Torah Study, 1st and 3rd Saturdays 8:30 am via Zoom
ZOOM LINK BELOW
Contact Suzanne (suz_darby@hotmail.com) for information and study guide
Topic: Torah Study Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/
Meeting ID: 845 9030 4211
Subject: Proposals for Shabbat Service Attendance and Oneg Support
Greetings, Congregation Sha’are Shalom,
As we enter a new year filled with great potential, we have an opportunity to strengthen our membership, expand our community outreach, and encourage greater participation in congregational life.
There are two areas I would like us to address as we consider ways to support these goals:
- Shabbat Service Attendance
- Oneg Food Provision and Preparation
1. Proposed Change to Shabbat Service Time
For your consideration, I propose moving our Friday night Shabbat service to 7:00 p.m. This adjustment may provide families with greater flexibility to balance their daily responsibilities, family needs, and scheduled activities while still making time to attend services.
Additionally, an earlier evening service may create a more accessible opportunity for visitors and prospective members to join us in worship and fellowship. Our goal is to encourage consistent attendance, strengthen congregational connections, and create opportunities for our community to grow.
2. Reestablishing Family Participation in Oneg
Historically, Sha’are Shalom families rotated the responsibility of providing Onegs for Saturday morning Shabbat service. I propose that we reinstitute this practice by establishing a sign-up schedule that allows families to volunteer to provide food and assist with preparation as they are able.
A shared rotation would distribute the responsibility among our members, encourage greater participation, and help sustain the fellowship that follows our services.
I welcome your thoughts, recommendations, and feedback on these proposals. Please email me with your thoughts and/or suggestions as we consider these changes and work toward solutions that best serve our congregation.
By working together and sharing responsibility, we can build upon our congregation’s strengths, encourage greater involvement, and continue developing a welcoming and supportive Jewish community.
Thank you for your continued commitment, service, and dedication to Sha’are Shalom.
Respectfully,
M. Jones
President, Board of Directors
Congregation Sha’are Shalom
18 Henry Ford Circle, Waldorf, MD 20602
Phone: 301-645-4606 |
Email: Mjones.shaare@gmail.com
shaareshalomsomd.org
I’m taking a class with The Mussar Institute. Mussar is essentially Jewish ethics, the practice of behaving with others in a “balanced” way (not too stoic but also not too impatient; not too silent but also not too dominant in conversation; etc).
This first session talked about “a-ha moments” in Jewish studies. If you’re open to such moments, there can be many of them. You can read an article, book, or text; participate in Torah study; listen to a sermon or a class; and suddenly have the experience of “OH MY GOODNESS, I never saw it that way before!” It can happen without warning at any time. Those moments are wonderfully reinforcing. They make us want to come back and learn more – and we are all fully aware that there is so very much to learn in Judaism!
Here’s to many such moments for you.
Join Your Fellow CSS Members and Guests for a Fall Hike!
Come join your fellow CSS members and guests for an afternoon hike at Cedarville State Forest on Sunday, November 15, at 2:00 p.m.
We’ll be hiking the White Tail Trail, a scenic route of approximately 3.5 miles. The trail is mostly flat, with only a few gentle climbs, making it suitable for most.
We’ll meet in the parking lot near the charcoal kiln before setting out. After the hike, stay and enjoy fellowship with friends with hot apple cider and light snacks.
Cedarville State Forest is located just north of Waldorf and offers beautiful woodland scenery that is especially enjoyable in the fall.
If you have any questions, please contact Stuart Richman at srichman4@verizon.net.
We hope to see you there! 
Here are directions. Some GPS directions will take you to the roads in the back of the park that are closed.
Go north on RT5/301 past Pinefield to Cedarville Rd (WaWa and 7 -11 on corner). Make a right at the next light onto Cedarville Rd. Follow the Cedarville Rd to Bee Oak Rd. Make a right on Bee Oak. Follow Bee Oak into the Park (must pass $3 entracne fee) to Forest Road. Follow Forest Road to the Blue/White/Charcoal kiln parking lot on right (about 1/2-3/4 mile).
CSS Foodrive
CSS is conducting a food drive through November 14. We are asking everyone to bring at least one can or box of nonperishable food each time you visit the synagogue. Together, we can help support our neighbors in need during the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. Your generosity can make a meaningful difference in the lives of local families. Thank you for helping us share the spirit of compassion and community.
URGENT ONEG FOR SATURDAY SERVICES
It has been our custom for years to have a light lunch on Saturday Services. It is our way to have lunch with the Rabbi and the members and to enjoy everyone’s company.
We have 10 Saturday services left this year. We normally have a diary lunch. Please pick a Saturday that works for you or maybe join up with another family and plan a luncheon.
It is not hard.
If you can not sign up, maybe make a donation of $50.00 and someone will do the luncheon for you in your name.
Please contact Mark Holt, Vice-President, mark.edward.
RELIGIOUS SCHOOL SCHEDULE FALL 2026
11/22
11/29
Fund Raiser For Safety Personnel
Dear Members,
Congregation Sha’are Shalom has started a never ending Fundraiser to pay for Security at our synagogue.
We want all our members to feel safe coming to services and events at the Synagogue, so we will be having
Security Personnel there at all events.
There will be a tab under Donation on our website where you can make a donation for Security.
Thank you in advance.
Jackie – Treasurer
SPOTLIGHT ON OUR MEMBERS
The Brag Space for Members to share special moments and events
Whew! Susan and Stuart Richman just finished a 10,828 mile and 81-day trip to the PNW and Canadian Rockies.
Highlighted Stops
-Dinosaur National Monument; Driving Flaming Gorge byway
-Cape Flattery; NW most point in US
-Mount Rainier National Park
-Hoh Rain Forest, Olyympic National Park
-Forks, WA (Home of Twilight fans)
-North Cascades National Park
-Canada’s Glacier National Park, British Columbia
-Ice field Parkway British Columbia, Canada
-Yoho National Park British Columbia, Canada
-Kooteny National Park British Columbia Canada
-Jasper and Banff National Parks Alberta Canada
-Waterton National Park Alberta National Park (shared park with US)
-East (St. Mary’s) and West Glacier National Park; Drive Going to Sun Road
-Teddy Roosevelt National Park & Presidential Library, North Dakota Badlands
-Many miles of hiking and biking; Hikes to glaciers, waterfalls, teahouses, glacier lakes
-Much wildlife sightings up close ; Bison, grizzly and black bears, big horn sheep, prairie dogs, mountain goats, elk, mule deer, wild horses, marmot, puffin (searched for moose..but they were always hiding)
-Unique Geology
-Learning much history about Native Americans (US) and First People (Canada)
-Following much of Lewis and Clarks northwest expedition trek
-See preserved wagon wheel tracks on the Oregon Trail
-Evil Knievel launch ramp at Snake River Canyon, ID; (who didn’t watch this if you are of the same age)
-Temperature changes form the low 100s to mid 30’s (and snow)
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
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 myerspat@gmail.com 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 Mark Holt (mark.edward.holt@gmail.com)