Hearts in Israel
Upcoming Events | Ways To Help | Resources For This Moment | Video Archives | Articles & Conversations | Masorti
We want to begin by thanking this incredible community for the way in which you have shown up over the past several months. It matters. You matter. We matter. And as we’ve said to you already, we really need each other. The massacre perpetrated in Israel by Hamas on October 7th--and its ongoing effects--has left us shaken in grief. Together we are finding a path forward based on our shared values and obligations.
We also want to offer gratitude for this beautiful community–our Adas community. We come from different backgrounds, we look different from one another, our families are diverse, we are often politically divided on many issues, and more. We love this about Adas. In fact, our diversity often impels our larger, communally-shared moments to feel all the more potent, like the Vigil for Israel held at Adas, the Rally downtown, and our daily and weekly services.
What has been so striking to us is that in this moment of crisis, amidst all we are, we are showing ourselves to be a community of helpers. We are trying to draw each other in closer, rather than focus on that which divides. For this we are ever grateful.
This communal intention will continue to be critical–maybe more than ever–as the war continues to become more deadly for our Israeli family, a humanitarian crisis deepens in Gaza, hostages still being held in unspeakable horror, and as more and more innocent life is lost.
The Israel Engagement Committee (IEC) is working to figure out how to best use the resources of the community to help Israel immediately and in the future. To get involved with IEC activities, or suggest ways Adas can be supportive, please be in touch with Dennis Yedwab.
One Year Later: The Hebrew University & the Israel-Hamas War
Tuesday, October 22nd at 7:30pm in the Adas Sukkah
Learn More and Register
In the months following October 7th, the Hebrew University found itself with over 35% of its 28,000-member campus community sent to the reserves, housing thousands of displaced people, and providing emergency services to students, faculty, their families and more. The Hebrew University now finds itself faced with another challenge, academic boycotts and intellectual isolation, as the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement (BDS) has gained strength across the globe.
Please join us for dessert in the sukkah immediately following our new member reception with Rector Tamir Sheafer of the Hebrew University, where he will share updates on the Hebrew University since October 7th, the evolution of academic boycotts and intellectual isolation on Israeli universities, and how the Hebrew University is meeting these challenges as it approaches its centennial year in 2025.
Alumni of the Hebrew University and Rothberg International School are strongly encouraged to attend!
Enhancing the Lives of Children of Asylum Seekers in Israel: A conversation with Eran Baruch, Executive Director of Elifelet
Join us for a light lunch with conversation and Q&A
Thursday, Oct 31st from 12pm-1 in the Biran Beit Midrash | Click Here to Register
Elifelet is the Israeli Citizens Association for Refugee Children. Elifelt believes that like all children, those of asylum seekers deserve a happy childhood. It’s director, Eran Baruch will discuss how much of a struggle this is for refugee and undocumented children. He will describe how Elifelet from morning until evening, from infancy to Middle School, creates a holistic array of programs to ensure the safeguarding, education, and wellbeing of these precious children.
Book Launch with Author Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove
For Such a Time as This: On Being Jewish Today
Sunday, November 10 from 6:30pm to 8:00pm, At the home of Adas President Beth Heifetz (Location provided upon registration)
Click Here to Register
Join Adas clergy and author Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove for a poignant conversation around his new book, For Such a Time as This: On Being Jewish Today. In light of the devastating October 7th attack by Hamas on Israel, the Jewish community finds itself navigating a new, painful reality. Rabbi Cosgrove will delve into the immediate aftermath—the horrors in Israel and the surge of antisemitism—and the profound reconnection to Jewish identity, community, and faith.
Stand Together: A Jewish Community Event of Unity and Resilience in DC
Sunday, November 10, 2024
Doors open at 12pm, Pre-show starts at 1pm, Program starts at 3pm
Click Here to Learn More & Register
The Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish American Organizations today announced they will host ‘Stand Together – an event of Unity, Strength, and Resilience,’ on Sunday, November 10, 2024, in Washington, D.C, in partnership with dozens of other national and local organizations.
The event, which will take place just days after the Presidential election and mark one year since the historic March for Israel, will demonstrate the Jewish community’s commitment to unity in the aftermath of the October 7th attacks and the unprecedented spike in antisemitism that followed.
