Saturday night Trio Sefardi presenting La Nona Kanta, the remarkable life of Flory Jagoda. This…read morelive music venue offered history of the musical instruments used, the translation of the lyrics and wonderful harmony.

My wife and I found Adat Shalom when we were synagogue shopping prior to becoming parents. When we…read moremet the community, and the young rabbi at the time, Sid Schwarz, we knew there was no question, this was the right place for us. I personally loved the work of the social action committee like Sukkot in April, the principles that Reconstructionism stands for like ordaining LGBT rabbis, and ultimately a great place to raise my family -- where they felt connected to something much bigger. This Community is blessed with a diverse group of incredibly smart and good people.

I went to nursery school and Hebrew school at Har Shalom. I was Bar Mitzvahed here…read more I love our building. It is truly beautiful. Our sanctuaries and social hall are amazing. Our community has always been a very welcoming place. One Yelper Ana wrote about concerns about Rabbi Raskin. I share her concerns. The Rabi does not like to meet with people regardless of whether or not they're of his faith. I was in an awful car accident, through the fault of another driver, and am truly blessed to be alive, The Rabbi did not return my calls and would not meet with me in my home as I recovered despite my attempts to contact him. He finally called when I left a message for somebody else telling them how disappointed I was. The rabbi still would not meet with me despite my home being less than a mile from our synagogue and walkable for any healthy person. This was well before Corona. Months later, it is easily walkable for me. Why would I want to meet with such a clergyman? I saw an Orthodox Jew wearing a Yamika on the street and he gladly said the Mishaberach with me, when my Rabbi would not. I hope this review motivates the Rabbi to change the way he does his job for the good of our synagogue community.

Our family has had such an overwhelmingly positive experience at the Sherman Early Childhood Center…read moreand Congregation Har Shalom over the past few years. We feel so very fortunate to have found this beautiful place and could not recommend this unique community more highly to other families. The Sherman ECC at Har Shalom: We did a lot of research into the various preschool options in the Potomac-Rockville-Bethesda area before we found the Sherman ECC. This preschool is a magical place, a life-changing experience for your family and your child. We feel such an overwhelming amount of gratitude to the extraordinary teachers at the Sherman ECC for their dedication to our children. Beth Hoch is the Director of the Sherman ECC and she is simply spectacular. Beth has a genuine gift for educating young children and interacting with families. We interviewed dozens of preschool directors when we were researching the preschools in the area, and Beth truly stood out as someone inherently gifted in her role as Director of the ECC. Congregation Har Shalom: After joining the Sherman ECC, we started attending community events and prayer services at the Har Shalom synagogue. We had the same fabulous experience at the synagogue. Rabbi Adam Raskin fosters a true sense of community and friendship throughout the synagogue and his sermons are genuinely interesting and accessible to people at all levels of religious observance. He is also very approachable: the kids run up to him during services for a chocolate or many chocolates, he walks around shaking hands with congregants, and he also visits with everyone individually after prayer services. The prayer services and other community events are often also led by Cantor Henrique Ozur Bass, another spectacular member of the Har Shalom clergy. Cantor Ozur Bass is extremely approachable, supportive, kind, friendly and funny. It has been such an absolute pleasure to participate in his prayer services over the past few years. He leads the children in singing Jewish songs and melodies every Friday morning, and we used to love attending as a family before COVID. Rabbi Rachel Simmons recently joined the synagogue and has done a nice job with holding events that young families can attend, from rockin' Shabbat to ice cream socials to Yoga Shabbat.

Large modern orthodox shul, so many friendly people that I had to take rain checks for multiple…read moreoffers of hospitality on my first weekend there. Four adult minyanim on shabbos to choose from. Rabbi Tessler is very charismatic, warm, effusive. Rabbi Antine is a very inspiring and energetic teacher. Early Childhood Education Center has great reputation. Great shul if you don't mind large.

