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Resources: For Members

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These are resources for our Fabrangen members. If you have suggestions for additional items to add to this list, please let Elena Rodriguez know.

Contact List

Divrei Torah

One of the core values of the Havurah movement is the active role played by community members. At Fabrangen this active role is expressed, among other ways, in the discussion of the weekly Torah portion. 

Torah Text

The drash itself may focus on textual analysis, on a key philosophical theme of the particular Torah portion, or on ways in which some aspect of the Torah portion affects us in our lives. During the Torah discussion, everyone – newcomers and guests included – are encouraged to share their thoughts about the weekly portion. Because a different person gives the drash each week, this tradition provides a wonderful glimpse into the intellectual gifts and diversity of the Fabrangen community.

For many of us, the drash and Torah discussion are a particularly memorable part of each Shabbat experience—something to be reflected on during the coming work week.

Here are written versions of past drashes by Fabrangen members.

Emergency Assistance Fund

  • The Fabrangen Emergency Assistance Fund was created to provide emergency grants to Fabrangen members (and their minor children) who are faced with an unexpected financial need they cannot meet because of a health crisis or other reason.  Grants can be up to $750.  In general, the committee overseeing the Fund assumes that individuals will not seek a grant more than twice so that funds can remain available to help more people.  However, the committee can consider exceptions, as necessary.
  • To apply for funds, a member should contact Elena Rodriguez (preferably in writing) and briefly describe the nature of the emergency they are facing and the amount of funding being sought.
  • Decisions on whether to provide funding will be made by the committee, which consists of Elena Rodriguez, Cindy Arnson and David Goldston.  Requests will be kept confidential.  The Fabrangen treasurer will need to know about approved funding to write the check, but otherwise the information will not be shared beyond the committee.  

Emergency Contact Information including Hebrew Name

  • We are asking ALL adult members to fill out this survey.

End of Life Preparation – Funeral Practices

https://www.jewish-funerals.org/

Fabrangen members volunteer to help community members who have suffered a loss make arrangements with the funeral home of their choice.  Fabrangen is a member of the Jewish Funeral Practices Committee of Greater Washington that contracts with two local funeral homes to provide for Jewish funerals and burials that are respectful of Jewish traditions.

Project 127: Funeral & Burial Planning
Nov, 17, 2024 Presentation from the Chevrah Kaddisha Committee

I. Planning Ahead

We encourage all Fabrangen members to fill out these forms and forward them to our Cemetery Committee at burial@fabrangen.org.

II. When a Death Occurs – Details

Marsha Rozenblit and Manny Thorne are the current contacts for our Funeral Practices Committee,
You can reach Marsha via email at bereavement@fabrangen.org or by phone at  301-351-0325.

  • Help with Funeral and Burial Arrangements
  • Assistance with the Funeral
  • Chevra Kadisha/Tahara (Purification)
  • Shomrim (Watchers)
  • Funeral Service
  • Burial
  • Mourning

III. Fabrangen’s Cemetery Section

Fabrangen has a congregational section in Garden of Remembrance Memorial Park (GOR) [Gan Zikaron in Hebrew].

gor

14321 Comus Road, Clarksburg, Maryland 20871
Phone: 301-428-3000. 

The designated section for Fabrangen is section 74, located close to the entrance of the Memorial Park, a short distance from the road.  GOR, established in 2000, is the Washington DC metropolitan area’s only not-for-profit cemetery, and Fabrangen is one of 29 congregations to affiliate from across all strands of Judaism.

Fabrangen's cemetery section at GOR

The Fabrangen cemetery section follows the rules of the Ner Tamid Section, which permits interfaith burials, provided the grave has no non-Jewish religious symbols, and a Jewish professional or lay leader conducts the burial service.

Fabrangen members may also purchase plots for their family members who are not Fabrangen members (e.g., parents).  There are plots still available for purchase at this beautiful cemetery.  Contact Bracha Laster or Rachel Braun for more information at burial@fabrangen.org.

IV. Additional Information

V. Saying Mourner’s Kaddish at Fabrangen during Zoom

Yartzeit Candle with red flowers
Photo © 2005 Abba Richman. Image used by permission; all rights reserved.

We recite Mourner’s Kaddish twice during our Zoom services.

  • (p. 121) following Psalm 30 on page 120; 
  • (p.207) following Aleinu. 

 Before Kaddish, mourners may, if they desire, share the name of the person they are saying kaddish for, much as we do for the Prayer for Healing.  This helps us recognize those in mourning. The service leader should make sure all mourners have had a chance to speak before proceeding.

Everyone is welcome to unmute including the kahal/community so they may respond to the mourners.

Mourners are asked to speak very softly or move away from the mike so that everyone may clearly hear the recitation by the leader.  

The service leader or someone whom she asks to lead should recite using a loud voice and a deliberate, measured pace.

At the end of the Kaddish, the service leader should pause and listen for mourners who continue to recite kaddish because of differing pace, before proceeding to announcements/closing songs.

Historical Documents

Historical Documents are archived on our Google Drive. We are very fortunate to have had Hannah Fischer scan and upload many Fabrangen documents. They are organized as follows:

  • 36th Anniversary Book
  • Bar-Bat Mitzvah
  • Budget
  • Children
  • Committees (Agendas, Notes, etc)
  • Divrei Torah
  • General Administration
  • Holidays
  • Inventory
  • Newsletters
  • Promotional Materials
  • Retreats
  • Roster
  • Schmooze List
  • Services
  • Volunteers
If you would like access to any of these documents, please contact the Coordinator.

Inventory 

  • We want to know what Fabrangen belongings are out there and where they are.
  • Please fill out this survey as thoroughly as possible ONLY if you know you have Fabrangen items in your home.

Kiddush

Providing Kiddush for the community includes the following:

  • bringing a light snack to eat after services; 

  • bringing one challah for Motzi; 

  • serving juice (and optionally wine) for Kiddush; and 

  • cleaning up after Kiddush. 


Here are detailed guidelines with full information.

Masking Policy at Services

After reviewing the results of the masking survey, the Steering Committee voted to change Fabrangen policy to the following: 

For both Shabbat & High Holidays

  • As of August 19, 2023, masks at services will be optional.
  • We have a separate seating section for those who choose to sit in a mask-only section.
  • Vaccines are strongly recommended.

The Steering Committee will continue to monitor the situation as circumstances change. 

Making masks optional reflects the overwhelming sentiment of the community. Enough people supported providing the option of separate seating for those using masks that the Steering Committee decided to provide that option. Detailed survey breakdowns are available on request.

Seating in the mask-only section is optional; individuals wearing masks are welcome to sit in the general seating section as well.

We have not been enforcing the vaccine requirement for quite a while; the current language aligns our policy with our practice. 

Protocol for Services when the AV Tech Cancels at the Last Minute

We have had two occasions when our AV tech could not come at the last minute and Elena had to struggle to do multi-access services using her phone, iPad, and computer. For future cancellations, the Steering Committee has approved the following protocol:

  • If the AV tech cancels at the last minute for a multi-access service, that day’s service will be in-person only.
  • Elena will open the Zoom meeting and post information to inform Zoomers of the situation.
  •  Options for non-Fabrangen online services will be recommended. If you have online service alternatives to Fabrangen that you recommend, please let Elena know.

Schmooze List Information

 

Questions? Contact Elena Rodriguez – schmooze@fabrangen.org

Sign Up to Volunteer!

2024 Volunteer Schedule – click on the tabs at the bottom of the spreadsheet to move from one section to another