Congregation Beth El of Montgomery County

Frosting & Friends: An Evening of Sweet Creativity
2025-11-20 19:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Congregation Beth El, 8215 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814, United States
Join us for a hands-on evening led by professional baker Robin Walker, owner of Wilma Bakes Cakes. Learn pastry bag techniques and discover how different icing tips can turn ordinary cupcakes into edible art. You’ll leave with your own beautifully decorated cupcakes, a set of frosting tips, and the confidence to make your next celebration extra special.
Cost: $18 per person. Space is limited, so RSVP early to secure your spot! Registration for this event is capped at 35 people with a FIRM RSVP date of November 6.

Interfaith Thanksgiving Service
2025-11-24 19:30 | Bethesda United Methodist Church, 8300 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814, United States
Every year before Thanksgiving, Beth El shares an Interfaith Thanksgiving Service with the Bethesda United Methodist Church, our neighbors across the street. This year, we will also be joined by Rev. Dr. Jay Moses of Saint Mark Presbyterian Church, Ibramhim Anli of Rumi Forum, and Imam Refai Arefin of the Islamic Community Center of Potomac. The service will include prayers and reflections from the clergy, and performances by adult, childrens, and bell choirs. This year, we will gather at Bethesda United Methodist Church. The service will be followed by a small reception.
Thanksgiving Food Drive at BUMC: Food donations are needed for the Little Free Food Pantry at Bethesda United Methodist Church (BUMC), just across the street from us. BUMC has a Little Free Food Pantry located along Huntington Parkway next to their parking lot. Please consider bringing food with you when you attend the Interfaith Thanksgiving Service on Monday, November 24, at 7:30 pm. Food Bins will be just outside the sanctuary. After Thanksgiving, food can be put directly into the Food Pantry. Because of the current situation, the demand for food is incredible and The Little Free Food Panty is emptied almost every day. Click here for more information. For questions you can contact Janet at j.edmonds@erols.com.
Please use the form below to RSVP for the service.

College Parents Packing Party
2025-12-02 19:00 - 21:00 | Congregation Beth El, 8215 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814, United States
Join us on Tuesday, December 2, at 7:00 pm for assemble Hanukkah care packages for our college age kids. Come ready to pack the boxes, and we’ll provide the holiday drinks, toppings, and a bit of fun!
Please click here to let us know what items you can bring to the packing party and use the link below to register. Even if you can’t attend the party itself or don’t have a college student, you can still volunteer to donate items to send to our college students and drop them off at the Beth El office by December 1.
Click Here to Register

Mosaic Tile Coaster Workshop
2025-12-04 19:00 - 21:30 | Congregation Beth El, 8215 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814, United States
Join Women of Beth El for a fun and festive mosaic tile coaster workshop in celebration of Hanukkah! Enjoy treats (fried and not fried), schmooze with friends, and create two beautiful custom coasters – perfect for gifting or keeping. Plus, play Hanukkah games and trivia, browse the gift shop, and spend quality time with your fellow WBE members.
Cost: $25 for WBE members, $30 for non-members. Please register using the form below by 5:00 pm on November 26.

Hearing Men's Voices
2025-12-04 19:30 - 21:00 | Congregation Beth El, 8215 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814, United States
Beth El men are invited to join us in person at Beth El or via Zoom as Howard Stein will lead a discussion of “Where Have You Found Spirituality?”

Please RSVP using the form below.
﻿﻿

Schmooze & Schmear
2025-12-05 10:30 - 12:00 | Congregation Beth El, 8215 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814, United States
Come schmooze with your community! Join Women of Beth El on Friday, December 5 for coffee, a nosh, and conversation – an uplifting way to head into Shabbat. The gift shop will also be open for Hanukkah shopping!
Please RSVP using the form below.

Film Screening: “Rebound at Yeshiva University Basketball”
2025-12-06 19:00 - 21:00 | Congregation Beth El, 8215 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814, United States
Join us for a screening of the documentary Rebound. Rebound is the story of a basketball team and season unlike any other – an intimate look at the NCAA’s only all-Jewish team, as they navigate a year of pain and sorrow post-October 7th. With the eyes of the Jewish world upon them, the Yeshiva University Maccabees set out on a mission: to win a championship and bring light to their people in a time of darkness.
Please RSVP by December 4 using the form below.

Beth El Teens: Hanukkah in Vegas
2025-12-06 19:30 - 22:30 | Congregation Beth El, 8215 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814, United States
It’s the our annual Beth El Teens Hanukkah celebration! Join us for a fun casino night with a live DJ. Dress to impress (think b-mitzvah cocktail attire). For more information, contact Allison Brown at abrown@bethelmc.org.
﻿

Chug Kriah
2025-12-07 19:00 | MD
Chug Kriah meets bi-weekly to read and discuss modern Israeli literature in Hebrew. Our next meeting will be on Zoom on December 7 at 7:00 pm. We are reading Im Yesh Gan Eden (Beaufort) by Ron Leshem. For more information, including the Zoom link, please contact Bill Kanter at kanterdsw@aol.com.

