B’nai Shalom of Olney
18401 Burtfield Drive
Olney, Maryland 20832
301.774.0879
INTRODUCTION
B’nai Shalom of Olney is a Conservative egalitarian congregation, affiliated with United
Synagogue of Conservative Judaism that offers religious, educational and recreational programs
for all ages in a warm, family environment.
HISTORY
In 1972, 18 families created a Jewish community in the outlying suburb of Olney to meet the
needs of the many Jewish families in the rapidly growing areas of Montgomery and Howard
counties. Meeting in members’ homes, we conducted services, organized and elected officers,
and established a religious school. Classes and services were held in the basement of the old
Montgomery General Hospital.
In 1975, with the help of the late Dr. Leonard Kapiloff, publisher and real estate developer, the
synagogue purchased its current four acres of land in Olney, and its enthusiastic membership of
70 families transformed a construction shed that sat on the property into B’nai Shalom of
Olney’s first home. Torah scrolls and an Ark were donated and the first life-cycle events were
celebrated.
In 1978, the synagogue hired its first full-time rabbi, and in December 1980, broke ground for its
permanent home. In late 1981, the new synagogue was formally dedicated. As synagogue
membership increased, we outgrew our building and in 1990, we added about 8,000 square feet
and doubled our size. Our membership has grown steadily to its current status of about 500
families.
In 1998, the congregation again approved an expansion and renovation project and construction
began in 2001. It included additional office space for the professional staff, clergy, and religious
and Early Childhood schools; 10 new classrooms; a chapel; an enlarged library; an expanded
main lobby, sanctuary and social hall, and a renovation of the old school wing. The building’s
square footage increased from 11,000 to 25,000 in the spring of 2004.
Throughout the years the lay and professional staff have dedicated themselves to serving the
needs of our congregants. With your support, we look forward to continuing to provide a
nucleus for Jewish prayer, education and fellowship in our community.
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STAFF
Our Rabbi
Rabbi Ari Sunshine grew up in Potomac, Maryland, where he attended the Charles E. Smith
Jewish Day School from kindergarten through 12th grade. After graduating high school, he
attended Brandeis University where he received his B.A., magna cum laude, in Politics in 1994.
After Rabbi Sunshine graduated, he served 3 years at Temple Israel in Sharon, Massachusetts as
their Youth Director and Senior USY Advisor. In 1997 he decided to attend the Jewish
Theological Seminary in New York. While the Rabbi attended the Seminary, he also served as a
Rabbinic Intern for Beth El Congregation in Baltimore, Maryland, and for The American
University in Washington, D.C. Rabbi Sunshine has extensive experience working at Camp
Ramah in Ojai, California. He staffed United Synagogue Youth on Wheels during the summer of
1995 and was a group leader for United Synagogue Youth Pilgrimage to Israel and Eastern
Europe. He received his MA and rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary in
the spring of 2002. From July 2002 until November of 2006, he served as the Associate Rabbi of
Temple Israel in Charlotte, North Carolina. In November of 2006 Rabbi Sunshine became the
Rabbi of B’nai Shalom of Olney. Rabbi Sunshine also currently serves on the National Youth
Commission of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.
Rabbi Sunshine and his wife, Jennifer, have two children, Jonah and Elana.
Our Hazzan
Hazzan Sara Geller joined our staff in July 2002. She brings over 10 years of experience to our
synagogue, having served as cantor at two congregations in Massachusetts. A lyric soprano, she
combines operatic vocal studies with her advanced Judaic knowledge and lifelong commitment
to Jewish tradition to provide congregants with a worship experience conducive to active
participation as well as individual prayer.
Hazzan Geller earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and English at Cornell University, and a
Master of Arts degree in near eastern and Judaic studies at Brandeis University. She was
admitted to the Cantors Assembly in 1999 and received her commission as Hazzan-Minister in
2002. She served as vice president of the Jewish Ministers Cantors Association of New England.
During her career, Hazzan Geller has prepared bar and bat mitzvah students to lead services and
chant their Torah and Haftorah portions. She has taught adult education courses in synagogue
skills. Hazzan Geller has worked with professional and volunteer adult choirs as well as a kids’
choir. She enjoys teaching and singing with students in day school, Hebrew school, preschool,
and summer camp settings.
