An organization of men dedicated to serving the needs of our congregation, supporting our temple youth, and supporting the Jewish community. Sponsors Sunday morning Bagel Express, supports periodic special programs, acts as ushers during the High Holy Days, and sponsors the annual school Purim festivities.

Contact: Bob Fenster, ShowClick Here to View Contact Information

Helps celebrate joyful beginnings when a congregant has a new baby and other simchas, and offers solace and support through difficult times such as  illness, surgery, or a death in the family by providing cards, meals, challah, and supportive calls. NVHC Cares has several active teams who provide specific types of support to members in need (see below). If you are interested in helping or need support, please contact the chair (below).

• Calls – Volunteers each take two-week rotations throughout the year to make calls to congregants who have a celebration or need support. 
• Cards – We send a card to congregants when they are experiencing short- or long-term illness, bereavement, or celebrating a life-event like a birth, adoption, or conversion.
• Challah – We have a team of volunteers ready to deliver a challah so that congregants can observe Shabbat even when experiencing short-term illness, bereavement, or the addition of a family member. 
• Chaverim – These are volunteers who provide more extended companionship to members of our community who need visits from an occasional friendly face. 
• Chevrah Kadisha – This team helps families in mourning arrange funerals, Shiva minyans, and follow-up.  
• Meals – This team of volunteers responds to a request to provide meals to congregants who need help making sure that their family is fed during short- or long-term illness. 
• Rides – We have volunteers at the ready to help our community get to events at the synagogue.

Contact: Lisa Folb, ShowClick Here to View Contact Information

Supports NVHC’s commitment to make our community and the world a better place (tikkun olam) by enabling and enhancing NVHC’s participation in social justice, service, advocacy, and learning, and facilitates partnerships with other community organizations such as Cornerstones, VOICE, and the JCRC. NVHC Change has several active teams working on specific initiatives (see below). If you are interested in joining the NVHC Change mailing list to receive updates on our Social Action initiatives, contact the chair.

Contact: Ellen Ranard, Chair, ShowClick Here to View Contact Information

• Afghan Refugee Team
  • Supports an extended Afghan family (three households) resettling in Northern Virginia.
  • Contact: Ken and Kathy Laskey, ShowClick Here to View Contact Information
• Food Insecurity/Shelter Meal Team
  • Organizes meals and volunteers for Cornerstones Hypothermia Shelter and Embry Rucker Shelter and works with Helping Hungry Kids to support food packs for local elementary schools.
  • Contact: Bess Eisenstadt, ShowClick Here to View Contact Information
• Green Team
  • Identifies and implements specific solutions to reduce NVHC’s carbon footprint, promote sustainability initiatives and solutions throughout the different aspects of congregational life and educate members of all ages on what they can do at NVHC, their homes, and businesses to enhance sustainability.
  • Contact: Ken Gubin, ShowClick Here to View Contact Information
• Racial Justice Team
  • Engages with NVHC members and the broader community to promote racial justice and equity.
  • Contact: Andy Lacher & Ellen Ranard, ShowClick Here to View Contact Information
• Reproductive Rights Team
  • Explores ways to support reproductive rights.
  • Contact: Ellyn Krause-Pontell, ShowClick Here to View Contact Information & Dominique Cytryn, ShowClick Here to View Contact Information
• Ukrainian Refugee Team
  • Supports two Ukrainian families resettling in Northern Virginia.
  • Contact: Ellyn Krause Pontell and Dave Pontell, ShowClick Here to View Contact Information

The Chibur (“connection”) Committee is NVHC’s young adult outreach program. Puts together care packages and helps maintain connections between NVHC and college students, students staying away from home, post-college students, young adults in the military, etc.

Contact: Ruth Ann Whalen, ShowClick Here to View Contact Information

Sponsors programs and coordinates initiatives to help all congregants, new and old, deepen connections within the NVHC community.

Contact: Ruth Ann Whalen, ShowClick Here to View Contact Information

Organizes golf outings in a league format.

Contact: Open Position, ShowClick Here to View Contact Information

A peer-led virtual support group who meets once per month to help people find support and connect with one another, and who also work to help make NVHC more welcoming to all.

Contact: Jenn Topscher, ShowClick Here to View Contact Information

For mah jongg players of any age or experience level. Organizes bimonthly games for NVHC members; game cards and sets are provided.

Contact: Risa May, ShowClick Here to View Contact Information

MaZel Chav seeks to build community among Millennial and Gen Z congregants. We plan monthly game nights and other fun activities.

Contact: Jordan Gross, ShowClick Here to View Contact Information

(pronounced like “adolescence”) For people who are in the middle-aged period of life, roughly between 40 and 60. Attends/hosts a wide variety of events to help people make connections and find their own rhythm again in this often difficult stage of life.

Contact: Laurie Levine, ShowClick Here to View Contact Information

Offers monthly opportunities, along with speakers and special programs, to help members develop skills, utilize those skills, share their work, and get advice on all sorts of photography.

Contact: Mort Goldstrom, ShowClick Here to View Contact Information

A group for those who are interested in eating more plant-based foods, exploring various plant-based diets, or just learning more about this way of eating. The group hosts bimonthly lunches and other occasional events.

Contact: Debbie Friedman & Ellen Goldman, ShowClick Here to View Contact Information

Queer Torah study group that meets once each month on Shabbat morning to study Torah and talk about the intersections between Judaism and LGBTQ+ life. Open to all.

Contact: Gershom Young, ShowClick Here to View Contact Information

Seeks to engage NVHC members and others to rebuild democracy by creating a space for open and honest conversation, inviting engaging and relevant speakers, and inspiring action.

Contact: Rabbi Michael G. Holzman, ShowClick Here to View Contact Information

Provides monthly dinners and other activities for congregants aged 55+.

Contact: Marsha Sheinman, Chair, ShowClick Here to View Contact Information

Supports and furthers the highest ideals of Judaism and the goals of NVHC by promoting camaraderie, esprit de corps, spirituality, and participation in tikkun olam – repairing the world – within our congregation and the greater community.

Contact: Peggy Nelson, ShowClick Here to View Contact Information