Mental Health Professionals Breakfast Study Group
2025-12-11 08:30 - 09:30 | Congregation Beth El, 8215 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814, United States
We invite all Beth El Mental Health Professionals, both working and retired, to join us in person at Beth El as we relaunch the Mental Health Professionals Study Group. Come for breakfast and a stimulating discussion of clinical issues viewed through a Jewish lens. Dr. Laura Primakoff will lead a discussion of “Cultivating Hope” on Thursday December 11, 8:30-9:30 am. There is a $5 registration fee to defray the cost of breakfast.

Let's Do Lunch with Women of Beth El
2025-12-12 12:00 - 14:00 | Chopt, 10307 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda, United States
Take a break for lunch with the Women of Beth El! We’re meeting up at Chop’t in Wildwood Shopping Center (10307 Old Georgetown Road) on Friday, December 12th at 12 pm. Please register so that we know to save a seat at the table for you!

Beth El Youth Movie Night
2025-12-13 17:45 - 21:00 | Congregation Beth El, 8215 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814, United States
Save the date for our Beth El Youth Movie Night!
Join us at 5:45 pm for Havdalah, then leave the kids with us from 6:00-9:00 pm – they’ll have pizza for dinner and watch movies with their Beth El friends. Kids should come in PJs with a sleeping bag or pillow and a stuffy to cozy up with while they watch one of three movies. Movie offerings will be listed on the registration form. There will be PG-13 movies as an option and a specific place to sign off if your child is allowed to watch the PG-13 choice.
Help us choose the movies! Click here to cast your vote.

Hamantaschen Bake
2025-12-14 14:15 - 16:30 | Congregation Beth El, 8215 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814, United States
Join Allison and your Beth El friends for an afternoon of baking fun! We will be making hamantaschen for the snack after the Latke-Hamantasch Debate.
Please RSVP using the form below. Questions? Contact Allison Brown at abrown@bethelmc.org.
﻿﻿

Latke-Hamantasch Debate
2025-12-16 19:00 - 20:30 | Congregation Beth El, 8215 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814, United States
The entire Beth El community is invited to join us as our Religious School Upper School students tackle the timeless question: Which is better? The latke or the hamantasch? Come cheer on our teen debaters – who are already hard at work preparing their cases – and show support for your favorite of the two delicacies. Stick around after the debate to enjoy some delicious samples made by some of our best teen bakers – because every great debate deserves a tasty ending!
Please RSVP using the form below. Questions? Contact Allison Brown at abrown@bethelmc.org.

Volunteering at Manna Food Center
2025-12-18 19:00 - 21:00 | Manna Food Center, 9311 Gaither Rd, Gaithersburg, MD, 20877, United States
Beth El volunteers will pack boxes of non-perishable food at the Manna warehouse in Gaithersburg for distribution to the needy in Montgomery County. We are limited to 12 volunteers age 11+.In addition to serving the greater community, one of the goals is to give all Beth El parents a way to participate with their children (age 11 and older) in community service. SSL hours are available. Please contact Jonathan Epstein at jonathan.epstein@hklaw.com to register or for more information.

Let There Be Light
2025-12-21 18:30 - 20:00 | Congregation Beth El, 8215 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814, United States
Join us on the last night of Hanukkah for a community candle lighting! Bring your own hanukkiah and add your glow to our beautifully lit lobby as we celebrate together. Let’s come together for a night filled with light, laughter, music, and connection for all ages. Plus, enjoy live music with our shaliach, Yoel Gleizer, on guitar!
Please register using the form below.
﻿

Yah Echsof Meditation and Exploration Group
2026-01-03 12:30 - 13:30 | Congregation Beth El, 8215 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814, United States
Yah Echsof is the name of a well known Hasidic Shabbat Table Song that means “God I long for you, for your Shabbat.”
While classical Jewish teaching suggests “Naaseh V’Nishmah” (“first we do, then we understand”), Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, founder of Jewish Renewal, advocated for an alternative approach. He believed that profound connection comes from first understanding one’s inner Jewish self through study, practice, and meditation.
This monthly gathering adopts Reb Zalman’s path. We will use meditation, chant, and study to delve into our spiritual tradition and cultivate a deeper, more meaningful connection to our Jewish identity.
Please RSVP using the form below.

Chug Kriah
2026-01-04 14:00 - 15:30 | MD
Chug Kriah meets regularly to read and discuss modern Israeli literature in Hebrew. Our next meeting will be on Sunday, January 4, at 2:00 pm at a member’s home in suburban Maryland. We will be reading Aravim Rokdim (Dancing Arabs) by Sayed Qashu. The author is an Israeli Arab. For more information including meeting location, please contact Bill Kanter at kanterdsw@aol.com.