“I am very excited to be part of a community that celebrates Judaism and where people of all
ages are eager to learn more and participate more,” Hazzan Geller says.
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Originally from New Rochelle, N.Y., Hazzan Geller is married to attorney Leon Geller, a Newton,
Mass., native. They have two daughters, Ruth and Becky.
Our Executive Director
As Executive Director, Shelley Engel oversees the daily operations of the synagogue, and is
responsible, among other duties, for planning with congregants for simhas, arranging
appropriate space for meetings and other events, financial management, liaison between
congregants and the Board of Directors, and building and grounds maintenance.
Prior to coming to B’nai Shalom in July 2004, Shelley was the Executive Administrator for the
Religious Action Center (RAC), the social justice arm for the Reform Movement. At RAC she was
in charge of personnel, managed the non-profit’s finances, and planned for RAC’s biannual
conference of 500 rabbis and lay leaders. Her tenure at RAC included overseeing a $4 million
facility renovation project.
Shelley grew up and went to school in Bowie, Maryland. She has a B.S. from the University of
Maryland in Management and Community Studies. She is a member of the Mid-Atlantic Temple
and Synagogue Administrators Association and of the North American Association of Synagogue
Executives. She currently lives in Columbia, Md., with her husband Todd. They have two adult
children; Randi is married to Richard Leshin and lives in the area, with her only grandchild
Landon while Jayme is living on campus at Towson University.
Our Director of Early Childhood Education
Beth Hoch comes to BSO Early Childhood School from Plano, Texas. She joined our staff in the
summer of 2012. She has a BA in Social Work from the University of Kansas and teaching
certifications from Texas A&M Commerce in Early Childhood - 4th grade, English as a Second
Language, and K-12th Special education. Beth spent eleven years in early childhood education in
the Plano public schools in the classroom and as an administrator. She has been very involved
with Jewish education, both formally and informally as a student, Jewish preschool teacher,
youth director, religious school teacher, and in her work with Hillel.
She has a passion for Jewish early childhood education and creating an environment where all
students develop and succeed. Beth feels parents are partners and that we work together in the
classroom, at home, and in the synagogue to nurture each child and help them grow cognitively,
socially, physically, and spiritually through a variety of learning experiences.
Beth and her husband Gerry live in Olney. They have two wonderful boys Noah and Ari.
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Our Youth Director
Jessica Railey grew up in Boston, Nashville, Florida and Maryland. She attended Jewish Day
School, Camp Ramah and was very active in Kadima and USY. She has also taught religious
school for many years. She also regularly leads junior congregation. Jessica has been staffing
Seaboard regional programs since 1999. Jessica’s passion is engaging children of all ages in fun
activities that will help mold their Jewish identity.
Jessica and her husband Dennis live in Gaithersburg. They have two amazing kids, Alex and
Emma.
RELIGIOUS SERVICES
Shabbat
Friday evening Shabbat service begins at 7:30 p.m., the first Friday of each month, is usually
designated the family birthday and anniversary service. Twice a year there is a 6:45 p.m. Friday
evening tot shabbat service to introduce preschoolers to the synagogue, and the regular
Shabbat service is held at 8:00 p.m.
Shabbat morning services begin at 9:00 a.m., and may include participation by B’nai Mitzvah,
individuals with special simhas or guest lecturers. Also, every religious school grade has a
designated shabbat morning or evening service for their participation. Once a month there is a
gan shabbat program to introduce kindergarten through preschoolers to Shabbat morning
services. A kiddush after services provides another opportunity for comradeship. Several times a
year, following the kiddush, there is Kiddush Konversation, an informal discussion with the rabbi
on timely topics.
Daily Services
Weekday services are conducted at 7:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. We currently have a
Friday morning Minyan at 6:45 a.m Sunday morning minyan is at 9:00 a.m. Often, after Sunday
minyan, the rabbi will teach a class on aspects of Jewish law.
Holidays
Holidays and festivals are celebrated through services and appropriate observances. The Early
Childhood school and religious school youngsters decorate the Sukkah for Sukkot and each class
shares a snack there. Congregants dance with the Torah scrolls on Simhat Torah, and celebrate
Purim with a family service and full traditional reading of the Megillah. On the first evening of
Shavuot, there is Tikun Lail Shavuot, a study session, and on the first morning, Jewish Day School
students participate in the service. Confirmation is generally held on the second night of
Shavuot. High Holiday information is available through the synagogue office.