This review is about the classes at Jewish ROC, not about services. I haven't attended any…read morereligious services here. I went here because there was an ad in the Post for Kabbalah classes. I took a Kabbalah 101 seminar that was fascinating. This is not Madonna's Kabbalah. It was a 6 hour seminar on a Sunday. I am Jewish, and it is important to me that this class is taught by a rabbi. There were people in the class who are not Jewish, and it is not necessary to be a Jew to take the class. Rabbi Benamou has an amazing intellect and teaches the history with dates and names, never looking at a note. He is passionate about the history of the transmission of the Torah to the Jews, as well as the significance of the Oral law and how it was passed through generations. I could go on about the rest of the teaching, but the most important thing is, that if you are curious about Kabbalah regarding death, reincarnation, resurrection, heaven, hell.....etc., these questions get quite specifically answered. I went on to take the Kabbalah 102 class. It was the first time the Rabbi presented 102 as a seminar. We got carried away with the prophets and sages, and had to come back a second time to finish the seminar. I didn't mind and I'm still impressed enough to consider taking other classes.

Rabbi Benamou is an amazing Rabbi who relates in a meaningful way to Reformed and unaffiliated…read moreJewish people in all stages of personal growth. His Kabbalah classes are life changing. He started studying Kabbalah when he was 8 years old In Israel. His wife Ruthie also teaches Hebrew in a way that even I could understand. I feel like family when I go to Friday night dinner and Shabbos lunch that he has every week and is open and free to all. I have made many friends as well because they made me feel so welcome even though I didn't know anyone when I started attending classes and when I have the opportunity to go on Shabbos or holidays. Five amazing stars!

This is a warm and inviting synagogue. I love the music lead by Hazan Tasat and the choir Kolot…read moreHaLev. The music adds to the spiritual depth of the service. As a "transdenominational," it takes "the best from all the movements." I couldn't ask for more.

I am so excited about our great High Holy Day Services - especially the music and the Teen…read moreservices!!! Check out the website ShiratHaNefesh.org to come! This is a small warm community with a wonderful commitment to spirituality, music, education and involvement. All of our best friends are there - and we meet new friends all the time! I am learning so much about my religion, my self and our wonderful Rabbi Gerry and Hazzan Ramon give us all new insights every week. I sing in the Kolot HaLev Community Choir and we reside with Shirat HaNefesh once a month (except during July and August). I love how we can bring the prayers back to life with both age old arrangements from Vienna and Italy as well as new music written by contemporary composers - including our own Hazzan! It just turns prayer from something obligatory into something transcending. And my kids love it - they are learning so much and creating the most soulful art projects during Saturday school. I love that they can go to their learner's minyan and class while we go to services and we are all together for Shabbat. We're always looking for friendly faces to join us!

Wonderful friendly atmosphere. Great classes, lots of social activities. Like the rabbis and the…read morecantor

My family joined Beth El way back in 1957, very shortly after it opened. My mother and aunt still…read morebelong to the congregation. My sister & I attended Sunday School there for eleven years/each and we were confirmed at Beth El. I adored Rabbi Scolnic & Judy and I've been very impressed with Rabbi Rudolph's kindness & humor. The staff - and there are many - have always been wonderful. In particular, I'm very fond of Ricardo; he's in charge of senior programs and my mother participates in those. The kitchen & the facilities staff are terrific and there's very little turnover (I fondly remember Dorothy Beverly, who ran the kitchen for eons). Cantor Lubin had an incredibly beautiful singing voice and "a heart of gold". I've also heard great things about the new cantor. The receptionist - Hattie - is very friendly. Beth El's Nursery School has always had a superb reputation. My sister & I belonged to Beth El's USY (youth group) and loved it. I have great memories of attending my sister's wedding and two of my close friends' weddings at Beth El (I met them via USY in 1965 and we're still friends). I have special memories of attending my late grandfather's 90th birthday party at the Morning Minyan, where the beloved (late) Max Cohen prepared the food. I spoke at his funeral service at Beth El....I have myriad memories of my association with Beth El throughout my life, both happy and poignant. The thing I love in particular about the congregation is that its large size doesn't detract one bit from its incredibly personal ambiance. In recent years the building has been expanded a few times due to increased enrollment and it's a beautiful place. I'm not a religious person, but I love Beth El in its entirety.

This is an odd review. I am not Jewish. I donated blood this morning through Inova Blood Donation…read moreServices at the Congregation Beth El in Bethesda. Members of the congregation were volunteering at various stations. I was so impressed with the kindness, courtesy & respect with which I was treated by the volunteering members. This was such a positive experience - I left with a warm feeling for these generous people who gave of their time to volunteer. Sincerely, Susie

MoEd is good. Ecc is decent. Good shul though. Nice people and a very good E-galitarian service.read more

Ohr Kodesh is a warm and open place. They have tons of great family and kid events and resources…read more The early childhood center is one of the best in Maryland.