IN THIS ISSUE
- Rabbi Sunny's Announcement
- Congregational Conversations
- Movie & Speaker: Rosenwald
- Mahjongg Madness
- Book Club
- Holiday Celebrations
- Help for Uganda's Jews
- Afghan Refugee Update
- Focus on Climate
- Food for Thought
- Meet A Member
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October 2021 Newsletter
Rabbi Elhanan "Sunny" Schnitzer
Tishrei/Cheshvan 5782
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CLICK for the Complete BJC October Events Calendar
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Kriat HaRav—The Rabbi’s Call
Rabbi Elhanan “Sunny” Schnitzer
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Many years ago I delivered a sermon that began by telling the story of a retiring CEO who, when asked why he was retiring, remarked, “I knew that it was time to retire when it dawned on me that up until that point I had only made two real decisions in my life. One, to take up my current vocation, and the other—to retire from that vocation. I realized that there had to be more impact upon the world from my existence than only those two decisions.”
Now that I have announced my intention to retire in June of 2022, I find myself asking, does this story apply to me?
Truth be told, I have made many life changing decisions in my 68 years. First to go to New York at the age of 21 in an attempt to become a professional actor. The second to give up on that dream and enter my family business where I spent 17 years, then to return to college, obtain a Jewish studies degree and subsequently become ordained as a cantor and then to re-enter seminary again to become a rabbi. There was marriage, divorce, remarriage. Taking a first full time pulpit in Alexandria, relocating to Northern Virginia, and taking the pulpit at BJC.
But that was far from the end. When offered positions at other synagogues, more than once, I decided to stay at BJC. I decided to take on the leadership of the Cuba America Jewish Mission and work to improve conditions for the Jews of that island.
Most of those decision brought satisfaction some brought disappointment and pain.
Along the way things happened over which, perhaps, I had no control, but upon further examination, I realized that earlier choices brought me to the place where, when an event occurred, were dependent on those choices.
I have realized that unlike that CEO, I have made decisions at every stage of my life and continue to do so. In fact, I sometimes feel that I would like to let go and let someone else make the decisions for a while!
Our Torah wrestles with this concept as well. Abraham gets the call to go to Canaan. He could have said no. Eve and Adam could have said; “no thanks, I’m not hungry.”
Our Torah and tradition teaches us that every day, decisions lie before us.
"See! I have placed before you today the life and the good, and the death and the evil... I have placed life and death before you, blessing and curse; therefore choose life so that you will live.” (Devarim 30:15-20)
Making choices requires that we grasp the profundity of our decisions and not shy away from them, but grab onto them with courage. And it happens every day.
Rabbi Sunny Schnitzer
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In Case You Missed It: Rabbi Sunny's Announcement
Click on the arrow to play Rabbi Sunny's announcement of his retirement.
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President's Column—Our Next Chapter
From Wynne Busman & Harri Kramer, Co-Presidents
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At the end of September, as the Rabbi shared the news of his planned retirement in June 2022, we added our thoughts, reprinted here.
At various services since then, we’ve had the pleasure of speaking with many of you as you process this big news. We want to reiterate: we are here to listen to you. Please participate in one of our Congregational Conversations, reply to a general survey that will come out, or send an email to [email protected]. Or send us an email directly.
Dear BJC Family,
“To everything there is a season....” And now we find ourselves approaching a new season.
While we all have known of Rabbi Sunny’s intention to retire one day – starting with his reducing his hours this year to three-quarters time – the news that it was going to be at the end of this year, June 2022, still surprised us. As Co-Presidents, we have known a brief while, and have held this news for a bit.
But this time has allowed us to actually get a leg up on what needs to be done. First, we’ve been doing our homework – learning about the Rabbi search process for an independent congregation like BJC.
Second, we’ve assembled a first-rate Search Team, whose names appear below our signatures. This team brings diverse perspectives and represents many of BJC’s constituencies.