Israel 101 – Facilitated by Rabbi Sarah Krinsky
Fridays, 12 PM - 1 PM: September 13 (in person at Adas), November 8 (Zoom), December 13 (Zoom), January 10 (Zoom), February 21 (Zoom), March 21 (in person at Adas) | Click Here to Register
This six-session “lunch and learn” series, led by Rabbi Krinsky, will introduce participants to the complex and often conflicting narratives of Israel’s history and founding. Drawing on the expertise of academics and professionals, we will explore the key movements, events, and ideas from the past 150 years that have shaped Israel today. This course is an opportunity to deepen your understanding of the historical context and ongoing challenges facing the Jewish State.
Save the Dates: Shalom Hartman Institute’s Community Leadership Program (CLP)
Wednesday, June 25 – Wednesday, July 2, 2025 | Click Here to Express Interest
Mark your calendars for the Shalom Hartman Institute’s Community Leadership Program (CLP), a week-long opportunity for in-depth study with leading scholars in Talmud, Bible, Jewish philosophy, history, mysticism, and more. This program is designed for adult learners who seek a pluralistic, open-minded environment for intellectually rigorous exploration of Jewish life and its contemporary challenges. Our goal is to have a strong group of 25 participants from Adas Israel. Stay tuned for more details and be the first to know when registration opens for CLP 2025 by adding your name to our interest list.
Ulpan Adas with Mark Lewis
Tuesdays, Beginning November 12, 2024 | 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Biran Beit Midrash Click Here to Register
This fall, Ulpan Adas will offer a full immersion Hebrew class on Tuesdays nights at Adas. Led by Mark Lewis, the class will be conducted primarily in Hebrew, with occasional English assistance as needed. Focusing on everyday scenarios, from ordering at a restaurant to chatting with friends, this course is perfect for anyone looking to gain proficiency in spoken Hebrew. Whether you’re preparing for a trip to Israel or simply want to feel more confident in your Hebrew skills, this class will equip you with the tools you need to navigate everyday situations with ease.
Heart Opening Dyads – Led by Hedy Schleifer
Tuesdays, October 1 - November 19, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM | Contact for More Information
Join Hedy Schleifer for an 8-week series focused on emotional awareness and healing through Dyads. In each session, participants will gather in small groups and then pair off into Dyads, engaging in a structured process to explore emotions related to Israel/Palestine, community dynamics, or personal experiences. The group will reconvene to share insights and develop tools for emotional growth. Participants are asked to commit to attending at least 6 of the 8 sessions, which will be held at the Chastleton community room on 16th St NW. If interested, please contact Brad Brooks-Rubin, who is assisting with the organization of the program.
Book Club with Rabbi Aaron Alexander and Marilyn Cooper Peoplehood and Israel (Virtual)
Thursdays at 12pm: Dec 5th, Feb 27th and May 22nd
Click Here to Register
December 5th we will discuss The Gates of Gaza: A Story of Betrayal, Survival, and Hope in Israel's Borderlands
Deepening Our Connection to Am Yisrael: Listening to the diverse Voices and Stories of our Land and Our People
Together we’ll read & discuss in small groups engaging books, fiction and nonfiction, that will open our minds to new ideas, inspire us to read more, and challenge us to grapple with the world as it is.
Books for this year’s three sessions will be sent to registrants two months before our first session, if not sooner. (For a list of the books this evolving club has read in the previous 3 years, click here.)
Marilyn Cooper is a Washington, DC – based author and poet. She is a contributing editor and writer for a number of Jewish publications; her work focuses on Jewish history, literature and contemporary culture.
Brave Conversations: Israel and the Diaspora
1st Tuesday of the Month at 7pm (BBM) - limit to 30 registrants per session
December 3rd: Register Here
January 7th: Register Here
February 4th: Register Here
March 4th: Register Here
April 1st: Register Here
Join a small group of fellow Adas community members in brave conversations about topics and ideas that will challenge us to disagree with respect, to debate with nuance and thoughtfulness, and to remain in deep relationship with one another. These Adas-member facilitated conversations will be based on articles and/or podcasts selected in consultation with your rabbinic team.
