The BCRC Blog

It's amazing what can happen when a community proudly comes together to add more light to the world! On Sunday Dec 18 our community proudly came together to add more light to the world at the Village at Leesburg for the first annual Northern Virginia Night of Lights. It was such an incredible way to celebrate the first night of Chanukah!  Rabbi Amy of BCRC provided  welcoming comments, culminating in the lighting of the giant chanukiah pictured below. Rabbi Amy highlighted the one light of the first night signifies oneness - We have reform Jews, conservative Jews, orthodox Jews, pluralistic organizations, post denominational Judaism and others all coming together as one. Click here to see her  full remarks.

Special Guest speakers included Delegate David Reid, Supervisor Sylvia Glass and Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chair Phyllis Randall. We enjoyed live music, performed by Gesher’s Music Teacher, Mr. Nick and Beth Chaverim’s Cantorial Soloist, Rachel Gomberg. 

Organizations participating by providing food, activities, crafts, displays and other contributions included Gesher Jewish Day School, Pozez JCC, The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, PJ Library, Camps Shoresh and Airy & Louise, Capital Camps, Jewtique Concierge Rabbinic Services, the Jewish National Fund, Congregattions Sha'are Shalom and Beth Chaverim Reform Congregation. Stacy Kafka of BCRC provided a plate spinning activity which was great fun for all (and a real challenge that many of us of all ages learned!)

Many thanks go to Julia Schneider, BCRC’s Membership VP, for getting this program off the ground (and also for providing the wonderful BCRC 25th anniversary banner pictured here); to Dave Waldman, BCRC President, for discovering and restoring our large scale Chanukiah, and to Shiri Rozenberg of Gesher Day School for being so willing to partner with us and to take this celebration to the next level: securing the venue, expanding the participation to include you, our community partners and friends, and for taking a lead in this event. 

BCRC members are invited to view the photo album to see more pictures (must be logged in ensure privacy).