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Gather the Jews is now GatherDC!
New look, new name-
everything else is the same!
Gather the Jews is now GatherDC!
New look, new name-
everything else is the same!
“Choosing Life” During the Time of Coronavirus: Parshat Ki Tisa
/0 Comments/in Blog /by Rabbi Ilana ZietmanAt our GatherDC team meeting yesterday, our Executive Director, Rachel Gildiner asked the staff to consider the paradoxes we are sitting with in this very stressful and uncertain time. For me, the Jewish concept of “choosing life” immediately came to mind (see Deuteronomy 30:19 below). Over the centuries, this idea has come to mean several […]
Meet Maddie: Jewish Vegan Instagrammer of the Week!
/0 Comments/in Blog, Featured People /by Allison FriedmanMadeline Reich is the Jewish Instagram queen we didn’t know we needed, but desperately do. If you’re cooped up at home and feeling bored/hungry/cabin-fevery…Maddie Reich has ALL the scrumptious recipes (and just general food porn) you need to nourish your body and soul on her Jewish Vegan account. Bon Appétit. Allie: What brought you to […]
A Poem for Purim: Women in the Mikvah (for Vashti)
/0 Comments/in Blog /by Michele AmiraVashti of Iran, so gorgeous and true, Yet tainted by the world around – what were you to do? Misused and abused, but still trusting God to save you […]
Not Being Alone In Our Loneliness: Why We Need to Take the Conversation Outside the Jewish World
/0 Comments/in Blog /by Rabbi Ilana ZietmanAs the rabbi at GatherDC, I spend a lot of time talking with Jewish 20s and 30s about how hard it is to make actual friends in this city, how difficult it can be to find a Jewish community that feels like a good fit, and how much social circles can change from one year […]
Your Purim Playlist
/0 Comments/in Blog /by Michele AmiraMy favorite holiday is approaching, which is a celebration that indulges in drinking and dancing all night. And no, it’s not Mardi Gras. It’s Purim! Or as I like to call it, “Jewish Carnival.” That being said, we need a soundtrack to celebrate both feminist queens: Queen Esther and Queen Vashti. According to Times of […]
Meet Jeff: Jewish Math Teacher of the Week
/0 Comments/in Blog, Featured Jewish Guys, Featured People /by Allison FriedmanHave a suggestion for a Jewish Person of the Week? Email allisonf@gatherdc.org to nominate your friend. colleague, partner, or even yourself! Allie: What brought you to DC? Jeff: I was born in Washington, DC and raised in Silver Spring and Rockville. When I got back to the U.S. after two years in South Korea, several […]
How and Why Do We Party on Purim?
/0 Comments/in Blog /by Rabbi Ilana ZietmanThe Jewish comedian Alan King once said, “A summary of every Jewish holiday: they tried to kill us, we won, let’s eat!” I’ve heard this line repeated too many times to count to explain why and how we celebrate various Jewish holidays. Purim, coming up next week, is no exception, although we could modify King’s […]
Meet Elyssa: Jewish Leslie Knope of the Week!
/0 Comments/in Blog, Featured Jewish Girls, Featured People /by Allison FriedmanHave a suggestion for a Jewish Person of the Week? Email allisonf@gatherdc.org to nominate your friend. colleague, partner, or even yourself! Allie: What brought you to DC? Elyssa: I went to GW for undergrad. I was very into service and I thought I wanted to do something in the health sector, and fell in love […]
Your DC Purim Guide: 2020!
/0 Comments/in Blog /by GatherDC StaffDC knows how to party like its 357 BCE. So get ready, because the best in DC-area Purim parties, hamantaschen recipes, and Shusan inspired gatherings are about to take the city by storm. See a full list below. And if there’s an event missing, submit it here. However you celebrate, we wish you a chag […]
Meet Andrew: Jewish Dog Lover of the Week
/0 Comments/in Blog, Featured Jewish Guys, Featured People /by Allison FriedmanAllie: What brought you to DC? Andrew: I’m originally from Orlando, Florida and was most recently living in Boston. I moved to DC about 5 to 7 years ago for a job with Hillel International. They were building an Israel Education and Advocacy support branch and I was one of the regional support support staff. […]
Meet Maurissa: Jewish Millennial Grandma of the Week!
/0 Comments/in Blog, Featured Jewish Girls, Featured People /by Allison FriedmanAllie: What brought you to the DC area? Maurissa: I’m a Northern Virginia girl born and raised. I grew up in Fairfax County (go Woodson Cavaliers!), and I live in Annandale now. Allie: Tell me a bit about your job. Maurissa: I heard about NGLCC (National LGBT Chamber of Commerce) through an old colleague of […]
Coping with Winter: Why Judaism Asks Us to Learn from Trees
/1 Comment/in Blog /by Rabbi Ilana ZietmanTu B’shevat (the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat) is a strange Jewish holiday. It’s technically the New Year for Trees. But: Why do trees need a Rosh Hashanah? Why is it celebrated in the winter time? Basically, what’s the deal? Truth be told, the origins of Tu B’shevat are rather obsolete today. […]
Meet Trey: Jewish Community Organizer of the Week!
/0 Comments/in Blog, Featured People /by Allison FriedmanAllie: What brought you to DC? Trey: I’m a native Hoosier (born and raised in Indiana), went to Butler University, a small liberal arts college outside of Indianapolis, and after a brief stint working for the Indiana Legislature and then a law firm, I started working in communications for Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) Fraternity […]
Spotted in Jewish DC: Jewish Planner Part II
/0 Comments/in Blog /by Alexis FoscoKeeping up with our Jewish lives is hard enough when we are dealing with job stress, making plans with friends, and the general hustle and bustle of daily secular life. For many of us, trying to keep up with our High Holiday and Shabbat routines can feel like more of a chore than the joy […]
Your 2020 Tu B’Shevat Playlist
/0 Comments/in Blog /by Michele AmiraBeing the nice Jewish hippie that I am, Tu B’Shevat has always been my favorite Jewish holiday. Tu B’Shevat celebrates my favorite food group (fruit), and specifically fruit from the seven species that are indigenous to Israel. This includes olives, dates, figs, grapes, and – if you’re feeling extra boujee – chocolate bark pomegranates and […]