The BCRC Blog

On Thursday Oct 11 our architects visited for a “mini-charrette”- a group workshop. Based on their review of the responses to the survey that I talked about in our previous blog entry, they prepared design ideas for discussion. At the session, we looked at some excellent preliminary ideas that they presented. They sought our reaction to various directions the project could take, and also solicited further ideas and input from the...Read more...

Rabbi Amy provided us with a plethora of fascinating, thought-provoking and useful insights in her High Holy Day sermons this year. Provided below are short summaries along with a link to the full texts.

In her Erev Rosh Hashanah sermon, Rabbi Amy cited the oft-stated notion that being Jewish is like belonging to a family – along with all the dynamics that come with belonging to a family. On the one hand, it’s a safe haven...Read more...

The BCRC annual picnic was held Sunday Aug 26 at Claude Moore Park in Sterling. Great fun was had by all, with over 70 congregants as well as some prospective new members joining us. Perfect weather this year - no hurricanes to worry about! Many thanks to Consuelo Scott and a large...Read more...

           Last week Sonja and I were having Shabbat dinner in L.A. at the home of old friends’ of mine and their twin teenagers who are preparing to begin college in the Fall.  We were seated at their Shabbat table on the patio: candles, wine, challah all set to go. 

            “If you want to do or say anything special just let us...Read more...

On July 1 we began a new temple fiscal year (not to be confused with the secular new year of Jan 1 or Rosh Hashanah!) So I'd like to give you a short report. Last week I attended the ShulCloud conference in New Jersey. Since we adopted ShulCloud as our congregation management system in 2015 we've really been able to clean up our accounts and increase our collections! ShulCloud also helps us economize by consolidated all of our web site,...Read more...

Last Saturday, June 9th, we held a gala farewell dinner for the Medoffs, who are moving to Venice, Florida later this month. It was a bittersweet occasion as we wished them 'bon voyage' as they move to the Gulf Coast. Many stories were told about Marshall and Billie's numerous contributions to BCRC from the beginning of our temple all the way through to the current day, as they continue to be our most enthusiastic and active...Read more...

Tracy Cirone, Tikva Committee member, attended the Loudoun International Youth Leadership Summit at Potomac Falls High School and reported the following:

I wanted to let you know that I attended the Loudoun International Youth Leadership Summit at Potomac Falls HS yesterday. What a great event! This year's week long summit theme is - connect the pieces, find the harmony, and create the big picture.

There were 98...Read more...

On Friday March 9 we commemorated our 10th anniversary in our building with a special Erev Shabbat service. First we rededicated the mezuzzah at the entry to the sanctuary, which had been removed for the painting project. At our service we had some guest...Read more...

What an attractive force sisterhood is! Look how it has brought you out this evening to be in one another’s company. There is an energy of camaraderie and a recognition that the women of BCRC share an identity, a heritage, as well as interests and concerns. And we’re not here at a restaurant or even someone’s living room—that’s for another day. We initiate, resurrect, restart our Sisterhood here in our sanctuary, before our ark and...Read more...

Last Saturday, Jan 20, BCRC held its first 'Winter Escape', at thd Freedom Center in Leesburg. This event was an adaptation of an annual Winter event held at Rabbi Amy's Rochester temple, which gives people a chance to escape that mid-Winter cabin fever and romp in the snow. Well, we not only had no snow but had one of the warmest days of the winter! So our Winter Escape involved a hike around the lake and outdoor activities like tree...Read more...

Have you seen our newly painted entry, main hall, and foyer? Last week we said 'good bye' to our old gray color...Read more...

On Sunday Nov. 12, Seth and Jackie Leventhal represented BCRC at the annual oral history walking tour and wreath laying ceremony at the Belmont Slave Cemetery located across RT 7 from Landsdowne, sponsored by the Loudoun Freedom Center. Did you...Read more...

The BCRC Tikva Fund and Loudoun Interfaith Bridges continue to receive recognition for their grants in support of programs supporting multicultural education in the Loudoun County School District. Click here for an article posted at the LCPS web site along with some great photos. Congratulations to Tikva and Bridges!

On Rosh Hashanah, Rabbi Amy noted that on this day, we dip an apple into honey to express the sweetness of a new year. We can appreciate the symbolism of this ritual. So why do we find it so much easier to recognize the sour in the world than the sweet? Why is it important to recognize the sweet and not take our blessings for granted? Rabbi Amy explored these questions in her  Erev Rosh Hashanah sermon.

In her Kol Nidre...Read more...

In 2004, BCRC received a large, anonymous donation to support interfaith cooperation in Loudoun County, known as the Tikva (Hope) Fund. The Tikva Committee is proud to announce the recent awarding of the following grants which will benefit Loudoun County Public School children:

Loudoun Interfaith Bridges and member congregations and Tikva funds provided $20,000 in grant support to 18 multicultural school-based programs in the Loudoun...Read more...