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December 13, 2018
5 Tevet 5779
Parashat Vayyigash
Candle lighting 4:28 pm
Tuesday, Dec. 18 is 
Asarah b'Tevet (The Fast of 10 
Tevet).  Minchah will be at 4:15 PM (with Torah reading and fast day liturgy), followed by 
Arvit ~4:45 PM
.  There will be NO 8:00 PM Evening Minyan.
In this Issue
This Shabbat at Ohr Kodesh
 Parashat Vayyigash      
Read Torah Sparks from the Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

Kabbalat Shabbat  - 4:25 PM  in the Cohen Chapel.

Friday Night Lights - 6:00-9:00 PM at the Halle/Krasnopoler Home
Kabbalat Shabbat, Arvit, and dinner, followed by a serious discussion with Kevin Lipson, the lawyer who argued Shaare Tefila vs. Cobb in front of the Supreme Court. He will discuss the case and the rise of antisemitism in the US in the past two decades. Reservations are now closed. Questions? Contact Bonnie Prissman, USY advisor, at  [email protected]. 

Got Shabbat?!- 6:00 PM in the Cohen Chapel 
Got  Shabbat?! is a program geared toward families with students in grades K-7. Join the Ohr Kodesh clergy and staff for a Leil Shabbat service with student participation followed by a community dinner. Reservations are now closed. Questions? Email Cantor Hinda Labovitz at  [email protected].

Shabbat  Morning - 8:45 AM 
Shacharit will be led by Andy Shoyer, and Musaf will be led by Rabbi Philip Pohl.   We will celebrate the naming of new newborn daughter of Andrea Pearson & Kevin Rosenbaum. Kevin Lipson will discuss the 1987 Supreme Court case Shaare Tefila Congregation v. Cobb. This local synagogue was defaced with anti-Semitic graffiti in 1982. He will discuss the relevance of this case after the killings in Pittsburgh. Kevin Lipson is Partner in the Houston, TX and DC offices of Hogan Lovells. He is President of the Jewish Advocacy Center, and graduate of GW and Washington University Law School where he was Articles Editor of the Law Review. He is the recipient of the 2018 Distinguished Alumnus Award, Washington University morning Law School. OKC member Elliot Mincberg will join in the discussion to be held after musaf.

Please feel free to take advantage of our coffee, tea, and comfy chairs in the conference room "Shabbat Break Room," which is open during Shabbat services to everyone, including parents with small children.

Mini-Minyan - 10:30 to 11:30 AM in Room 5. Led by Raviv Brooks. 

Kehilat Tefilah - A Youth-Led Shabbat Service for Children in Gr. 3-7
10:30-11:30 AM in Room 2; Led by  Shabbat  Crew teens and staff.
 
Torah Tots - Families with Children up to 5 years of Age
10:30-11:30 AM in the Salzberg Family Library. Led by Rachel Lang.

Kiddush 
The Green Kiddush will be enhanced by 
Andrea Pearson & Kevin Rosenbaum 
in honor of their newborn daughter and her naming.

Interested in Volunteering to Help at a Future Green  Kiddush ?
Members of Ohr Kodesh enjoy a "green"  Kiddush  (when no disposable dishes or flatware are used) once a month at which volunteers offer to help dry dishes. If you can help at a future "green" Kiddush  contact Howard Jacobson at [email protected]. 

Jews for Exegesis -   will meet during the Kiddush at a table in the corner of the Social Hall. 

Minchah - 4:25 PM

PJ Havdalah - 5:30-7:00 PM in the Social Hall
Join us at OKC for a community Havdalah and activities. Enjoy activities, snacks and hot chocolate followed by a song-filled Havdalah for all ages! All families are invited to join us for a BYO kosher dairy picnic dinner at 5:30 pm before activities begin. For more information, please contact Sharon Light at [email protected], or Rachel Lang at [email protected].

Lewis- Rushefsky Yiddish Film Series - Tevya
7:30 PM 
One of Tevye's daughters falls in love with a gentile. When he learns of her marriage, he pronounces her 'dead.' Her intermarriage is depicted as not only a personal tragedy for Tevye but also a tragedy for all Jewish people.  A  wonderful Yiddish film with subtitles. This film was much later turned into the musical, Fiddler On the Roof.
This Coming Week at Ohr Kodesh
Ongoing Classes This Coming Week
Sunday, 8:00 AM - Talmud Class with Rabbi Fishman.
Tuesday, 10:00 AM - Issues in Jewish Political Tradition with Rabbi Fishman
Tuesday, 12:15 PM - Tuesdays with Lyle in DC
Tuesday, 8:30 PM - Talmud class  with Richard Friedman
Wednesday, 10:00 AM - Twenty Key Jewish Concepts with Rabbi Fishman
Wednesday, 12:30 PM - Biblical Hebrew with Rabbi Fishman
Wednesday, 1:45 PM - Conversational Hebrew with Hagar 

