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Welcome to the website of Ohev Sholom -- The National Synagogue.
Dear Friend,
I have been the Rabbi of our shul since September 2004. It truly is an amazing place. I am sure that if you stop by sometime you will really like it. You will find warmth, friendship, as well as intellectual and spiritual stimulation. You will find people who are looking for a serious religious experience. And you will really enjoy it. Guaranteed!
Let me tell you a little bit about myself and the shul.
I received my rabbinic ordination from Yeshiva University and am a member of the Rabbinical Council of America. Before moving to Washington, DC, my wife Rhanni and I lived in Riverdale, NY, where I worked as an Associate Rabbi to Rabbi Avi Weiss. We currently live with our four children just a few blocks from the shul.
Our shul strives to build a sacred community that seeks to feel the presence of Hashem in our daily lives.
Our congregation is the oldest Orthodox Synagogue in DC. Thus, we are firmly committed to the principles of Orthodoxy, namely an unwavering commitment to Halakhah—Jewish law.
We are also deeply committed to the spirituality of welcoming. Thus, we welcome you into our congregation—we invite you to daven (pray), fress (eat), and study with us--even if your current relationship with Halakhah is different than the rest of the shul’s.
Our shul has many programs to offer. This reflects the fact that we try to offer something for everyone. It also reflects the fact that we believe there are many different ways to access the beauty of the Torah. Every person learns according to their own approach, as the saying goes in Hebrew, chanokh ha-naar al pi darko. There are advanced and beginner learning programs, book clubs, musical events, film festivals, and programs for developmentally different adults. I encourage you to partake in these programs and help us build our community.
Do you have questions about what this means? What does Orthodoxy mean? What does “the spirituality of welcoming” mean? Well, don’t be shy. Stop by the shul and we can discuss it together.
Please feel free to step right into this congregation. We could use your energy and your fresh ideas.
Finally, if I can ever be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to ask.
See you in shul,
Rav Shmuel