Rabbi's Update 6/28/2023

Dear Friends:

I want to ask your help to make sure that Len, Ethan, and Oliver Lipton can say Kaddish while sitting shiva for their wife and mother Laurie Weker Lipton. The Liptons joined our shul a few years ago even though they don’t live that close by because they wanted to be part of a shul where they could make a difference -- and they really have, as we all know.

While the minyan will also be available via Zoom, it would really be appreciated for people to come to minyan at the Lipton home, 15309 Emory Lane in Rockville. Minyan will be at 7:45 pm tonight and tomorrow night as well as Sunday morning at 9:15. Shiva will conclude mid morning on Sunday. If you cannot come to the Lipton home, please do participate via Zoom -- we do continue to count participants via Zoom as long as their camera is on and they are visible.

For Sunday morning minyan, please note that the “Minyan of Comfort” books that we bring to the shiva home do not include the morning service. Since everyone has a siddur (prayer book) at home by this point, when you come Sunday morning please bring a siddur with you as well as tallit and tefillin if you have them.

As a reminder, I am having drop-in hours on Thursday afternoon from 2 to 4 at the shul. You do not need to make an appointment -- that would negate the whole point of drop-in hours -- but I’d urge you to check and make sure I am there regardless as sometimes there are unavoidable pastoral or other emergencies which might take me away from the building.

As always, if I can do anything for you or you need to talk, please contact me at rabbi@kehilatshalom.org or 301-977-0768 rather than through the synagogue office. I am happy to meet you at the synagogue by appointment. I have been spending more time in the synagogue recently but if you want to speak with me it’s best to make an appointment rather than assuming I will be there when you stop by.

L’shalom,

Rabbi Charles L. Arian