Congregational Seder Sunday, April 13th 2025 5:00 PM
This Seder will be called the Community Pot Luck Seder. This is our 3rd year for the Community Pot Luck Seder. Each family is asked to sign up and bring one of the items listed on the sign-up sheet on the Congregation Sha’are Shalom website. There is also additional charge of $5.00 per family, $3.00 for a Single Children are free. There will be a jar at the Seder that will collect these payments. The Synagogue will provide the items for the Seder Plates for each table, Matza balls and grape juice.
You are welcome to bring wine for any adults in your party. You are also welcome to bring gefilte fish for your party if so desired.
http://shaareshalomsomd.org/
We are estimating 35 attendees. On Sunday April 6th, we will provide the actual account. Any questions, please contact Jackie Schoch, grammysglassgarden@
THERE WILL BE NO SATURDAY MORNNG SERVICE IN APRIL
Torah Study, 1st and 3rd Saturday’s 8:30 am via Zoom
Torah Study Saturday April 5th at 8:30 am
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
FROM THE DESK OF RABBI GAIL
Rabbis Jasha and Gail will be offering our third consecutive Introduction to Judaism class for people who are interested in converting or perhaps learning more about Judaism in a systematic way. We will be taking a break of as long as five years after this, so if you or anybody else you know has been considering this, now is the time to let us know that you are interested. The class will go from September 7, 2025, through May 31, 2026, meeting on alternate Sundays (working around holidays) at 11 AM. Contact Rabbi Gail at [email protected]
Shalom,
Rabbi Gail Fisher
Member, Washington Board of Rabbis
Union of Jewish Universalist Communities
www.RabbiGail.com
CHARLES COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION NATIONAL JEWISH AMERICAN HERITAGE RESOLUTION
April 8,2025 at the Board of Education Meeting. If you would like to hear the reading of the resolution, please arrive at 2:30 at the Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building 5980 Radio Station Rd. in LaPlata. PLEASE NOTE NEW TIME!
Calling all veterans
“I am trying to establish a Jewish War Veterans post in Southern Maryland. If you are serving or have served in the US Armed Forces and are interested in learning more please email [email protected] with your name, branch, and service dates.” Matthew Cook
Dates To Remember:
Yard Sale Collection Dates
Looking to offload those dusty kitchen appliances? Or how about a treadmill that you bought with the best intentions? Consider donating your gently used items to our upcoming community yard sale. Proceeds benefit the synagogue (fundraiser). When dropping off items, consider having them organized by type (example: kids clothes, kitchen appliances, toys)
Drop off dates:
March 14 (prior to Purim party)
March 30 from 930-1130
April 6 from 930-1130
April 13 from 930-1130
April 20 from 930-1130 (large item drop off)
April 27 Yard Sale from 7-3p
Liz Mildenstein
301-752-0761 (c)
Email: [email protected]
COMING SOON
Movie Night for our Religious School Mitzvah Project
Now Playing: Wicked
Join the Sunday school students for a special movie night. The event is a fundraiser for their school year mitzvah project. What’s the project? They are raising money and collecting donations for the local animal shelter.
Save the Date – more details to come
May 3
6:30pm
Concessions for sale and donations accepted for the movie “ticket”
MEN’S CLUB SHABBAT
An insightful Shabbat with wonderful lessons about Jewish philosophers. Thanks to all our leaders, Oneg providers and participants.
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Illustrating wine
Bernie Matus saw the notice for the contest, but almost didn’t enter it. Now, he’s glad he did.
The Leonardtown resident’s artwork was selected by the St. Mary’s County Arts Council and the Port of Leonardtown Winery as the winner of a wine label design contest to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the winery’s tasting room.
“It’s exciting,” said the 85-year-old Matus. “You always look for projects and this is one I never thought I’d have.”
Leonardtown residents Cynthia Martin-Brennan and Lo Hill finished second and third, respectively. The contest drew 46 submissions.
Matus’ design features a wine glass with the winery’s logo, with grapes and gold-colored leaves along with muted tones in the background.
“I thought, ‘Lets take a wine glass and play with that,’” he said, adding that the photo of the grapes was one he took while on a trip to Tuscany in 2000 and that he compressed five layers to make the label. “I wanted it to reflect the color of autumn and the leaves and a lot of that came into play.”
“The color scheme was very rich and attractive,” Port of Leonardtown Winery winemaker Lauren Zimmerman, who was one of four judges, said. She added that there were some “phenomenal submissions.”
Matus’ digital graphic arts design will grace limited edition bottles of a sparkling red the winery will release in June.
“It is a dry red sparkling and it’s loaded with red berry flavors,” Zimmerman said. “It has lots of notes of blueberry, raspberry. I think it’s going to fly off the shelves.”
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
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.