We love this time of year! Join the Den for our annual Kayaking Tashlich experience on the Potomac River as we experience a meaningful and relaxing way to take part in the powerful ritual of Tashlich. Tashlich, or “casting away”, is performed during the Ten Days between the start of Rosh Hashana and the beginning of Yom Kippur. Our rabbis will guide us in this ritual experience on the water, and then you are invited to enjoy the riverside scenery and find a spot to eat lunch together. We’ll meet at Fletcher’s Cove Boathouse for introductions + intention setting before heading out on the water together. All are welcome.

When the limitations of words may tether our prayers, nigunim - wordless song - can offer a container for the yearnings of our hearts. Come together in heart-opening, participatory song with Hadar's Rabbi Deborah Sacks Mintz and facilitators from the DC communal song community.

All voices welcome into this uplifting communal space. Doors open at 7:00pm.

Our friends at the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) have offered to share tickets with the Den community to their upcoming event ADL In Concert Against Hate!

The in-person night of music, community and celebration will feature the National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Emil De Cou, along with other can’t-miss performances from acclaimed stars. Through storytelling and song, you’ll be introduced to real-life heroes as we celebrate their extraordinary acts of courage and compassion in the face of bigotry and hate. 

Tickets are limited and available on a first-come-first-served basis. You may reserve up to two complimentary tickets. When prompted to select your seats, please select “complimentary tickets” and enter the discount code: COMP2023

Please note the complimentary ticketing policies below: 

• Tickets will be distributed at the Kennedy Center Box Office in the Hall of Nations the evening of the Concert only, beginning at 7:00 p.m.  

• Seating section within the Concert Hall is on a first-come-first-served basis the night of the event, and you will be placed in the best available seats within the Concert Hall. 

• Tickets are non-transferable and additional tickets will not be available at the door.  

For more information about the ADL Concert, please visit concertagainsthate.org. If you have any questions about the complimentary ticketing process, please contact Shelby Gadol at sgadol@adl.org.  

If you would like to connect with other Den members at the event, please click on the button below to let us know that you plan on attending. We will connect you via email before the concert.

It’s been such a difficult week for so many of us. In an effort to respond to the needs we are hearing from so many of you, we’ve put together two opportunities to come together for community connection this weekend.

Join us for a Shabbat check-in tonight. Shabbat is an opportunity to pause, reflect, and to come together - to be with what we are experiencing, to feel the closeness of community, and to be held by the powerful rituals of our Jewish tradition. Everyone is welcome.

If you would like to, please feel free to light candles prior to the gathering. We will recite kiddush, the blessing over wine/grape juice, together during our gathering. No worries if you don’t have either - you’ll recite it over our kiddush cup!

the Den Collective is hosting a community-wide vigil for Israel in partnership with our friends, rabbis from the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington (JCRC), the Jewish Social Service Agency (JSSA), the Washington Board of Rabbis (WBR), and GatherDC.

We will gather together in community to stand in solidarity with the people of Israel. 

We will connect, pray, sing, and honor the memory of the hundreds of innocent Israelis who have been tragically murdered. We will pray for the healing of the wounded, the safe return of those who have been kidnapped, and we will pray for peace.

Everyone is warmly welcome. Please extend this invitation to your friends and family, and to anyone who is seeking to be in community during this difficult time.

Participating in tonight’s Community Vigil:

Shy Ashkenazi, Member + Song Leader, the Den Collective

Rabbi Aderet Drucker, Executive Director, the Den Collective

Rabbi Rachel Hersh, MSW, Director of Jewish Enrichment & Engagement, JSSA

Rabbi Abbi Sharofsky, Director of Intergroup Relations and Rabbi in Residence, JCRC

Rabbi Sarah Tasman, Director of Jewish Journeys and Engagement, Federation

Rabbi Ilana Zeitman, Senior Rabbi, Gather DC

The Den Collective hosts this gathering in partnership with:

RAIN PLAN UPDATE:

Friends - Due to the rainy weather, the Wharf boathouse has cancelled our kayak reservations.

