Finding a Home at WHC

One Family’s Multi-Generational Experience

Some families arrive at their synagogue after years of searching. For the Ross family, the decision to join Washington Hebrew Congregation five years ago was a multigenerational one — and it’s turned out to be exactly the right fit.

When Les and Claudia Ross relocated to Maryland from Massachusetts, the timing aligned perfectly with their son Adam and daughter-in-law Peng Wu’s search for a Reform congregation to call home. Together, the family took the leap. “We decided it was a good fit for all of us,” they share, “and we have not been disappointed.”

Today, that means three generations under the WHC roof — Les and Claudia, Adam and Peng, and grandsons Gordon, 11, and Harold, 7. Watching the boys grow into their Jewish identities has been one of the family’s greatest joys.

The clergy and the approach to holiday celebration stand out as particular highlights: Gordon and Harold are finding real meaning — and, depending on the holiday, genuine fun — in Jewish traditions. For Les and Claudia, the learning curve has been equally rewarding. Their experience in 12 Jewish Questions, one of WHC’s signature adult education programs, remains a cherished memory.

The Ross family are Sustaining Members, giving above and beyond standard membership. Their reason is characteristically straightforward: a vibrant Jewish community is something worth investing in. “We believe it’s important to have a strong Jewish community,” they explain, “and this is one way we can help make this happen for everyone, regardless of their financial situation.” That same spirit draws them to WHC’s tzedakah programs — moments the family counts among their proudest as congregants.
Their sense of Jewish identity has been enriched by a life lived globally. Les devoted more than 30 years of his professional life to Beijing, with Claudia joining him for part of that adventure. They remain members of Kehillat of Beijing, a lay-led international Jewish congregation, maintaining ties to a remarkable community far from home.

Those years abroad have deepened the Jewish value that feels most central to the family today: welcoming the stranger. “Treating people of all faiths — or no faith — the way we, as members of a minority faith, would want to be treated,” they say, “and seeing the worth in every human being.”
In a congregation as richly varied as WHC, the Ross family — spanning continents, generations, and cultures — embodies exactly that spirit.

Do you have an interesting story to tell and want to be featured in a future member profile? Contact the WHC Journal editorial team at communications@whctemple.org.