Adas Israel Congregation - Washington, DC

07/02/2026

Greetings from our Adas Hartman cohort in Jerusalem!

Together with Rabbi Alexander, members of our community spent the week at the Shalom Hartman Institute’s Community Leadership Program joining hundreds of Jewish leaders and learners for deep study, meaningful conversation, and the big questions shaping Jewish life today.

06/18/2026

We are proud to remember and celebrate disability rights pioneer Judy Heumann through our new Biran Beit Midrash window display.

We hope you'll take a moment to stop by and learn about the teacher, advocate, congregant, and friend whose vision helped shape a more accessible and welcoming community for all.

And as a fitting tribute, a bridge in Washington, DC was recently dedicated in Judy's honor, another reminder that her impact continues to be felt far beyond our walls.

https://urlz.sh/PzAj1KQm

06/15/2026

Please join us this Wednesday (6/17) for our Annual Congregational Meeting as we celebrate our community, honor those who have helped shape it, and look ahead to the year to come. Together, we'll recognize Billy Begal with the Yad Hakavod Award, pay tribute to Dr. Ira Berkower for his decades of dedication, and gather as a community to help guide the future of Adas.

Hors d’oeuvres & dessert at 6:30pm | Meeting at 7:00pm

06/09/2026

Happy 150th Birthday to our original home!

This historic building was Adas Israel—the first purpose-built synagogue in Washington, DC. We’re proud to celebrate 150 years of a building that has witnessed generations of Jewish life, community, and resilience, and continues to inspire new generations today.

06/03/2026

“I get to discover a part of me.” — David Slavnyi

Today’s Washington Jewish Week story highlights a Ukrainian exchange student whose year in Montgomery County, including High Holy Days, Shabbat, and Jewish community at Adas, helped him connect more deeply with his Jewish identity.

David Slavnyi knew he was Jewish — he’d checked that box in his exchange student application — but knew nothing about his Judaism until a school year in Montgomery County.

05/19/2026

Mazal tov to all of our graduates, honorees, and lifelong learners!

A few moments of joy and pride from across our community:

🎓 Religious School graduates stepping into their next chapter
🎓 Gan teachers earning their Bachelor of Arts degrees
🎓 Rabbis Alexander and Yolkut receiving honorary doctorates from AJU in recognition of 20 years of service

We’re celebrating with you every step of the way.

05/18/2026

adasisrael.org/shavuot 🌾

Thursday Night, 5/21:
Come for the Torah. Stay for the cheesecake.

05/08/2026

Showing up. Speaking out. Standing together for our children and teachers.

This week, Gan parents and teachers gathered at the Wilson Building to advocate for the Pay Equity Fund, which helps keep teacher compensation and tuition stable for families across the city. With no funding currently proposed in the FY27 DC budget, Gan Director Noah Hichenberg and longtime Gan teacher Ben Wacks shared powerful testimony about what’s at stake for early childhood education across DC.

Grateful for a community that leads with care and courage.

05/07/2026

Yesterday, Rabbi Alexander attended the Council on Foundations Biennial Convention in Seattle. Moderated by The One America Movement President and CEO, Andrew Hanauer, he joined Hurunnessa Fariad and Pastor Joel Rainey to share their stories of transparently confronting and overcoming the deep divides between them in service of humanity over ideology, friendship over fear.

05/05/2026

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