FEAR NOT, our rain plan B is to come together at the Wharf on the dock for our Tashlich service and ritual of casting away. We will meet at the Wharf boathouse at 11am.

Questions? Reach out to us.

ORIGINAL PLAN: Join Rabbis Aderet + Jenna on the Potomac River for a meaningful and fun way to take part in the powerful ritual of Tashlich. Tashlich, or “casting away”, is performed during the Ten Days between the start of Rosh Hashana and the beginning of Yom Kippur. We’ll experience this ritual on the water in community, then folks are welcome to enjoy the riverside scenery and eat lunch together.

We’ll meet at the Wharf boathouse for introductions + intention setting before heading out. Please reserve a kayak for one hour (from 11am-12pm). All are welcome!

Join Rabbi Jenna for a fusion of elements of prayer, as we learn to foster personal spiritual experiences. We will learn how to craft personal spiritual space, for reflection and personally meaningful prayer during the High Holy days. Whether at home alone or within a congregational setting, you will walk away with ways to integrate personal prayer into your High Holy day experience.

This gathering will be held in DC. All are welcome! Looking to connect from within? Sign up below by Sept 10th.

To explore is to dive deeper into the meaning once you have discovered something new. In this class, we will navigate through the intentional spiritual content of the prayer service, uncovering and connecting to the thematic elements of the prayers. We will explore how to intentionally prepare for prayer, as well as two unique ways to organize prayer into three-part elements: Please, Wow, Thank you! AND Creation, Revelation, Redemption.

This gathering will be held in Arlington. All are welcome! Curiosity piqued?

To discover is to find knowledge and meaning that was previously unknown to us. In this class, we will uncover a deeper understanding of the structure of prayer, as well as the unique additions of the High Holy Day liturgy. This will include the origins of the High Holy Day prayer service, the service meaning, and physical choreography.

This gathering will be held in Maryland. All are welcome! Ready to jump in?

Join us and Makom for a Kabbalat Shabbat gathering! We will welcome Shabbat by singing a few songs from the Friday evening service, as well as discussing what Jewish wisdom has to teach us about creating inclusive, welcoming space, during Shabbat and always. We'll close with candle lighting and kiddish - the blessing for grape juice - to sanctify the day, and wishes for a sweet 24 hours of rest + relaxation. All are welcome!

This gathering will be virtual, and there are a few spots available for in-person attendance at one of the Makom homes. If you are interested in attending in-person, please reach out to Rabbi Jenna.

LGBTQ+ Community and allies alike, kick off Pride Month with Washington Hebrew’s annual Pride Shabbat!

Join in prayer, song, laughter, and commitment as we nosh and toast the strong, growing, WHC LGBTQ+ community!

This evening is not just for those who identify as LGBTQ+. Now, more than ever, we need our allies to come out in force and show your support for our community. Please join us and invite friends who want to celebrate who they are and/or may need a welcoming and inviting space to do so. All are welcome!

Eats and Open Bar begin at 6:00 pm.

Services are at 6:30 pm followed by a Super-sized Pride-ful Oneg Shabbat catered by Little Sesame, where you will get to chat with leaders and members of the WHC LGBTQ+ Affinity Group, as well as representatives from DCJCC’s GLOE, Capital Qvellers, and more.

Sign up below for detail by June 1st.

Through the meditative power of the nigun — wordless melody — together we will raise our voices and lift our spirits. Experience the depths of communal Jewish song in a participatory experience led by R. Deborah Sacks Mintz, in partnership with DC’s vibrant communal singing community. 

*As this program will take place during the Omer, we will use the power of our voices for our communal music-making (and not instruments).*

The Hadar Nigun Circle will take place at the Bender JCC in Rockville. Sign up for details below.