Post-Chanukkah Play Date
Sunday, December 16, 9:30 AM-12:00 PM  at Ohr Kodesh
Join us for tons of  Chanukkah  activities, eat snacks, enjoy face painting, do a community service project and make an arts and crafts activity. There is no charge for this program. Questions? Contact Peggy Sachs or Amy Herman [email protected] or [email protected]. Sponsored by OK ECC PTA, OKC, Tamar Nicholson Realty, MoEd, Milton Day School (Formerly JPDS), Charles E. Smith JDS, Alvin Browdy Religious School, and PJ Library.

Kadima Food Olympics
Sunday, December 16, 1:00-2:30 PM
Please RSVP by visiting http://bit.ly/KadimaFoodOlympics2018 by TODAY. Questions? Please email Ben Gersten at [email protected]. 
Rosh Chodesh Tevet Program - Women, Good Deeds, and the Rain
Sunday, December 16, 7:30 PM
Led by Hagar Nester at the home of Mickey Feinberg
A story from the Talmud highlights the importance of womens' good deeds in bringing the rain. Sh'lichah Hagar Nester will lead us in a creative exploration of this text and its meaning for our lives. Click here to RSVP. Contact Katherine Ralston at [email protected] or 240-367-3349 for more information.

Russian Jewry in 2018: What's New?
Monday, December 17, 7:00 PM
OKC member Harvey Leifert visited Moscow and St. Petersburg this summer, as part of a tour group primarily focused on today's Russian Jewry. He will share his observations and insights with us.

The Fast of Asara B'Tevet 
Tuesday, December 18;  Minchah at 4:15 PM (with Torah reading and fast day liturgy), followed by Arvit ~4:45. There will be no 8:00 pm Arvit.  The 10th of Tevet is the anniversary of the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. 

OKC Board Meeting
Wednesday, December 19, 7:30 PM in the Salzberg Family Library
Everyone is welcome.

ECC Prospective Family Talk and Tour
Tomorrow, Friday, December 21, 10:00 AM; RSVP to Ruthie Cohen, Assistant Director, [email protected].

Collection  box of Warm Clothes
Every year on Xmas morning, the original Pancake  House in Bethesda opens its doors to serve  breakfast and distribute  warm items of clothing to those in need. by Friday , Dec. 21. There is a collection box in the lobby for warm coats, gloves, hats, and scarves in clean and good condition. Questions? Contact Michel Weil Fax at 301-351-4995.
Plan Ahead
Next Shabbat, December 21/22

Mini-Minyan  (Gr. K-2) - 10:30 to 11:30 AM in Room 5. Led by Raviv Brooks.

Storytime for Families with Young Children
After the Haftarah in Room 7.
There will be babysitting beginning at 9:30 am

Because We Have To or Because We Want To? with Rabbi Shai Held
Monday, December 24, 7:00-8:15 PM at the Milton Gottesman Jewish Day School
 Part of Hadar Winter Learning Program (Dec. 23-25), Who We Are and Why it Matters
 Does Judaism care only about what we do, or also about who we are? In other words, what is the place of virtue ethics in Judaism? Does  Halakhah  exhaust our obligations as Jews? How does a commitment to worshiping a universal God of creation affect our understanding of ethics? (Why) Does  Halakhah  sometimes seem to permit less-than-ideal ethical behavior? What is the ideal motivation when we engage in interpersonal  mitzvot  ( bein adam lehaveiro )-should we care for people because we have to, or because we have taught ourselves to want to?  REGISTER HERE  for Rabbi Shai Held's lecture . Ohr Kodesh is a cosponsor. Click here for more information about the Hadar Winter Learning Program.
Register to take a Heartsaver Adult CPR/AED Course
Sunday, January 6, 11:30 AM at Ohr Kodesh
The class runs about 2.5 hours, and is open to teens and adults.  We have only 20 seats available, and you must register ahead of time to attend. Sponsored by the Safety and Security Committee.  
Please email Leon Fleischer at [email protected] to register or for more information.  