Reflections and Insights From Participants of the Adas Solidarity Mission to Israel
Click here to hear some of Rabbi Alexander's reflections
Click here to read "The mournful isolation of Israel six months after terroists attacked" by mission participant Ruth Marcus.
October 7 Memorials
DC/Federation 10/7 Memorial:
Adas Israel is honored to co-sponsor this memorial event, which commemorates the lives lost on October7. This solemn occasion will bring together our community to reflect on the tragedy and to stand in solidarity with Israel during these challenging times. It’s an opportunity to come together, honor the memory of those affected, and reaffirm our commitment to supporting Israel. More information here.
USCJ 10/7 Memorial, details to follow:
Join us in remembrance at the USCJ 10/7 Memorial, where we will gather to reflect on the recent tragedies. This memorial offers a poignant moment of unity and reflection, allowing us to honor those who have been impacted and to come together in a spirit of solidarity and remembrance. It’s a time for our community to support one another and to remember the lives that were lost. More information here.
Yom Kippur Eleh Ezkarah/Matryology:
During the All-Clergy Musaf service in the Tent, Billy Mencow will offer a heartfelt memorial to 10/7 and the year that followed , with our clergy incorporating the traditional Eleh Ezkarah & Mourner’s Kaddish. This service is a time for collective remembrance, where we come together to honor the martyrs of our people and to reflect on the significance of their sacrifices.
Shmini Azteret Yizkor:
On Shmini Azteret, we will gather for Yizkor, a service dedicated to honoring the memories of those we have lost. This solemn occasion provides an opportunity for reflection and connection, as we remember our loved ones and find strength in the presence of our community. It’s a time to honor those who have passed and to seek comfort and solace in our shared faith and traditions.
Support the Masorti High Holidays Campaign
Click Here To Contribute Your Support Today
This past year, Masorti has been a beacon of hope, helping rebuild faith and trust after the October 7 attack and the ongoing war. Looking ahead, we are committed to extending our reach across Israeli society, as well as serving members of our kehillot and our NOAM youth movement, by:
- Offering High Holiday services in over 100 locations across Israel, providing spiritual refuge for thousands.
- Hosting public events and lifecycle celebrations, impacting hundreds of thousands of Israelis.
- Launching innovative programs to build resilience among youth across Israel, including both Masorti and non-Masorti participants.
- Facilitating egalitarian services at the Kotel, welcoming well over 100,000 visitors annually from all streams of Judaism, from Israel and abroad.
- Providing traditional bar and bat mitzvah studies and ceremonies for up to 200 children with disabilities annually, giving them a rite of passage otherwise unavailable.
Donations for the City of Lod, Israel
The Israel Engagement Committee and Adas Israel is partnering with the City of Lod in Israel. We've collected already significant donations for basic needs for their recovery and relief efforts. We are helping to raise funds for the city to update and rebuild their necessary bomb shelters, protecting all of its residents, Jewish and Arab alike.
Donate A Bomb Shelter for the City of Lod
Israel Crisis Relief Fund
Click Here To Contribute Your Support Today
Click Here To Learn More About Where Your Donation Is Going
The link for the Federation’s emergency-relief response, also shared on our Facebook page, is now live. You can use the link now to make a contribution and share out with others. These funds are regularly dispersed, directly to the ground, supporting: United Hatzolah, Magen David Adom, Saroka Medical Center, The Israel Trauma Coalition, Evacuation Efforts, Kibbutz Re’im, and more.
Support Masorti’s Emergency War Campaign
Click Here To Contribute Your Support Today
The Masorti Movement, NOAM and our kehillot are running various activities to help those affected by the war in Gaza: from spiritual and physical assistance to evacuees, to providing chairs for shiva houses; from preparing meals for soldiers to programming for evacuee children. We have initiated programming based on information available during the first days of the war; we will continually evaluate and update these programs to meet developing needs arising from the war.
Your partnership will help us support those in need during this time of war.