Third, we’re prepared to listen to you and learn what matters to you as we search for a new Spiritual Leader for BJC, both in terms of BJC’s future and the qualities we are looking for in a Spiritual Leader. As we announced on Rosh Hashanah, we will be hosting Zoom Congregational Conversations, each limited to a small number so we can hear you – your ideas, your visions, your concerns.
Fourth, we pledge regular, ongoing, and transparent communications. And we will always be here to listen to your questions and concerns. We’ve set up a unique email account just for this purpose: [email protected]
No transition is easy, even when you know it’s coming. Our goal now is to use this time as an opportunity for our amazing congregation to begin another chapter together. There is no doubt in our mind that the future will be exciting. And, in the meantime, we shall relish our time with Rabbi Sunny.
B’Shalom,
Search Team Members
Howard Berkof Shoshanah Drake
Anita Farb Michele Goldstein
Joan Kaufman Jim Korelitz
Rachel Mosher-Williams Jeremy Pelter
Robin Sorkin Steve Turow
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CONGREGATIONAL CONVERSATIONS: GET READY! |
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Later this month, you will see announcements in BJC Now about how to sign up to participate in a Congregational Conversation. We will be offering various opportunities to participate via Zoom, and if you can’t join us then, we will have a survey to capture your thoughts.
BJC Congregants have never been shy about sharing what matters to them. At this juncture in our congregation’s history, we need you to tell us what is important to you—what qualities are important to you in our Spiritual Leader, how we worship, how we study, how we program activities, and how we do all we do. In short, we need you to help us design the future of BJC. All of our sessions will be on Zoom.
Some conversations will be during the day, others in the evening, and will last about an hour to an hour and one half. We will host the conversations in small breakout groups, so everyone has the chance to speak. We need your candid input about what you love, what is important to you, about what programming has worked, and what hasn’t been your cup of tea.
We welcome participation from current members, former members, and those of you who join us for High Holy Days or other worship or program opportunities.
Stay tuned and sign up!
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Back to School!
By Maran Gluckstein, School Coordinator
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With the coming of October, we are looking forward to beginning our in-person Saturday classes and our mid-week Hebrew tutorials. The focus for the month of October is the Jewish value Tzedek Tirdof – Pursue Justice. Our students will be talking about what that means, how we go about it, and why it is important.
The two related values are B’tzelem Elohim – In the Image of God, and V’ahavta L’re’acha K’mocha – Love Your Neighbor as Yourself. It is because we are all made in the image of our Creator that we are enjoined to love one another as we do ourselves. The pursuit of justice is not easy. It requires perseverance, patience, creativity, and hope.
Our culminating activity will be the search for shark’s teeth on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay. Like the pursuit of justice, it may not be easy to achieve our aims, but we won’t give up!
B’Shalom,
Maran
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LET THE RABBI PROVIDE PASTORAL SUPPORT |
Please be in touch with me in times of joy, sadness, or illness in your life or in the lives of a loved one or another member of the congregation. HIPAA regulations have made getting information from hospitals extremely difficult. I greatly appreciate your help keeping me informed of the health needs of our congregation. If you have a pastoral need, please call the BJC Office at (301) 469-8636 or email me at [email protected].
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SNAP SHOTS: Getting Together for Worship, Meaning, & Fun |
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Click for the complete BJC October Calendar
Zoom links will also be provided in BJC Now.
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WORSHIP SCHEDULE REMINDER
Reminder: BJC continues our Friday night worship live and livestreamed. Shabbat Morning Services are in Covenant Hall at 10:30 AM. Consult BJC Now for the link to services if you prefer to worship with us virtually.
Saturday morning worship uses the Shabbat and Festival Edition of Siddur Eit Ratzon. Siddur Eit Ratzon is not available in an online version but is available for purchase for home use at: http://newsiddur.org/purchase.html
BJC has limited copies available for temporary loan until your purchased copy arrives. Call the BJC office to arrange pick up.