Sacred Balance, OKC's First Women's Shabbat Retreat
February 1-3, 2019   at the Capital Camps Retreat Center 
Register for Sacred Balance, OKC's first women's Shabbat
retreat. The weekend's events will help guide us as we explore our spirituality and ourselves through reflection and sharing. We will build friendships while deepening the connections among the OKC female community while we relax, sing, pray, discuss and enjoy our time together. We will reflect on all of the different roles we play as women, and take time to explore creating a sacred balance within our lives. 
PLEASE NOTE: WE HAVE REACHED CAPACITY FOR THE WOMEN'S RETREAT! YOU MAY COMPLETE THE REGISTRATION FORM TO BE ADDED TO A WAIT LIST.  Click   here  to register. 
Bereisheet / Let's Take it From the Beginning
Bereisheet / Let's take it from the Beginning

Online course facilitated by Cantor Hinda Eisen Labovitz

Let's read the biblical book of Genesis together. This is a fully-online course, whose modules will take place asynchronously (work at whatever time is convenient for you!) with periodic online conference calls. This course is "Torah LiSh'maH" - no credits, no fees, just the joy of studying together. Join us wherever we are - each unit will stand alone, and your presence will enrich our conversation! Contact Cantor Labovitz at [email protected] to receive the access code and instructions to sign up for the course. Course is available for you to begin anytime.
Mazal Tov - Meal Train
Leah is the Assistant Principal of the Alvin Browdy Religious School at Ohr Kodesh Congregation. Barukh Ha-Ba to her new baby, Wesley Gabriel Miller. Leah and Michael are a happy family of three. Help us support them as they adjust to parenthood.
Social Action Committee - Bethesda Cares Program Seeking Volunteers 

Bethesda Cares, Inc. ( http://www.bethesdacares.com) serves Montgomery County's homeless and working poor.  Among other services, Bethesda Cares provides lunch, using food provided by the County supplemented by donations, six days a week from a Church in Bethesda.  For many years, Ohr Kodesh volunteers have prepared and donated sandwiches, cookies and fruit on Sundays to be distributed by Bethesda Cares on the following Monday.  We are seeking volunteers for 2019.  If you are interested, please contact Andy Shoyer at [email protected] or 202-302-8143.

Elsewhere in the Community
We are so proud of our vibrant Jewish community and want to make you aware of what is going on in our wider neighborhood; however, Ohr Kodesh does not necessarily endorse these programs. 

Open Enrollment for Health Care Coverage
Those who wish to avail themselves of the provisions for the Affordable Care Act and sign up for a health care plan for 2109 have until December 15 to take advantage of the open enrollment period 
Click  here  for more info and to sign up.

Israeli Dance Party Led by Ken Avner and Mike Fox
Monday night, December 24, in the OKC Social Hall
7:00 pm: dances for younger dancers led by  Sharon Gelboin-Katz
7:45-9:00 pm:   Classic Dances 
9:00 pm on: favorite circle, line & partner dances! See  flyer for  details.

Join the Family at Camp Ramah in New England
Please visit campramahne.org to watch videos, take a virtual tour of the camp grounds, and explore the programs. Camp Ramah offers two-week sessions for children currently in grades 2-3 and four or eight-week sessions for children in grades 3-10. They offer a $500 tuition discount to eligible new campers, and significant additional financial aid is available. For more information contact Josh Edelglass, Assistant Director, at [email protected] or 781-702-5290 x101.

Foundation for Jewish Studies
 Click  here  for upcoming programs.
Washington Jewish Film Festival
Click here for upcoming films.

AU Center for Israel Studies
Click here for upcoming programs.
Get Well
Ohr Kodesh extends get well wishes to: Miriam Bobrow, Willie Bobrow, Arnie Kuzmack, Katie Loewy, Leo Rennert, Shoshana Urquhart, and Bruce Volat.

Please do not hesitate to contact these individuals. They would be pleased to receive a call, a card, or a  visit. If you need contact information for any of the members listed above, please contact Tami Lautman at 240-450-3489. We would also appreciate it if you would make us aware of others who are in need of well wishes and support. If you are able to help a congregant in need of assistance with a meal or a run to the store contact Elisabeth Boas, [email protected] or Joan Levy, [email protected].  

Minyanim
Ohr Kodesh maintains a daily minyan in both the morning and evening.
Next week's minyan times (December 16-21):
Sunday: 8:45 am
Monday - Friday: 6:45 am
Sunday, Monday, Wednesday,Thursday: 8:00 pm
Tuesday, 10 Tevet: 4:15 pm
Friday: 4:30 pm 
Evening and morning minyanim are an integral feature of our community. Please make every effort to participate whenever possible, especially on your assigned dates.
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"Mah tovu ohalekha, Ya'akov, mishkenotekha, Yisrael" . . . How lovely are your dwellings, Jacob, your sanctuaries, Israel.  During 5779 let us enrich our homes, shul and schools with Jewish learning, living, and loving.
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