Featured 10:00 am - 12:00 pm Forgiveness, Reflection, and Songs with Shaliach Yoel Gleizer Featured September 28 at 10:00 am Forgiveness, Reflection, and Songs with Shaliach Yoel Gleizer Join us for a meaningful gathering that bridges spirituality, Israeli culture, and personal reflection led by shaliach Yoel Gleizer as we prepare for the High Holidays. Our program will include: Experiencing Yom Kippur in Israel: an introduction to the unique atmosphere of the day, quiet streets, children riding bicycles, and a powerful sense of national ...
Featured 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Shevet Featured September 28 at 12:00 pm Shevet Shevet is a monthly program designed for seventh grade boys and youth who identify with boyhood or outside the gender binary. In this supportive group, participants build friendships and explore what it means to grow into their own identity—talking about real-life topics like masculinity, friendships, emotions, and Jewish values. Guided by a trained adult mentor, ...
10:00 am - 11:30 am Conversation and Coffee on the Capital Crescent Trail September 28 at 10:00 am Conversation and Coffee on the Capital Crescent Trail Join the Women of Beth El for a walk down the Capital Crescent Trail and then for coffee at Starbucks afterwards (ladies only please). We will have three pace groups (brisk, medium, and leisurely walkers). Meet at the base of the trail in downtown Bethesda near Ourisman Honda. Registration is appreciated so that we can ...
Featured 3:30 pm Support After Loss Featured October 2 at 3:30 pm Support After Loss With a special invitation to those who have had a recent loss, we will gather for a brief teaching and discussion led by a member of the Beth El Clergy. All are welcome to join this six-session series as often as they wish. Registration for each individual session is recommended in case there are updates. ...
3:30 pm - 4:25 pm High Holiday Seminar: Overcoming Hatred in Scripture: Teshuvah in Action October 2 at 3:30 pm High Holiday Seminar: Overcoming Hatred in Scripture: Teshuvah in Action How can sacred texts that once fueled division become sources of healing and respect? Join Rabbi Megdal and Dr. Heather Miller Rubens for a powerful conversation on the Jewish value of teshuvah—repentance, repair, and return—as a lens for reinterpreting difficult biblical passages. Together, they’ll explore how religious communities have begun the work of rereading scripture with ...
Featured 1:00 pm Scolnic Kick-Off Lecture: Crisis in the Middle East with Thomas S. Warrick Featured October 5 at 1:00 pm Scolnic Kick-Off Lecture: Crisis in the Middle East with Thomas S. Warrick Join Congregation Beth El and the Rabbi Samuel Scolnic Adult Institute as we kick off the Fall semester with special guest lecturer, congregant Thomas S. Warrick. Thomas S. Warrick is a nonresident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Middle East Programs and Director of the Council’s Future of the Department of Homeland Security Project. He ...
Featured 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm “A Letter to David” Documentary Screening and Discussion Featured October 5 at 2:00 pm “A Letter to David” Documentary Screening and Discussion Join Congregation Beth El for a ceremony to mark the second anniversary of October 7th and a screening of the documentary A Letter to David. Filmmaker Tom Shoval crafts a cinematic letter to David Cunio, held in Gaza since his abduction from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023. A decade after David and his twin brother Eitan ...
Featured 9:15 am Second Day Sukkot Deli Sermon and Lunch Featured October 8 at 9:15 am Second Day Sukkot Deli Sermon and Lunch Join us for the Second Day Sukkot Festival Morning Service on Wednesday, October 8, at 9:15 am. Rabbi Greg Harris will be giving the “deli sermon.” A tradition for Second Day Sukkot at Beth El, the deli sermon is a witty and humorous teaching around the readings for Sukkot that was first started by our ...
Featured 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm Senior Caucus Coffee with the Clergy Featured October 9 at 2:00 pm Senior Caucus Coffee with the Clergy Senior Caucus Coffee with the Clergy on Thursday, October 9 from 2:00 to 3:00 pm in the sukkah. This every-other-month gathering is an informal time to catch up with fellow congregants, hear updates about what is happening at Beth El and in the news, enjoy light refreshments, and do some Jewish learning together. Rabbi Harris ...
Featured 7:00 pm Women of Beth El Sukkah Social Featured October 9 at 7:00 pm Women of Beth El Sukkah Social Join Women of Beth El for our annual Sukkah Social. We’ll gather in the sukkah and then move inside for some schmoozing, noshing, and a little Sukkot-related learning from special guest speaker Paula Whyman. Whyman will share her story and answer questions. Bad Naturalist is Paula Whyman’s first book of nonfiction. Her earlier book, You May See ...
