Women of Temple Beth Ami (WTBA)

Women of Temple Beth Ami (WTBA) is a warm and welcoming community of women of all ages and interests dedicated to enhancing and supporting Temple Beth Ami through special programming, financial support, and the involvement of women in the life of our congregation. Our ongoing activities, special events and social action initiatives offer Temple Beth Ami women the opportunity to develop friendships and a sense of community. We learn about and practice Judaism, explore important issues, and contribute to the well-being of Temple Beth Ami and the larger community.

Have a question or program idea? Email us! We look forward to hearing from you. And check us out on Facebook.

Calendar

Drop-in Mah Jongg – Mondays from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm when the Temple is open. No charge. We play for fun and not money. Lessons available. Contact Rachel Mary n with any questions and to be added to the email list.
Manna Food Sorting – Wednesday, February 20 (7:00 9:00 pm) Contact Rhonda Gaynor for more information and to RSVP.
Stretch and Strengthen Yoga classes – Sundays from 2:oo – 3:00 pm at the Temple: January 6, 13, and 27; February 3, 10, and 24; March 3, 10, and 31; April 7, 21, and 28; May 5, 12, and 19; and June 2, 16, and 30. Our multi-level yoga classes include options for beginners as well as advanced students and will emphasize stretching, strengthening and breathing. No prior yoga experience is necessary. Taught by TBA members Monya and David Cohen, both Yoga Alliance 200-hour yoga teachers. The cost for the 18-week session will be $108 for WTBA and Brotherhood members and $126 for non-members, or $8 per class. All proceeds from the classes will be donated to WTBA’s Stuff-a-Duff project and the Rockville Days for Girls chapter. Please dress in comfortable, stretchy clothes and bring a yoga mat, two yoga blocks, a water bottle, and a pillow, folded blanket, or cushion. RSVP online by January 3. For more information, please contact Monya Cohen.
Book Club – Tuesdays – April 2, May 28 (7:30 – 9:00 pm). Contact Terry Steinberg with questions.
Canasta Lessons – Tuesdays in March in the Library (3/5, 3/12, 3/19, 3/26) Now is the perfect time to learn to play canasta! Please RSVP to Marilyn or to Eve. No charge.
Purim Café – Wednesday, March 20 (4:45-6:45 pm) All are welcome to stop by the Purim Café on Wednesday, March 20 during the Shushan Showcase from 4:45-6:45 pm. Food and drinks will be available for purchase. Volunteers are needed to help prepare food and to staff the café in shifts beginning at 3:30 pm and finishing at 7:30 pm. Please contact Linda Burka or Rhona Arbit to volunteer or for more information.
WTBA/Brotherhood Brunch – Sunday, March 24 (9:00 – 10:30 am) WTBA and Brotherhood will co-sponsor a delicious brunch on Sunday, March 24 from 9 – 10:30 am at the Temple. The speaker will be David Weinstein, author of the book “The Eddie Cantor Story: A Jewish Life in Performance and Politics.” His discussion will highlight Cantor’s influence on American Jewish social and political history through his celebrity activism, including his courageous campaign against Nazism during the 1930’s. David’s multi-media presentation will feature many rare photos, songs and film clips. His book will be available for purchase and signing. Cost is $10 for WTBA and Brotherhood members and $15 for guests. Register by 3/22.
Women’s Seder – Sunday, April 14 (4:00-7:30 pm) This year, we’re trying something new and exciting! We are co-sponsoring our Women’s Seder with the Women of Washington Hebrew Congregation. Together we will welcome singer/songwriter Michelle Citrin to lead with our own Rabbi Weiss and WHC Cantor Susan Bortnick. Here is a video of Michelle performing at a Women’s Seder in 2017. Mark your calendars and plan to join us at the Bindeman Center in Potomac for a Women’s Seder that’s sure to be lively and fun! If you are interested in helping to plan the Seder or to volunteer at the event, please contact Rhona Arbit.
WRJ Social Justice Conference – May 18-19, 2019 in Washington, DC. Registration is now open for the WRJ Social Justice Conference (SJC) to be held on May 18-19 in Washington D.C. This conference is a brief but powerful experience for Jewish women to become better-educated and trained on social justice issues, learn advocacy skills you can utilize at home and on a larger scale, and address timely topics in a welcoming and encouraging, all-female Jewish environment. SJC is intended for any woman (age 18+) interested in advocacy in the Reform Movement through a Jewish woman’s lens. We have budgeted funds to help our WTBA members pay the registration fee. Check the WRJ website or contact Rachel Maryn for more information.
Welcome to Summer Celebration – Wednesday, June 12 (6:00-8:00 pm)
Board Meetings – Tuesdays: March 12, April 9, May 14 from 7:15 – 9:00 pm. All WTBA members are welcome to attend.
Membership Brunch – Thank you to everyone who helped us welcome Leslie Brier, Women of Reform Judaism representative to the United Nations at our Membership Brunch on September 16th. We all enjoyed her talk about her experiences at the UN. Here is Leslie’s PowerPoint presentation: Leslie Brier, 9-16-18 and here are her handouts.

