Olam Tikvah Sisterhood

08/23/2023

Simcha needs your help - especially on September 2nd. We’re expecting close to 400 people at Kiddush. Please contact Melissa Albert or simply reply below asap if you can help with wine serving and/or cleanup.

08/21/2023

Dress your table for the holidays. Choose from the beautiful items below and more in the shop. All the volunteers at Jewish Treasures wish you a shana tova.

08/14/2023

REMINDER: The deadline to have your name included in this year’s High Holiday card is THIS WEDNESDAY, August 16th! Renew your membership and select the option to have your greetings included today. See the OT Sisterhood page for the link.

08/10/2023

New this week at Jewish Treasures!

08/06/2023

Save the Date: Sisterhood Fall Brunch Sunday, October 15th with speaker Julie Silberberg who will speak about genealogical research. Details to follow.

08/06/2023

Simcha Catering needs your help! The catering team comes in early and prepares events for several hours before we all get to enjoy Kiddush. As always, Simcha needs volunteer wine servers and a clean-up crew. There is no substitute for a smiling OT wine server as folks enter the social hall and as you know, many hands make light work of the clean-up. Since Simcha gives so much back to Sisterhood, we ask that you sign up to help with this Sisterhood effort. Volunteers need not be members or women -- we appreciate your help. Sign up here:

Simcha Catering needs your help! The catering team comes in early and prepares events for several hours before we all get to enjoy Kiddush. As always, Simcha needs volunteer wine servers and a clean-up crew. There is no substitute for a smiling OT wine server as folks enter the social hall and as yo...

08/06/2023

Sisterhood and Social Action are collecting school supplies for ECHO through August 14. Please help us get students off on the right foot by picking up a few extra items during your back-to-school shopping...or on any shopping trip! See the list of needed supplies here: https://www.olamtikvah.org/event/school-supply-drive-for-echo.html . Please leave items in the donation bench in the main lobby. Prefer to donate money? Write a check to Olam Tikvah with "ECHO School Supplies" in the memo.

08/06/2023

Help Repair the World for 5784
Sunday, September 10 10am -12 pm

Olam Tikvah is proud to participate with Jewish communities around the world in Reverse Tashlich, the world's largest Jewish aquatic restoration project. The Hebrew month of Elul is a season of preparation and reflection and we take this time to prepare ourselves and our world for a new year.

Join OT's Green Initiative, Sisterhood, Men's Club, and Social Action Committee to clean up Accotink Creek.

Register by Tuesday, September 5.

Olam Tikvah is proud to participate with Jewish communities around the world in Reverse Tashlich, the world's largest Jewish aquatic restoration project. The Hebrew month of Elul is a season of preparation and reflection and we take this time to prepare ourselves and our world for a new year.

07/23/2023

July and August are wedding months. Seder plates, menorahs and havdalah sets make wonderful presents. Visit Jewish Treasures today!

07/18/2023

Convention Update: OT Sisterhood delegation and our well-deserved Jewels in the Crown Award.

07/18/2023

Update from Convention: we heard from Daphnah, a member of the Abayudaya from Uganda. She shared the history of the Abayudaya as well her own story. She’s the daughter of an Abayudaya rabbi and her husband is attending the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at the American Jewish University to become one as well. She loves reading Torah and teaching others. Such a fascinating presentation!

07/18/2023

Our new Women’s League International President, Julia Loeb, from Kol Shalom in North Bethesda/Rockville. Seaboard region is very proud to have one of our own as International President for the next 3 years.

07/18/2023

Our own Barbara Finkel shares her story of learning to read Torah and her passion for teaching others.

07/17/2023

When you give to Torah Fund you support students like Kenyan-born Samuel, a JTS student. During lunch Samuel shared his story with all of us.

07/17/2023

JTS Chancellor Shuly Rubin Schwartz - the first female chancellor since the seminary was founded in 1886 - speaks about how Women’s Empowerment = Jewish Empowerment.

