Torah Study, 1st and 3rd Saturday’s 8:30 am via Zoom
Contact Suzanne ([email protected]) for information and study guide
Topic: Torah Study Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/
Meeting ID: 845 9030 4211
Women’s Group Planning Session via Zoom
Sunday, March 2nd 6:30 PM – all interested members are invited!
Watch for agenda next week
Topic: Women’s Group Initial Meet
Time: Mar 2, 2025 06:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
http://us02web.zoom.us/j/
Meeting ID: 815 1433 4695
Passcode: 239866
Dates To Remember:
Volunteers Need for Making Hamantaschen
It is open to all men and women of the synagogue to help bake, and bag Hamantaschen. Last year we had some men help and
it was a blessing.
We will bake on Friday March 14th and Saturday March 15th in case we need more time. We will be giving out the Hamantaschen on Sunday, March 16th
starting at 9:30AM.
Please let Jackie Schoch ([email protected]
We will start at 9 am.
This is the synagogue Annual Fundraiser, so please show your support.
DEADLINE FOR HAMANTASCHEN IS MARCH 1, 2025
Celebration of Purim
Sha’are Shalom’s Hamantaschen make it a special time of year. If you have not purchased them in the past, consider doing so this year, this is a great fundraiser and You will be glad you did!
On Line or Email Ordering:
On Line: The Ordering form is on the Congregation’s website, https://shaareshalomsomd.org/
Email: Send your order to Jackie, [email protected]; and mail the check as specified above.
PURIM BASKETS
The tradition of sending Purim baskets comes from the Torah: “A phrase taken from the Megillah [Book of Esther] that commands the Jewish community to give small packages of food or gifts to friends on the day of Purim.” (from myjewishlearning.com). It is a tangible way to celebrate our victory over Hamen. Sending a Purim basket is a fun way to remember our friends and neighbors and bring a bit of joy in the form of food. And the best part of the baskets from our congregation are the hamentaschen that each basket contains.
Ordering Purim Baskets has been a great fundraiser for our congregation. An individual or family can order individual baskets, baskets for families, or baskets for the whole congregation (each family gets 1 basket) or religious school (each student gets 1 basket). The individuals or families do not need to be members. But, the way we make money is when an individual or family has a basket gifted from multiple people. In that case, there is one basket made with the names of all the basket givers on the card.
Usually, multiple members order baskets for the whole congregation. After the first set of baskets is ordered, all the others are profit. These members hope that the basket will put a smile on the family as well as helping Sha’are Shalom in the process. And don’t forget about the children. Many parents will order individual baskets for their children and some families will order baskets for the religious school so that each child gets a basket. Don’t forget the post Bar/Bat Mitzvah students, make sure to order them a basket too.
So, consider ordering a basket this year or multiples. It is a fun way to send a smile,
Whole Congregation (Each family gets 1 basket) $150.00)
Entire Religious School (Each student enrolled gets 1 basket) $98.00
Individual Basket $8
Send your order to [email protected]
Make the check payable to Congregation Sha’are Shalom and mail to 18 Henry Ford Circle, Waldorf, MD 20602, Attention: Jackie Schoch.
PASSOVER IS COMING
2nd Night of Passover will be April 13th at 5 pm at the synagogue.
This will be a Community Potluck Passover. More information will be available on the menu as we get closer to the date.
FROM RABBI GAIL
Join Us for a Very Special Service on Saturday, March 8th!
We are excited to announce a meaningful and joyous service on Saturday, March 8th, beginning at 9:30 AM, since we anticipate that the service will run a little longer than usual. Rabbis Jasha and Gail will co-officiate this beautiful service, during which we will welcome four new members into our Jewish family. We are thrilled to celebrate:
- Sierra Cook
- Miranda and Matt Pontarelli
Each of these individuals will be called to the Torah by the Hebrew names they have chosen, and they will also each have the honor of leading a Hebrew prayer during the service, accepting our shared heritage (and displaying some of what they have learned) in a powerful and personal way.
Additionally, we will celebrate the one-year-old daughter of Miranda and Matt, Mona Pontarelli, as she is given her Hebrew name over the Torah.
To make this occasion even more special, we are delighted to announce that Marshall Jones and Ceitidh Moffatt-Bush, two members who joined our Jewish community last year, will chant two of the Torah portions during the service.
Following the service, we invite all attendees to stay and enjoy a festive lunch to celebrate this remarkable day together.
If you’re unable to attend in person, the service will be streamed via Zoom. You can join us using the link below:
http://shaareshalomsomd.us1.
Meeting ID: 832 7996 0831
We look forward to celebrating this joyous occasion with you and our growing Jewish community!
DID WE MISS YOUR BIRTHDAY OR ANNIVERSARY IN 2024? PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL TO [email protected] so I can add it to my list.
o
Lead a Friday evening Shabbat service — we’ll help you!
Our prayer book makes it easy — just choose your favorite reading from each two-page spread, either in English or Hebrew, spoken or sung. We even have some pre-chosen plans to use. The pressure is very low — the audience is usually small and supportive. If you’d rather not write a brief d’var Torah (a mini-sermon on how something from the week’s Torah portion might apply to our lives today), Suzanne Darby has volunteered to write it; and if you’re hesitant about leading songs, I can help out with that.
We’d just like more of our members to come up and play a part in services, and so we’re eager to help any way we can.
You don’t have to know Hebrew, and you just have to be past bar/bat mitzvah age. You can even enlist your spouse and/or kids to be your co-leaders. We’re looking for volunteers for Friday evenings. Please contact me at [email protected] to sign up or for more information.
See you at our next service
HELP WANTED
Dates Available for Oneg Sponsors
WE ARE LOOKING FOR A ONEG SPONSOR FOR OUR VERY SPECIAL MARCH 8TH SERVICE PLEASE CONTACT MARSHALL JONES IF YOU CAN HELP
Shar’are Shalom each Saturday morning (every 2nd Saturday) and Friday night (every 4th Friday) service at the temple ends with the pleasure of fellowship. A little nosh usually makes this fellowship last longer and adds to its delightfulness. Each post service nosh or oneg requires an Oneg Sponsor. Whether it is wine, juice, a challah, and some cookies, or even more – it is always appreciated by those in attendance.
Contact Marshall Jones ([email protected]) if you would like to sponsor an oneg or lead a Friday Night Service or have any questions about doing either.