Donate to World Central Kitchen - Help us provide fresh meals to communities in need
Click Here To Contribute Your Support Today
Our friend Chef Jose Andres (World Central Kitchen) is doing critical humanitarian work—feeding civilians in need--in Israel and Gaza. "We are committed to providing nourishing meals and food kits to families who need support, and our teams will continue to seek ways to do that for residents in both Gaza and Israel.”
HIAS - Help Rush Emergency Aid to Israel
Click Here To Contribute Your Support Today
HIAS is rushing critical emergency aid to the people affected, including basic supplies (hygiene kits, blankets, school supplies), cash-based assistance, mental health and psychosocial support, child protection, and support for local partners that are providing shelter, medical services, and legal help.
Your donation today will immediately support humanitarian aid in Israel. Please, make a gift today to help rush emergency aid — all donations will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $100,000.
BRING THEM HOME NOW
Click Here To Learn More & Donate
We demand the safe return of all citizens who have been taken hostage by the terrorist group Hamas. We will not rest until every hostage is released and returns home safely. You can help bring them back home.
The Israel Engagement Committee at Adas
The Israel Engagement Committee (IEC) is working to figure out how to best use the resources of the community to help Israel immediately and in the future.
One thing we are doing is putting together a list of families who are willing to host Israelis who have been unable to return because of the conflict. To help, contact Marty Blank.
The IEC is also arranging for letters from kids in our community to be sent to kids in Israel’s South and Central regions. If you would like to submit a letter or drawing for Israeli schoolchildren, please send them to: LettersForIsrael@adasisrael.org.
Call Me Back - with Dan Senor
Call Me Back - with Dan Senor ... Political and geopolitical analysis from the world's top experts, hosted by Dan Senor.
On Sacred Ground
The news from Israel can feel overwhelming – but Torah gives us language for understanding current events with complexity and compassion. From Hadar’s Beit Midrash in Jerusalem, R. Avital Hochstein joins R. Avi Killip to unpack some of the most pressing spiritual and moral questions in Israel today.
TEXTing - Shalom Hartman Institute
TEXTing with Elana Stein Hain, our newest podcast where ancient wisdom meets contemporary relevance.
For Heaven's Sake Podcast
Thoughtful debate elevates us all. In For Heaven’s Sake, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain revive the Jewish art of constructive discussion on topics related to political and social trends in Israel, Israel-Diaspora relations, and the collective consciousness of being Jewish.
Identity/Crisis Podcast
Identity/Crisis delves into the big ideas behind the news from a uniquely Jewish perspective. Host Yehuda Kurtzer, president of the Shalom Hartman Institute, talks with leading thinkers to unpack current events effecting Jewish communities in North America, Israel, and around the world, revealing the core Jewish values underlying the issues that matter to you.
Resources For Teaching About Israel In Crisis With The Jewish Education Project
Click Here For A List Of Resources
This resource collection provides practical tools and guides for educators to help learners engage with what is happening in age- and setting-appropriate ways, as well as support for educators.
Extremely Podcast with ADL
Hosted by ADL’s Oren Segal and Jessica Reaves, extremely gives audiences a window into the daily work of fighting – and disrupting – extremism and hate.
Times of Israel: Voices of Women at Wartime
From battlefield to bomb shelter, from home front to hospital, from volunteer rosters to victims’ lists—women experience war in distinctive, gendered ways. These are their stories.
Israel At War: Updates And Resources From JCRC
Click Here For A List Of Resources
The JCRC of Greater Washington is fully committed to standing with Israel for as long as it is necessary to annihilate the Hamas terrorists who, on October 7th, committed the deadliest single-day massacre on Jewish people since the Holocaust. This page will be regularly updated with resources, local events and ways you can help support Israel from afar.
Talking To Children About War
Click Here For A Resource from The National Child Traumatic Stress Network
For A Resource from The National Child Traumatic Stress Network and Information for caregivers on how to talk to children about war. This fact sheet includes the potential impact and considerations when talking to children, how to start the conversation, understanding media coverage, and how to foster resilience.
JSSA’s J-CARING Hotline for Emotional/Mental Health Support
The horrific events unfolding in Israel are understandably triggering fear, anxiety, anger and more, especially among people with close personal ties to Israelis or with children or other relatives serving in the Israeli Defense Forces. Those in need of emotional support and/or mental health services should contact the Federation and JSSA’s J-CARING hotline at 703-J-CARING.
