Location Rockville, Maryland Status Active Capacity 3,500 Architectural type Synagogue | Affiliation Conservative Judaism Website www.bnaiisraelcong.org Phone +1 301-881-6550 | |
 | ||
Leadership Rabbi Jonathan A. Schnitzer,
Rabbi Michael J. Safra,
Cantor Josh C. Perlman,
Cantor Ilana Wolpert Interior area 125,000 square feet (11,600 m) Address 6301 Montrose Rd, Rockville, MD 20852, USA Similar Congregation B'nai Israel - Bridgeport, Congregation Beth El, Adas Israel Congregation, B'nai Israel Synagogue, Agudas Achim Congregation | ||
B'nai Israel Congregation is a synagogue located in Rockville, Maryland. B'nai Israel is an egalitarian synagogue providing worship in the Conservative tradition. B'nai Israel's mission is to study in the Jewish tradition, worship God, commit to social action, and address the needs of the Jewish people locally, in Israel, and worldwide. The congregation consists of 1,200 families.
Contents
Clergy and leadership
B'nai Israel's clergy includes Rabbi Jonathan A. Schnitzer, Rabbi Michael J. Safra, Cantor Josh C. Perlman, and Cantor Ilana Wolpert. Rabbi Matthew H. Simon is rabbi emeritus, and Cantor Robert Kieval is cantor emeritus. Deedee Jacobsohn serves as B'nai Israel's president.
Religious programs and activities
B'nai Israel holds religious services, including morning and evening minyan, Shabbat services, and holiday services.
B'nai Israel's preschool has a religious curriculum and enrolls children between 15 months and 5 years of age.
B'nai Israel's religious school has classes for students in kindergarten through tenth grade. Classes are held on Sundays and weekday evenings.
Lectures and classes are held during the year at B'nai Israel to educate Jewish adults.
Social action programs at B'nai Israel include school supply drives, fall and winter clothing drives, and blood drives.
Award
In 2011, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism's Solomon Schechter Awards presented B'nai Israel with a gold award for Jewish education for adults. United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism noted B'nai Israel's "varied courses and programs provide learners with a greater appreciation for the scope of Jewish history and thought and offer conceptual grounding in many key aspects of Judaism and Jewish life."
History
B'nai Israel was founded in 1925.
Rabbi Matthew H. Simon attended a ecumenical worship service marking the presidential inauguration of George H. W. Bush in 1989. Rabbi Simon read verses from Deuteronomy 10:17-10:18.
In 1989, Rabbi Jonathan Schnitzer left B'nai Abraham Synagogue in Wilson, Pennsylvania, to join B'nai Israel Congregation.
in 2002, B'nai Israel held a forum for candidates for governor of Maryland. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend and Bob Ehrlich both participated, and Barry Sussman served as the forum's moderator.
In 2006, B'nai Israel held a forum for candidates. Participants included Martin O'Malley, candidate for governor of Maryland; Kristen Cox, candidate for lieutenant governor of Maryland; and Ben Cardin, candidate for United States Senate. Jonathan Salant served as moderator.
In 2007, B'nai Israel hosted a forum sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington. Presidential candidate Rudolph W. Giuliani spoke at the forum.