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ROSENWALD: A Significant Movie & A Terrific Speaker
Thursday, October 7, 7 PM and Sunday, October 10, 5 PM
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The film Rosenwald is a documentary on the incredible story of how Jewish businessman and philanthropist Julius Rosenwald, a co-founder of Sears Roebuck, joined with African-American communities in the South to build schools for them during the early part of the 20th century. This historical partnership as well as the modern-day attempts to maintain or reconfigure the schools is a great dramatic story, yet too little-known.
Watch this film with your BJC community and then a few days later, watch a Zoom presentation by Dr. Dorothy Canter, President of the Board of Directors at the National Historic Park Campaign, who is leading the effort to establish a National Historical Park to recognize Rosenwald.
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Shabbat Under the Stars & Food Truck Friday
Friday, October 22, Outdoors, 7:30 PM
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One last time before the weather turns cold, we attempt to take it outside. The September outdoor service was a smash, so we'll do it again. The Friday Food Trucks will be in the parking lot beginning at 5:30 PM. Followed by a one-hour multimedia service with BJC musicians, food, and friendship. The service begins at 7:30 PM and will not be available on Zoom. Bring a blanket and bring your friends. |
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Majhongg Madness
Tuesday, October 26, 7-9 PM in person at BJC. Masks required.
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Come play with BJC! It doesn't matter if you’ve never played and want to learn or if you're experienced. We’ll group you with people at your level. This event is for everyone.
This is NOT a tournament: we're playing for fun and bragging rights! This event is free to attend, and we're raffling off an amazing basket FULL of mahjongg items!
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Book Club
Wednesday, October 27, 8 PM
Come every month or drop in when you like! Generally, it’s the 4th Wednesday. We meet via Zoom.
October 27: Klara and the Sun by Nobel laureate Kazuo Ishiguro tells the story of Klara, an Artificial Friend with outstanding observational qualities, who, from her place in the store, carefully watches the behavior of those who come in to browse and of those who pass on the street outside. The book offers a look at our changing world through the eyes of an unforgettable narrator—and one that explores the fundamental question: what does it mean to love?
November 17 (third Wednesday) Homeland Elegies by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ayad Akhtar. blends fact and fiction in a deeply personal work about identity and belonging in a nation coming apart at the seams. Part family drama, part social essay, part picaresque novel, at its heart this is the story of a father, a son, and the country they both call home
Evelyn Ganzglass will send out the Zoom link prior to each meeting. If you are not already on the book club’s email list and would like to join us for any or all of our meetings, please let Evelyn know and she will add you to the list.
More about BJC's Open Book Club is our website. Click here.
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THANK YOU to Our High Holy Days Volunteers
By Jim Korelitz, High Holy Days Coordinator
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A great big THANK YOU to our High Holy Days volunteers who helped with ushering at all of the services, setting up and cleaning up at tashlich, putting up and taking down the two outdoor sukkot, and many more tasks that made everything run so smoothly.
All of your efforts were very much needed and appreciated—and hopefully you found it rewarding, too.
If you have any comments or feedback about the High Holy Days volunteering experience, please contact me at [email protected] or 301-385-3015.
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Building the Sukkah
Thank you to Alan Lichter, Ken Fine, Bruce Busman, Alan Dubin, Craig Winslow, and the rest of the “Sukkah Crew” for building it. Thank you to Jim and Liz Korelitz for the beautiful mums.
And a big round of applause for our BJC kids, who did a stellar job decorating and making the sukkah beautiful!!
They also did an excellent job building (and eating) their edible sukkahs.
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Simchat Torah Under the Stars |
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The pandemic protocols altered our traditional Simchat Torah celebration. But, we were not deterred from having a meaningful Shabbat and Simchat Torah evening under the stars.
The Machaya Klezmer Band joined Rabbi Sunny in leading us in a most splendid celebration and worship.
We began with a socially distant bring-your-own picnic, our new favorite Fred’s ice cream truck, and great fun.
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In Case You Missed It: Unity Walk
By Marty Ganzglass
On September 12, BJC Members Karen Levi and Marty and Evelyn Ganzglass attended the 16th Annual Unity Walk. The Walk commemorates the 9/11 terrorist attack and brings together people of all faiths in unity to work for tolerance and better relations among all peoples.
