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June 19, 2022
While most of the nation may still be learning about Juneteenth, prominent Jews of color in Atlanta, Washington, D.C. and New York City melded the year-old federal holiday with Friday night Shabbat traditions to highlight freedom struggles and the value of working towards inclusion.
At the Juneteenth Shabbat Celebration in Washington, D.C., Jews of color blended a traditional Reform ceremony with poignant reflections from diverse members of the community, and a Shabbat dinner. A film screening and discussion about racism was held on Sunday.
Read the Whole Story
June 16, 2022
At Washington Hebrew Congregation in D.C., a weekend full of educational programming is on the agenda for Juneteenth.
Guests at Friday’s Kabbalat Shabbat will enjoy a dinner provided by a local Caribbean catering company featuring menu items like jerk chicken, green beans, and fried plantains. After services on Saturday morning, the synagogue will send a group to the Moral March on Washington. On Sunday, there will be a screening of the film ‘Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America’.
Read the whole story
June 13, 2022
When Joshua Maxey first read the Beyond the Count study last year, he was not surprised by many of the things that were in it.
The study sought to provide an intersectional account of American Jewish life by exploring the ways in which the identities of Jews of color influence their Jewish experiences.
Led by Ilana Kaufman, executive director of the Jews of Color Initiative, the study asked 1,118 respondents if they ever experienced discrimination in Jewish settings.
Eighty percent of respondents said they had experienced discrimination in Jewish settings.
WHC has two great events coming up that everyone should come and celebrate, however you identify yourself.
May 24, 2022
Following another horrific school shooting incident, Rabbi Sue Shankman shared her thoughts and reminded viewers that clergy of all faiths are available in times of need like this.
May is Jewish-American Heritage Month, and Rabbi Miller joined “Good Morning Washington” to talk about the history of Jews in D.C, the rise of antisemitism, and upcoming events at WHC.
January 31, 2022 WHC member Elyssa Morris was selected to this year’s list of 30 Under 30 by the University of Maryland Terrapin Club.
Learn More
January 27, 2022 Rabbi Eliana Fischel spoke with the Washington Jewish Week about how WHC and synagogues across the country are trying to find a balance between security and openness.
Read the Article
January 17, 2022 NBC4’s Pat Collins came by our MLK Day of Service to see how we had adjusted and enhanced security in the wake of the hostage situation at a synagogue in Texas just a few days prior.
Watch the Story
January 13, 2022 The Washington Jewish Week highlighted WHC’s Rabbi Sue Shankman on the cover of its issue commemorating the 50th anniversary of women rabbis. They also included her reflection on the milestone inside the issue along with those from other Washington DC-area rabbis.
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November 3, 2021 The Washington Jewish Week highlighted WHC’s recent Shabbat service which honored and remembered the victims of the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting and featured a keynote address from author Mark Oppenheimer, who wrote a book about the horrific day back in 2018.
November 3, 2021 ABC News Kenneth Morton reports on Furnish Hope DC – a nonprofit co-founded by WHC member Niki Mock that works to provide furniture to families in need.
Watch the Segment
October 28, 2021 Allie Heiman grew up at WHC and is now finds joy in her job as a theatre teacher for young adults. She’s also working to launch WHC’s new affinity group for LGBTQ+, loves morning walks, and really strong coffee.
Meet Allie
September 30, 2021 Whether he’s volunteering to help people experiencing homelessness or starting a community for Jews of Color at WHC, Josh Maxey is the kind of person who embodies that old quote most often attributed to Gandhi, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” Gather DC spent some time getting to know Josh (we think you should too!).
Meet Josh
September 15, 2021 7News anchor Robert Burton spoke with Rabbi Lustig about how there can be lessons and meaning for those of all faiths found within Judaism’s holiest day.
Watch the Report
September 6, 2021 7News anchor Robert Burton spoke with Rabbi Lustig about how this Holiday doesn’t just have to be significant to those practicing Judaism.
Watch the Full Interview
August 24, 2021 WHC Member Josh Maxey spoke with the Washington Jewish Week about “Beyond the Count,” a study conducted by the Jews of Color Initiative, and his experience as a Jew of Color.
June 16, 2021 “The Times of Israel” reported that construction of the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi, slated to open in 2022, is 20 percent complete. The project, inspired by the Document on Human Fraternity, encourages the values of mutual respect and peaceful coexistence. Rabbi Lustig is a member of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity, which is supervising the project.
May 18, 2021 Dr. Adam Goldstein, who grew up at WHC, recently shared his experience working in an Israeli hospital during the latest round of violence between Israel and Hamas.
April 12, 2021 WHC’s Lou Kornhauser was featured in the Today Show’s Smucker’s Birthday Celebration segment. (around the 45-second mark)
April 1, 2021 WHC’s Senior Rabbi, M. Bruce Lustig, spoke with NBC4’s Leon Harris about the work being done to help people of all faiths during the COVID-19 pandemic.
See the Interview
March 18, 2021 WHC’s Membership Reimagined plans were recently highlighted by the Washington Jewish Week.
March 17, 2021 The co-founder of local chain Compass Coffee spent the pandemic building a state-of-the-art roastery — and teaching congregants at his shul about coffee!
