Washington Society of Jewish Deaf (WSJD) shared these messages:
WSJD’S PRE-PASSOVER SEDER A SUCCESS
Over 80 members of the WSJD community joined the family friendly
Pre-Passover Seder, well planned by WSJD member Brianne Burger, at the beautiful Temple Sinai synagogue, in Washington, DC. Thank you, Brianne! We were also warmly welcomed by Temple Sinai’s Cantor Croen. For those who wish to reminisce or missed this event, glance through Steve Brenner’s beautiful photograph album. Thank you, Steve. For your viewing pleasure, go to:
wsjdeaf.org/events/photo-gallery-2/pre-passover-seder-2018/
We also wish to recognize Marcie Stern and Jeffrey Cohen for providing food related guidance and shopping for some of the food. In addition, we are grateful for the logistical, registration, and volunteer support provided by Savvy Assistants, an event planning company. We thank the readers of the Haggadah, the ASL storytellers, and all the helping hands too numerous to mention.
Finally, we thank our sponsors, Dr. Steven L. Rattner, DDS, PA & Associates, GlenRealtors, and Sorenson Communications for generously funding the program.
IS WSJD GROWING?
Mr. Gil Preuss, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, recently shared the results of 2017 Greater Washington Jewish Community Demographic Study, funded by The Morningstar Foundation. The study noted that the Greater Washington Jewish population is fast growing, placing it the third largest in the nation. Quite surprising, the Jewish population in Virginia has superseded in growth over Maryland, a demographic shift. The research also indicated that the Jewish Community is diverse with fewer households belonging to a synagogue or a Jewish worship community of some type, evidence of a continuing trend.
Has a study of the Jewish Deaf Community of Greater Washington area ever been conducted? Where is the Jewish Deaf Community growing? How can we compare the diversity of the Jewish Deaf Community to the broader Jewish Community of the Greater Washington area? How can WSJD apply the results of this study to its programming plans? These are questions that the WSJD Board of Directors are addressing.
As a 44-year old non-profit organization with a membership of a little over 310 individuals who reside in the metro Washington area, WSJD is experiencing lifecycle changes. Many of its longtime members who regularly attended programs have retired, moved to warmer states, have passed away, or are experiencing limited mobility due to age or illness. Children grow up and leave the nest to create lives of their own. Some move away from the Washington metro area. Some have remained in the area.
In order for WSJD to ensure the vitality and growth of the organization, it needs your help in building the next generation of Deaf Jews in the Greater Washington area. We invite you to:
- join the Board of Directors (we do have a member at large seat open-nominate yourself or others)
- coordinate one program of your choice (Guest Speaker Event, a holiday event, Shabbat dinner/discussion, happy hour, cultural sharing presentation)
- co-sponsor a special program at your synagogue
- form a marketing committee to help WSJD create ASL vlogs of upcoming programs
- chair a children’s or teens’ program committee for upcoming events
- volunteer for the WSJD Caring Committee
Interested? Contact us to volunteer or share your ideas with us. Email us at [email protected].
Susan F. Cohen,
President,
WSJD
Source: Washington Society of Jewish Deaf