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The walk began at the Washington Hebrew Congregation and ended at the Gandhi Statue on Massachusetts Avenue, N.W. About 400 people of all faiths and ages attended. |
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ON THE HORIZON -- SAVE THE DATE |
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Our Interfaith Thanksgiving Service
Sunday, November 14
We will continue our long-standing tradition of the three Abrahamic faiths coming together to give thanks. We are currently working out the details of how to come together in this era of the Covid pandemic, with some in-person meeting and live streaming for others.
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Authors Among Us
Thursday, November 18 , 7:30 PM via Zoom
The Authors Among us is a joint project of Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church and Bethesda Jewish Congregation. Several members of both congregations have published a wide variety of books, both fiction and non-fiction, for adults and children. Some of the BJC authors will donate a portion of royalties to the Rabbi’s discretionary fund.
Event coordinators include Marty Ganzglass and Karen Levi from BJC, and Marilyn Allen and Mary Hickey from BHPC. Please watch BJC Now and next month’s Insights for details.
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Social Action Wants You to Know
By Helen Dalton & Robin Sorkin, Co-chairs
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Help us make a difference. If YOU want to get involved with BJC’s social action initiatives or if you have an idea and want to get others involved, get in touch with either of our co-chairs, Helen Dalton or Robin Sorkin. The next meeting of the SAC is October 5 at 7:30 on Zoom.
FYI: As a result of your contributions at the High Holy Days, BJC and Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church donated over 1,400 pounds of food to support the important work of Manna.
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Show You Care—Do Your Share: Help a Jewish Congregation in Uganda
By Laurie Mabile
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My passion is building Intercultural Bridges. At our Tuesday morning Torah study, I learned about BJC’s involvement in an agricultural initiative project of the Abayuddaya Congregation of Nasenyi B, Uganda.
BJC now actively supports this project and, as a member of our Social Action Committee, I am thoroughly engaged in promoting its success. If you visit our SAC bulletin board outside the BJC office, you see it is one of the team-building bricks in our Show You Care—Do Your Share initiative.
This project works towards building sustainable livelihoods for the members of the Abayudaya Congregation in Nasenyai B through farming. The congregation currently lives a subsistence lifestyle in a rural area of Uganda with little or no access to many of things that you and I take for granted: electricity, clean water, healthcare, and the means to improve their standing. It is a lifestyle we can hardly imagine.
Contributions from Rabbi Sunny’s Discretionary Fund and BJC’s tzedakah fund have helped this community to thrive and survive. Phincas Ziraba, spiritual leader for the congregation and coordinator of the project in Nasenyi, explains that “it [agriculture] is the only business which can boost our livelihood in the household.” When I spoke about this at our Rosh Hashanah service, members of the Nasenyi community were, through the miracle of Zoom technology, able to join in a conversation with BJC members.
There are two growing seasons annually in Nasenyi: the first is a January/early February planting with harvest in June and the second is the July/August planting with harvest in December. In the first season, despite the added hardship the pandemic brought, our BJC funding helped support the training of more than a dozen members of the congregation and the successful planting and harvesting of one-acre plots of green peppers that were brought to market and earned successful revenue.
And despite Covid lockdowns, the farmers navigated permission to take the peppers to market and earned revenue. It is estimated that after just three growing seasons, a farmer in the project can be self-sustaining. In season two, BJC also funded non-reusable farming supplies (seeds, fertilizer, pesticide, etc.) for more than a dozen farmers, enabling them to plant their seeds within the current season’s timetable. Additional assistance from the BJC tzedakah funds will provide a small cushion for additional expenses this season.
Looking toward the next growing season, knowing the impact BJC funds has had on the Nasenyi project, we are hoping that the past results and our active involvement with the members of this brave community will inspire additional assistance from individuals at BJC. You may donate by check to the BJC Rabbi Discretionary Fund (with a notation on the check earmarking it for the Uganda Agro Project) or use Shul Cloud to donate to the Rabbi Discretionary Fund with the same notation to the project.
