Rockville’s Rabbi Gary Pokras Reflects on Impactful Decade at Temple Beth Ami
As a teenager, Rabbi Gary Pokras wanted nothing to do with religion. He begrudgingly accompanied his parents to High Holidays services at the shul,...
Annandale’s Rachel Gomberg Shares Passion for Jewish Music
Rachel Gomberg began singing before she uttered her first word, and now she’s passing on that same love for music to the next Jewish...
Lisa Redisch Leads Ohr Kodesh’s Religious School to New Heights
Lisa Redisch cares deeply about Jewish education, which has been central to her life, and later, career.
For the past year, the Silver Spring resident...
Vienna’s Madeleine Fruchtman Helps Students With Learning Disabilities Thrive
As a kindergartener, Madeleine Fruchtman was the kid with a clipboard and pen pretending to take attendance. So it’s no surprise that she pursued...
Gaithersburg’s Lois Kimmel Convenes Jewish Community, Teaches Next Generations
After Lois Kimmel was laid off from her federal government contractor job, she asked herself, “What’s something I care about that I could do...
Fairfax’s Alexandria Frisch Revitalizes George Mason’s Judaic Studies Minor
Four years ago, no students at George Mason University minored in Judaic studies. That number is now a consistent 10 thanks to Professor Alexandria...
DC Children’s Musician Ari Jacobson Spreads Jewish Joy Through Song
Ari Jacobson went from performing on cruise ships in Australia to leading musical programs for infants and toddlers in greater Washington.
The D.C. resident is...
DC’s Maital Kaminer Helps 20s and 30s Embrace Their Jewish Identities
Maital Kaminer’s part-time job is “her mother’s dream” because it’s within the Jewish professional world.
The Washington, D.C., resident has been the events and engagement...
Potomac’s Rabbi Michael Namath Merges Jewish Faith and Activism
Rabbi Michael Namath checked all the boxes to be a rabbinic student, according to the head of admissions for Hebrew Union College at the...
DC’s Klara Walny Connects College-Age Jews to Programming
During spring semesters at George Washington University, Klara Walny often wondered, “Where are all the Jews?”
The Washington, D.C., resident knew that GW was ranked...