repurposing, antiques expert and
to the salesman. The elegant lady just happened to be Clara
interior designer Judy Zassenhaus warned those attending
Fortunoff, cofounder of the Fortunoff housewares and jewto research the potential value of an item before redoing or
elry stores.
repainting it. Encouraging attendees to make informed deciValue Measured by Memories
sions on how to reuse items, Margi urged them not to keep
These were just a few of the memorable tales Beth El Sister- the past hidden in basements and closets. n
Wear and Share Memories
UPCOMING SISTERHOOD/ZHAVA EVENTS
Tuesdays, June 2, 9, 19, 16, 23, 30, 6:30 pm Mah Jongg
Sunday, June 7, 11:30 am Book Chat on A Guide for the
Perplexed: A Novel by Dara Horn. Cosponsored with the
Library Committee.
Sunday, June 14 Sisterhood In-and-Out Brunch (off-site)
First Sisterhood Women’s Shabbat Retreat
November 6-8, 2015
Shabbat Services, Creative Programming,
Learning and Leisure
Scholar in Residence: Rabbi Mindy Portnoy
A Jewish Calendar Diary for
5776/2015-2016
produced by Women’s League for Conservative Judaism
• Jewish and secular holidays beginning September 2015
• Only $12 per calendar
To order, contact Ina Young at 301907-7706 or [email protected],
or complete the form below and send
check, payable to Beth El Sisterhood,
to Sisterhood, Congregation Beth El,
8215 Old Georgetown Road,
Bethesda, MD 20814.
­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Name ___________________________________________
Email ___________________________________________
The retreat will be held at the Bolger Center in Potomac.
Phone __________________________________________
$365 double or $440 single occupancy (all-inclusive)
# of Diaries _____@ $12 each • Total Cost ________
Also available for purchase at the Beth El Office and
Beth El Judaica & Gifts.
3
Men’s Club
Kavod Award Honorees
By Jon Simon
Allen Eisenberg and Howard Hoffman won coveted Kavod
Awards, and Rabbi Bill Rudolph was honored for his years
of support to Men’s Club at the 2015 Kavod Award breakfast
on Sunday, May 3.
Allen Eisenberg
Allen received his
award for Service to
Congregation Beth
El for more than a
decade of leadership
and devotion as Beth
El’s senior usher for
Shabbat and holiday
Photos by Mitchell Solkowitz
services and for contributions to our worship community. Marvin Yudkovitz introduced Allen as “a true mensch.” Quoting from Pirke Avot
about serving others and acting humbly, Marvin said, “Allen
exemplifies these teachings.”
A native of Detroit and the son of Holocaust survivors,
Allen and his wife of 33 years, Connie Stromberg, have
three sons, Matthew,
Ari, and Jonah. After
obtaining a religious
studies degree from
Michigan and a law
degree, Allen spent
part of his professional
career with the United
States Agency for International Develop- Larry Sidman (left), Howard
Hoffman, and Barry Elman
ment, living in five
countries including Nepal, Barbados, Ecuador, and Peru. In
each country, he sought out a synagogue in order to join its
Jewish community. “My Judaism was a gift – an entrée into
local society that wasn’t available to my fellow Americans,”
Allen explained.
Allen joined the shul shortly after moving to the area in
2001, quickly accepting responsibility as senior usher and
often serving as gabbai. Allen said he is a believer in the
concept of community. “For it to function,” said Allen, “everyone has to contribute.” He urged Men’s Club members
to “Find a committee that matches your interest. And if you
aren’t already an usher – join us!” Allen is also proud to be a
member of this year’s winning Beth El “It’s Academic” team.
continued on page 16
Men’s Club Honors Rabbi Rudolph and Gail Fribush
By Jon Simon
Shockingly, this was
the first time in 30
years that a rabbi had
rejected a nominee
for a Kavod Award.
However, according
to Kavod Awards
Chairman Larry
Sidman, that
Rabbi Rudolph receives gift from was because the
proposed nominee
Jordan Rosner
was Rabbi Bill Rudolph himself – modest as always.
That didn’t stop Larry from expressing heartfelt gratitude
on behalf of the Men’s Club and honoring the rabbi for his
“steadfast backing,” his “caring presence,” “wise counsel,” and
“witty repartee.”
Larry thanked Rabbi Rudolph for his enthusiastic
participation in Men’s Club programs – the Blue Yarmulke
Man-of-the-Year Award, the Kavod Awards, and the Purim
Carnival – to name a few. He expressed appreciation for the
rabbi’s help in securing outstanding speakers and even for
his participation in the Men’s Club “Day on the Bay” fishing
4
outing.
Men’s Club President Jordan Rosner presented Rabbi
Rudolph with a framed and engraved work of art donated
by artist Phillip Ratner. The work was an illustration of a
racing cyclist, a reference to Rudolph’s passion for cycling.
Turning to Gail Fribush, Larry acknowledged Rabbi
Rudolph’s wife as an “eshet chayil, a woman of great inner
and outer beauty, wisdom, and warmth whose value is far
greater than the most precious of gems.”
continued on page 16
UPCOMING MEN’S CLUB EVENTS
Thursday, June 4, 8:30 pm Hearing Men’s Voices.
Paul Horn will lead a discussion on “What Makes Us
Laugh?” A chance to share why laughter is important,
how jokes work, and what may be off limits. All men
are welcome.
Sunday, June 7, 10:00 am Anthony S. Pitch, an awardwinning historian, will discuss his recent book, Our
Crime Was Being Jewish.
Sunday June 14, 10:00 am Phil Hochberg, former
announcer of Redskins games, will discuss Washington
Jewish baseball players.
Library Corner
Big Jewish Lives
By Robin Jacobson
Why read biographies? When I Googled that question, all
kinds of responses popped up, some grand and lofty, others
more prosaic. But whether you read biographies “to stand
on the shoulders of giants” or whether (like me) you find
that the life stories of famous persons offer an easy, entertaining way to brush up on basic history, two compact new
biographies on eminent Zionists fit the bill. Try Herzl’s Vision:Theodor Herzl and the Foundation of the Jewish State by
Shlomo Avineri and Ben-Gurion: Father of Modern Israel by
Anita Shapira (both in our library). The books’ authors are
distinguished Israeli professors,
both recipients of the prestigious
Israel Prize for their scholarship.
Herzl’s Vision
Theodor Herzl (1860-1904) was
not the first to call for a Jewish
state.Yet Herzl was crucial to the
establishment of the State of Israel,
contends Professor Avineri, because he was the first to command
attention for the cause from world
leaders, the international public,
and ordinary Jews. Additionally, says Avineri, the Zionist Organization, founded by Herzl, created an institutional structure that laid the groundwork for the Israeli state.
Born in Hungary and a longtime resident of Vienna,
Herzl was a law school graduate, a respected journalist, and
sometime playwright. Contrary to popular myth, insists Avineri, it was not the start of the Dreyfus Affair in 1894 (when
the French army wrongly denounced a Jewish officer as a
spy) that triggered Herzl’s Zionism. Based on a close reading
of Herzl’s diaries, Avineri concludes that Herzl became convinced that Jews must have a state of their own by witnessing the rise of anti-Semitism in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The increasing prominence of Jews in business and in
the arts and sciences provoked widespread, virulent hostility.
Nationalist politicians portrayed Jews as menacing “aliens”
who were penetrating European economic and cultural life.
In 1896, Herzl published The Jewish State: Proposal of a
Modern Solution to the Jewish Question. An instant bestseller,
The Jewish State fired the imaginations and aspirations of
Jews around the world. For most of the next decade, Herzl
tirelessly promoted Zionism, pressing the cause on international leaders – the German Kaiser, the Pope, and others –
until his untimely death at age 44.
Ben-Gurion: Father of Modern Israel
The inauspicious early life of David Ben-Gurion (18861973) offered no hint that he was destined to bring Herzl’s
Zionist dream to fruition. No one could have guessed, says
Professor Shapira, that he would become a significant political leader, let alone one day proclaim the State of Israel or
become its first prime minister. In contrast to the cosmopolitan, sophisticated Herzl, David Ben-Gurion (born David
Green) came from a humble Polish shtetl. His family could
not afford to send him to high school; he largely educated
himself by reading. He had no
profession or purpose until he
developed a passion for Zionism
and socialism and began to grow
(slowly) as a leader.