07/17/2023

WLCJ’s Tikkun Olam project for Convention is to sponsor the Shifrah and Puah Maternity Center, giving the gift of a healthy birth to the mothers of rural Uganada. This center not only supports the Jewish women of the Abayudaya community, but ALL women in the region. Use your phone camera to use the QR link below which takes you to the donation site. Women’s League’s donations have already done so much (see below) but there’s still so much more to be done to ensure the ongoing health of these mothers and babies. You can also donate from this site: https://www.wlcj.org/https-www-wlcj-org-convention-2023-social-action-projects

07/17/2023

Sunday night’s speaker Shiran Yahav from the World Zionist Organization. She spoke on preserving democracy in Israel and how American Jews can support Israeli personhood.

07/17/2023

Look who we found! Our whole delegation is now at convention! Looking forward to today’s programming.

07/17/2023

B’not Mitzvah - over 30 women in person and on zoom. So beautiful! Yasher Koach to our sisters - especially our own Deborah Malafsky and Elissa Kon - who worked so hard for this ♥️

07/16/2023

Ladies, you haven’t davened until you’ve davened in a room of 300 women. Led by our own Barbara Finkel in mincha, we joyously raised our voices. Such a spiritually beautiful moment.

07/16/2023

Getting ready to kickoff the Opening Plenum. Plenum? I don’t even know ‘em!

07/16/2023

Wheels up! 3/5 of the OT Sisterhood delegation to the Women’s League convention is on their way! Chicago here we come!

07/14/2023

Judaica Bazaar, Sunday, August 6, 10:00am-4:00pm. Gesher JDS, OT Jewish Treasures, the Pozez JCC and Congregation Adat Reyim are hosting a Judaica bazaar. Shop their large variety of items for the home, holidays, and synagogue. See weekly OT newsletter for location.

07/05/2023

The Jewish Treasures gift shop is open! Keep an eye on Sisterhood’s FB page for new items, gift ideas and sales - we’ll be updating every few weeks.

06/30/2023

Sisterhood Membership Registration is now open for 2023-2024.

Take a few minutes now to join/rejoin Sisterhood. We have some very interesting and exciting events planned for the coming year.

Register by August 16th to have your name included in the High Holiday card.

In keeping with OT's Green Initiative, online registration is encouraged, but not required. Go to www.olamtikvah.org to register online today!

Please contact Shari Boyett if you need a paper registration form. Return your form with a check made payable to “OT Sisterhood”.

If you have any questions, or have suggestions for any programs, please contact us.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

When you shop at kosherwine.com using OT's reference link (bit.ly/OTkosherwine), you can support Olam Tikvah! JCommerce will donate 2% of your total order to OT. Click to place an order using our reference link and your order will automatically benefit OT. OT membership not required to participat...

05/23/2023

Poker and margaritas were a big hit on Sunday! Thanks to our bartender Karen Rabin and our poker teachers Aaron Sterling and Barry Hemmerdinger (and their cheat sheets)😆 Some of us were big winners…..and one of us, not so much 😔 Looking forward to a new year of learning and fun!

04/30/2023

Join us May 18th for a Pre-Memorial Day discussion of Sons and Soldiers: The Untold Story of the Jews Who Escaped the N***s and Returned with the U.S. Army to Fight Hi**er by Bruce Henderson. Our discussion of Sons and Soldiers will feature a special guest speaker, Irene Wittig, whose uncle was a Ritchie Boy in the US Army. Register here: https://www.olamtikvah.org/event/sisterhood-book-club4.html

04/30/2023

Yasher Koach to our Education Co-VPs for the outstanding programming for today's amazing Spring Brunch! Liz Scheier shared her deeply personal story in a way that was engaging and relatable. Lunch by Z-Tov was delicious, as always. And it's not too late to buy Liz's book, Never Simple: https://a.co/d/dvZVeEG or at (hopefully) your favorite bookseller.