If building intercultural bridges is your passion, please Show You Care and Do Your Share by helping a Jewish congregation in Uganda to thrive and survive. Team with me and share my passion. You can email me by clicking here.
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Update on The Interfaith Refugee Family Initiative Activities
By Evelyn Ganzglass, BJC and Brigitte Burgett, BHPC
Co-chairs, Interfaith Refugee Family Initiative
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Thank you for the outpouring of support for our effort to welcome refugees to the greater District, Maryland, and Northern Virginia (DMV) area. You volunteered to supply almost all of the furniture and furnishing required for our first apartment set-up within hours of our posting the first call for donations. Please continue to use this Sign Up Genius to volunteer your time and donate still-needed goods.
The Interfaith Refugee Family Initiative is gathering donations to set up one or more apartments for Afghan refugee families. The first part of the Sign Up Genius form lists the number of furniture items needed to set up three apartments. We are collecting this information so that we can gauge how many apartments we have the capacity to set up with donated furniture. Barbara Ranagan will contact you once your donation is needed for a specific apartment and to arrange transporting your donation to the apartment. The second part of the form pertains to goods needed for just one family. The Sign Up Genius form will be updated for each apartment set-up we undertake, and you will be notified.
Currently, we are awaiting assignment of a specific apartment set-up from Lutheran Social Services and International Refugee Committee, the local resettlement agencies with whom we are working. Because these agencies are struggling to procure apartments and process families as quickly as possible after they are released from government camps, we may be called upon to set up an apartment within the next few days or it might take several weeks before we are assigned. Reasons for the slow down include a measles outbreak and a vigorous vetting process. It’s pretty much a “hurry up and wait” situation beyond our control. Be patient and be flexible! Just think about how trying this must be for the refugee families.
At this time, we have not committed our congregations (BJC, Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church, the Maqaame Ibrahim Islamic Center (MIIC), which shares 6601 Bradley Boulevard with us, and the Idara é Jaferia ) to providing ongoing support for refugee families, in part because we do not yet know their needs and whether or not we have the capacity to meet those needs.
Please let us know if you are interested in a more active role helping a refugee settle into their new home (e.g. organizing tutoring, teaching financial literacy, helping them learn the ropes of the school system where they reside or other activities).
In the meantime, you may wish to consider volunteering with other groups serving refugees in the DMV area. Solutions in Hometown Connections provides English language, citizenship, and early childhood programs for families living in the area. Lutheran Social Services provides a range of services and seeks volunteers. KindWorks, a local nonprofit organization, relies on volunteers for its work. In addition, KAMADC provides information on other ways you can help.
Thank you for your eagerness to help and your support.
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We All Have Work to Do to Halt Climate Change |
At the High Holy Days, Rabbi Sunny spoke powerfully about what we can do to slow climate change. The following are excerpts from that sermon:
Within the Torah, too, might be the secret to beating climate change. The answer may well be Shabbat.
Shmittah, has rarely in human history been properly observed, but it’s potential effect on the planet— if we could commit ourselves to doing so—would be profound.
What would it be like for an entire nation to let not just the land, but the planet rest? Impossible we may say, but the planet is truly hell bent on taking her rest with or without our acquiescence even if doing so will mean the extinction of multiple species and untold suffering of billions of human beings.
Our current environmental crises compels us to try.
By consuming in a mindful way and not wasting, we can become healthier, more balanced human beings, and also promote a healthier and more balanced world.
So, take action. Not one action—but a series of actions—both small and large.
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Get serious about buying your electricity from a climate friendly provider. Pepco isn’t bad relative to other national utility providers, but prices and percentages of renewable power sources flowing into our energy grid vary by the season. Check periodically by going to www.Clearviewenergy.com, where you can compare local utility providers by price and percentage of renewables.