For Shapira, Ben-Gurion’s
most momentous actions took
place during the crucial decade
between 1942 and 1952. He
envisioned the establishment of
the State of Israel, prepared for
and directed the War of Independence, implemented mass immigration (which doubled the
population), moved the capital to Jerusalem, and more. In
particular, Shapira writes movingly of Ben-Gurion’s courageous decision to send Jews to fight and die for a Jewish
homeland only a few years after the Jewish population had
been decimated in the Holocaust. Despite all his achievements, Ben-Gurion’s gravestone is inscribed simply, as he
requested, only with his name and the dates of his birth,
death, and immigration to Palestine. n
Beth El Book Chat
Sunday, June 7, 11:30 am [NOTE CHANGE OF DATE]
A Guide for the Perplexed: A Novel
by award-winning author Dara
Horn. All are welcome to join the
discussion.
5
Singing Loudly
By Janet Meyers
Hazzan Abe Lubin was out of town, so Rabbi Rudolph ran
our oldest child’s bat mitzvah rehearsal.
Zoe, a tiny, not quite 13 year old, had to
hop onto the stool just to be able to see
the Torah scroll. Rabbi Rudolph shook
his head as he stood in the back of the
room while she chanted. “You have to be
louder,” he told her. “They won’t be able
to hear you in the back. Practice singing
louder for the next few days. Make sure
you speak loudly and clearly when you
read your d’var Torah.”
Zoe (now 24) nodded her head but didn’t utter a word.
For the next three days, her voice could be heard all over the
house as she forced herself to belt it out
– Torah readings, Haftarah, d’var Torah,
over and over. On Friday, she said, “I’m
hoarse from all that shouting!”
But on Shabbat morning, everyone
sitting in the back rows could hear her.
Rabbi Rudolph had demanded perfection, and she delivered. Did he set the
bar too high, demand too much? Not
on your life – her sense of satisfaction
and accomplishment in meeting his
challenge lasted for a long, long time. n
Comforting Counsel
By Susan Jerison
My mother passed away in December 2009 in Philadelphia
after a long struggle with cancer. Throughout her illness,
whenever I saw Rabbi Rudolph or Gail Fribush, they always
asked me how she was doing, how I was doing, how we
were all doing. I heard from Rabbi Rudolph right after her
death. He asked, “How are you, what are the funeral plans,
how can I help?” I remember one conversation with him
while I was standing in my childhood bedroom, glimpsing
my now much older self in the mirror. His words comforted
me.
He wanted to make sure that I not only knew what
Jewish funeral practices are but why he thought they were
important. He told me that Beth El was there to help. And
he gave me good, practical advice about how to give a eulogy. “Practice it until you almost know it by heart,” he said.
“That way the words will have less impact on you when
you deliver it, and you’ll be able to do it.” I listened and it
worked. Somehow I got through that day and the weeks
and months ahead. Perhaps what helped me most during
that year was going to minyan at Beth El every day to say
kaddish. I went the first time because Rabbi Rudolph said
I should go. I kept coming back because the community
around me sustained me in a way that I never expected. n
Ask Him Anything
By Mila Becker
We joined Beth El just before our oldest, Sophie, started
kindergarten. At first, it took a while to get know other families and the shul. One Sunday morning, we went to drop
Sophie off at her kindergarten classroom. Her teacher was
wonderful, but always late. So we waited outside the class
while kids started crowding the hallways. The Gillman family was next to appear. Todd was shepherding all three of his
kids. There still was no sign of the teacher, and Todd had to
make two more stops so we volunteered to watch Abby. He
left, and suddenly we saw Abby get a look of panic. She ran
out into the lobby for something. We all dashed out to catch
her. Where did she go? We spotted her in the front. She
pulled on Rabbi Rudolph’s suit jacket, and he bent down
6
as she said something to him. Then we saw him pull out his
wallet and hand her a dollar. Abby skipped back toward us,
and we all resumed waiting for the teacher. Todd reappeared.
He had successfully dropped off his two older children and
came to check on Abby. As he got closer, he took out his
wallet and told Abby she forgot her tzedakeh money. She
waived her bill at him, grinned ear to ear, and said she had it.
“Where did you get that from?” he asked.
“Rabbi Rudolph gave it to me,” she replied.
“What? You asked the rabbi for money!” he exclaimed.
“Daddy,” she said, “Rabbi Rudolph told us we could ask
him anything.”
At that moment, Todd looked mortified, but we knew we
had found a home. n
Thank You, Rabbi Rudolph
Rabbi and Matchmaker, Too
By Jana Singer and Larry Sidman
Rabbi Bill Rudolph and Gail Fribush appear often in our
wedding video. There is Bill, under the chupah, at once the
officiant and the dear friend, offering words of warmth and
wisdom sprinkled with wit. When he proclaims that everybody at Beth El is overjoyed by our marriage, except the
Membership Committee because
the shul has lost one membership
unit, laughter fills the soundtrack.
There is Gail, radiant and caring,
signing our ketubah as a witness.
There are Bill and Gail dancing
as the band plays a medley of
oldies.
Bill and Gail earned their
prominence in our wedding
story. Knowingly, and in some
instances, unknowingly, they were instrumental in bringing us together. Following the sudden premature deaths of
each of our first spouses, Bill and Gail acted as comfortersin-chief for each of us. Although we were both members of
Beth El, we did not know each other. Bill and Gail brought
us together and helped us embrace life again.
The first time we met was at a Tea and Torah brunch,
part of Project 613, Bill’s brainchild for transforming Larry’s
dedication of a new Torah into a Beth El community-wide
event. Our next encounter was at the shiva for Gail’s father.
Larry’s daughter, Melissa, an aspiring law student, had an
animated conversation with Jana, whom she described as
a “bubbly law professor.” Jana
decided that a father who had
raised such a delightful daughter
might be a man worth getting
to know. Then there was the
epic Rosh Hashanah brunch
hosted by Bill and Gail with a
clear and discernable purpose
beyond dipping apples into
honey. We sat across from each
other, this time beginning the
process of connection. Multiple Shabbat dinners hosted
by various Beth El friends and congregants followed. Bill
and Gail had shepherded us along the road that would lead
down the aisle to our joyous ceremony under the chupah.
Bill and Gail, rabbi and matchmakers extraordinaire, we
could not ask for anything more. n
Talking to Me
By Marsha Rehns
The most remarkable thing about Rabbi Rudolph’s d’vrei
Torah is how many of them seem to be addressed directly to
me at exactly the right time. I may not remember the circumstance, but I remember the lesson. I remember, “Worry
is the interest paid on trouble before it is due,” and “Don’t
be a prisoner of your past, but an architect of your future.”
Rabbi Rudolph once told a story about the importance
of attitude. An elderly man was shot during a robbery. The
hospital staff pretty much gave up on him, until they asked
him if he was allergic to anything. “Bullets,” he replied. His
humor made the hospital staff see him – and treat him – differently.
I recall in particular a d’var Torah about angels and how
they find us when we need them. Not long after the angel
sermon, during a particularly fraught time in my life, an an-
gel found me. The individual was
so clearly my angel that I wrote to
Rabbi Rudolph and told him so.
In the story that Rabbi Rudolph
told in his d’var Torah, as I recall
it, a group of partisans was fleeing
through the woods during World
War II. Someone spotted a Russian soldier behind a tree, and the
partisans turned and ran the other way. It turned out that
there were no Russian soldiers in the area that day. But had
the partisans continued in the direction they were going,
they would have been captured. In the d’var Torah, the angel
looked like a Russian soldier. My angel was a young, blond
Irishman named Patrick. n
7
Rabbi Rudolph Continued
From the Presidents
Reflections from the seven individuals who served as president while Rabbi Rudolph was senior rabbi.
Hiring Bill Rudolph as “Senior Rabbi”
By Arthur N. Popper
meeting in Beth El’s history, a formal vote was taken, and
Bill was elected senior rabbi. It was truly thrilling when, after the election, Bill joined the meeting and received a long
and loving standing ovation.
The next step was to install Bill as senior rabbi.
This took place on Sunday, March 3, 2002. We had
a lovely ceremony with a packed sanctuary. This
was immediately followed by our successful search
for a second rabbi – a position offered to Greg
Harris.
I am truly delighted that I was able to lead the
hiring of Bill and Greg. On a personal note, Helen
and I deeply appreciate the contributions that Bill has made
to our congregation in general and to our lives in particular.
Confidence in Beth El’s Success
that had successfully maintained both two-day and three-day
curricula. All of the others had eventually moved to having
only a two-day schedule.
As in many other situations, Rabbi Rudolph was confident that at Beth El we could do what hardly anyone else
could do, and he was strongly in favor of providing our
families with both options. He was confident that we would
succeed, even when many of the members of the Board
were not. And he was right.
Beth El is fortunate to be unique as a growing and thriving Conservative shul and in this, as well as in many other
instances, Rabbi Rudolph’s guidance and wisdom carried us
forward.
