Davis Center News

October 2026

Know a Jewish Woman

Who Helped Shape America?

Share Her Story!

In honor of America's 250th anniversary, National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is developing an archive of Jewish women who helped found, fight for, and shape our nation and democracy.

Maybe she's the scientist whose discovery changed medicine, the author whose books helped you escape difficult times, or the grandmother who taught you to cook your favorite dish.

Help build this archive to tell a more complete story of who built and shaped our country. Do you have someone in mind? Learn more and share her story

Let the People Vote Rallies

Mondays thru November 2, 12 pm - 12:30 pm at Freedom Plaza 

Come to any or all of these weekly faith powered gatherings downtown in support of free and fair elections. While a great deal of organizing is happening all around the country, we will be bringing a moral, faith-based voice to a weekly gathering right here in DC at Freedom Plaza. Temple Sinai is leading this effort and we'd love to have you join us downtown!!

Each week we'll sing, learn something new about protecting democracy and build community as we prepare for November 3rd and its aftermath. Each gathering will be followed by an email to participants with action items to take in order to support free and fair elections.

Register to attend any date(s): Oct. 12, 19, 26, Nov. 2

Questions? Contact Jenny Cohen

Serve with Sinai:

Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities

Temple Sinai offers regular opportunities to volunteer together with other members at local organizations in our community through its Serve with Sinai program. Upcoming dates include:

• A Wider Circle: Thursday, October 15, 10am - 12pm. Volunteers sort donated items, enabling AWC's clients to shop for what they need. This group meets on the 3rd Thursday of each month and often enjoys lunch at Parkway Deli together after. Register
• So Others Might Eat (SOME): Sunday, October 25, 6:30am - 9:30am. These early-risers help prepare and serve breakfast and meet on the 4th Sunday of each month. Space is limited and interested volunteers must sign up a week or more in advance. Register
• DC Diaper Bank: Tuesday, October 27, 10am - 12pm, at DC Diaper Bank. Volunteers will repackage diapers to distribute to DCDB's clients. Register

What's Been Happening

Washington Interfaith Network (WIN)

Affordable housing at Chevy Chase Civic Core

The long saga of bringing affordable housing to Chevy Chase DC is moving forward again. Last month, Mayor Bowser submitted legislation to the DC Council that would result in a new library and community center in Chevy Chase along with 177 units of housing, 90 of which will be affordable for individuals with family incomes between 30 and 80 percent of area median income. Working with other Upper Northwest congregations that belong to the WIN, Temple Sinai has been advocating for this outcome along with local smart growth groups. Read the press release here

Council committees will hold hearings sometime in October with the expectation that the full Council will vote on the legislation before the end of the year. We need folks willing to provide short testimonies in support of the project and to show up in the Council chambers. If you'd like to get involved, contact Anne Schwartz. No special skills or experience required.

Labor on the Bimah:

Take Action to Support Tax Fairness in DC

Did you miss Temple Sinai's Labor on the Bimah Kehillat Shabbat on Labor Day weekend? Are you ready to take action to support tax fairness in DC? Our Kehillat Shabbat speaker, Katherine Landfield, Senior Advocacy Specialist at the Fair Budget Coalition, shared specific ways we can act on behalf of pay equity, health care, paid family leave and other programs that directly affect low and middle income working people in DC. Click here for more information.

Email Larry Mishel or Barbara Kraft if you want to be part of this effort, or can be present in the Council hearing room on Oct. 16 when the Chairman convenes the Committee of the Whole to consider this issue.

Get Out the Vote (GOTV) Opportunities:

Phonebanking!

We have wrapped up our postcard efforts this election season but you can still make a difference in the upcoming election by phone banking! Here are two opportunities to phone bank with organizations Temple Sinai has previously coordinated efforts with:

Make get out the vote calls to Virginia, Georgia and Texas with the Center for Common Ground. Their website offers a tutorial that explains how to make the calls to Black voters urging them to vote and can get you started with making calls. Note: Please keep track of the number of calls you make, how many people you have spoken to, and the number of messages left, and send your data to Temple Sinai's phonebanking coordinator, Jon Kronheim so we can track our work. 

Protect reproductive rights in VA by calling voters to urge them to "vote Yes on 1” with National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW). VA voters can permanently protect reproductive freedom, including abortion, birth control, miscarriage treatment and IVF by voting Yes on this amendment to the state constitution. It would also ensure protections for providers.  

Tuesday, October 13, 6–8 pm ET: Register here

Tuesday, October 20, 6–8 pm ET: Register here

In the Community

No Kings: Vote Early

October 17, 1 pm - 3 pm

Friendship Heights Metro

Join this day of nonpartisan voter participation: No Kings is bringing Friendship Heights and Bethesda together to make a plan to vote early and ensuring every eligible voter understands their options for how to vote and has the opportunity to make their voice heard.

Participants will gather on both sides of Wisconsin Avenue at Friendship Heights from Jenifer St. to Willard Ave. Learn more and sign up here

Maryland Voters:

March to the Polls

October 22

Maryland voters: March to the Polls on October 22 in Rockville with the Maryland Poor People's Campaign, part of the nationwide initiative for 1,000 Marches to the Polls on the first day of early voting. RSVP and details here. DC voters will march on October 26, the first day of early voting in DC; details here. Questions? Email Steve Metalitz

Donate to the Capital Area Food Bank

There’s still time to help our food-insecure neighbors! Cuts to SNAP, inflation, and federal layoffs are making it difficult for people to make ends meet. Your donations are more important than ever. Donate here

Read Rabbi Fred N. Reiner's remarks from Yom Kippur about Temple Sinai's role in the creation of the Capital Area Food Bank. Over 1.5 million people in the DMV don’t know where their next meal is coming from.

Composting Volunteers Needed at

Upcoming Temple Events

Sign up to be a "Compost Captain" at an upcoming Temple Sinai event! We have lots of programs featuring food and need volunteers to guide other members to compost correctly. It's easy, and you'll be doing a mitzvah by showing people how to reduce the harmful greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change.

Watch this video to learn about composting at Temple Sinai and sign up to volunteer. Questions? Contact Robyn Miller-Tarnoff. 

And Finally...

Social justice work is hard. Here's a little something to brighten your day.

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