Fun and community-based programming is filling the calendar at Ohev Sholom – The National Synagogue in Washington, D.C., as a growing sense of optimism about the synagogue’s future is taking hold under the direction of Rabbi David Wolkenfeld.
Ohev Sholom celebrated a Graduation Shabbat on June 7, with 14 students from the congregation graduating high school. The synagogue recognized them along with students graduating from any programs down to preschool as part of its second annual celebration, the first that Wolkenfeld, who is nearing his first anniversary there, has attended.
“I heard wonderful things about it, but I didn’t get to experience it, but I think everyone who was involved was eager to do it. Life has, as you know, challenges as well as celebrations. It’s valuable to pause and celebrate things deserving of celebration in the midst of so much hardship that we have to go through,” Wolkenfeld said.
Wolkenfeld said the event focused on sending the kids off, as some will leave for college, and emphasized that the community will have their back even after they leave.
There were around 35 kids brought to the bimah to take part, according to Ohev Sholom President Jacob Einhorn.
Einhorn added that there was a visitor to the synagogue during the event who commented on how incredible the celebration was.
“This visitor was just sort of overwhelmed by how lovely that was to see the next generation, as he called it, up there in front of the congregation. It’s wonderful to celebrate the children,” Einhorn said.
Wolkenfeld said that he was also excited about the Shavuot programming the synagogue is providing this year with a joint, all-night Jewish learning event in collaboration with its neighbor, Tifereth Israel.
This year will be the first time the event has taken place since the pandemic and gives the congregations a chance to come together for a fun event with lots of resources and options for participation.
“There are four or five different communities and congregations participating and dozens of teachers and different sessions with a night of dedicated programming for middle school students and for high school students as well,” Wolkenfeld said.
“The Torah is what unites us, and it’s such a wonderful opportunity for different congregations and communities to come together to celebrate their love of Torah to learn together,” he added.
The program’s reintroduction is a sign of the stabilizing effect that Wolkenfeld has had on the congregation, taking over after the congregation spent a year without a permanent rabbi, according to Einhorn.
“Rabbi Wolkenfeld himself has not only been a stabilizing influence, but I’d also say there’s a wave of optimism and enthusiasm for the congregation’s future and we’ve been growing. Over the past year since Rabbi Wolkenfeld came, we’ve had a net positive of one to two members or member units every month on average,” Einhorn said.
Einhorn added that Wolkenfeld and his wife, Rabbanit Sara Tillinger Wolkenfeld, have provided an array of educational opportunities, being creative in offering new and unique opportunities while being receptive to feedback and event ideas originating from congregants.
Wolkenfeld reflected on his time with the synagogue and the opportunity that he finds himself in with the community as he continues to add programming and looks toward the future.
“I feel really lucky. I’m coming up on the one-year anniversary of moving here, and my whole family feels so lucky to live in such a vibrant community where there’s just a lot of interest in the teaching that we’re doing but also so much energy on the part of a congregation to invest in their own Jewish life and own their own community,” Wolkenfeld said.