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PARTICIPATION OF A NON-JEW IN B’NAI SHALOM OF OLNEY
LIFECYCLE EVENTS
Guidelines for including non-Jewish participants at B’nai Shalom of Olney lifecycle events (B’nai
Mitzvah, baby namings, and wedding anniversaries) are as follows:
1. All non-Jewish parents are invited and encouraged to attend all B’nai Mitzvah meetings,
rehearsals and interviews.
2. At the Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony, the non-Jewish parent is expected to recite the “Shehech-iyanu Blessing” in Hebrew and English along with the Jewish parent while standing
next to the child on the Bimah. This procedure is exactly the same whether only one
parent is Jewish or whether both parents are Jewish.
3. The non-Jewish parent, or other non-Jewish guests, is permitted to lead English readings
such as “A Prayer for Peace,” or “No Religion is an Island,” or another suitable English
reading at the discretion of the Rabbi. These readings are recited on the Bimah at the
Rabbi’s lectern.
4. The non-Jewish parent, or other non-Jewish guests, may participate in the Havdalah
ceremony by holding the spice box or havdalah candle. This is done on the Bimah at the
Rabbi’s lectern.
5. For those who choose to do a passing down of the Torah through the generations
ceremony for a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, the non-Jewish parent may participate on the Bimah
by explaining the ceremony from a script provided by the Rabbi while the Rabbi passes
the Torah from Jewish grandparents, to Jewish parent, to Bar/Bat Mitzvah child.
6. The non-Jewish parent is encouraged to stand with the Jewish parent on the Bimah
when naming a baby at B’nai Shalom of Olney during the recitation of the baby naming
blessing.
7. At the B’nai Shalom of Olney monthly anniversary services no distinction is made in
celebrating the anniversary of an interfaith couple. That wedding anniversary is
acknowledged and celebrated in exactly the same manner as the wedding anniversary
of two Jewish spouses.
8. Children of Jewish fathers and non-Jewish mothers may be enrolled in our religious
school. However, once a Bar/Bat Mitzvah date needs to be assigned (usually during the
child’s 5th grade year), arrangements are made for this child to formally convert to
Judaism since Conservative Judaism does not recognize patrilineal Jews as meeting the
halachic definition of a Jew. Unless this conversion takes place, plans for a future
Bar/Bat Mitzvah at B’nai Shalom of Olney cannot proceed.
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
The Morduck and Rebecca Kapiloff Religious School was dedicated in 1976. The school offers a
varied curriculum that includes studies of Hebrew; Torah; halaha; and Jewish law, ethics, values,
life cycles, holidays, history and literature. United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, the
congregation arm of the Conservative movement, has chosen our curriculum to be a model for
other Conservative movement schools.
“The educational philosophy of the religious school is that every student should learn ruah, spirit
for the love of learning to be Jewish, and kavod, respect for their peers and their elders,” says
Director of Education Jill G. Epstein.
The school program is open to children in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Kindergartenthrough-second graders meet Sunday mornings. Third graders meet Sunday mornings and one
weekday afternoon. Fourth-through-seventh graders meet Sundays and one weekday
afternoon.
Religious school continues after Bar/Bat Mitzvah with an upper school seminar program that
culminates in Confirmation, and a post-confirmation class for eleventh and twelfth graders. The
seminar program meets on Wednesday evenings, and the post-confirmation seminar class
schedule is set by the teacher.
In 2000, our religious school received a prestigious $4,000 Initiatives in Congregation Institutions
grant from the Partnership for Jewish Life and Learning for an ulpan and fine arts specialist,
which targeted various grades, including a cluster grant with another neighboring congregation.
We continue to secure grants from: Jewish Experience for Teens (JET) and Jewish Youth
Philanthropy Institute (JYPI). With Mrs. Epstein’s experience in family education, these
programs will surely continue.
LIBRARY
The Lt. Col. Simon and Frances Broder Library is always open. It boasts a collection of reference,
fiction and non-fiction books for adults and reading material suitable for children and teenagers.
EARLY CHILDHOOD SCHOOL
The mission of B’nai Shalom of Olney Early Childhood School is to experience learning through
meaningful play. What may appear as “just play” is constructive work for young children
beginning to gather meaning from their environment. Young children learn by manipulating,
questioning, creating, observing, exploring, experimenting, interacting, and by using their
senses. We provide both formal and informal experiences throughout each day that promotes
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this type of learning. As a Jewish Early Childhood school, important components of our program
include celebrating Shabbat and holidays, teaching Jewish values and customs, and a love for
Israel.
