Sha’are Shalom Weekly News – – January 14 to January 20, 2026

Torah Study, 1^st and 3^rd Saturdays 8:30 am via Zoom

SATURDAY JANUARY 17 8:30 AM
Contact Suzanne (suz_darby@hotmail.com) for information and study guide

Topic: Torah Study Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84590304211?pwd=VUY1WnltUEY0Q0xSU2JrNmJMMXYwZz09

Meeting ID: 845 9030 4211

COMING EVENTS

Annual Cold Shabbat is on January 23
Everyone is welcome to Sha’are Shalom’s annual Cold Shabbat on Friday, January 23, sponsored by the Men’s Group. This event is the winter (indoor) equivalent to our popular Hot Shabbat in June. Dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m., featuring lasagna, gluten-free spaghetti, garlic bread, salad, desserts, and drinks. A short but lively Shabbat service will follow. Free for members, with a $5 donation requested for non-members. Please RSVP to Stu Richman at srichman4@verizon.net  or Mark Holt at mark.edward.holt@gmail.com so we know how much food to get. Hope to see everyone there!

FROM THE DESK OF RABBI GAIL

ARSON. 
The library and administrative offices of Jackson, Mississippi’s only synagogue were reduced to charred ruins. Two Torahs were destroyed and five more were damaged in the flames that erupted during Shabbat, our weekly Jewish day of rest, according to temple leaders. One Torah that survived the Holocaust was in a glass case and was undamaged in the fire. 
What kind of hatred are we still facing in this world? And WHY? 
When opposition to Israel’s policies turns into destroying Jewish property, it becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish people who identify as “anti-Zionists” from antisemites. Remember, anti-Zionism doesn’t mean disagreeing with the policies of the current government of Israel. It means rejecting the very existence of the State of Israel as a sovereign nation. Hatred of Jews has never disappeared; it just went underground during a period when expressing it overtly wasn’t socially acceptable. Now it is resurfacing in a most violent way. We must all stand together against this kind of world.

THANK YOU

Chad, Liz, Mia and Mayzie Mildenstein want to thank the Congregation
Sha’ are Shalom Family for their love and support at Mia’s Bat Mitzvah.  A special thank you to the Men’s club for setting up the room.  A big thank you to the Ball Family for the delicious Oneg.  Mia is very grateful to Rabbi Gail for her countless hours of support and instruction.

It’s Time to Start Preparing the 2026 Congregation Directory

 

This is the time of year for updating and publishing the annual Congregational Directory. Our Directory is not only a very useful address book that most of us keep by the telephone or computer but is also a major fundraiser for our synagogue.

Our publishing date is targeted for February 2026, so we will need to move expeditiously to update the directory information, renew the advertisements, and procure additional ads.

Everyone’s support is essential for the continued success of this valuable publication. Please carefully check your contact information in the current Directory, either the printed version or as posted in the Member Area of the Sha’are Shalom web site (https://shaareshalomsomd.org/member-area). (If you don’t remember the password, just contact any board member.) Corrections can also be made on the printed copy in the lobby of the synagogue. If you would like to see the ads and other information in the Directory (without names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses), a public version is on the Congregation web site at https://shaareshalomsomd.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Shaare-Shalom-Publisher-2025-Directory-Public-Version.pdf. You can also send pictures of Congregation activities during the past year to Mark Holt at the address below for possible inclusion in the 2025 edition.

There are two ways that everyone can help make the Directory a fundraising success. One is to place a personal greeting in the Directory—a great way to wish everyone a happy New Year or to remember a loved one. The second way to provide support is to ask local business people to place an ad in our Directory. Our success in previous years has shown that it’s not hard to get your dentist, doctor, veterinarian, dry cleaner, and others you do business with to place an ad in our Directory, which more than 100 families will use throughout the year. Feel free to send the public version above (or the link) to prospective advertisers.

If each one of us places a personal advertisement or obtains just one business advertisement we can raise over $3,000 for our congregation. Please provide your support by sending your ad copy to Mark Holt by January 31, 2026. Checks should be made out to Congregation Sha’are Shalom. Mark’s address is:

13413 Kris Ran Court
Fort Washington, MD 20744
mark.edward.holt@gmail.com

The prices for personal (non-business) ads are:
Inside cover – $200
Back cover – $200
Full page (8”x 5”) – $150
Half page (4” x 5”) – $75
Quarter page (2” x 5”) – $50
1/8 page (2” x 2 ½”) – $25

The prices for business ads are:

Inside cover – $250
Back cover – $250
Full page (8”x 5”) – $220
Half page (4” x 5”) – $120
Quarter page (2” x 5”) – $75
1/8 page (2” x 2 ½”) – $50

Remember also to patronize the businesses that have already placed ads in our Directory, and be sure to let them know you are from Sha’are Shalom. This will make it much easier for us to get them to renew their ads this year!

 

A NOTE FROM YOUR EDITOR
I need your help.  I know I am missing a lot of member birthday and anniversaries. Any special events that your would like us to announce? I would also like to know what kinds of things you would like to see in our newsletter in addition to the events we announce each week.  Perhaps something from our students or opportunities for community service.  Any ideas or updates please email me at joselle_gilpin@yahoo.com.

SPOTLIGHT ON OUR MEMBERS
Starting a new feature in out newsletter.  A chance to celebrate our members and some of their wonderful talents and actives. Charity actives. sports, hobbies etc.  Please send to joselle_gilpin@yahoo.com by Monday for inclusion in the week’s newsletter.

 

We at Sha’are Shalom are proud of our long tradition of member participation in everything our synagogue does — including leading Friday night services.  While we’re fortunate to have Rabbi Gail Fisher on the second Saturday morning of most months, it’s our own congregants who lead the evening service on the fourth Friday.
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  myerspat@gmail.com to sign up or for more information.
   See you at our next serviceHELP WANTED

Dates Available for Oneg Sponsors