In mid-2001, Beth El was looking for a senior rabbi, and
as president I had to conduct a search. However, it quickly
became clear that there was a strong consensus that congregants wanted Bill Rudolph, then associate rabbi, to become
“senior” rabbi. It was also clear that Rabbi Rudolph would take the position if offered.
We learned, however, that the rules of the Rabbinical Assembly (RA) at that time required that
shuls not “promote from within.” So we “confronted” the RA. After some haggling (and gentle “arguing” on our part), the RA agreed that we could
hire Bill. On November 29, 2001, at what may be the largest
congregation
By Brent Berger
In the early 2000s, Rabbi Rudolph was
instrumental in helping Beth El address
a significant issue concerning our Religious School. At that time, maintaining and adding families to Beth El was
particularly important, and many of our
members and potential members were
moving to other synagogues because they offered classes two
days a week instead of three. Other families were strongly
in favor of maintaining the status quo. We were able to find
only one Conservative synagogue anywhere in the country
Unequaled Inspiration
By Walter Arnheim
In a city like Washington, D.C., filled with high-priced
lawyers and high-powered politicians, there are probably
some speakers more charismatic than Rabbi Rudolph. But I
would be hard pressed to name one as his equal in terms of
inspiration delivered with a personal touch.
During my term as president of Beth El, I often sat on
the bimah with Rabbi Rudolph and attended a good num-
8
ber of the shiva services that he led. When
he gave the charge to the bar or bat mitzvah or offered words of remembrance in
support of the grieving, he did so with
such warmth and wisdom that I felt privileged to be a member of his congregation.
Looking at the faces of those to whom he
was speaking, it was clear that they felt the same way that I
did.
The Rabbi of Many (and Surprising) Virtues
By Sid Getz
Over the past 15 years, I’ve had the
pleasure of working closely with Rabbi
Rudolph on many Beth El projects, and
I was quickly impressed by his drive to
get things done. Over time, I also learned
about one of Bill’s less well-known virtues, namely, that he is unusually handy
around the house – a skill not typically associated with the
rabbinic tradition.
Several years ago, during the search for a new hazzan, Bill
came to my home for a meeting. When we were finished, as
Bill was leaving, he pointed out a broken outdoor electrical
outlet cover outside the front door. I told him that I knew
it was broken but hadn’t got around to having it fixed. But
I could tell that Bill seemed slightly dissatisfied with my response. A week later, I returned home one evening to find
the broken outlet cover magically replaced by a gleaming
new one.
Legacy of Torah Study
By Patricia Danoff
me,” “If only you would hear me out,” and “Do hear me.”
Rabbi Rudolph pointed out that Abraham and Ephron the
Hittite are speaking and listening but not really hearing or
understanding what the other is saying. The Torah
text not only describes this well-known biblical narrative but also teaches us that careful listening and
appreciating different points of view are essential
to successful interactions with others, whether on a
personal, community, or global level.
Bill Rudolph loves studying Torah and exploring
the wisdom found therein. On so many occasions,
for more than 40 years, he has shared this love with college
students, congregants, and Jewish and non-Jewish communities. Promoting the study of Torah and the modern applications of the ancient text is one of the greatest and most
lasting legacies of his rabbinate.
Thoughtful Approach
move, he clearly recognized the importance of additional and alternative educational models. His thoughtful and open approach to
education is reflective of how he encouraged all of us to engage with our Judaism
in ways in which we can evolve and tailor.
At the Beth El Board of Directors meetings, a member of
the clergy presents a brief d’var Torah, a “word of Torah,”
that is often based on the weekly parshah. The verses selected usually contained a lesson in leadership
that encouraged board members to perform their
duties in ways that best serve our kehillah kedoshah,
our sacred community.
Of the many inspirational d’vrei Torah I have
heard Rabbi Bill Rudolph deliver over the years,
there is one that made a lasting impression. Parshah
Hayyei Sarah opens with the death of Sarah, followed by
Abraham’s effort to purchase from the Hittites the cave of
Machpelah for her burial (Genesis 23:1-16). The word
“shema” or “hear” is repeated over and over throughout the
negotiation between the parties. We read: “Hear us,” “Hear
By Dale Rosenthal
During my presidency, our Religious School considered a
range of new educational programs. I enjoyed watching Bill
“grapple” with the L2G model. He was so open to new
ways of learning, including off-site options and using creative technology. Although L2G was a potentially “risky”
Natural Empathy
By David Mills
As luck would have it, several significant
events in the life of Beth El occurred
during my presidency, and Rabbi
Rudolph’s role in those events was often
pivotal. Collaborating with Bill, especially
on decisions that would shape the Beth
El community for years to come, was
extremely rewarding as I came to appreciate his insight, love
for our community, and humor.
But the defining moment in my personal relationship
with Bill was when we first met. We moved from Virginia
to Bethesda in 2005. We had joined a synagogue in
Northern Virginia, but we never truly connected with the
synagogue or Jewish community there. My background
was not Conservative Judaism, and I was skeptical that any
synagogue could meet our personal and familial needs.
Meeting Bill sealed the deal for us. He knew our names
and backgrounds before we even met, and he seemed to
understand that we needed a warm, accepting, and active
Jewish community. Maybe it was his own background as a
Hillel rabbi or maybe it was his natural empathy. Whatever
it was, he welcomed us with an open heart and showed us
that we had found our new home.
9
1983
The Rudolph Years
 Rabbi Rudolph joins Beth El as part-time assistant
rabbi.
1984
 Early Morning Shabbat Minyan begins with Rabbi
Rudolph as leader.
1994
 Family Camp begins; Rabbi Rudolph and Gail
Fribush are among founders.
1996
 Rabbi Rudolph becomes full-time associate rabbi.
1999
 Community Torah Institute begins.
2000
 Rabbi Rudolph plays guitar and begins first
alternative Friday evening service (singing service).
 Senior Caucus starts.
 First Wednesday Torah Parshah Study Group begins.
10
2001
 Rabbi Rudolph elected senior rabbi.
2002
 Atid Committee formed (issued report in 2003).
 Megillah Madness begins.
 Ambulance donated to Magen David Adom.
2003-04
 First synagogue-wide theme (Hachnasat Orchim) for
the year launched.
2004
 Rally for Israel raises $1 million.
 Presbyterian-Jewish Dialogue with Saint Mark Presbyterian Church begins in response to Presbyterian
Church USA Israel divestment resolution.
2004-05
 Building renovation and dedication of Swoff Chapel
2005
 “It’s Wednesday” begins.
 Beth El Empty Nesters (BEENs) starts.
2007
 Green Tikkun committee formed.
 Hiddur Mitzvah contest judging best lulav and etrog
holders on first day Sukkot and second-day Sukkot
deli lunch begin.
 Rabbi Rudolph awarded Jewish Federation of
Greater Washington Campaigner-of-the-Year.
2007-08
 Project 613: Writing a Torah
2008
 First Latke-Hamantasch Debate held.
2010
 Interreligious Learning Institute begins.
 Rabbi Rudolph serves as president of the Washington/Baltimore Rabbinic Assembly (2010-12).
2011
 Israel Media Series begins.
 Congregational Education for the 21st Century
(CE21) report suggests changes in educational
programs for all ages.
 Beth El is the first religious institution in
Montgomery County to win certification as a “green
business.”
2013
 Conversations with Key American Leaders; first
program features U.S. Supreme Court Justice
Stephen Breyer with Ken Feinberg.
 Saul Bendit Institute renamed Rabbi Samuel Scolnic
Institute.
2014
 Rabbi Rudolph helps spearhead formation of local
Ramah Day Camp.
 Bender Sanctuary renovation completed.
2015
 Rabbi Rudolph retires. Beth El has 1,100 membership units, a budget of about $4 million, 550 students
in the Religious School, and 130 in the Preschool.
11
RABBI RUDOLPH continued from page 1
times. A key example was the Atid Committee formed in
the tumultuous period after he became senior rabbi. Atid
mapped out a blueprint for Beth El’s long-term health.
Many of its recommendations have been followed over the
last 14 years. “I knew from my Hillel days that the first thing
a new exec should do is a strategic plan,” Rabbi Rudolph
said. Finding ways to bring people together to implement
those new programs and vision is also important. “To be a
successful rabbi, it helps to be a talent scout and a broker,” he
said.
Education
William David Rudolph, a native of Philadelphia, knew
early on that he wanted to be a rabbi. After graduating from
Temple University with a degree in psychology, he spent the
summer on a kibbutz in Israel before enrolling at Hebrew
Union College in Cincinnati. After his ordination, Rabbi
Rudolph went to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor to obtain a PhD in biblical studies. A few years later, his
course work completed, he took a job
as the rabbi at Michigan State University’s Hillel, figuring he would finish
his dissertation in his spare time.