Judaica Shop

Our Judaica Shop, run by the Women of Temple Beth Ami, is open on Mondays and Tuesdays from 9:30am – 1:30pm, on Wednesdays from 11:00 am – 3:00pm, on Sundays when religious school is in session from 8:45 am – 12:45 pm, and by appointment. The Shop carries beautiful Judaica items, books, cards, holiday needs, tallit, and gifts for weddings, B’nai Mitzvah, babies, and housewarmings. Many of the items for sale are the work of Israeli and American craftspeople!
Volunteers are needed to help the Judaica Shop to be successful. Working in the shop provides wonderful opportunities to meet new people and chat with old friends. We’re asking for only two hours a week, every other week, or each month. Please contact Jeanne Kahn to volunteer.
When the shop is closed during Temple business hours, please check with the office staff for assistance. To contact the Judaica Shop managers, please call:
Jackie Manis (301) 294-1795
Livia Weinstein (301) 330-0382
Please note that kippot are not for sale in the Judaica Shop but may be ordered through the Women of Temple Beth Ami by emailing Michelle Freedberg.

Gift for Newlyweds

WTBA provides a gift of the book, On the Doorposts of Your House: Prayers and Ceremonies for the Jewish Home to any temple member or child of a temple member who gets married. Please email Barbara Ranhand with contact information so we can send a copy of this wonderful book to the happy couple.

Citation from the MD General Assembly

WTBA received a citation from the Maryland General Assembly with congratulations for our work in building a stronger community. The citation reads:
“Be it hereby known to all that sincerest congratulations are offered to The Women of Temple Beth Ami in recognition of a strong dedication to public service, providing for the underserved, and working to empower communities.”
The citation was formally presented to WTBA by Maryland Delegate Aruna Miller (15^th District) at the November 2017 Spirit of Shabbat service. In her remarks, Delegate Miller highlighted WTBA’s longtime Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) projects: providing meals for the Interfaith Works Women’s Center, donating items to the Montgomery County Office of Child Welfare Services for children entering emergency foster care, our Crafts for a Cause programs, and support of the Temple and Women of Reform Judaism. The citation was framed and hangs just outside of the Judaica Shop. We are very proud to have received this honor! Thank you to Rabbi Pokras and Cantor Eschler for helping us warmly welcome Delegate Miller at the service.

Membership

Join today! It’s always the right time to join WTBA. Support us and become involved in your Jewish community. New women members of the congregation are given a complimentary membership from the time they join the Temple until the following June 30th. Sign Up Online. Thank you for your support!

Book Club

All are welcome to join us at the Temple on Tuesday evenings from 7:30-9 pm. Questions? Contact Terry Steinberg.
10/2: Bed-Stuy is Burning by Brian Platzer

12/4: Three Floors Up by Eshkol Nevo

2/5: The Book of Separation by Tova Mirvis

4/2: The Two-Family House by Lynda Cohen Loigman

5/28: The Book Smugglers by David E. Fishman

Ordering Kippot

Attention B’nai Mitzvah families, brides and grooms! Please order your kippot through WTBA. We have negotiated lower prices and will pass on that savings to you. Just follow these easy ordering instructions. For more information, please contact Michelle Freedberg.

Women of Reform Judaism

We belong and you do too!

WTBA is a member of Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ). Founded in 1913, WRJ represents 65,000 members in nearly 500 sisterhoods and 8 district federations. We help support the work of the Reform Jewish movement and its institutions: The Union of Reform Judaism, Hebrew Union College/Jewish Institute of Religion, ARZA, and the World Union for Progressive Judaism. Through the YES (Youth, Education and Special Programs) Fund, we support rabbis, cantors, and educators in North America, England, Germany, South America, and Israel; the youth of our Movement; nursery schools, social justice projects, and bat mitzvah programs in Israel; summer camp and early childhood educational programs in the Former Soviet Union; and many others throughout the world. WTBA is a sisterhood of the WRJ Mid-Atlantic District.