- Make your next car an electric or a hybrid. Yeah, I know I recently acquired a hot sports car, but it’s only a lease. we have 2 cars and when we replace our 10 year old Hyundai, you can bet it will be with an electric or hybrid. When the lease of the Z-4 is up, we’ll do the same.
- Reduce your medium haul flying. Your personal carbon footprint, and the footprint of every passenger on the plane, for a domestic flight of 600 miles duration is about a half-ton of carbon. Consider driving or better yet, if possible, take the train.
By marching together and by gathering others to our side, we can change direction for an entire planet. Yes, reversing climate change may seem like it will take a miracle, but, to paraphrase David Ben Gurion, if a Jew doesn’t believe in miracles, he is not a realist.
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On September 23, Rabbi Sunny joined local Jewish communities in speaking out for legislation to prioritize clean energy and eco justice! He was part of the Sukkot Climate Change Caravan that traveled to Capitol Hill to call on our local leaders to prioritize a healthy climate, clean energy, green jobs, and eco-justice in Congress. Attendees sang together and spoke out together as Jewish protectors of the earth.
You can take action from home by contacting your Senators and Representatives. Speak out, there is no Planet B!
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From the ICPC: TAKE ACTION TO SUPPORT THE UYGHURS -- STOP THE CHINESE GENOCIDE
By Marty Ganzglass
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The Rabbi, in one of his High Holy Day sermons, spoke eloquently about the Chinese genocide against the Uyghurs and urged us to take action.
Do your part by:
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following Jewish World Watch on their website and taking the actions they recommend, such as writing to your members of Congress in support of the Uyghurs
- looking for the labels of country of origin when you purchase products and not buying products made in China, which may be made by slave labor
- boycotting Hilton Hotels which is building a hotel on a site of a Uyghur Mosque razed by the Chinese Government.
More details to follow, but mark your calendars now: There is a demonstrations to support the Uyghurs scheduled for November 9, the anniversary of Kristalnacht.
DO NOT STAND IDLY BY
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NACHAS NOTES
Editor’s Note: Let us know share in your happiness. New job? New baby or grand? Got into that college? Engagements or weddings? Send to: [email protected]
Mazel Tov to:
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Rabbi Sunny on his 20th anniversary with BJC.
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Food for Thought: From Hunger to Satiety this Yom Kippur
By Jeremy Pelter, Vice President, BJC Board of Trustees
This Yom Kippur I went from hunger to satiety, and I’m not talking about my fast and the wonderful break-fast my beautiful wife Sarah prepared. A hunger for the soul developed this Yom Kippur as the COVID-19 pandemic continued and the Delta variant arrived. All of a sudden, I found myself planning to join an online High Holy Day service, for the second year in a row, when just a few months ago, it seemed we were so close to emerging from our contactless hibernation for good.
With two boys under twelve (pictured), BJC in-person this year was just not in the cards. Although I was disappointed, my hunger for an in-person High Holy Days would not be fed, I was sure Rabbi Sunny and the BJC team would still give us a nice experience, but something would be missing. To my surprise, while I missed out on a little nourishment for my soul being surrounded by my congregation, I found an unexpected boost just being with my boys.
Sitting together on the couch, in front the laptop opened up opportunity and not just avoiding an argument about putting on your “synagogue clothes.” The boys started to ask questions and I didn’t have to shush them in the comfort of our own family room. What does this prayer mean? Where did your stash of yarmulkes come from? Why do we go on tippy toes for “kadosh”? Why was Rabbi Sunny talking about ice cream? And although there was an occasional “how much longer?” most of the questions were truly relevant to that day’s Yom Kippur immersion.
After the service (and a modest lunch for the non-fasting children), we went for a walk and the questions and conversation continued. To my amazement we had a near hour-long talk about balancing science and religion with ideas about reconciling the big-bang and Genesis, evolution and creationism; maintaining faith in things we have trouble understanding (Adonai and astrophysics for example); and even how to join the BJC Choir!