That was in the fall of 1973. The
Yom Kippur War erupted, and “I
haven’t caught my breath since then,”
he recalled half-jokingly. “I thought
Israel needed defending,” said Rabbi
Rudolph, who led the Michigan State
Hillel students in pro-Israel rallies and
never finished the dissertation. Three
years later, he moved to Hillel at University of Michigan; he
worked there four years before becoming the national director of personnel at Hillel’s headquarters in Washington. Altogether, Rabbi Rudolph worked at Hillel for 23 years.
In 1983, recently divorced, needing something else to
do and a little extra cash, he became assistant rabbi of Congregation Beth El. He had heard about the position from
Rabbi Sam Fishman, a Beth El congregant who also worked
at Hillel. He started after Yom Kippur and worked about 10
hours a week.
First Service, First Date
One of Rabbi Rudolph’s first responsibilities was to launch
the Early Morning Shabbat Minyan for those who wanted
a shorter Shabbat service. The evening that he led the very
first Early Morning Shabbat Minyan in 1984, he had a date:
Gail Fribush. They married the following year.
Judy Scolnic, whose husband Rabbi Sam Scolnic z”l
12
hired Rabbi Rudolph, recalled, “Bill was a very welcome addition to the clergy
staff. Beth El was growing rapidly, and it became
too much for one rabbi
to shoulder an 800-family
congregation himself, even
though there was a very active, enthusiastic lay leadership.”
Although he continued
to work full time at Hillel, Rabbi Rudolph found that he
was increasingly drawn to pulpit work. When he was in
seminary, he had not enjoyed ministering to small congregations in distant towns; Judaism was so marginal in their lives,
he said. But after decades of working at Hillel, he was weary
of traveling and ready for a change. Also, he said, “I had a
lot of impact, but mostly I was working with other rabbis. I wanted to do
something more. I wanted to work
with real Jewish people.”
Full-Time Rabbi
So when then president Leonard Bebchick approached him in 1996 to ask
if he would become full-time associate
rabbi, “I said, ‘For sure,’” he recalled.
He had already become involved
with Family Camp, started in 1994 by
young families who wanted a pastoral
Shabbat retreat. Rob Fersh, a Family Camp founder, recalled
that Rabbi Rudolph and Gail Fribush were involved in
planning for the first weekend. “I have always viewed his enthusiastic participation as well as his leading of services and
study groups as integral to the success from the beginning,”
he said. “The joke was, when I first approached Bill to get
him involved, that he offered to be athletic director rather
than rabbi. Of course, he seamlessly joined the team to make
that first weekend both meaningful and fun. Gail was always
deeply involved and from the very early years, among other
things, designed the ‘icebreakers’ on the first night to help
create community among the group.”
Rabbi Rudolph also was the key clergy member involved
in Embracing the Torah, the first Torah-writing project,
completed in 1997. From that experience, the idea arose for
the Community Torah Institute, a day of Torah study featurcontinued on page 13
“Hands-On” Style
By Rabbi Greg Harris
My first day as Beth El’s assistant rabbi was in the summer
of 2002. I walked into the building with the exhilaration of
a new beginning. I said hello to Hattie Goodman in the office. She told me that Rabbi Rudolph was down the hall. I
walked past the courtyard which, at that
time, stood outside the main sanctuary.
As I turned the corner toward the
clergy offices, the old chapel, and the
library, I noticed a garden hose running
along the carpet. I assumed the hose
was for tending to the landscaping, but
I thought it was odd that it was inside.
After a few more steps, I realized that the
hose was going into Rabbi Rudolph’s
office. I stepped in to say hello, but the
office was empty. I tracked the hose back
to its source, and, in a maintenance closet, Rabbi Rudolph
was adjusting the hose to a sink. Hearing me, he turned his
head and said, “Hi, Greg. I am just cleaning my fish tank out.
I’ll be with you in a minute.” This was not how I expected
to first utter this phrase that I would repeat countless times
over the years, “Can I help you?” This time, Rabbi Rudolph
said I should wait in his office.
As we entered, I noticed a huge tank with an enormous
fish enjoying the bubbles from the air pump. The fish’s name
was Oscar. The garden hose was syphoning water out of
the tank. I immediately realized this was Rabbi Rudolph’s
“hands-on” approach to jobs both large and small at Beth El.
RABBI RUDOLPH continued from page 12
ing several scholars, which began in 1999.
Torah, after all, was his first passion, and it was in 2000
that he began the first of his five three-year-long Parshah
Study Groups. It started, Rabbi Rudolph said, because Gail
Ross, who had been taking a Saul Bendit Institute class with
him, suggested Beth El have regular weekly Torah study.
Rabbi Rudolph jumped at the chance. The Wednesday
morning classes have been “a great anchor” to his week, he
said, and have helped him to prepare for Shabbat morning.
With their different life experiences, the students bring a
range of perspectives to the examination of that week’s parshah.
2001 Upheaval
Then came 2001. Rabbi Jonathan Maltzman resigned in August. Over the next several months, many congregants also
Thirteen Years of Mentoring
The past 13 years have reinforced that lesson from my first
day. Rabbi Rudolph’s approach is “hands on” through his
activities, the encouragement he gives to others, and the details he notices. He has been my mentor
since I left the confines of the Seminary.
In a profession where my colleagues’
reputations are often marked by their
own grand egos, Rabbi Rudolph combines a vision for the community with
the humility that lets others step forward
to implement that vision. His style is to
continually ask staff and lay leaders how
we can do better, whom are we reaching
out to, and is a program, a sermon, or a
class relevant to where people are at today? He has not done this alone, though. Gail is at his side at
public and private moments. I uniquely understand the tireless support that a rabbinic spouse quietly extends at home
and within the community. As a couple, Bill and Gail have
been models and friends for Rebekah and me.
There is a clear and wonderful legacy that he has created
– pride in living a dynamic Jewish life, multiple entryways
into our community, love of Torah study and of Israel, leadership within the broader Jewish community, developing
new pathways for interfaith dialogues, and so much more.
Beth El’s future is bright because of the foundation that he
has laid. n
left and formed another
congregation.
Rabbi Rudolph was
quickly made the head
rabbi of Beth El. He hit
the ground running. Atid,
the strategic planning
committee, was formed
with chairs Suzanne Bronheim, Rob Fersh, and
Mark Levitt. One of the
changes from their report was a new structure for the Beth
El Board. “It used to be 60 people,” said Rabbi Rudolph.
“It’s impossible to get anything done with that many peocontinued on page 14
13
RABBI RUDOLPH continued from page 13
ple.” The streamlined board was half the size. Atid also called
for unifying, synagogue-wide programs and for a close look
at Beth El’s educational offerings for youth and adults.
“It was a crazy year,” Rabbi Rudolph recalled. “We had
to build a lot of momentum or else Beth El might well have
fallen apart.” The first few months, a few members each
week would tell him they were resigning. He became determined to make sure Beth El would succeed and thrive.
“I’m motivated by challenges,” he said. When a former Beth
El member hinted that the splinter
synagogue would siphon off Beth
El’s young families, he decided he
was not going to let that happen.
He called on his programming experience and on key congregants
who remained committed to Beth
El’s success, and “we were able to
stem the hemorrhaging,” he said.
Suzanne Bronheim, who was
president when Rabbi Rudolph
took on full-time responsibilities,
was already “a big fan,” having
seen his work with Embracing the
Torah. The first year he was senior rabbi, “he worked day
and night to hold the place together. So many people don’t
know how hard he worked that year,” Suzanne said.
Megillah Madness
Among his first initiatives was Megillah Madness, congregant Scott Glick’s idea. “It was an amazing thing,” Rabbi
Rudolph recalled of the first Megillah Madness in 2002. The
sanctuary was filled to bursting; congregants rose in groups
to perform songs written by other congregants. “It’s been a
great community-building thing,” said Rabbi Rudolph. “It’s
gotten people together and gotten them involved in the shul
in a different way.”
Scott recalled that Rabbi Rudolph was immediately enthusiastic about the Megillah Madness idea, and he asked
Scott to begin planning the program for the following
March. Rabbi Rudolph then asked Scott what could be
done to enliven Simchat Torah, just a few weeks away.
“We discussed my putting together a band and adding
the hora dancing for the hakafot,” said Scott. The events of
September 11 intervened but that did not deter Rabbi Rudolph. “He said that we shouldn’t postpone it and that we
needed it more than ever,” explained Scott. The band has
performed on Simchat Torah ever since.