March 17, 2021 This week, the High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations convened its first meeting dedicated to exploring holistic, human-based approaches to combat antisemitism. Rabbi Lustig was honored to be invited to address this esteemed group at this historic meeting.
Watch The Video
March 15, 2021 When the pandemic curtailed most of her her in-person, 18-year-old Abby Pashkoff used the time to fulfill a longtime goal to write and illustrate a children’s book.
March 10, 2021 WHC member Dan Binstock knows how to play nearly 10,000 songs on the piano, and he’s put this talent to good use during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read the March 11 Issue
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March 1, 2021 What’s it like to navigate a b’nei mitzvah during a pandemic? Rabbi Shankman has experience from both sides of the bimah. She’s been helping families navigate these unusual times since the start of the pandemic and her daughter, Evie, had her bat mitzvah in December 2020. The two recently talked about what it was like to have a pandemic-friendly celebration in the Washington Post’s Lifestyle section.
January 22, 2021 Maryland mother, and WHC Congregant, Niki Mock has worked tirelessly to help those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her efforts were recently highlighted on Good Morning America.
See the video and article
June 7, 2020 WHC’s Interfaith Shabbat Service of Healing, Hope, and Solidarity following the death of George Floyd was highlighted on WJLA.
June 7, 2020 Rabbi Eliana Fischel and 20 other rabbis shared their thoughts and perspectives in The Forward on what our role is as Jewish Americans in the wake of George Floyd’s Death.
Read the article
June 1, 2020 Rabbi Eliana Fischel was featured in an article for The Forward about her experience being pregnant during a time of extreme social distancing, fear, and chaos because of the coronavirus.
Read the article >
May 20, 2020 Rabbi M. Bruce Lustig joined other religious leaders on NPR’s “Morning Edition” to talk about the challenges of celebrating Ramadan and other holidays during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read the transcript of the segment
April 10, 2020 Rabbi Aaron Miller shared his reflections on being a rabbi for Passover 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in an article for WIRED.
April 10, 2020 Rabbi Eliana Fischel and 2239’s Virtual Passover Seder were highlighted in a piece about Passover during the COVID-19 pandemic in an article and video for USA Today.
March 4, 2020 Rabbi Eliana Fischel joined a group of protesters with the Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism at a rally for reproductive rights at the US Supreme Court.
Read the full remarks
February 13, 2020 Rabbi Lustig’s work to build strong bonds with the interfaith community as part of the Committee of Human Fraternity was recently highlighted by CNN.
Watch the video
February 11, 2020 Rabbi Eliana Fischel is among several rabbis and scholars who contributed to the new book, Inscribed: Encounters with the Ten Commandments. The book is now available for purchase and a 30% discount is available for all orders through February 20.
Order the book
February 3, 2020 Rabbi Lustig, WHC President Nell Shapiro, General Counsel Lew Weiner, and members Andy Marks and Susan Esserman represented WHC at an Interfaith gathering in Abu Dhabi. The meeting was to mark one year since Pope Francis’ historic trip to the region and to showcase the continued work on a compound that will house a church, a mosque, and a synagogue. Rabbi Lustig is the sole Jewish representative on the committee that oversees the project, and Susan Esserman, a former ambassador and expert on human trafficking, was invited to speak at the event.
January 29, 2020 Rabbi Shankman was quoted several times in a Washington Jewish Week article about Meredith Jacobs, the new CEO of Jewish Women International. The article highlights Rabbi Shankman’s relationship with Mrs. Jacobs which dates back to 2006.
January 29, 2020 A student at American University highlights her experience in Akbar Ahmed’s “The World of Islam” class when Stephanie Tankel came to lead a session on Jewish-Muslim relations.
January 15, 2020 ABC7’s Jay Korff spent some time with Rabbi Lustig ahead of our MLK Weekend celebration to highlight his work with building strong bonds with our Interfaith partners in the region and around the world.
In September, Pope Francis, Dr. Ahmed At-Tayeb – the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, and the Higher Committee for Human Fraternity nominated Rabbi Lustig to serve on the Committee. Of his nomination, he said, “I am honored to join such esteemed individuals working to champion love over hate, justice over injustice, and faith over fear….” Rabbi Lustig is the Committee’s only Jewish member and its only American. Click on the links below to read more about the Higher Committee for Human Fraternity and the work they are doing to build bridges between faiths.
December 11, 2019 Rabbi Lustig was interviewed by local media in Abu Dhabi where he is attending a 3-Day Tolerance Conference as a representative of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity.
See the interview
UAE to Open Synagogue, Part of Interfaith Compound, in 2022
September 22, 2019 The United Arab Emirates will build a new synagogue as part of an interfaith compound that will also house a mosque and church and is reportedly set to open in 2022.
September 18, 2019 The Higher Committee of Human Fraternity has announced the inclusion of Rabbi M. Bruce Lustig, Senior Rabbi at Washington Hebrew Congregation, to the membership of the Committee, bringing the total membership to eight members concerned with the achievement of the objectives set forth in the Human Fraternity Document.
September 3, 2019 Annabel Frost had her first school experience last year at our E-T ECC in D.C. Her parents shared, “She loved every moment of her WHC experience and … we were so thrilled by her excitement for school.” Annabel’s brave fight with a rare neurological disorder and her parents’ efforts to help find a cure were recently featured in The Washington Post.
