As the nation prepares for an extra-special fireworks bang this Fourth of July, Temple Rodef Shalom is no exception.

The Falls Church synagogue is hosting “America at 250,” a four-part educational series exploring the “rich and evolving story of Jewish life in the United States” since 1776.

The Summer Limmud Series is a staple of Temple Rodef Shalom’s yearly programming.

“There’s a different theme every summer, but this one really jumped out at us,” said Rabbi Sarah Tasman, Temple Rodef Shalom’s director of congregational learning, who spearheaded the series. “Our clergy and our congregation is very interested in this topic of the 250th anniversary of America and the Jewish story that’s part of that.”

Each of the four sessions seeks to examine a different aspect of the historical and cultural influence of the Jewish community in the U.S.

Because the role of the Jewish people has been “foundational” throughout U.S. history, the first session of the series on July 8 will cover the role of Jews as citizens in both America and the DMV region, according to Tasman.

The session is a conversation with Temple Rodef Shalom’s Rabbi Jeffrey Saxe and Lauren Strauss, a professor of Jewish studies at American University.

“I think being able to have a historical perspective, as well as understanding where the Jewish community is today, is very valuable,” Tasman said. “So each of our sessions is going to look at a different aspect of that Jewish history or the influence of the Jewish community on the history of the U.S. in different time periods.”

She describes the upcoming first session as a historical overview, followed by a deeper dive into Jewish artists and composers and their musical contributions to American culture. This second session, “America’s Most Influential Jewish Composers,” scheduled for July 15, features Temple Rodef Shalom’s Cantors Michael Shochet and Sydney Michaeli.

Tasman will explore the history of mahjong in the Jewish community alongside Professor Annelise Heinz, the author of “Mahjong: A Chinese Game and the Making of Modern American Culture,” on July 21.

Long associated with groups of older Jewish women, mahjong has seen a “huge resurgence” in recent years among younger generations, Tasman observed.

“Knowing how impactful mahjong was in my grandmother’s generation, and now I’m seeing [the trend] amongst my peers, I was interested in exploring that,” Tasman said, adding that she had seen Heinz’s book online and wanted to learn more.

One of Tasman’s goals this year is to learn how to play mahjong. The social group Women of Temple Rodef Shalom hosts weekly drop-in mahjong games and five beginner classes a year — the website encourages prospective students to register quickly, as enrollment fills up fast.

“A whole new generation is embracing it,” Tasman said of the Chinese tile game.

Heinz, an associate professor of history at the University of Oregon, has played mahjong in both the U.S. and southwestern China. While American and Chinese mahjong share the same cultural roots, they differ in rules, accessories and gameplay mechanics.

“I’m really interested in hearing both from the historical perspective and the modern perspective,” Tasman said. “I’m very interested in the connection between the Jewish community and the Chinese communities.”

She noted that her grandmother’s generation began the custom of eating Chinese food on Christmas Day, not only because Chinese restaurants were the only places open on Dec. 25, but because the two communities shared “kind of a similar status” in American society.

“I’m really fascinated by that connection,” Tasman said. “Also, the founders of the National Mah Jongg League in the U.S. were Jewish women, and so I’m really curious about this cultural phenomenon among Jewish women. I’m curious how it became a game played by Jewish women.”

She wonders whether mahjong is played across the world and if it’s a cultural phenomenon outside the Jewish community as well, questions that she plans to ask Heinz.

The fourth and final session, on July 29, is titled, “Prayers for Our Country: American Jewish Voices on Nation and Identity,” led by Temple Rodef Shalom’s Rabbi Alexandra Stein.

“The last session will be an exploration of a piece of Jewish liturgy, the prayer for our country, and how that has evolved in the Reform movement throughout the different Reform prayer books in the last 250 years,” Tasman said.

Rather than reserve the Summer Limmud Series for just the synagogue membership, Tasman opened the programs to the community, both in person and via livestream.

“That was really important to me as something that TRS could make available to other folks in the community,” she said, speaking to the Reform synagogue’s unique role in the northern Virginia Jewish community. “I felt like this was such a great opportunity. I wanted [the series] to be open to anyone who might want to come learn and hear these really interesting speakers.”

Tasman said she looks forward to this year’s Summer Limmud Series due to its larger significance.

“It’s really cool to have a little place in [the America 250 celebration] at least in Virginia,” Tasman said. “In D.C. and Maryland, there’s all kinds of events happening this summer celebrating it and looking at the history of [the U.S.] … and I love that we can have our little piece in that celebration and exploration as well.”

zbell@midatlanticmedia.com