In 2002, Rabbi Greg Harris arrived; the two rabbis have
complemented each other over the years to implement
programs and attract young families. In 2003, the first syn-
14
agogue-wide theme (Hachnasat Orchim, welcoming guests)
was launched; Rabbi Rudolph used the annual themes to
give a focus to programming and conversations during the
year. Also in the past 14 years, there have been rallies for
Israel, new committees, and plenty of programs to make
Judaism fun. In addition to Megillah Madness, there is the
Latke-Hamantasch Debate, with its tongue-in-cheek presentations favoring one holiday food over another. The University of Chicago held the first debate decades ago, featuring
university professors using their
specialties to defend their favorites. And there were programs
Rabbi Rudolph dreamed up on
the spot, like the annual Hiddur
Mitzvah contest judging best lulav
and etrog holders, inspired by the
variety of holders he saw congregants using on the first day of
Sukkot.
“It’s Wednesday”
“It’s Wednesday,” the weekly online column he began in 2005,
has been one of the initiatives
that “has given me the most pleasure, and the most anxiety,” Rabbi Rudolph said. “I go through dozens of drafts.”
“It’s Wednesday” has given him a platform for discussing a
wide range of topics. The column also served as another way
to involve congregants in the shul. “For many people, ‘It’s
Wednesday’ is their only connection with Beth El,” he said.
“It’s had a lot of impact.”
Providing choices has been one of his goals. He learned
from Hillel that “one size does not fit all.You need all kinds
of options.” That’s why he backed two- and three-day tracks
for the Religious School as well as L2G, the online educational experiment that continues to evolve. Also, any changes, such as musical instruments at Friday evening Shabbat
services, have been done “very carefully and successfully.”
Up ahead for Rabbi Rudolph in retirement? He has a
long list, including continuing to do some programs at Beth
El, learning a new musical instrument (perhaps the piano),
helping launch the Ramah Day Camp, and working with
Beth El’s Chevra Kadisha. He will perform some weddings
and funerals and serve on a citywide committee on Jewish
funeral practices and ensure that affordable burials can be
obtained in the Washington area.
“I’ve had a job that I’ve always liked, and I am grateful
for that,” Rabbi Rudolph said. “The best part is the people.
I’ve had some good ideas, but they wouldn’t work in every
congregation. We had the right human resources.” n
The sixth-grade Religious
School tribute to Rabbi Rudolph
continues with Cheryl Kreiser’s
class. The students created a
trivia quiz/puzzle about
The Sixth
Rabbi Rudolph.
4U!
MORE FU
N
with
Rabb
i Rud
olph
Grade Rabbi Rudolph Trivia
Quiz
Rabbi Rudolph Trivia Quiz
Across
4. LivedAcross
here in Ohio
8. Favorite book
4. Lived here in Ohio
11. Favorite hobby involving wheels
8.El
Favorite
book
12. Beth
hero with
initials J S
16. A favorite
Beth hobby
El memory
11. Favorite
involving wheels
19. Years
at
Beth
El
12. Beth El hero with initials J S
20. What Rabbi Rudolph will miss about Beth El
16. A favorite Beth El memory
21. Lived here in Pennsylvania
19. Years
atinvolving
Beth El dirt
22. Favorite
hobby
What
Rabbi of
Rudolph
miss about Beth El
23. As a20.
child
dreamed
playingwill
centerfield
24. Could
forever
with
two of these
21.bike
Lived
here in
Pennsylvania
25. Most
22.important
Favorite mitzvah
hobby involving dirt
23. As a child dreamed of playing centerfield
Aleinu Ann Arbor To help people Ki teitzei Israel
24. CouldDedicating
bike forever
with two
of these
the sanctuary
Stephen
Breyer Trumpet
Jerry
Sorkin
Gardening
Philadelphia
Everything
25. Most important mitzvah
Strong knees
Model airplane
Mind reading Biking
Down
Down 1. Why he chose to become a Rabbi
2. Most important Jewish value
1. Why he
chose to become a Rabbi
3. Beth El hero who is a “supreme” person
2. Most important
Jewish
valuegift
5. A favorite
childhood
6. hero
Favorite
involvingperson
carving tools
3. Beth El
whohobby
is a Supreme
7.
Favorite
country
5. A favorite childhood gift
9. Would like to have this super power
6. Favorite
hobby involving carving tools
10. Favorite prayer
7. Favorite
countrypenny found
13. Oldest
9. Would14.
like
to haveTorah
this super
power
Favorite
portion
15. Favorite
10. Favorite
prayer Star Wars character
17.penny
Wouldfound
like to play this brass better
13. Oldest
18. Lived here in Michigan
14. Favorite Torah portion
Cincinnati Thirty one Baseball
15.
Favorite
Star Wars character
Luke Skywalker
The Torah
Woodworking
Love
your
yourself
17. Would like neighbor
to playasthis
brass better
15
Nineteen o nine Derech eretz
18. Lived here in Michigan
KAVOD AWARDS continued from page 4
Howard Hoffman
Howard was honored for Service to the Community at
Large in recognition of his “ground-breaking contributions”
to the environment and years of “dedicated and relentless
work” at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Barry
Elman recognized Howard for three decades in the field of
environmental protection. “Despite his modest, soft-spoken
demeanor,” remarked Barry, “Howard’s influence on air
pollution policy and regulation has been far-reaching and
substantial.” Explaining how he and Howard had first met as
young attorneys in the EPA general counsel’s office, Barry
said Howard “played a significant role in drafting the 1990
Clean Air Act amendments – at the time, the biggest and
most expensive peace-time legislation ever enacted. That
legislation has touched the lives of every American.”
Accepting his award, Howard said he was “truly honored
and delighted.” He reminisced about how Rabbi Rudolph
had officiated at his daughter’s baby naming and his son’s
bris; both Elana and Adam watched as their father was honored.
Howard touted the work of three Israeli environmental
groups, a subject near and dear to his heart – EcoPeace/
Friends of the Earth Middle East, Society for the Protection
of Nature in Israel, and the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, known for its “Israel Ride” bike tour in which
Rabbi Rudolph and several congregants have participated.
Discussing Israel’s environmental suitability, Howard said that
Israel’s low-growing shrubbery, well suited for goats, and its
bee-attracting wildflowers or date trees may have inspired
the phrase “zavat halav u‘dvash,” a land “flowing with milk
and honey.”
Also during the morning program, Larry Sidman, Kavod
Awards Chairman, thanked Jordan Rosner, outgoing Men’s
Club President, for his “dedication, talents, and boundless
energy in revitalizing the Men’s Club and helping it to become a more vibrant and youthful organization.” n
Kugel Cook-Off Winners
MEN’S CLUB RUDOLPH continued from page 4
Phyllis Dickler serves Rabbi Rudolph.
Photo by Tiarra Joslyn
A fun-filled competition brought out 11 congregants to
cook kugel on Sunday, April 26. Judging the bakers were
local “celebrity” judges Sara Milner, cofounder of Sunflower
Bakery, and Mark Bucher, congregant and founder of the
BGR The Burger Joint and Medium Rare restaurants. Winners were selected in two categories. Rachel Stein won
the savory kugel category for “Three Cheese and Spinach
Kugel,” and Phyllis Dickler won in the sweet for her “Sweet
Noodle Kugel.”
Recipes for all the contestants’ kugels can be found on
Beth El’s website at www.bethelmc.org/r2TUR. n
16
Larry explained how the Men’s Club benefitted from
Rabbi Rudolph’s love of sports, how he had attended
nearly every Beth El softball game – even wearing colors
representing both teams – and praised the rabbi for “always
being accessible, encouraging others to experiment and
fulfill their potential.”