I started the holiest day of our year thinking my soul would be hungry and missing my in-person congregational celebration would leave me unfulfilled. I ended the day inspired and spiritually replenished. I still hope to see my community in-person next year for the High Holy Days, but my experience has reminded me to keep the faith and remember that spiritual nourishment can come from unexpected circumstances.
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MEET A MEMBER: Rochelle & Bill Banta
In Their Own Words
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Rochelle had just finished a degree in psychology at Barnard College and was an employee at NOAA. She enrolled for graduate classes in marine biology and was referred for counseling. There she met Bill Banta, then Associate Professor of Biology at American University, who advised her to take two of his classes. She received an honest B+ in marine biology— and a husband. Soon after, their first son, Claude Epke, was born. They spent a brief summer at Harvard University and were off for a year at the University of Sydney (Australia), where their second son, Joshua Alexander, appeared, followed by Jessica Sabra (Washington). They lived near Mazza Gallery with two cats and a fat brown dog, Flower, who, like all his dogs over the 30 years Bill taught at AU, went to work every day, usually on foot.
Money was always short, so the kids grew up sharing the back seat of Rochelle’s dowry, a 1963 Volkswagen, whose dog shared the cramped nook behind them. Until the kids left for college, we never had more than one car. Rochelle worked at an ice-cream parlor and taught Sunday school at synagogues in Washington (Washington Hebrew Congregation, Adas Israel, and others). One year, the whole family flew for the summer with Bill at a marine laboratory in British Columbia. One summer they left the kids with friends to lead a class of biology students on one of Bill’s graduate excursions to the Andes, Amazon and the Galapagos.
Although Bill tried hard to stay at home, he was often away for weeks on research cruises and marine labs, especially on weekends. His work included bryozoans (look it up), marine snails, marshes, and water quality for DC.
Bill met BJC’s George Loeb at his lab with the Navy in Annapolis. After that the two were summer research partners working on biological fouling of naval vessels. George’s wife, Marsha was a renowned insect scientist at the US Department of Agriculture. One day, 40 years ago, Marcia offered us two tickets for BJC high holy day services. At that time there was a nursery with cribs so we could watch through a window. With George and Marcia’s encouragement Rochelle and her father, Arthur Barrios, became members of the BJC choir and before we knew it all our kids were bar/bat mitzvot. Bill and Rochelle are still in close touch with Marsha. Rochelle received a Master’s at AU in Jewish Studies and taught preschool for many years. American University was good to Bill, who suffered cancer and cardiac problems; he became Emeritus in 2000. Rochelle worked as an office manager for New Hope Foundation, a non-profit organization that was working on building a group home for people with mental health issues.
Once the 3-bedroom house got too small (1992) we moved to a house in Maryland near Connecticut Avenue and the Beltway. Claude and Jessica graduated from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School; Joshua attended the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School. Before we knew it, all three kids had each spent a month or more in Israel and (Bang!) graduated from college: Claude, Engineering at Bucknell, Jessica at UMD, and Joshua at University of Pittsburgh. Joshua went on to a PhD in Biology (Stony Brook) and is now Professor of Biology at the University of Texas at Tyler with a Russian lawyer wife and two girls. Bill and Josh, both evolutionary biology professors, love talking shop. Claude, a computer engineer for the State of Pennsylvania is unmarried; Jessica, also unmarried, lives in New York.
Today, Bill collects, catalogs and records LP classical records for the Internet Archives (.com). He has about 6,000 so far. Rochelle enjoys the BJC choir and loves the bible studies classes with the Rabbi and Ugandan community. She enjoys book groups and takes biblical classes at the Haberman Institute with Gideon Amir. Both Bantas are active in NAMI (the National Alliance for the Mentally) Ill and together conduct biweekly support groups online.
