1. Book Drive - Donate new books for Children's Inn at the NIH (boxes located in synagogue) - TEEN BOOKS and Parenting Self Help needed (more info)
2. Sunday, 12/18 - 9:40 and 10:50am - Adult Ed: Jewish Perspective on Smoking and Cloning
3. Sunday, 12/18 -11:00am - Sisterhood Hannukah Brunch
4. Sunday, 12/18 - 3:00pm - Kadima Bowling
5. Sunday, 12/18 - 3:00pm - Film Festival: Keeping the Faith (Pizza to follow bring older teens)
6. Wednesday, 12/21 - 8:00pm - Synagogue Board Meeting
7. Wednesday, 12/21 - 8:00pm - Open Israeli Dancing everyone welcome!
8. Sunday, 12/25 - First Night of Hanukkah
9. Monday, 12/26 - Community Wide Hanukkiah Lighting at B'nai Shalom of Olney
10. Tuesday, 12/27 - 10:00am - Machar Dreidel Tournament

[Quick Links] |Schedule of Services | BSO Film Festival | Golda's Balcony Tickets | From Cantor Geller | Nursery School |Religious School News | Book Drive| Youth Events | Men's Club | Sisterhood | Save the Dates | Jewish Community Events | This Week's Parsha |

Weekly Schedule of Services

1. Friday, December 16, 7:30pm - Shabbat Service
2. Saturday, December 17, 9:00am - Saturday Morning Service
3. Saturday, December 17, 9:30am - Junior Congregation
4. Saturay, December 17, 4:30pm - Mincha, Ma'ariv, Havdalah - Bat Mitzvah of Rebecca Doss
5. Sunday, December 18, 8:45am - Minyan
6. Monday-Thursday, 7:30pm - Minyan
7. Friday, December 23, 7:30pm - Shabbat Service
8. Saturday, December 24, 9:00am -Shabbat Service

Religious School

• There is Junior Congregation Saturday, December 17 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. in rooms 13, 14 and 15.
  There are still some sponsorships available for the Junior Congregation Kiddush. The cost is $36.00 and is a wonderful way to honor your child, a special occasion or event, or "just because"! If you are interested in sponsoring a kiddush, please contact the Religious School office at 301-774-9323.
  
• The first Junior Congregation of 2006 is January 7 and will be followed by Kids Konversation at 11:45 a.m.
  
• Religious School is closed due to winter vacation from December 22 - January 2. Classes resume on January 3.
  
• Grade 4 will participate in a Havdalah workshop on January 8 during regular class time in the social hall. A letter was mailed home to all Grade 4 families explaining this special day with a RSVP tear-off that is due back to the Religious School office by January 4. The fourth grade students will use the items made in their workshop at the Grade 4 Mincha/Maariv Havdalah service on January 14.
  
• There is no Religious School on Sunday, January 15 due to Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend.

FROM CANTOR GELLER

• Photos from the Teen Choir of B'nai Shalom and Agudas Achim are online.
• New additions to the B'nai Shalom of Olney Digital Music Library are available
• We do NOT have bnai mitzvah on the Shabbat mornings of December 17, 24, and 31. So we look forward to greeting and praying with you.
• Remember to support our weeknight evening minyan at 7:30 pm and Sunday mornings at 8:45 am. We continue during school vacation.

Nursery School

FUNDRAISER -- NURSERY SCHOOL PARENTS ASSOCIATION
The BSO Nursery School Parents Association is selling KidStuff...and more! coupon savings books for 2005-2006 for $25; 50% of the proceeds goes to the NS. The book contains hundreds of money-saving coupons for family-friendly restaurants, clothing & shoe stores, game parks, movies and other entertainment venues. Stop by the Nursery School office, or call Trudy at 301-570-0699.

Youth Department

• The Youth Department and the Social Action Committee have started a BOOK DRIVE for the kids and families and the Children’s Inn at NIH. There is a great need for Reference Books to help teens with school work and Self Help Book for Parents. Please deposit your NEW books in the bins outside the sanctuary and at the school wing. This is a very important cause.
  