National Vigil for the Hostages
On September 3rd, Adas held a National Vigil to honor the six cherished souls we’ve lost and to unite for the hostages still waiting to return.
Conversation on the Middle East
With Rabbi Alexander and Rev. Benjamin Ledell Bragg-Reynolds of Peoples Congregational UCC
Israel vs. Iran in the context of Gaza: Update & Assessment
With Dr. Rob Satloff, Executive Director of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Click Here to Watch the Recording (Passcode: dfcG9C=n)
Jerusalem Youth Chorus
The Jerusalem Youth Chorus is a choral and dialogue program for Palestinian and Israeli youth in Jerusalem. We provide a space for them to grow together in song.
Reflections from Adas Israel Solidarity Mission to Israel in April
Sermon by Rabbi Alexander
From the Bring Them Home Now rally
at the Lincoln Memorial
Rabbi Alexander addresses a sea of demonstrators at the National Mall on Sunday, their voices rising in unison to demand the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza. Marking six months since the devastating Hamas attack, the protest mirrored the sentiment found in the streets of Tel Aviv, where tens of thousands rallied for the same cause.
End of Rak Shalom Adon Olam, then released hostage Aviva Siegel (51 days), Acheinu w/ Cantor Brown
Antisemitism in the Aftermath of Oct. 7
Click Here to Watch the Archive
Join Jodi Rudoren and Arno Rosenfeld for a candid discussion of how rising antisemitism — and disputes over how to address it — is shaping American Jewish life. Hosted by Adas Israel's own Lauren Markoe, news editor of the Forward, and Debbi Wilgoren of the Washington Post.
All The Prayers, For the Broken, For Release, For Safety, For Peace
All The Prayers, For the Broken, For Release, For Safety, For Peace—With Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, the the parents of Israeli Hostages Itai Chen z”l & Omer Nutra, and Micah Hendler (Jerusalem Youth Chorus).
Praying For Peace/Shalom in all the Trembling Hearts.
Short kavanah by Rabbi Aaron Alexander
From War to Peace: Israelis and Palestinians Working for a Shared and Peaceful Future
Click Here to watch the program recording from February 7th
The Carnegie Endowment's Aaron David Miller in Conversation with Israeli and Palestinian Peace Leaders Dr. Rula Hardal (Hartman Institute), May Pundak, and Prof. Omar Dajani
Surviving 28 Hours of Terror on October 7
Dorin Cohen In Conversation With Adas Clergy
Click Here to watch the 1/14 program with Dorin Cohen
Rabbi Lauren Holtzblatt — Parashat VaYeishev
Shabbat Hanukkah: On Anti-Semitism, Fear, and Light
Rabbi Aaron Alexander — Parshat Mikeitz
Holding More Than One (Israel Mission #2)
Shabbat Hanukkah Festival
With Micah Hendler and Amer Abu Arqub, Executive Director of the Jerusalem Youth Chorus
Morality & Peoplehood In A Time of War
A Conversation with Donniel Hartman and Rabbis Holtzblatt and Alexander, Moderated by Federation CEO, Gil Preuss
Rabbi Aaron Alexander — Parashat Va-Yishlakh
Reflections on 2.5 days in Israel
Rabbi Lauren Holtzblatt — Parashat Toldot
Certainty, Uncertainty, & Trauma
Jordana Meyer — Adas Israel member, Israeli citizen, current IDF/Reservist — speaks to Congregation
Bring Home Hersh
Hear from the parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, currently held captive in Gaza
Sarah Hurwitz speaks about campus anti-semitism. (Here All Along)
Sarah Hurwitz is the author of Here All Along: Finding Meaning, Spirituality, and a Deeper Connection to Life – in Judaism (After Finally Choosing to Look There), a book about her experience rediscovering Judaism as an adult. From 2009 to 2017, she served as a White House speechwriter, first as a senior speechwriter for President Barack Obama and then as head speechwriter for First Lady Michelle Obama.
Israel Relief Concert
In support of relief efforts in Israel, cantors from over 15 congregations across the DMV, including our own Cantor Brown, gather for one special evening of song. Featuring music of Israeli composers and artists.
