VaYeishev Gen. 37:1 – 40:23 Rabbi Gary Pokras Who needs a soap opera? Our parashah opens with family dysfunction, and then goes downhill from there. Jacob lavishes intense favoritism upon youngest son Joseph, and his brothers seethe with envy and hate. Then, to make matters worse, Jacob sends Joseph to check up on and “bring […]
VaYishlach Gen. 32:4 – 36:43 by Rabbi Baht Weiss Do you ever wonder why the Jewish people are called B’nei Yisrael, the Children of Israel? In this week’s Torah portion, Jacob’s name is changed to Yisrael, Israel which means one who wrestles with God. In the middle of the night, Jacob has either a […]
VaYeitzei Gen. 28:10 – 32:3 Rabbi Gary Pokras (originally published in 2018) This week Jacob literally finds himself between a rock and hard place. After stealing the Blessing of Succession from Esau by tricking their father Isaac, Jacob flees the camp for his life, hoping for safety and security with his Uncle Laban. That night […]
Click the Icon or Text Below for More Information Fri. Dec. 1 6:30pm New Shabbat service inspired by the ruach (spirit) of machane (camp) Sat. Dec. 2 6-8pm Grilled Cheese and Wine Pairing Class Sun. Dec. 3 10am – 12pm Decorate Hanukkah Sugar Cookies Sun. Dec. 3 9am-1pm Hanukkah Pop-up Shop Tues. Dec. 5 10:30am […]
Tolodot Gen. 25:19 – 28:9 by Rabbi Baht Weiss “I often joke that I have my own Esau and Jacob. My two sons could not be more different.” In Toldot we learn about Isaac and Rebecca’s twin sons, Esau and Jacob. Initially we read that Isaac pleaded with God on behalf of his wife, because […]
Chayei Sarah Gen. 23:1 – 25:18 Rabbi Gary Pokras How did he do it? Abraham, at 137 years of age, had much to mourn. Decades before, God had called him to leave his home and his people with the promise of land and progeny. The land was filled with famine, and unfriendly neighbors, and the […]
Vayeira Gen. 18:1 – 22:24 Rabbi Gary Pokras Why did God pick Avraham to be the founding father of Judaism? The tradition sums it up with one word: hospitality. Avraham’s devotion to hospitality, to caring not only for his family, but for the stranger, is one of the personal qualities that set him apart. We […]
Lech L’cha Gen. 12:1 – 17:27 Rabbi Gary Pokras This week’s parashah, Lech L’cha, is enormous in scope. Within just a single portion, God calls upon Avram to leave everything he knows, his father and most of his family, for a future he cannot even begin to imagine. God guides Avram to settle with his […]
Click the Icon or Text Below for More Information Fri. Nov. 3 6:30pm Family-Oriented Interactive Shabbat Service Fri. Nov. 3 6:30pm Family-Oriented Interactive Shabbat Service Tues. Nov. 7 10:30am Live & Learn with Steve Kerbel: The Real Story of Hanukkah Wed. Nov. 8 1pm Trip to The Titanic Exhibition at National Harbor Wed. Nov. 8 […]
Noach Gen. 6:9 – 11:32 Rabbi Gary Pokras Jewish math can sometimes be “creative.” To wit, the final verse in this week’s Torah portion: “The days of Terach were 205 years and Terach died in Haran.” (Gen. 11:32). On the surface, this verse about Avram’s father does not seem to be any different from how […]
