Minyan times change throughout the year so please confirm by contacting magendavidminyan@gmail.com if you are interested in attending our minyan. Questions? Please speak to Sebastian Cohen

*Our Shabbat Youth Program will be taught be substitute teachers until Hodaya returns in April.

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Shabbat Kiddush

The Shabbat Kiddush will not be served this week. Challah and juice will be provided in the lobby following the service.

No Shedah Shelisheet will be provided this Shabbat

Why not sponsor a Kiddush lunch or Seudah Shelisheet in honor or memory of a loved one? Contact Andy Suissa at andyhas4@aol.com or 301-346-4212 for more information.

Casino Night

Feeling Lucky? Join Us for Casino Night at MDSC!

This Saturday, March 22nd

9:00 pm - 12:00 am

Roulette, Craps, Blackjack, Poker

Open Bar, Hors D'oeuvres,

Great Prizes-iPad mini, flat screen tv, Nespresso machine, and much more!

In Advance - Members - $40; Non Members - $50

At The Door - Members - $45; Non Members - $55

To pay in advance, please follow this link.

Select 'Other' from the dropdown box , and enter 'Casino Night' in the Message field

Members Teaching Members

Challenges in a Disintegrating Middle East; THOUGHTS ON ISRAEL'S NATIONAL SECURITY

Thursday, March 27 7:30

Second in the MDSC "Members Teaching Members" Series

How does Israel's National Security System rise to the challenge of ever-increasing violence and instability in the Middle East region? How does the unpredictability of events impact Israel's military preparedness? How does Israel's defense system insure the safety of its people now and in the future?

Dr. Dan Schueftan is the Director of the National Security Studies Center at the University of Haifa and the Goldman Visiting Professor at the Department of Government, Georgetown University. He has been a consultant to Israel's foreign policy and defense establishments and an advisor to former prime ministers Yitzak Rabin and Ariel Sharon, as well as to European and American political leaders. He is the author of numerous books and articles on contemporary Middle Eastern history.

This event is co-sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) Israel Action Center

This event is free of charge, but registration is required. Please use this link to rsvp

Bikur Cholim

MDSC has formed a committee to participate in Bikur Cholim, "visiting the sick". Bikur cholim provides comfort and support to those that are ill and the elderly. Bikur Cholim can include such activities as:

visiting patients in the hospital, rehabilitation center, or nursing home
visiting people who are home bound
driving people to doctor appointments
grocery shopping and errands
telephoning the sick or isolated senior

If you are aware of any member of our community in need, please contact the members of the Bikur Cholim committee. If you would like to participate in this very rewarding mitzvah, please contact Jacob Elbaz at elbazj@gmail.com 202-257-8518

Daf Yomi Sponsorship Opportunity

Last Fall, Magen David Sephardic Congregation joined Jews worldwide in establishing a Shiur Daf Yomi, or daily Talmud lecture. Tens of thousands of Jews across the globe study the same page of the Talmud each and every day, completing it in approximately seven and a half years. This Sunday, we will begin our sixth tractate, known as Masekhet Yoma, which deals with the laws of Yom Kippur.

Dedicating Torah study in memory of a loved one or as a source of merit for success or good health is a beautiful Jewish tradition. We would like to encourage you to "get involved" in the Daf Yomi by sponsoring a day, a week, a chapter or an entire tractate of our program. Your name and/or the name of your loved one will be mentioned at the beginning of every class, which is always recorded and then uploaded to our Daf Yomi website doingthedaf.blogspot.com. Our website has already had thousands of unique visits!

Sponsorships are available for the following donations:

Sponsor One Page/Day of Learning - $36 (87 pages)
Sponsor One Week of Learning - $120 (12 weeks)
Sponsor One Chapter of Study - $180 (8 chapters)
Sponsor The Entire Masekhet - $500

Please take advantage of this opportunity to take part in the holiness of our Torah learning as well as bring blessing and merit to yourself and your family. To arrange a sponsorship, contact Rabbi Maroof at 301-357-0129 or rjmaroof@yahoo.com

In The Sanctuary...

Please note that it is customary not to enter or leave the sanctuary during the silent Amida, while the Rabbi is speaking and while the Torah is being read.

Shabbat Opportunities for Our Children

We would love to see your child participate more actively in Shabbat services! There are many opportunities for children of all ages to take part in the prayers.

Girls 5-10 years old, and boys 5-12, may do one or more of the following:
1) Assist with opening and closing the Ark when we remove/return the Torah scrolls
2) Carry the Sefer Haftarot (post-Bar Mitzvah boys may carry the Torah)
3) Stand at the Tevah and assist in chanting Kabbalat Shabbat (Friday night), Nishmat Kol Hai, Yishtabach, Shema Yisrael, El Adon, Kedusha or Ein Kelohenu. The Rabbi will make recordings of these prayers available to you for practice and preparation at home.

Boys who can read Hebrew and are 7 years of age or older may read an Aliyah of the Torah and/or Haftara on Shabbat. Girls who can read Hebrew may prepare to chant a section of Shir Hashirim on Friday Night, or a portion of one of the Megillot on Purim, Pesah, Shavuot or Sukkot. The Rabbi will gladly work with you privately to prepare him/her in advance for this.

Please contact the Rabbi or Gabbai and make arrangements for your child to take advantage of one of these beautiful opportunities for participation in our services.

Rami Levi ramilevi77@gmail.com

Rabbi Maroof rjmaroof@yahoo.com

Haftara Requests

Please note that if you wish to read the Haftara on a specific Shabbat you must communicate this to the Gabbai four weeks in advance. The first person to reserve a particular Haftara will be given that Haftara - no reassignments will be made, regardless of circumstances. Since the Gabbai cannot take responsibility for keeping track of all of your memorial dates, azkarot, etc., please be sure to take the initiative and reserve the Haftarah that you need four weeks ahead of time. You can reach the Gabbi at 301-775-9662 or by email at ramilevi77@gmail.com.

Eruv Status

To check the status of the eruv, call 240-627-1661 later Friday afternoons.

In The Community...

FREE ALAN GROSS....

The Jewish and interfaith communities of Greater Washington will not stand idly by as one of its

own remains in captivity. Attend one of the upcoming vigils for Alan Gross' freedom - every

Monday outside the Cuban Interests Section. Vigils will continue each Monday until Alan comes home.

Location: Cuban Interests Section (2630 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC)

When: Mondays, 12:00 - 1:00pm

For updates on times and dates of future vigils, follow @FREEALANGROSS on twitter.
Visit www.jcouncil.org/freealangross for more information about Alan Gross and how YOU can help. To sign the petition to free Alan Gross please click here