Parents Of Captive Israelis Speak to Adas Israel
Adi & Yael Alexander (son Edan), Yehudah Beinin (daughter Liat and husband), and Rubi Chen (son Itay)
Rabbi Noa Sattath, Executive Director of The Association for Civil Rights in Israel
Conversation with Hadar Susskind (Virtual)
Click Here For The Zoom Recording
Join Adas clergy and Hadar Susskind, Adas member and President/CEO of Americans for Peace now. Hadar will talk personally about the current war, and also share his thoughts on where we are now viv-a-vis his life’s work as a Peacebuilder.
Hadar Susskind is widely acknowledged as one of the Jewish community’s leading progressive advocacy voices and brings more than twenty years of experience working in Washington DC on both foreign and domestic policy. In that role he has built strong relationships with members of Congress, administration officials, and progressive partners and allies from across the spectrum of American political life. Hadar currently serves on the boards of Ameinu and the Congressional Progressive Caucus Center. Hadar is a graduate of the University of Maryland and holds the rank of Sergeant First Class in the Israel Defense Forces.
Rabbi Alexander Shabbat Sermon, 10/14
Ayeka? Where Am I? I’m home.
Friday Night D'var Torah, 10/13
By Adas Members and Israeli Citizens Mike Ravvin and Laura Schreiber
Recommended Articles and Conversations
- The Sermons I Needed To Hear Right Now A tender conversation with Rabbi Sharon Brous about Jewishness and the Jewish state.
- The Decolonization Narrative Is Dangerous and False By Simon Sebag Montefiore
- How Hamas Used Sexual Violence on October 7th By Isaac Chotiner interviewing Hadas Ziv, who is the director of ethics and policy at Physicians for Human Rights Israel
- What Americans Fear Most, by Sen. Chuck Schumer
- My Son Has Been Held Hostage by Hamas for 65 Days
- Letter From Jerusalem: My Family, My Country at Wartime
-
To Jewish College Students Who Are Scared by Sarah Hurwitz
-
Did Israel really separate Palestinian mothers from their babies? by Rob Satloff
-
The Hamas-Israel War: End of the Beginning or Beginning of the End? with Brig. Gen. Assaf Orion, Hanin Ghaddar, Matthew Levitt and Rob Satloff
-
Starting From the Ground Up: U.S. Policy Options for Post-Hamas Gaza with Dr. Michael Koplow and Dr. Shira Efron
-
From War to Peace in the Middle East? Observations from a Regional Tour by Robert Satloff
-
The Golden Age of American Jews is Ending by Franklin Foer
-
Is it the end of a Jewish Golden Age? A response to Franklin Foer by Dr. Stephen Daniel Arnoff
Israel-related News and Information
American Jews have a wide variety of sources available for news and information regarding Israel. Unfortunately, many of us limit our reading to the media that reflect our own perspectives on controversial subjects. We present the resources listed below (and more to come in the future) in the hope that exposure to a diverse set of respected voices will be conducive to mutual understanding and productive discourse in our community.
Newspapers
• Haaretz is Israel’s oldest daily newspaper. It is know for its liberal stances on domestic and foreign issues.
• The Jerusalem Post is an English language publication based in Jerusalem. Under a variety of editors in recent years, it generally has had a centrist or conservative perspective.
• The Jewish Telegraphic Agency is an international news agency and wire service serving Jewish community newspapers and media around the world. It claims no allegiance to any specific branch of Judaism or political viewpoint.
• The Times of Israel is an English-language on-line publication that aspires to an independent editorial position.
• Ynetnews is the online English-language Israeli news website of Yedioth Ahronoth, Israel’s most-read newspaper. Yedioth Ahronoth is considered centrist by many.
• Jewish News Syndicate is a news agency and wire service that primarily covers Jewish- and Israel-related topics and news. While officially nonpartisan, compared to its much larger and older competitor the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, JNS is considered to be more conservative and hawkish.
