Northwest Passages, 11/24/2004

Inaugural dinner at Shepherd Park synagogue brings thanks

By Jane Braden

When Mary Lou Collector of Chevy Chase read an ad about a local synagogue hosting a family-style Thanksgiving dinner, she thought, “Oh wow, great.”

“I was really excited,” said Collector, who has never been to the Ohev Sholom Talmud Torah — The National Synagogue at 1600 Jonquil St. NW in Shepherd Park.

“I have no family. I have no relatives. And I never go to a friend’s house,” she said.

Collector said she repeatedly gets invitations from friends that sound something like this: “Hey Mary Lou, I’m having 15 for dinner, what’s one more?” But, Collector said, “That’s no invitation.”

The 79-year-old Collector, whose husband died in 1988, had made it a tradition with a group of friends to go to the city-run Thanksgiving dinner for senior citizens at Georgetown University.

But, she said, the group showed up to the dinner three years ago only to find that it had been “abruptly canceled.” Collector said she heard later that the city did not have enough money to continue hosting the dinner.

“Ethel Kennedy and Art Buchwald would show up and serve dinner at noontime,” recalled Collector, a 57-year D.C. resident, who looked forward to the elegant, tableclothed dinner every year. This year, a friend will be joining Collector at The National Synagogue for what they hope will be the start of a new tradition.

But the tradition would never have come about without the new addition to the local synagogue.

In September, a young rabbi from the Bronx showed up to take the reins of The National Synagogue. Since then, he has “turned this place around,” said Sid Alpert, the synagogue’s self-proclaimed director of public relations and a board member.

The rabbi is 30-year-old Shmuel Herzfeld. “He added 22 members in the first month,” said Alpert. “It’s unbelievable.” Alpert admits to having a very difficult time keeping up with Herzfeld’s energy and marvels at the young man’s ability to get things done. “He is really, really something. He tries to help people all the time. It’s what he lives for. He’s a story in himself.”

Herzfeld hosted approximately 350 guests annually for just such a dinner in his synagogue in the New York City borough where he was an associate rabbi. And he was anxious to jump right in and start the tradition in D.C.

“Most people have enough to eat. The problem is that a large amount of people who have food to eat have nobody to eat it with,” said Herzfeld.

Although Collector likes to say she is “Jewish by injection” because her husband was Jewish, Herzfeld was quick to point out that this Thanksgiving dinner, which will be strictly kosher, is for everybody, “all backgrounds, all lifestyles. The hallmark of every religion is to give thanks,” said Herzfeld. “This is not a day of Judaism. This is a day to come together.”

In fact, as of Sunday, 90 percent of the people who had made reservations for the dinner were not members of the synagogue, said Herzfeld. “I’m very proud of that.”

“I’m expecting people to come off the street,” he said. As of Monday, approximately 140 people had signed up for the dinner.

He said the reservation-makers are college kids, single parents and their children, senior citizens, people who are simply away from their families, and others. Herzfeld’s wife and three children will also be a part of the festive event.

Herzfeld said he has no worries about whether his first dinner in D.C. will be a great success. “I’ll personally cook for you,” he said in his New York accent. “And I’ll meet you at the door with a hug.”

A Thanksgiving service will be held at 2 p.m., and the dinner will follow at 2:30 p.m. Depending on the number of reservations, there may be more than one seating time. There is no charge for the dinner.

Reservations are available by calling 202-882-7225 or e-mailing Reservations@TheNationalSynago gue.org. Tax-deductible donations of any size are appreciated, and volunteers are also needed.