“You have never proclaimed your worth,” said Larry. “It
is self-evident to all of us.” Comparing aspects of Rabbi Rudolph’s leadership style to that of Moses, Larry said, “Your
leadership is based on humility and empowering others
through delegation. We thank you for the smiles you have
brought to our lips, the passion you have brought to our
ears, the insights that you have brought to our minds, and
the inspiration that you have brought to our souls.” n
Hazzan Matthew Klein joins members of Ezuz,
the Philadelpha-based ensemble that performed
a range of Jewish music at a special concert on
April 19. Photo by David Friedlander
Contributions
Please remember that contributions can be made
easily, quickly, and securely via our webpage –
www.bethelmc.org
Donations made from March 20 to April 21
Engagement of Leah Hoffheimer and Daniel Broder by John
Broder and Karolyn Wallace
David
Mills, for outstanding leadership, by Walter Arnheim and
In Honor Of:
Marsha
Rehns
Chana Rose Levita’s first birthday by David and Sonja Schultz
Marriage
of
Jessie Qiu and Phillip Arnheim, son of Marsha
In Memory Of:
Rehns
and
Walter Arnheim, by Beth El Opera Havurah
Adrienne M. Friede Krausz, my mother, by Mariette Klein
Lisa
and
Joel
Weissfeld
for ushering at Nate’s bar mitzvah by
Esther Weisberg by Stuart and Beth Weisberg
Rebecca
and
Dan
Farrington
Jesse Samuel Gutmann, brother of Hanna Gutmann, by Joan
Carolyn and Paul Weinberg for ushering at Nate’s bar mitzvah
and Joel Simon
by Rebecca and Dan Farrington
Ludwig Meyerhoff, my father, by Gabriela Bebchick
David
Farber for reading Torah at Nate’s bar mitzvah by
Andrea Shandell’s sister, Deborah Shandell, by Joan and Joel
Rebecca
and Dan Farrington
Simon
Allen
Eisenberg
for serving as gabbai at Nate’s bar mitzvah by
Seymour Gross by Julia P. Copperman
Rebecca and Dan Farrington
Beth El Israel Fund
Engagement of Samantha Himelman to Seth Niedermayer,
In Memory Of:
son of Gail Ross and Roy Niedermayer, by Beth El Opera
Karen Dubin by Robert Litowitz
Havurah
Evelyn Grunley by Nancy Grunley
Eric Forseter’s 40th birthday by Susan and Edoardo Kulp and
Ruth Seewald Amchan, mother of Sonja Schultz, by Sonja and
Jonathan Polon and Jennifer Latz
David Schultz
In Memory Of:
Dorothy Beverly Kitchen Fund
Tatyana Glickman and Alex Voronchlik by Etia Dvorkina
Emanuel “Mike” Gruss by Jonathan Band and Leesa Fields, Judy
In Memory Of:
and Arnold Marcus, Howard J. Hoffman, and Michael and
Lillian Seigel, my mother, by Ann Goodman
Suzanne Feinstein
Sarah Adella Ozarin by Lucy Ozarin
Lore
David, mother of Rayah Blumenthal, by Daniel and
Building Fund/Capital Campaign
Tamara
Stern
In Honor Of:
Harlene
Cohen
by Susan and Edoardo Kulp
Howard Hoffman for receiving the Beth El Kavod Award for
Lucy Weiss by Richard Weiss
Service to the Community at Large by Rita and Irwin Kopin My father, Sol Gabry, by Mona and Jerry Gabry
In Memory Of:
Seymour Gross, beloved uncle of Gail Verona Paczkowski, by
Emma Goldberger by Martin Goldberger
Linda and Roger Cohen and family
Cantor’s Fund
My beloved sister, Nettie Sanders, by Sabina Shalom
In Honor Of:
Doris King, mother of Bert King, by Gail Ross and Roy
Hazzan Klein for his kindness following the passing of my
Niedermayer and Linda and Jerry Herman
mother, Estelle Keilson, by Jerrold Keilson and Ellen Silver
Murray Elias Jarvik by Laurence Jarvik
Hazzan Klein for preparing Nate to become a bar mitzvah by
Gloria Orin by Rhonda Eisenstein
Rebecca and Dan Farrington
Robert Wantz, beloved grandfather, by Tiarra Joslyn
Hazzan Klein for his guidance and support on the occasion of
Harold Fink, beloved father of Michael Fink, by Ellen Tillman
Isabelle Carlisle’s bat mitzvah by the Carlisle family
Martha Strauss by family of Gail and Steve Bernstein and Alice
Hazzan Matthew Klein by Craig Yokum and the Golden Shiur
Grochal
Amalia van Dam-Vromen and Marianna de Vries by Josephine
In Memory Of:
and Filip Sanders
Miriam Lubin by Hazzan Abraham Lubin
Sam Bayliss, my father, by Susan Stromberg
Seymour Gross by Jerome and Ina Wernick
Harvey Deutsch, brother of Stewart Deutsch, and Frank Lissy,
Jesse Samuel Gutmann, brother of Hanna Gutmann, by Judy
father of Myra Deutsch, by Myra and Stewart Deutsch
and Stanley Baldinger
Bennett
Fidellman by Shelah and Michael Lynn
Chevra Kadisha Fund
Label
Forman,
our beloved uncle, by Julian Levin and Sondra
In Memory Of:
Brody
Benson Adams by Natalie Adams
Deborah Shandell, sister of Andrea Shandell, by Brenda and Jim Mathilde Colon, mother of Jose Araujo, by Jon and Sandy
Simon
Schmand
Ruth
Korb by Gail Korb
Berta Roth by Henry Roth
Robert Weisz and Kurt Weisz by Helene Weisz and Richard
Fine Arts Fund
Lieberman, Bernie and Janyse Weiss and family
In Memory Of:
Suzin Glickman Bobeck by Jill Herscot and Andrew Bartley
Nettie Rauch by Dr. and Mrs. Bernard A. Heckman
Leon Polis by Sheryl and Ira Fishman
Howard Cohen, brother of Barbara, and son of Ruth and Ben
General Fund
Cohen, by Susan and Bert King
In Honor Of:
Rabbi Bill Rudolph on his retirement and Gail Fribush by Rita Deborah Shandell by Howard J. Hoffman and Cary and Nancy
Feldman
and Irwin Kopin, Beth and Sid Groeneman, and Ellen and
Alvin
Reiser by Deborah Reiser
David Darr
Beth El Forest
17
Contributions Continued
Cecilia Eyzyk by Walter Schimmerling, Carol Asch, Karina
Cramer, and Ernest Schimmerling
Lee Askin by Sara Lieberman
Merwin Lavine by Phyllis and Jeff Lavine
Ida Cohn by Dale and Harvey Gold
Martin Gillman by Todd Gillman
Carol Carlisle by Halina Podilipsky
Rob Futterman by Craig and Judy Futterman
Elaine Silverman Gessow College Activities Fund
In Memory Of:
Harry Golubcow by Saul Golubcow and Hedy Teglasi.
Green Tikkun Fund
In Honor Of:
Good Deeds Day Paper Shredding Event by Myra and Gordon
Gondos, John and Marjorie Gustafson, Antoine W.Van
Agtmael, Mary Krill, Kathy Sklar, Evelyn Karson, Nancy
Olins, Steven and Shelley Robinson, Aaron Arnold and
Phyllis Pomerantz, Rosalyn Bass, Marge and Shelly London,
Anonymous, David Brooks, Bob Bayer, and Elizabeth Kellar
In Memory Of:
Vera Lieban-Kalmar, beloved mother, mother-in-law, and omi,
by Michele Lieban Levine and family
Livia Levine, beloved mother, mother-in-law, and grandma, by
Robert Levine and family
Groner Ramah Scholarship Fund
In Honor Of:
Arnold Marcus by Erwin and Leena Groner
Israel Experience Teen Fund
In Memory Of:
Morris Heckman by Bernard and Ruth Ann Heckman
Harvey Shapiro by Melvyn F. Shapiro
Kesher Nashim Fund
In Memory Of:
Suzin Glickman Bobeck by Judy and Stanley Baldinger
Mazon
In Memory Of:
Doris King by Rachelle Bernstecker and Bob Abramson
Herbert Kappel by Ellen Kappel Berman
Lewis D. Prag by Dianne Lerner
Morris Lerner and Dora Prag by Dianne and Herb Lerner
Elana Patrice Stein, beloved daughter of Linda Katz and Don
Stein and sister of Alyssa Stein, by Joan and Brian Ochs,
Randy and Matthew
Rose Birnbach by Sarah Birnbach
Mindy Lieberman Fund
In Memory Of:
Our beloved daughter-in-law, Mindy Lieberman, by George
and Jackie Goldstone
Mintz Landscaping Fund
In Memory Of:
Amalia van Dam-Vromen by Davida and Andrew Kales
Morning Minyan Fund
In Honor Of:
Siyyum for the first born by Stuart Weisberg
In Memory Of:
Harry Brody, my father, by Gerald Brody
Harry Burkom by Ruth Greenberg
Seymour Gross by Cary and Nancy Feldman and Diane Maisel
Murray Foss by Anne M. Foss
A. Abba Koblenz and Michael Abrams by Andy and Katey
Koblenz
Glen Samet by Robert Samet
Louis Lerman by Allen and Barbara Lerman
Ruben Kaplovsky by Lillian and Jay Miller
Perspectives Fund
In Honor Of:
Allen Eisenberg for receiving the Beth El Kavod Award for
Service to Beth El by Rita and Irwin Kopin