Hearing Men's Voices
2026-01-08 19:30 - 21:00 | Congregation Beth El, 8215 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814, United States
Beth El men are invited to join us in person at Beth El or via Zoom as Dennis Askwith leads a discussion of “Why Are We Here?”
Please RSVP using the form below.
﻿﻿﻿

Scholar in Residence Weekend: Shabbat Dinner and Discussion with Masua Sagiv
2026-01-09 18:30 | Congregation Beth El, 8215 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814, United States
Join us on Friday, January 9 for the kick off of our Scholar in Residence Weekend with Dr. Masua Sagiv of the Shalom Hartman Institute. We will welcome Shabbat together at 6:30 pm, followed by a congregational Shabbat Dinner at 7:30 pm. After dinner, we will hear from Scholar in Residence Masua Sagiv, who will speak on “Divisions and Compromise in Israeli Society: What Will Happen in the Elections?”
Dr. Masua Sagiv is a Senior Faculty member of the Shalom Hartman Institute based in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Koret Visiting Assistant Professor of Jewish and Israel Studies at the Helen Diller Institute, U.C. Berkeley. Sagiv’s scholarly work focuses on the development of contemporary Judaism in Israel, as a culture, religion, nationality, and as part of Israel’s identity as a Jewish and democratic state. Her research explores the role of law, state actors, and civil society organizations in promoting social change across diverse issues: shared society, religion and gender, religion and state, and Jewish peoplehood.

6:30 pm – Erev Shabbat Service
7:30 pm – Shabbat Dinner and Discussion

Sagiv will also speak on January 10 after Shabbat services and kiddush.
Cost: $23 per member Adult/Teen, $28 per nonmember Adult/Teen, $12 per child ages 6-12, $8 per child ages 2-5. No charge for children under 2. Please RSVP using the form below by 12:00 pm on Wednesday, January 7.

American Maccabee: Theodore Roosevelt and the Jews
2026-01-11 11:00 - 12:00 | Congregation Beth El, 8215 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814, United States
A wealthy, Protestant, powerful member of the American elite, Teddy Roosevelt was an unlikely friend to struggling Jewish immigrants. Yet across the span of his public career, Roosevelt was closely involved with Jewish issues, both domestic and foreign. Many of the quandaries Roosevelt grappled with more than a century ago feel newly relevant and urgent – the limits of free speech, the place of diversity in hiring decisions, immigration, and the role of the United States in confronting humanitarian issues in foreign countries. Dr. Andrew Porwancher, author of American Maccabee: Theodore Roosevelt and the Jews, will be in conversation with TV political and legal analyst Michael Zeldin, host of the public affairs podcast “That Said with Michael Zeldin.”
Copies of American Maccabee are available through Politics & Prose at a 10 percent discount. Click here and insert the coupon code SPECIAL10 (no spaces) in the field labelled “Apply Coupon.” You will then have the option of either picking up the book at the store or having it shipped. You must create a free P&P account (easy to do) to order the book.
This program is sponsored by the Library Committee, Women of Beth El, and Men’s Club, in partnership with Adas Israel Congregation’s Library and Sisterhood.
Please use the form below to register for the Zoom information.

Women of Beth El Social Action Tea
2026-01-11 14:00 | Congregation Beth El, 8215 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814, United States
Social Action Tea: Bridging the Divide in Discussions Between Family and Communities Concerning Israel or Any Other Controversial Topic
Join Women of Beth El for a panel discussion on family and community dynamics in discussing Israel and other controversial topics. The panel will include Julie Baron, a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in the treatment of and work with adults, adolescents, and their families, and Rob Fersh, congregant and founder of Convergence, a nonprofit promoting consensus solutions. The program is free and open to all, but registration is required.
Please register by January 8 using the form below.

Senior Caucus Lunch and a Movie: Bad Shabbos
2026-01-15 12:30 - 15:00 | Congregation Beth El, 8215 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814, United States
Please note the new program time of 12:30 pm. An interfaith engaged couple plans a Shabbat dinner for their parents’ first meeting. An unexpected event interrupts the gathering and causes cultural and familial issues to rise to the surface. You may have heard about this popular Jewish-themed comedy that played at packed theaters during the past year.
Everyone is welcome to Join the Senior Caucus for lunch and the movie. Enjoy some laughs, and see for yourself what the buzz was all about. In English, 1 hour 24 minutes.
Cost:$10 per person. Please use the form below to register by noon on Tuesday, January 13. There is no cost to attend the movie only, which begins at 1:30 pm, but please tell Ricardo you are coming to the film at rmunster@bethelmc.org.
il

Beth El Gala 2026
2026-01-24 19:30 - 23:59 | Congregation Beth El, 8215 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814, United States
Join Us for “A Night Out” – Beth El’s 2026 Gala!
We are overjoyed to invite members, family, and friends to A Night Out, Beth El’s 2026 Gala, on Saturday, January 24 at 7:30 pm. Come join our vibrant community for an evening full of connection, entertainment, and spirit. The evening will feature a lively performance by Felix and Fingers Dueling Pianos, a Tel Aviv-style nightclub after party, the return of our Silent Auction, and more! Click here for detailed information and fill out the form below to join us!