• It’s time to Hoop it Up! Sign up now for the USY Basketball League. For any questions and for forms check out the flier and/or call Adam immediately. The deadline is December 30th. [More Info]
  
• Help the Jewish Foundation for Group Homes when Kadima Bowls for Bucks on December 18th from 3p-5p. More info
  
• It’s the 1st annual Machar Driedel Tournament on December 27th from 10a-12p. Compete for prizes and help kids in Israel. More info
  
• Parents and students alike can check in at the Youth Lounge and browse through our College Bound guide. It’s full of resources to help you find the right school, apply for financial aid and get an idea of Jewish life on campuses.
  
• It’s already time to start thinking about USY Summer Programs. Here’s the link for more information and a coupon. http://www.usy.org/programs/escape/discount.pdf
  
• Let’s help those of other faiths by volunteering for the DC JCC Community Service Day. Here’s the link… http://www.dcjcc.org/volunteer/events/d25.php

Tickets to Golda's balcony at the warner theatre

Join your friends from B'nai Shalom of Olney at the Warner Theatre on March 4th at 8:00PM to see Valerie Harper in Golda's Balcony. Ticket reservations due by December 19th. More info.

Sisterhood

• Hiddur Mitzvah Items are on Display in the Lobby Case. Stop by during office hours to have your piece removed. Mazel Tov on a beautiful job - we raised over $400 for victims of Katrina and made several items for donations to families in New Orleans.
  
• Sisterhood's Chanukah brunch party is Sunday, December 18 at 11 a.m. at the home of Matlee Yadin. Please bring a new, unwrapped children's book for donation to the Children's Inn at NIH. For more info or to RSVP, call Karen Leventhal.
  
• Sisterhood Shabbat will be observed on Saturday, January 21st. There are Hebrew and English parts available, including prayers in both languages, aliyot, Torah readings and more. Several Sisterhood members and Cantor Geller are ready and delighted to help anyone who would like to learn something new- as long as you let us know by the first week in January. Contact Naomi Yadin-Mendick for available parts and to sign up to participate
  
• The Sisterhood Judaica shop has new Chanukah items and other beautiful new gift and ritual items in stock. Watch for Sunday morning openings this month. To shop by appointment, please call Ellen Lemberger.
  
• Go on line to check out our Sisterhood calendar for upcoming events

Mens Club

• Basketball teams are forming now. If you would like to play please contact Larry Parizer at 301-570-3475 or larry.parizer@bcbsa.com by First week of December. Also, if you would like to play Softball please contact Larry Parizer. Teams will begin in April 2006
  
• Entertainment books are available once again in the front office.

MOVIE NIGHT

Sunday, December 18th at 3:00pm
"Keeping the Faith"
Best friends since they were kids, Jake Schram (Ben Stiller) and Brian Kilkenny Finn (Edward Norton), are single, successful, handsome, and confident young men living on New York's Upper West Side. When Anna Reilly (Jenna Elfman), once their childhood friend and now grown into a beautiful corporate executive, returns to the city, she reenters Jake and Brian's lives and hearts with a vengeance. Sparks fly and an unusual and complicated love triangle is created because Brian happens to be a Roman Catholic priest and Jake is a rabbi.

Save the Following Dates for Upcoming Events:

• Jewish Community Events Calendar

Text of Weekly Torah Portion is brought to you by The Jewish Theological Seminary of America

P A R A S H A T V a - Y i s h l a h
Genesis 32:4 - 36:43

http://www.jtsa.edu/community/parashah/jpstext/vayishlah.shtml

H A F T A R A T V a - Y i s h l a h
Obadiah 1:1 - 21

http://www.jtsa.edu/community/parashah/jpstext/vayishlah_haft.shtml

Light Shabbat candles Friday, December 16 at 4:29 in the Olney, MD area.
Shabbat ends at 5:37 on Saturday, December 17.