7:30 pm - 9:00 pm Hearing Men’s Voices October 9 at 7:30 pm Hearing Men’s Voices Beth El men are invited to join us in person at Beth El or via Zoom as Martin Sieff leads a discussion of "Persons Historical or Current with Whom I Would Like to Share Dinner." Please RSVP using the form below.
Featured 12:00 pm Lunch in the Sukkah for Federal Workers Featured October 10 at 12:00 pm Lunch in the Sukkah for Federal Workers Beth El invites anyone affected by the federal government shutdown to join us for lunch on Friday, October 10, at noon. Please know that you are valued and essential to our community. Come share a meal in the sukkah, enjoy conversation, and find support and connection with our clergy and fellow congregants. Please RSVP using ...
Featured 6:00 pm Shir Yachad Friday Night Musical Service Featured October 10 at 6:00 pm Shir Yachad Friday Night Musical Service Friday night is a time for community, song, and joyful noise. Everyone is invited to join us for this exciting service filled with music past and present that stirs the soul and welcomes Shabbat with joy and warmth.
Featured 6:00 pm Families with Young Children Shabbat Featured October 10 at 6:00 pm Families with Young Children Shabbat Join other families with young children for a family friendly Shabbat service, followed by a family style dinner! Please use the form below to register for dinner by noon on Wednesday, October 8. $36
Featured 9:15 am Purple Shabbat Featured October 11 at 9:15 am Purple Shabbat October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). Over 1 in 3 (35.6%) women and 1 in 4 men (28.5%) in the US have experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Beth El is honored to join with synagogues across the region in partnership with JCADA for Purple Shabbat. This ...
Featured 12:30 pm Support After Loss Featured October 11 at 12:30 pm Support After Loss With a special invitation to those who have had a recent loss, we will gather for a brief teaching and discussion led by a member of the Beth El Clergy. All are welcome to join this six-session series as often as they wish. Registration for each individual session is recommended in case there are updates. ...
Featured 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Havdalah and Kumsitz in the Sukkah Featured October 11 at 7:30 pm Havdalah and Kumsitz in the Sukkah Please join Scott Glick, Hazzan Asa Fradkin, Beth El’s Shaliach Yoel Gleizer, Debra Ben Avram, and other Beth El musicians for a special Havdalah and Kumsitz in the Sukkah, on Saturday, October 11, 2025, beginning at 7:30 pm. Refreshments will be served. Oneg generously sponsored by Sababa Beach Camps. Please meet with Director Danny Mishkin, ...
Featured 11:45 am - 12:45 pm Rosh Hodesh Featured October 12 at 11:45 am Rosh Hodesh Rosh Hodesh is a monthly program designed for sixth grade girls and youth who identify with girlhood or outside the gender binary. Participants come together to build friendships, explore Jewish ...
Featured 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Tzelem Featured October 12 at 12:00 pm Tzelem Tzelem is Beth El's group for LGBTQ+ teens. This group is geared for 7th-12th graders and is meant to create a safe space for Jewish teens of all genders and ...
Featured 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Shevet Group for 7th Grade Boys Featured October 12 at 12:00 pm Shevet Group for 7th Grade Boys Shevet is a monthly program designed for seventh grade boys and youth who identify with boyhood or outside the gender binary. In this supportive group, participants build friendships and explore ...
Featured 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm Beyond BEENs Happy Hour in the Sukkah Featured October 12 at 4:00 pm Beyond BEENs Happy Hour in the Sukkah Join Beyond BEENs (Beth El Empty Nesters) for our annual gathering in the sukkah. Reconnect with old friends and make new ones. Registration is now closed.
Featured 7:30 pm Simchat Torah 5786 Featured October 14 at 7:30 pm Simchat Torah 5786 Please join us on October 14 at 7:30 pm for our annual Simchat Torah celebration, one of the most joyous and fun nights of the year. The evening including singing ...
Featured 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Book Chat: Your Presence is Mandatory by Sasha Vasilyuk Featured October 16 at 7:00 pm Book Chat: Your Presence is Mandatory by Sasha Vasilyuk Join us for an in-person book discussion at Beth El of Sasha Vasilyuk's Your Presence is Mandatory, winner of the 2025 Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature and a California Book Award Gold Medal.
7:30 pm - 8:30 pm Kesher Nashim: Women’s Cancer Connection October 16 at 7:30 pm Kesher Nashim: Women’s Cancer Connection Kesher Nashim supports female cancer survivors and those with a new cancer diagnosis. Join Beth El women for confidential, lively discussions, friendship and support at our monthly Zoom meetings. Discussion/Support ...
