In an effort to improve the flow of davening on Shabbat and holiday mornings and help us all maintain our focus and kavanah on tefilot, the Ritual Committee, in partnership with Rabbi Wolkenfeld and the Ohev Board of Directors, has developed a number of modifications that Ohev will be implementing on Shabbat morning, June 14th. These changes include:
Moving the prayer for hostages and peace to after the shir shel yom (psalm of the day).
Moving the Misheberach for cholim (prayer for the sick) to after 6th aliyah (or 4th on holidays)
Moving the Misheberach for women carrying and escorting the torah to after maftir aliyah.
Having the prayers for the US and Israel said by a single person rather than two and adjacent to the shulchan, rather than the bimah.
No longer having Lema’aan achai vere’ay sung by children, but having them read the final line instead.
Moving announcements to the very end, immediately preceding kiddush from the bimah.
We hope these changes will allow for longer stretches of uninterrupted tefilot and allow all of us to focus on our prayers on Shabbat and holidays mornings. If you have any questions, please contact the Ritual Committee co-chairs, Elizabeth Bodine-Baron or Josh Resnick.
Thank you and shabbat shalom, Elizabeth and Josh
LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES & EVENTS
Chavruta Connections: Personalized Learning with Rabbanit Sara Wolkenfeld Want to spend a little time learning Torah but not sure where to start? Or maybe you are interested in diving deeper into a specific topic?Join me for a one-on-one or small group chavruta-style learning experience. Email Rabbanit@ohevdc.org to get started!
Tonight, June 8 at 6:00pm - Ohev Sholom Spring Celebration 2025. Honoring the past, safeguarding the present, dreaming for the future. (Registration required)
Shabbat, June 13 &14 - Graduation celebration! Please join the Ohev Community in celebrating our graduates! (Registration required)
Shabbat, June 14 - Mincha followed by Seudah Shlishit with a lecture by Radwan Ziadeh: The Prospect for Democracy and Reconstruction in Syria. **the event has been postponed and we will update once we have a new date**.
**The mikvah at Ohev, Mikvah Chaim, is seeking new mikvah attendants for our beautiful and welcoming mikvah. We will be running a training session in the coming weeks (time TBD based on the availability of those interested). If you are or have ever been a woman who uses the mikvah, and you are interested in volunteering at least one night a month to give back to our community, please email rabbanit@ohevdc.org.**
MINYAN CORNER
Minyan Corner Elevate your week! Please join us at our weekday Shacharit and Mincha/Maariv minyanim. Sign up in advance to help us ensure we have minyanim and strong participation for those saying Kaddish.
SHULCLOUD MOBILE MEMBER APP
The ShulCloud Mobile Member App for Apple and Android mobile devices is currently available. The app provides quick access to Ohev upcoming events, calendar, member directory and other features. Access to the mobile app is limited to current members of Ohev Sholom. You can log into the app using your ShulCloud user id and password.
The App can be downloaded from the following sites:
Please let us know if you have any questions or need any assistance in getting started.
B'NAI MITZVAH SCHEDULING
Ohev Sholom has rolled out an online form to help with scheduling and planning your child's Bar or Bat Mitzvah. You can submit a request for up to three dates; 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice, and we will confirm your selection within 30 days.
We've thankfully received a critical mass of sponsorships to place our first order for new siddurim. There are still ample sponsorship opportunities available - a great chance to honor a simcha or in memory of a loved one.
The WhatsApp Announcements mobile app is provided to communicate with the Ohev Sholom membership on a real-time basis. There are a number of members that are not receiving those messages because their mobile phone numbers were not available in ShulCloud.
If you are not receiving WhatsApp Announcements, please email Alejandra at Alejandra@ohevdc.org or Steven at steven.wernick@ohevdc.org with your name and mobile number so that you can be included.
WhatsApp can be downloaded from the following sites:
Please let us know if you have any questions or need any assistance in getting started.
GET INVOLVED AT OHEV!
We rely on volunteers to help make Ohev such a vibrant shul. Please consider getting involved by joining (or helping to lead) one of our committees. Any amount helps. More info here!
Chesed Committee: Chesed Committee: Lend a hand and support each other! If you are able to help members in need of short term assistance please fill out this form.
ISRAEL @ OHEV
In recent months, among other types of support, the shul has highlighted the plight of the hostages in a variety of ways:
Fundraised and held a dessert kiddush using the favorite recipes of various hostages
Placed a permanently set table on display in the Social Hall
Placed a designated 'hostage' chair in the sukkah
Dedicated 20 seats in the sanctuary to 20 different hostages
Added 'Bring Them Home' signage around the building
We will continue to raise awareness for the hostages until they are all released. For more information and/or to volunteer with these efforts please contact Tirza Kramer at supertirza@gmail.com
COMMUNITY RESOURCES
Upcoming events for Federal employees These resources were collected and shared with us by Kemp Mill Job Assist at Young Israel Shomrei Emunah. To check the list click here. Updates will be available regularly.
Brandeis University's Hornstein Program offers full scholarships to recently laid-off federal workers. In response to the wave of recent federal layoffs, Brandeis University’s Hornstein Jewish Professional Leadership Program will offer a limited number of full-tuition scholarships to eligible former federal employees and contractors.
In addition to the in-residence dual degree track, Hornstein also offers two online options designed to complement the schedules of full-time working professionals: a Master’s Certificate and an MA in Jewish Professional Leadership. Applications are currently open for Fall 2025. Candidates interested in the MA/MBA or MA/MPP program must apply by July 1 for scholarship consideration.
MEMBERS OBSERVING YAHRZEITS / CONDOLENCES
Monday Jeffrey Mendelsohn for his father, Les Mendelsohn.
Thursday - Adena Kirstein for her grandfather, Marcus Kaplan - Ellen Reinach for her mother, Melita Lichtenstein - Stephanie Kahn for her father-in-law, James Nelson Kahn
Joshua Appelbaum Paul Neumann Susan Wachtel Ayala Ernst Nathan Lesser Helene Reisler Yoav Schaefer Joseph Saka
FOOD DELIVERIES
Sunflower - This week the Sunflower pick up location will be at Ohev Sholom Congregation on Friday from 11AM - 2PM. Orders will be set up inside the building at the Jonquil Street entrance. Orders are due Wednesdays by midnight!
Contact the shul office with any questions, 202-882-7225
CONTACT US
Rabbi David Wolkenfeld Rabbi.wolkenfeld@ohevdc.org (202) 882-7225, ext. 104 To schedule a phone call or in-person time with Rabbi Wolkenfeld, please reach out directly or visit calendly.com
Rabbanit Sara Tillinger Wolkenfeld, Scholar in Residence Rabbanit@ohevdc.org
