Washington Jewish Week

1 day ago | washingtonjewishweek.com | Ellen Braunstein

With the Hamas massacre of Oct. 7, 2023, deeply etched in memory and global antisemitism on the rise, the celebration of Israel Independence Day takes on profound significance, serving as a reminder of resilience, history and the enduring spirit of the Jewish people in the face of adversity.

1 week ago | washingtonjewishweek.com | Larry Luxner

Maddison Spiegel of Westchester County, New York, had tried for years to go on a Birthright trip to Israel but somehow it never happened. The first time she was supposed to go the COVID-19 pandemic got in the way, freezing all trips. The next time Spiegel applied she learned belatedly she had missed a deadline. Then came the war sparked by Hamas’s attack on Oct. 7, 2023. Finally—this past December—Spiegel unexpectedly was offered a spot on Birthright.

1 week ago | washingtonjewishweek.com | Ellen Braunstein

Washington Hebrew Congregation has created a welcoming environment for everyone at synagogue, regardless of their abilities. For Jennifer Berzok, that meant a religious school inclusive of her son, Ben, who is severely disabled by autism. The Reform temple provided college students who shadowed Ben, now 20, in the classroom and made sure he was meaningfully engaged, said Berzok, a lawyer working in health care policy. Many learning opportunities came his way and milestones were reached.

2 weeks ago | washingtonjewishweek.com | Zoe Bell

Like most Passover celebrations, freedom was the theme of the American Jewish Committee’s 33rd annual Ambassadors’ Seder. Speakers at the April 9 event in Washington, D.C., emphasized that the Exodus is not solely something that occurred about 3,000 years ago, but an ongoing struggle for liberation. The seder, which drew more than 400 attendees and diplomats from 60 countries, was AJC’s largest Ambassadors’ Seder yet.

2 weeks ago | washingtonjewishweek.com | Zoe Bell

Austin Van Grack has found solace in working with other women, learning from their intelligence and leadership. She channels those skills into her role as president of Jewish Women International’s Young Women’s Impact Network D.C.Van Grack has been involved with JWI since 2012, when she began as an intern in the organization’s development department. On top of her presidential responsibilities, she works as a clinical trials manager in the public health sector.