Kimball Nursery School Fund
Prayerbook Fund
Leonard Neumann by Hillary, Scott, Sammy, Jack, and Isaac
Berman
Louise C. Schrier by Helene and Ken Nankin
Barney Barr by Solomon and Rita Barr
Seymour Gross by Sondra Brody and Julian Levin
In Memory Of:
Bernardo Kotelanski, M.D. Marriage Education Fund
In Memory Of:
William Ginsberg by Phillip and Vivian Gorden
Sadie Gorden by Phillip and Vivian Gorden
Library Fund
In Memory Of:
Kalman Seigel, our beloved father, by Carolyn Shanoff and Ann
Goodman
Lillian Seigel, our beloved mother, by Carolyn Shanoff and Ann
Goodman
Jack J. Brown, beloved father, by Mr. and Mrs. Irvin Weiss
Frieda Troffkin by Howard and Rhea Troffkin
Litman Holocaust Education Fund
In Memory Of:
My father, Max Kahn, by Fred A. Kahn
Leopold Zweig by Michele Greenberg
18
In Memory Of:
Rabbi’s Fund
In Honor Of:
Rabbi William Rudolph on his retirement by Craig Yokum
Rabbi Rudolph for his support during my husband, Mervyn’s,
illness and following his death by Marcia Jeffries
Rabbi Rudolph, Rabbi Harris, Hazzan Klein, and Peter
Novick for leading shiva minyan for Mervyn Jeffries by
Marcia Jeffries
Rabbi Rudolph and Rabbi Harris for their kindness following
the death of my mother, Estelle Keilson, by Jerrold Keilson
and Ellen Silver
Rabbi Greg Harris for his hard work by the Rabbi Search
Committee
Rabbi Harris for preparing Nate to become a bar mitzvah by
Rebecca and Dan Farrington
Rabbi Harris for his guidance and support on the occasion of
Isabelle Carlisle’s bat mitzvah by the Carlisle family
Rabbi Bill Rudolph by Mark Gladstone
In Memory Of:
Leah Auerbach by Fran Rubin
Contributions Continued
Lee Bernstein by Harvey N. Bernstein
Ethel Levy by Joel and Joan Simon
Deborah Shandell, sister of Andrea Shandell, by Tricia and
Howard Sachs
My beloved uncle, Richard Sodikow, by Sarah Birnbach
My father, David Kaufman, by Amy Kaufman Goott
Emanuel Gruss, beloved father of Brenda Gruss, by Liz
Schrayer and Jeff Schwaber and Ellen and David Epstein
Anne Ratcliffe by Mary and Arthur Blitz
Samuel Scherr by David J. Mann
Goldie Hamond by Mona and Jerry Gabry
Faye Amster by Jayson Amster and Tessie Hanna
Abraham Dosik by Howard Bender
Leo Schimel by Barry and Elinor Schimel
Rose Teicher by Bert and Judy Spector
Jack Amster by Jayson Amster and Tessie Hanna
SuzAnne Gladstone by Mark Gladstone
Sisterhood Shiva Meal Fund
Scolnic Adult Institute Fund
Torah Scroll Fund
In Honor Of:
Irwin Kopin by Rita Kopin
Cary Feldman for coordinating the Beth El fishing trip by Rita
and Irwin Kopin
In Memory Of:
My beloved father, Louis Cherkas, by Rhoda Nichaman
My father, Elias Bezner, by Steven Bezner
Martha Strauss by Anne and Martin Rosensky and Ilse Stein
Henry Cutler by Michael Cutler and Dale Rosenthal
Lilyan Margolius, mother of Philip Margolius, by John and Sue
Rosenthal
Benjamin Rosenthal by Sue and John Rosenthal
In Memory Of:
Doris King, beloved mother, grandmother, and greatgrandmother, by Julian Levin and Sondra Brody
Mollie Luks Raffes, my dear mother, by Ellen Eule
Social Action Fund
In Memory Of:
Doris King by Linda and Ace Lipson
Sadye Moshman by Annette Moshman
Elaine Tanenbaum Religious School Enrichment Fund
In Honor Of:
50th wedding anniversary of Josephine and Filip Sanders by
Amy and Arthur Kales
In Memory Of:
David Brooks by Herb Tanenbaum
Elaine Tanenbaum, my wife, by Herbert Tanenbaum
In Memory Of:
Ben Cohen, beloved father-in-law, by Rita Liebowitz
Transportation Fund
In Memory Of:
Martha Strauss by Alice Scher, Susan R. Bernstein and Joshua
M. Pruzansky, and Rebecca and Scott Rothney
Benjamin Forstein, father of Sam Forstein, by Esther and Elliot
Wilner
David Brooks by Carolyn Shapiro and Sarah Shapiro
Martha Strauss by Howard and Holly Stein
Werner Liturgical Music Fund
Senior Caucus
In Memory Of:
Thelma Menter, beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, by
Audrey Berger and family
Judy Moskowitz by Dan and Carol Moskowitz
Barbara Wolf “Israel Quest” Fund
In Memory Of:
Dr. Elaine L. Shalowitz Education Fund
In Memory Of:
My father-in-law, Albert Langerman, by Erwin Shalowitz
Elaine Shalowitz by Sam Langerman
Simos Music Fund
In Memory Of:
Seymour Gross by Debbie and Scott Glick
Albert Glick, father of Scott Glick, by Scott and Debbie Glick
Howard Cohen, beloved son of Ben and Ruth Cohen, and
beloved brother of Barbara Cohen, by Debbie and Scott
Glick
Beloved brother, Jerome, by Rita Liebowitz
Cyma Heffter, my wife, by Jerome Heffter
Seymour Gross by Bernard T. Resnick
In Memory Of:
Sy Wolf by Faye R. Wolf
Beth El Judaica & Gifts
Lots of new jewelry and gifts.
Also great sleep-away camp goodies.
Summer hours by appointment.
Beth El Judaica & Gifts is a project of Beth El Sisterhood.
Sisterhood Kiddush Fund
In Honor Of:
Barbara Friedman, for the beautiful kiddush at the baby
naming for Arielle Williamowsky, by Jackie and Adam
Williamowsky
Judy Blank and Sisterhood for Sisterhood’s extra efforts for
Passover desserts for Nate’s bar mitzvah kiddush by Rebecca
and Dan Farrington
In Memory Of:
Pauline Heckman by Bernard and Ruth Ann Heckman
Howard Cohen, beloved son of Ruth and Ben Cohen, by
Margy Nurik
Box Tops for Education
Please cut out the Box Tops for Education labels found on
many of the products you buy. Sisterhood collects the
labels in a canister on top of the security desk in the Beth
El lobby and donates them to Weller Road Elementary
School in Silver Spring. The school cashes in the Box Tops for
supplies that are sorely needed. Thank you to all who have
made the effort to clip and drop off Box Tops.
19
Congregation Beth El
Periodicals
Postage
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8215 Old Georgetown Road
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While we know you’ll want to read every word in this issue of the Scroll, when you’re finished, please recycle it.
Bulletin Board
Mazal Tov to
Walter Arnheim and Marsha Rehns on the marriage of
their son, Phillip Arnheim, to Jessie Qiu
Sharon Markus and Rob Fersh on the birth of their first
grandchild, Jordan Fred Knaani, son of Rachel Fersh
and Shay Knaani
Jonathan Greenblatt on his appointment to the position
of national director of the Anti-Defamation League
(ADL). Jonathan, his wife Marjan, and their family will
move to New York this summer.
Ilene and David Jacobowitz on the forthcoming
marriage of their son, Robert, to Karen Johnson
Karen and Bill Lebovich on the engagement of their
daughter, Jennifer, to Michael Cherner, the son of
Nancy and Stuart Cherner of Potomac
Condolences to
Harriet Brooks on the death of her husband, David
Brooks
Laura and Michael Cutler on the death of Laura’s father,
Stanley Kogan
Nancy Grunley on the death of her father, Martin
Grunley
Mildred Hamer on the death of her husband, Joseph
Hamer
Bert and Susan King on the death of Bert’s mother,
Doris King
Andrea Shandell and Russell Fox on the death of
Send submissions to the Scroll to [email protected]
Andrea’s sister, Deborah Shandell
Bill and Paula Whyman on the death of Bill’s father,
Frank Sanford Whyman
Noteworthy
Senior Caucus Meeting, Wednesday, June 3, 1:00 pm.
These vibrant active retirees join to hear about the ongoing
programs and plan new activities. Be one of them.
Roundtable with the Rabbi, Wednesday, June 3,
2:00 pm. Join us to celebrate June’s birthdays (yours and
those of others) with desserts, coffee, and a lively discussion
led by Rabbi Harris. Birthday celebrants receive a special
invitation, but all are welcome. Senior Caucus, Thursdays, June 4, 11, and 25, noon.
Brown Bag lunch. Come and socialize with your friends and
enjoy refreshments and dessert.