Featured 12:00 pm Lunch with the Clergy for Federal Workers Featured October 17 at 12:00 pm Lunch with the Clergy for Federal Workers Beth El invites anyone affected by the federal government shutdown to join us for lunch on Friday, October 17, at noon. Please know that you are valued and essential to ...
Featured 6:30 pm Yedid Nefesh Friday Night Musical Service Featured October 17 at 6:30 pm Yedid Nefesh Friday Night Musical Service Friday night is a time for community, song, and joyful noise. Everyone is invited to join us for this exciting service filled with music past and present that stirs the soul and welcomes Shabbat with joy and warmth.
Featured 10:00 am - 11:00 am Hagbah Workshop: Learn to Lift the Torah Featured October 19 at 10:00 am Hagbah Workshop: Learn to Lift the Torah Are you interested in learning a new Jewish skill or brushing up on your technique? Lifting the Torah – known as hagbah – is a sacred honor that connects you ...
Featured 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm Celebrating Sara Greenbaum Featured October 21 at 7:30 pm Celebrating Sara Greenbaum After 25 years of working at Beth El (eight years in the Beth El office and 17 years teaching in Beth El Preschool), Sara Greenbaum retired at the end of ...
Featured 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Meet the Author: Sasha Vasilyuk Featured October 23 at 7:00 pm Meet the Author: Sasha Vasilyuk Join us via Zoom for a talk with Sasha Vasilyuk, author of Your Presence is Mandatory, winner of the 2025 Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature and a California Book ...
Featured 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Volunteering at Manna Food Center Featured October 23 at 7:00 pm Volunteering at Manna Food Center 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 ...
Featured 12:00 pm Lunch with the Clergy for Federal Workers Featured October 24 at 12:00 pm Lunch with the Clergy for Federal Workers Beth El invites anyone affected by the federal government shutdown to join us for lunch on Friday, October 24, at noon. Please know that you are valued and essential to ...
Featured 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Kol Haneshama Friday Night Musical Service Featured October 24 at 6:00 pm Kol Haneshama Friday Night Musical Service Join us for prayer, reflection, and song! Welcome Shabbat in a joyful, participatory, and engaging service, with melodies that calm, songs that enliven, and prayers that elevate. The Kol Haneshama ...
Featured 6:00 pm Shabbat Together: A Family Shabbat Service Featured October 24 at 6:00 pm Shabbat Together: A Family Shabbat Service Join Beth El Religious School (BERS) for a joyful and engaging Shabbat experience designed especially for children in grades K–5 and the adults who love them. $15
12:30 pm - 2:30 pm Shabbat Mahj October 25 at 12:30 pm Shabbat Mahj Calling all Mahj Players...Get Your Mahj Fix on Shabbat! Please join us for once a month Shabbat Mahj at Beth El from 12:30 to 2:30 pm. Email Jennifer Powers at ...
Featured 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm Chug Kriah Featured October 26 at 2:00 pm Chug Kriah Chug Kriah meets bi-weekly to read and discuss modern Israeli literature in Hebrew. We meet at Beth El and in private homes. Our next meeting will be via Zoom on ...
Featured 2:30 pm - 5:00 pm Film Screening & Celebrating 10 Years of Support and Community Featured October 26 at 2:30 pm Film Screening & Celebrating 10 Years of Support and Community Join us at Congregation Beth El as we close out Mitzvah Day with a program honoring the 10th anniversary of I Support the Girls and the deep connection between the ... $36
Featured 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm Jews & Brews Featured October 28 at 7:00 pm Jews & Brews Join Rabbi Harris at his home for some schmoozing and casual Jewish learning around the fire pit. Jews & Brews is sponsored by Men’s Club, but all Beth El members ...
Featured 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm Voices from Kibbutz Re’im: Stories of Loss, Resilience, and Rebuilding Featured October 30 at 6:30 pm Voices from Kibbutz Re’im: Stories of Loss, Resilience, and Rebuilding Join us at Congregation Beth El for a powerful evening of learning, remembrance, and connection. Hear from Zohar Livne Mizrahi (50), a social worker and secretary of Kibbutz Re’im, who ...
Featured 12:00 pm Lunch with the Clergy for Federal Workers Featured October 31 at 12:00 pm Lunch with the Clergy for Federal Workers The federal government shutdown has spread uncertainty across our country and within our community. Many of us are feeling a mixture of anxiety, disruption, and worry. Moments like this remind ...
Featured October 5 at 1:00 pm Scolnic Kick-Off Lecture: Crisis in the Middle East with Thomas S. Warrick
Featured October 30 at 6:30 pm Voices from Kibbutz Re’im: Stories of Loss, Resilience, and Rebuilding