Highlights 2024
Congregation Beth Sholom 2024 Highlights
- Membership
o Welcomed 13 new members
- Tzedakah
o Supported the Leesburg Food Bank with $1,000+ in cash donations, 294 pounds of food, and lots of clothing and household items. Additional cash of at least $500 and food donations were made directly to the food bank by members on behalf of Congregation Beth Sholom
o Donated to the Leesburg Fire Department Fire Safety & Education Program
o Donated in support of Israel
AFMDA.org American Friends of Magen David Adom (Israel’s EM), which supports Israel’s national emergency medical service
FIDF.org Friends of the Israel Defense Forces. The only USA organization authorized to collect charitable donations on behalf of the soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces
- Major donations
o Dr. Marnell LaRoe Hayes and Dan & Eileen Hirschfeld donated fresh flower arrangements for the bima on the High Holidays. These flowers were donated in memory of Priscilla Reisinger, who had donated them every year for quite some time before her passing. Priscilla always went to the florist in person to select a particularly beautiful arrangement in the blue and white colors of Israel.
- Religious Services, Observances, and Festivities – services were hybrid, in person and on Zoom
o High Holiday Services, including Tashlich
o Sukkot Pot Luck Luncheon chaired by Elise Lev
o Two Shabbat services most months including special services for Chanukah, Tu B’Shevat, Purim, Yizkor service on Shavuot, new members, board recognition, and patriotic holidays
o Passover Seder chaired by Francine Rizzotto, Helene Bachmann and Marjorie Heyman held at the First Baptist Church of Leesburg
o Special Kabbalat Shabbat Service
o Gabbai Marsha Stemerman moved to Pennsylvania and Associate Gabbai Dr. Marnell LaRoe Hayes was elevated to Gabbai status and Dr. Elise Lev became our Associate Gabbai.
o Rabbi Reuven Silverman was selected to become our new Spiritual Leader
- Annual congregational meeting and monthly board meetings.
o VP (and former long time President) Linda Kost moved to North Carolina and the Board has
stepped up to take up the many responsibilities that Linda has assumed over the years. Melinda
Hock has become our new VP
o Freeda Louthan has agreed to become our new President
- Leesburg Police provide security at all of our services
- Fundraising
o Mah Jongg Cards chaired by Andrea Kraft
o Book of Remembrance edited by Helene Bachmann
o Yahrzeit plaques - Dave Englander
o Shofar Ads - Dave Englander
o Donations – cards in honor or memory, Book Fund, General Fund
o Springtime Appeal
- Community
o Leesburg Food Bank
Collected donations throughout the year (see details above)
Donated a portion of our Mah Jongg Card Fundraiser
Our members, Barry Wright and Francine Rizzotto volunteer there
- Education
o Rabbi’s Roundtable monthly discussions on various topics via Zoom
o 4 week ‘Back to Basics & Beyond” classes exploring Judaism’ class taught by Gabbai Marsha Stemerman
- Onegs and Kiddushes
o January 12th: Gloria Blankenship in honor of her father Joseph Selsky’s yahrzeit
o January 27th :Helene Bachmann in honor of the yahrzeit of her father, Harry Gripon
o February 9th: Elise Lev in memory of Rabbi Mark Golub (founder of Jewish Broadcasting Service)
o February 24th:- The Board of Directors
o March 8th: Marge Buxbaum in honor of her wedding anniversary
o May 10th: Robin Dowsey
o May 25th: Sandra Byrne and Herb Siegel honoring America’s military men and women who lost their lives in service to their country
o June 14th: Dave & Ellen Englander and Barry & Cookie Wright in celebration of their wedding anniversaries (50+)
o June 29th: Yvette & David Litwack in celebration of her 90th birthday
o July 12th: Freeda & Doug Louthan in celebration of their Anniversary also celebrating Edith Freiwirth’s Birthday and Edith Freiwirth Day
o July 27th: Helene Bachmann in memory of her mother Pauline Gripon
o August 9th: The Board of Directors in honor of our Special Kabbalat Shabbat
o August 24th: The Board of Directors
o September 13th:Barbara Burton & Randy Kresley
o October 20th: Sukkot Potluck Luncheon chaired by Elise Lev
o November 8th: Elise Lev in honor of her grandson
o November 23rd: Marge Buxbaum
o December 13th: Francine and Chip Rizzotto in honor of her father Emanuel Smith’s yahrzeit
o December 28th: Chanukah Service & Party : Thanks to Fred Jacobs & Edith Freiwirth for supplying the latkes for our celebration
- Building and Grounds
o Replaced the HVAC unit in the sanctuary
o New light over the Handicapped Parking area for increased visibility & safety
o Trimmed and cleared the overgrown trees along the back of the building
o Zoom was modified so that a host is no longer required
- Publicity
o The Shofar newsletter
o Talk of the Villages website
o Villages Daily Sun: Advertised the High Holiday Services