04/21/2023

Poker & Margaritas
Sunday May 21

Have you signed up yet? Join OT Sisterhood in an afternoon of Poker & Margaritas. Due to the huge success of Casino night, we are hosting a poker event with delicious margaritas. No experience necessary as we will provide some "101 lessons. Cost is $15 pp to cover alcohol & snacks. Register by May 18: https://www.olamtikvah.org/event/sisterhood-poker--margaritas.html

04/18/2023

Reminder: Thursday is Israeli Dancing night! No experience necessary - see you soon

03/27/2023

The Sisterhood Spring Brunch is NEXT Sunday. Have you registered yet? Click the link below to register and know the best part is that you don’t need to be a Sisterhood member to attend (but it couldn’t hurt 😉)! If registration is now closed, please reach out to let us know you would like to attend.

Sunday, April 30th
Speaker: Liz Scheier, Author of Never Simple
Registration: https://www.olamtikvah.org/event/sisterhood-spring-brunch2.html

May is designated as Mental Health Awareness month. Join us at our Spring Sisterhood Brunch on the last day of April, to hear from a distinguished book author, Liz Scheier about her personal journey and experience with this important topic.

Her gripping and darkly funny memoir “is a testament to the undeniable, indestructible love between a mother and a daughter” (Isaac Mizrahi).

Liz Scheier will share with us her uncovering the real answers to the mysteries underpinning her childhood. Trying to construct a “normal” life out of decidedly abnormal roots, she navigates her own circuitous path to adulthood: a bizarre breakup, an unexpected romance, and the birth of her son and daughter. Along the way, Liz wrestles with questions of what we owe our parents even when they fail us, and of how to share her mother’s hilarity, limitless love, and creativity with children—without passing down the trauma of her mental illness. Never Simple is the story of enduring the legacy of a hard-to-love parent with compassion, humor, and, ultimately, self-preservation.

The book will be available for purchase at the brunch and the author will sign copies following the brunch.

Never Simple has garnered praise from the New York Times, Publishers Weekly (starred review), Kirkus, Library Journal, Bookpage, Booklist, and bestselling authors Augusten Burroughs, Jenny Lawson, Isaac Mizrahi, Elissa Altman, Greer Hendricks, and Mira Bartók. It was chosen as a Best Book of March by Amazon and Apple Books, a People Picks by People Magazine, an Indie Next pick, a Barnes & Noble Top 10 Favorite Ebook of 2022, and was featured as one of “15 March Reads to Get You Through the Month” on Good Morning America.

03/21/2023

REMINDER: The first of three monthly Israeli folk dancing events is this Thursday! Hope to see you there!

02/20/2023

Have you been reading? Sisterhood's next book club discussion is coming up soon -- March 2nd. Paula Weiss will lead a discussion of the Book Esther by Dr. Erica Brown. See details in the Sisterhood newsletter.

02/20/2023

Sisterhood will be (Israeli) dancing! Join us March 23rd, April 20th and May 18th. See the Sisterhood newsletter for details.

01/23/2023

REGISTRATION DEADLINE EXTENDED TO February 5th! Join fellow OT members on February 11th at the party event of the year. Our “Fall in Love in Las Vegas” event will offer professionally run Casino games including Blackjack, Craps, Texas Hold ‘Em, and Roulette. We will also have a DJ spinning tunes and other fun activities. Mouthwatering hors d'oeuvres and desserts along with beer and wine will be served.

OT Sisterhood and Men’s Club are using this event as a fundraiser with four levels of participation and raffle tickets. Money raised will benefit the greater OT community.

Admission covers the casino activities along with food and drink.
Basic: $36 for one attendee
Silver: $54 for one attendee plus one raffle ticket
Gold: $108 for one attendee plus three raffle tickets
Sponsorship: $360 for two attendees plus six raffle tickets (sponsors will be recognized at the event)
Additional raffle tickets are available at $10 per ticket or $25 for three tickets.

Raffle prizes include wine tastings, partial membership to the JCC, restaurant vouchers, and other exciting items.