Video Archives (Continued)
Crossroads and Connections: Collections of the National Library of Israel
Click Here For Video Archive
Home to the intellectual and cultural treasures of Israel and the Jewish people worldwide, the National Library of Israel (NLI) has recently embarked on a visionary journey of renewal, including a wide range of initiatives to expand its collections and make the Library’s resources available to audiences across the globe. As part of this initiative, and in celebration of Israel’s 75th anniversary year, Dr. Raquel Ukeles will share highlights from 101 Treasures of the National Library of Israel, a new book published by NLI. Treasures selected from this book are part of a traveling exhibition of high quality images that represent a unique story of cultural and religious creativity in Israel both historically and today. Join Dr. Ukeles as she takes us on a journey through these remarkable treasures. Dr.
Raquel Ukeles is the Head of Collections at the National Library of Israel. She is responsible for the overall development of all the Library’s collections and for digital, cultural, and educational initiatives based on the collections. Holding a doctorate from Harvard University with a concentration on Islamic and Jewish studies, Raquel has published and taught on a wide array of subjects related to comparative Jewish and Islamic traditions and on historical currents that shape Israeli society.
This program is presented in special partnership with The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington - Israel at 75
Yom Hazikaron and Yom Haatzmaut at Adas:
Stories of '48
Click Here to Watch Part 1 | Click Here to Watch Part 2 of the Recording
Adas Israel will be hosting a Beit Cafe evening of Israel Tastings, music/singing and personal reflections from our members who will present–in storyform–their diverse memories of 1948 and the critical years that followed. This event will also be livestreamed to our website here.
Join Adas Israel for a special evening of remembrance and celebration as we commemorate Yom Hazikaron and Yom Haatzmaut, two important days in the history of Israel.
Netanyahu Redux: Causes and Implications of Israel’s Election with Rob Satloff and Rabbi Holtzblatt
Click Here to Watch the Full Zoom Recording
Rabbi Holtzblatt engages Rob Satloff, Executive Director of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy in a conversation about the Israeli Election (2022). What led to this moment? Why does it matter? What’s next? How might we, as an American Jewish community, process these events? And, what could it mean for our communities?
Gadeer Kamal Mreeh: "The Incredible Potential of Israel’s Rich Mosaic and Complex Society"
Click Here to Watch
Gadeer Kamal Mreeh discusses Israeli society from her own authentic point of view as an Israeli Druze woman, specifically the social resilience, uniqueness, potentials, and challenges. In April 2019, Gadeer Kamal Mreeh made history by being elected into the Knesset as a member of the Blue and White party, as the first Druze woman. In 2021, Kamal Mreeh became the Jewish Agency’s first Druze emissary to the U.S. Based in Washington D.C. Join us on Shavuot as we welcome Kamal-Mreeh to Adas as our keynote speaker.
Can the Trump Peace Plan Lead to Peace?
with Dr. Robert Satloff
On February 5th we welcomed Dr. Robert Satloff, Executive Director of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, to the Biran Beit Midrash.
Click the video on the left for a playback of his talk on the Trump Peace Plan. "Three years in the making, President Trump has unveiled his blueprint for Israeli-Palestinian peace. At its core, the plan envisions Israel retaining all of its existing settlements and controlling about 30 percent of the West Bank, with the Palestinians potentially creating an independent, demilitarized state on the balance of the land."
Masorti, Investing In An Inclusive Homeland for All Jews
The Masorti Movement in Israel builds democratic, inclusive Jewish communities blending modern and traditional values. Conservative Jews in the U.S. can actively contribute through education, advocacy, and financial support via the Masorti Foundation, fostering mutual enrichment and a unified voice for the Jewish People.
The Latest From Masorti
Care Packages for Soldiers
Masorti continues to deliver care packages to our soldiers, who are serving our country during this difficult time. Choose "Care Packages for Soldiers" in the designation drop-down menu.
Prayers
Downloads to recite at home, in your synagogue and at other gatherings:
-
Prayer for the Welfare and the Return of our Kidnapped Brothers and Sisters (Hebrew and English)
-
Updated list of hostages, to be used in prayers for their speedy and safe return (English - the list is continually being updated and includes names of all hostages who we believe to still be alive)
-
Prayer in Times of War - Fall 5784 (Hebrew and English)
- Prayer for the Fast of Tevet 5784 (Hebrew only, see immediately below)