Senior Caucus–Vatikkim Luncheon Program,
Thursday, June 18. Starts with lunch at noon. Following
lunch, Shoshana Pearlman, clinical social worker and JSSA
liaison to Beth El, will speak about “Humor: The Best
Medicine at Any Age.” Lunch costs $10. To RSVP for
lunch, call Ricardo Munster 301-652-2606, ext. 316, or
[email protected], by Tuesday, June 16. The program
is free and begins at 1:00 pm.
Bridge – the greatest game ever! Join us every Monday
and Thursday (except the third Thursday) from noon to
4:00 pm. Drop in and join a game; no partner necessary. For
information or transportation, contact Ricardo Munster at
301-652-2606, ext. 316, or [email protected].
Weekly Parashiot
Source: Siddur Sim Shalom
Beth El Calendar
&Weekly Parashiot
Descriptions of Services
B’ha’alot’kha
Korach
God charges Aaron to light the seven-branched
menorah. The Levites are purified; a second pesach
offering is ordained for those unable to participate in
the first. Israel sets forth from Sinai. As the Ark is carried forward, Moses cries, “Arise, Adonai! May Your
enemies be scattered; may Your foes be put to flight.”
When the Ark rests, Moses declares, “Adonai, may
You dwell among the myriad families of Israel.” In
the wilderness, Moses’ leadership is challenged several
times.
Korach leads a rebellion against Moses and Aaron.
God causes the earth to open, swallowing Korach and
his followers. These deaths lead to grumbling among
the people, further provoking God’s wrath. A plague
befalls the people, killing many. God arranges for a
divine sign—the flowering of Aaron’s rod—to affirm
Aaron’s priesthood and quiet the people. God reiterates the duties of priests and Levites.
June 6, 19 Sivan
Sh’lach L’kha
June 13, 26 Sivan
Moses dispatches 12 spies to Canaan. Ten report that
the land is unconquerable. The people panic, wanting to return to Egypt. Caleb and Joshua exhort Israel
to fulfill God’s plan. The uprising persists, and God
condemns the people to wander in the desert for 40
years. God also commands the wearing of tzitzit, in
order to prompt Israel to remember and to observe all
of God’s mitzvot and to be holy before God, who has
brought them out of Egypt to be their God.
June 20, 3 Tammuz
Hukkat
June 27, 10 Tammuz
God ordains the sacrifice of a red heifer to purify
those having contact with the dead. Miriam dies.
When the people complain about a lack of water,
Moses strikes a rock instead of speaking to it as God
instructs. Consequently, God informs Moses, Moses
may not enter the Promised Land. The Israelites skirt
Edom when it refuses them safe passage. Aaron dies.
After conquering the Canaanites and Amorites, Israel
encamps on Moab across the Jordan from Jericho.
Minyan Chaverim offers the
ruach of the Shabbat services in USY,
BBYO, and Hillel. We have a lay-led,
traditional, participatory, spirit-filled
service, including full repetition of the
Shacharit and Musaf Amidah, as well as
the full Torah reading with an interactive Torah discussion. A pot-luck lunch
follows the service at a nearby home.
For information, contact Debbie
Feinstein at debbie_feinstein@yahoo.
com or Sheryl Rosensky Miller at
[email protected].
The Worship and Study Minyan
is conducted by members of the
congregation and combines evocative
Torah study with ample singing
and ruach. Children are welcome,
although the service is oriented
toward adults. For information, contact
Dan Hirsch at 301-654-7289,
[email protected]
Sid Getz at 301-530-2215,
[email protected]
Mark Levitt at 301-365-5365,
[email protected].
Minyan Olamim, led by Hazzan
Klein and guests, includes chanting,
niggunim, meditation, and a
focus on the inner journey of the
prayers. Mixing Hebrew and English,
it is an opportunity for people of
different backgrounds to sing, pray,
converse, and find a deeper spiritual
meaning in their Shabbat experience.
Youth /Family Services, for
information, contact Elisha Frumkin,
301-652-8573, ext. 319,
[email protected].
Daily Services M-F
7:30 am
Sun-Th 8:00 pm
Fri
6:30 pm
Sun
9:00 am
Shabbat Services (all services are weekly, except as noted)
Early Morning Service
Main Service Babysitting (2-6 years old) Minyan Chaverim (3rd Shabbat)
Minyan Olamim (4th Shabbat)
Worship and Study Minyan (1st Shabbat)
7:30 am
9:30 am
9:15 am
9:30 am
10:45 am
9:45 am
Youth Shabbat Services
Teen Service (1st Shabbat)
10:00 am
Junior Congregation (5th grade +; Library) 10:00 am
Shitufim 10:30-11:30 am
(2nd– 4th grades; 2nd & 4th Shabbat; Zahler Social Hall)
Gan Shabbat
(kindergarten-2nd grade; 1st & 3rd Shabbat; MP 1&2) 10:30-11:30 am
Nitzanim
(birth - kindergarten; 2nd, 4th, 5th Shabbat; MP 1&2) 10:30-11:30 am
SHITUFIM, JUNIOR CONGREGATION, AND TEEN
SERVICE WILL RESUME IN SEPTEMBER.
Congregation Beth El
June 2015
Monthly Calendar
Sunday
1
Monday
9:00 am Minyan
9:30 am Men’s Club Breakfast
10:00 am Men’s Club Program
10:00 am Sisterhood In & Out Brunch
Tuesday
Wednesday
1
2
8:15 am A Taste of Talmud
6:30 pm Mah Jongg
9:30 am M. Fine Class
2:00 pm Roundtable with the Rabbi
8
9
10
9:30 am Knitting Group
12:30 pm Bridge
7:30 pm Boy Scouts
7
Sivan-Tammuz 5775
12:30 pm Bridge
7:30 pm Boy Scouts
7:30 pm Religious School Committee
8:15 am A Taste of Talmud
6:30 pm Mah Jongg
7:30 pm BEPS Board Meeting
3
9:30 am M. Fine Class
Thursday
Friday
Last Day of BEPS
Noon Senior Caucus Brown Bag Lunch
1:00 pm Bridge
8:30 pm Hearing Men’s Voices
6:30 pm Friday Evening Service
5 Candles 8:12 pm
6
11
12 Candles 8:16 pm
13
4
Noon Senior Caucus Brown Bag Lunch
1:00 pm Bridge
6:30 pm Friday Evening Service
9:00 am Minyan
9:30 am Men’s Club Breakfast
10:00 am Men’s Club Program
11:30 am Book Club
21
Father’s Day
9:00 am Minyan
9:30 am Men’s Club Breakfast
10:00 am Men’s Club Program
28
9:00 am Minyan
9:30 am Men’s Club Breakfast
10:00 am Men’s Club Program
7:30 am Early Shabbat Service
9:30 am Main Shabbat Service
9:30 am Taylor Haber Bat Mitzvah
9:45 am Worship & Study Minyan
10:30 am Gan Shabbat
7:30 am Early Shabbat Service
9:30 am Main Shabbat Service
9:30 am Samantha Levine Bat
Mitzvah
9:30 am Vivianna Arnold Bat Mitzvah
10:30 am Nitzanim
(offsite)
14
Saturday
15
12:30 pm Bridge
7:30 pm Boy Scouts
22
12:30 pm Bridge
29
12:30 pm Bridge
16
8:15 am A Taste of Talmud
6:30 pm Mah Jongg
7:00 pm BEST Parent Orientation
17
Rosh Hodesh Tammuz
9:30 am M. Fine Class
7:30 pm Rosh Chodesh: It’s a Women
Thing
18
Rosh Hodesh Tammuz
Noon Senior Caucus Luncheon
7:00 pm Knitting Group
7:30 pm BEPS New Parent Orientation
19 Candles 8:19 pm
5:00 pm Senior Caucus Shabbat Dinner
6:30 pm Kol Haneshama Friday Evening
Service
20
7:30 am Early Shabbat Service
9:30 am Main Shabbat Service
9:30 am Neil Abramowitz Bar Mitzvah
9:30 am Minyan Chaverim
10:30 am Gan Shabbat
8:15 am A Taste of Talmud
6:30 pm Mah Jongg
7:00 pm The Red Stone Group
7:30 pm Board Meeting
9:30 am M. Fine Class
Noon Senior Caucus Brown Bag Lunch
1:00 pm Bridge
6:30 pm Friday Evening Service
26 Candles 8:20 pm
27
30
27
28
29 Candles 8:07 pm
30
23
8:15 am A Taste of Talmud
6:30 pm Mah Jongg
24
25
7:30 am Early Shabbat Service
9:30 am Main Shabbat Service
10:30 am Nitzanim