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REMEMBRANCES
We mourn the recent passing of
Trudie Tausher Baum, beloved aunt of Elizabeth Kirkpatrick
Yahrzeits: October 2021
Morris Arovas, father of Edward Arovas
Saul, Bixhorn, father of Herbert Bixhorn
Freda Blumenthal, mother of Diane Blumenthal
Leonard Busman, father of Bruce Busman
Sonya Choper, sister of Linda Baum
Bessie Cohen, grandmother of Donna Goldberg
Renee Cooper, mother of David Cooper
Libby Dubin, sister of Alan Dubin
Evelyn Dwork, mother of Barry Dwork
Fanny Dwork, grandmother of Barry Dwork
Thelma Flanders-Shtasel, mother of Sana Shtasel
Molly Friedman, mother of Hannah Friedman-Elson
Miriam Gleberman, mother of Ellen Gleberman
Ethel Gluckstein, friend of Maran Gluckstein Pepi
Philip Gordesky, grandfather of Joan Kaufman
Jerome Grunes, father of Allen Grunes
Harry Haber, father of Miles Haber
Pepi Harnden, mother of Sandra Medlin
Beatrice Heller, mother of Carie Schaffer
Rosalind Klein, mother of Abby Horwitz
Ethel Levine, mother of Leslie Levine
Mae Mosher, grandmother of Rachel Mosher-Williams
James Posner, father of Ted Posner
Samuel Rein, Samuel, father of Susan Kraut
Hank Schwartzman, father of Linda Graves
George Shapiro, uncle of Wynne Busman
Julius Spiro, father of Dan Spiro
Diane Szdzepaniak, wife of Allen Grunes
Matthew Tarker, father of Lisa Tarker
Alan Turow, father of Steve Turow
Florence Wolpert, mother of Ira Wolpert
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AMAZON SMILES
Why not take a minute and sign up for Amazon Smiles? This past quarter, BJC received $86 as a result of qualifying purchases our members have made through Amazon. Pennies, nickels, dimes, and sheckles add up. Do your Amazon shopping through the Smiles program and designate BJC. Sign up now! It never costs you anything, and BJC will get 0.5% of your purchase.
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THANK YOUS
GENERAL FUND/AS GOOD AS WE GIVE
Linda Blumberg & Steve Turow, in honor of Sukkot, Simchat Torah, and the Bar Mitzvah of Adrian Arovas
Diane Blumenthal & Craig Winslow, in memory of Diane’s mother, Freda Blumenthal
Wynne & Bruce Busman, in memory of Bruce’s father, Dr. Leonard Busman
Harri Kramer, in memory of her grandmother, Vivian L. Kramer
Harri Kramer & Russ Hogya, in honor of Dr. Karen Jerome and the other BJC doctors and nurses on the front lines treating Covid patients
Harri Kramer & Russ Hogya, in honor of all those who read from the Torah at High Holy Days
Susan Kraut & Eric Benderson, in honor of Afghan Refugees
Earl Silbert
Howard Teitelbaum
Lorrie Van Akkeren
RABBI'S DISCRETIONARY FUND
Genta & Edward Arovas in honor of their son Adrian’s upcoming Bar Mitzvah
Paul Segal, in memory of his mother Ruth
And to all of our members who “round up” their synagogue support and donate their time.
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Board of Trustees (As of 7/1/2021)
Co-Presidents Wynne Busman & Harri Kramer
Vice-President Jeremy Pelter
Treasurer Terri Reicher
Secretary Lorrie Van Akkeren
Trustees
Shoshanah Drake
Ken Fine
Karen Levi
Karen Levy
David Slacter
Steve Turow
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Board Members & Committee Chairs
Chesed Society Lorrie Van Akkeren
Education Amy Rubenstein
Financial Advisor Steve Turow
Fundraising Sandra Walter
High Holy Days Jim Korelitz
Intercongregational Partnership Liaison
Marty Ganzglass
Membership
Past President Sandra Walter
Programs Diane Horn & Joan Kaufman
Social Action Helen Dalton & Robin Sorkin
Student Representative Rebecca McMillen
BJC Administration
BJC News
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DEADLINE FOR THE NEXT ISSUE: October 25, 2021
Bethesda Jewish Congregation
6601 Bradley Boulevard
Bethesda, MD 20817-3042
Tel: 301-469-8636
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