Our experienced teaching staff understands how children learn and develop. They will offer
guidance, assistance and encouragement, and provide developmentally appropriate learning
materials and experiences. We believe that parents are partners and value open
communication and collaboration. We recognize the uniqueness of each child and will provide
experiences that are relevant to each child’s social, emotional, physical, and intellectual needs,
helping each student make progress. It is our desire to provide a warm, loving Jewish
environment where each child feels secure, happy, and where learning is meaningful and fun!
PROGRAMMING
Youth Activities
The B’nai Shalom of Olney youth “family” provides a variety of fun activities though our youth
groups, which are open to all K-12 graders in the Jewish community. Programs include Jewish
holiday activities, trips, dances, picnics and sporting events, including a popular Basketball
League for our 6-12 graders, as well as discussion groups and opportunities for community
service. We strive to ensure that each group has exciting, meaningful, and age appropriate
activities that add to our children’s Jewish experience and enhance their Jewish identity.
These activities are planned and accomplished by each group with guidance from their advisors,
our youth director, and the synagogue Youth Commission.
Committees
Members of B’nai Shalom of Olney plan our programs and make activities happen. We welcome
and depend on the many talents of our congregants. There are an infinite number of ways to
participate in synagogue life. There are committees for education, fund raising, membership,
land and building, religious, bikur holim, chesed, and Youth Commission, to name a few.
Information on the Adult Education and Social Action committees follows.
Adult Education
A variety of programs are offered to provide an opportunity to broaden your knowledge of
Jewish culture and heritage. We sponsor classes for adult B’nai Mitzvah, invite distinguished
guests for Scholar-in-Residence weekends, offer classes covering a wide range of topics,
including introduction to Judaism, how to chant Torah trope, the Holocaust, and beginning
Hebrew for adults, to name just a few.
Social Action
With energy and enthusiasm, congregants volunteer their valuable time for worthy causes. The
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Social Action Committee’s mission is to increase the congregation’s awareness of, and
participation in, social service projects that directly benefit those in need. We accomplish this
through annual events such as Mitzvah Day, as well as through ongoing efforts with
organizations such as The Community Ministry of Montgomery County, Mazon, Inova Blood
Donor Services, and the Carroll House Shelter. New members are always welcome. Com
AUXILIARIES
Sisterhood
At B’nai Shalom of Olney, Sisterhood is a place where women bond, share friendships and
develop an even deeper understanding of what it means to be a Jewish woman. Sisterhood
sponsors speakers and programs throughout the year on topics including Jewish family
education and living, and health. Social events include a paid-up membership dinner, goods and
services auction and shabbat dinners. On Shabbat, Sisterhood sets up for the Onegs and
Kiddushim and also provides catering services for special events.
Men’s Club
As an auxiliary organization of B’nai Shalom of Olney, the Men’s Club helps to maintain and
encourage the growth of the synagogue and to further the religious, cultural, educational, and
social interests of its membership and the Jewish community at large. Members contribute their
time and service to the synagogue in a variety of ways. The group’s softball team is a great
bonding activity. Men’s Club’s other social activities have included Chanukah Family Day and
Sunday morning breakfasts.
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B’nai Shalom of Olney
Fee Schedule 2013 - 2014
Membership Categories
Dues
Mortgage Service Commitment
Full (both spouses Jewish)
$3,030
$300 for 8 years
Single (person/or single family)
$1,850
$150 for 8 years
Interfaith Family
$3,030
$225 for 8 years
Senior Single over 65
$995
$75 for 5 years
Senior Family over 65
$1,995
$150 for 5 years
Senior Single over 70
$675
0
Senior Family over 70
$1,350
Young Family under 30
$875
$300 for 8 years
Single under 30
$180
0
Religious School Tuition
Sunday (Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grades)
Non – Member (Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grades)
Hebrew (3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th)
Upper School
$875
$1,312.50
$1,200
$875
The above fees do not include books.
Adult Education course fees vary with each class.
Yahrezeit Plaque
B’nai Mitzvah Fee
$450 Member/ $600 Non-member
$500
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