Dor L'Dor
2026-01-29 11:45 - 13:00 | Congregation Beth El, 8215 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814, United States
Calling all members, especially seniors, to join Beth El Preschool (BEPS) for a program that provides an opportunity to make connections across generations. Adults and kids will enjoy lunch, have a chance to talk and share, then join together for fun table activities, such as bingo, coloring, and other games, planned by the BEPS staff. We need plenty of seniors to match up with the kids, so please join us. There is no cost, but if you are interested in participating, please fill out the form below.
﻿

Zhava Challah Bake
2026-01-29 18:30 - 21:30 | Congregation Beth El, 8215 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814, United States
Zhava* Kickoff – Come bake with us!
Join Zhava for a challah bake with Walla Challah on Thursday, January 29, at 6:30 pm.
Whether you’re a seasoned challah baker or a novice, there’s always something new to discover! Learn a new challah recipe, mix and mingle with Zhava women over drinks and snacks, and take home a ready-to-bake challah for your next Shabbat! The cost is $15 per person. please register by the January 26 deadline to avoid disappointment.
*Zhava is a Beth El group for “younger” women and moms with school-aged kids. This event is exclusively for Zhava members. Not yet a member of Zhava? Click here – it’s free to join!

Shabbat Shirah with Artist-in-Residence Micah Hendler
2026-01-31 09:15 | Congregation Beth El, 8215 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814, United States
Shabbat Shirah celebrates Moses and Miriam’s song as they cross the sea of reeds and celebrate their freedom. Micah Hendler, son of longtime congregants Clifford Hendler and Deborah Neipris, is the founder of The Jerusalem Youth Chorus and Beth El’s own acapella group, Marak Hayom. He returns to Beth El as artist in residence for Shabbat Shirah to bring his unique blend of acapella expertise and the power of communal singing to our Shabbat morning service for a special musical and prayer experience. Please join us ready to share your voice with our community.

The Art Spy: A Conversation with Author Michelle Young
2026-02-05 19:00 - 20:00 | MD
In The Art Spy, Michelle Young tells the thrilling, true story of Rose Valland, a World War II French resistance hero. When the Germans occupied Paris in 1940, they made the Jeu de Paume museum their headquarters for processing the art they plundered in France, mostly from Jews. The Germans allowed Valland, a museum employee, to remain at work, assuming she was a lowly functionary who could oversee the building’s maintenance. They didn’t know she was an art expert, understood German, had a photographic memory, and was working with the French Resistance to secretly track and sabotage German art thefts.
Copies of The Art Spy are available through Politics & Prose at a 10 percent discount. Click here and insert the coupon code SPECIAL10 (no spaces) in the field labelled “Apply Coupon.” You will then have the option of either picking up the book at the store or having it shipped. You must create a free P&P account (easy to do) to order the book.
This program is sponsored by the Library Committee, Women of Beth El, and Men’s Club, in partnership with Adas Israel Congregation’s Library and Sisterhood.
Please use the form below to register for the Zoom information.

Hearing Men's Voices
2026-02-05 19:30 - 21:00 | Congregation Beth El, 8215 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814, United States
Beth El men are invited to join us in person at Beth El or via Zoom as David Margulies leads a discussion on “Phantasia, Aphantasia, and Hyperphantasia – Differing Images of God.”

Please RSVP using the form below.
﻿﻿﻿

2026 Mah Jongg Tournament
2026-03-15 12:00 - 17:00 | Congregation Beth El, 8215 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814, United States
Please join Women of Beth El for our annual Mah Jongg Tournament! Lunch and Registration will take place from 12:00-12:45 pm. Play begins promptly at 1:00 pm and ends by 5:00 pm. Play three rounds of Mahj for points using National Mah Jongg League rules. There will be door prizes, a 50/50 raffle, and 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd-place prizes awarded!
Cost: $50 for Women of Beth El members; $55 for non-members. Price includes lunch and snacks between rounds. Registration deadline is March 4. Registration after March 4 will be placed on a waiting list. Cancellations after March 4 are non-refundable. For questions, please contact Nancy Kay at nanseak57@gmail.com or Sheryl Karlsberg at skarlsberg11@gmail.com.
Please use the form below to register.