Please register by February 5th on the OT website.

01/13/2023

Simcha Catering needs your help - especially this Shabbat! The catering team comes in early and prepares events for several hours before we all get to enjoy Kiddush. As always, Simcha needs volunteer wine servers and a clean-up crew. There is no substitute for a smiling OT wine server as folks enter the social hall and as you know, many hands make light work of the clean-up. Since Simcha gives so much back to Sisterhood, we ask that you sign up to help with this Sisterhood effort. Volunteers need not be members or women -- we appreciate your help. Sign up here:

Simcha Catering needs your help! The catering team comes in early and prepares events for several hours before we all get to enjoy Kiddush. As always, Simcha needs volunteer wine servers and a clean-up crew. There is no substitute for a smiling OT wine server as folks enter the social hall and as yo...

01/08/2023

Join us for our annual Cards, Cookies, Cordials & Coffee, an afternoon where we gather for cards and board games, drinks, noshes and socializing. It's a fun way to meet new people and play new games. Register on the Sisterhood web page by Thursday, January 26. Cost $10 per person.

01/06/2023

Men's Club Brunch: The Jewish Experience in the US Military, Sunday, January 22, 9:45am. Please join Men's Club on Sunday, January 22 to hear OT members Marc Herwitz and Rosalind Sloan share their stories and observations of the Jewish experience in the US miliary. Accompanying their speakers will be a fun chow hall themed menu, with Jewish additions of bagels and lox of course. We thank and celebrate our active duty and veteran members. This is a brunch not to be missed and is open to all! $12 for Men's Club members, $18 for non-members. Register on the Men's Club OT site by Monday, January 9.

12/28/2022

Join fellow OT members on February 11th at the party event of the year. Our “Fall in Love in Las Vegas” event will offer professionally run Casino games including Blackjack, Craps, Texas Hold ‘Em, and Roulette. We will also have a DJ spinning tunes and other fun activities. Mouthwatering hors d'oeuvres and desserts along with beer and wine will be served.

OT Sisterhood and Men’s Club are using this event as a fundraiser with four levels of participation and raffle tickets. Money raised will benefit the greater OT community.

Admission covers the casino activities along with food and drink.

Basic: $36 for one attendee
Silver: $54 for one attendee plus one raffle ticket
Gold: $108 for one attendee plus three raffle tickets
Sponsorship: $360 for two attendees plus six raffle tickets (sponsors will be recognized at the event)

Additional raffle tickets are available at $10 per ticket or $25 for three tickets.

Raffle prizes include wine tastings, partial membership to the JCC, restaurant vouchers, and other exciting items.

Please register by February 5th on the OT website.

12/08/2022

Book Club Discussion
The Thread Collectors
by Shaunna J. Edwards
& Alyson Richman

Tuesday, January 10
7:00 pm (NEW TIME)
VIRTUAL
led by Shelly Palley
There's no cost, but please register so we know you're attending: https://www.olamtikvah.org/event/sisterhood-book-club-the-thread-collectors.html You'll receive the Zoom link after you register.

In 1863: In a small Creole cottage in New Orleans, an ingenious young Black woman named Stella embroiders intricate maps on repurposed cloth to help enslaved men flee and join the Union Army. Bound to a man who would kill her if he knew of her clandestine activities, Stella has to hide not only her efforts but her love for William, a Black soldier and a brilliant musician.

Meanwhile, in New York City, a Jewish woman stitches a quilt for her husband, who is stationed in Louisiana with the Union Army. Between abolitionist meetings, Lily rolls bandages and crafts quilts with her sewing circle for other soldiers, too, hoping for their safe return home. But when months go by without word from her husband, Lily resolves to make the perilous journey South to search for him.

As these two women risk everything for love and freedom during the brutal Civil War, their paths converge in New Orleans, where an unexpected encounter leads them to discover that even the most delicate threads have the capacity to save us. Loosely inspired by the authors' family histories, this stunning novel will stay with readers for a long time.